Galana's fourth effort. "Never mind the quality feel the width".

[pedro maia]

3 hours ago, Galana said:

Yes. They are wild and raid Vegetable gardens for food.

Here is some footage I took one evening two years ago.

 

 

Well, I just learned something, didn’t know there is a population of wild wallabies in Europe...

[Galana]

There are one of two places in UK as well as ours on the Isle of Man where remnant populations occur.

I don't know about Europe where there are more predators. IOM does not even have Foxes so ours thrive.

[Kitsafari]

wallabies in IOM, who knew. can koalas survive there? they need an alternate population given the bushfires are decimating the numbers in their native home. 

 

Very productive walks - see how losing external power can fuel your internal power?

 

 

[Galana]

Very Freudian

5 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

see how losing external power can fuel your internal power?

Or was it Confuscius again?

Sadly whilst we would love to house spare Koalas we don't have any Gum trees for them.

[TonyQ]

@Galana  you look younger in your (avatar) photo, your trip to Zambia seems to have been good for you

[Galana]

I have re-aligned Gender too. The original was female and the singer is male and given the legal framework of Zambia I had to tread very carefully.

[Soukous]

14 hours ago, Galana said:

I have re-aligned Gender too

 

Congratulations on making the switch. Mind you there is not nearly as much stigma attached to changing gender as their once was.

[Galana]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

Mind you there is not nearly as much stigma attached to changing gender as their once was.

There is in Zambia!

Gotta be careful to stay family friendly here.

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

Gotta be careful to stay family friendly here

 

Noted. 

[Galana]

A little bit of fog and weak sunshine made light a bit of a trial but business in the fr north of the Island had me out anyway and why not?

 

And it was lovely to see the first Harbingers of Spring already in bloom.

Wild Snowdrops. Galanthus nivalis. Lots of them coming out now and brightening our roadsides and woods.

 

And I did manage another Banker for my count.

029. Robin. He even sang for me so life is good. Ballakesh. IOM

 

[Kitsafari]

such gorgeous snowdrops - I don't believe I've ever seen them . do they bloom only at end of winter/early spring?

 

oh pretty and looking-very-fat robin!

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

do they bloom only at end of winter/early spring?

Yes. In a mild winter they often appear in very early January and even pop up through lying snow.(which actually keeps the soil warm like a blanket.)

Generally regarded as the first sign of the coming spring. It is a bulb based plant that reacts to the lengthening daylight. Like all bulbs people can grow them in bowls on the window ledge but for me the sight of them coming up in the 'wild' outdoors really is a heartening sign that the dark days of winter are coming to an end..

Next to appear will be Crocii and then Daffodils and before you know it migrant birds. (Mentioning birds reminds me that this is a bird forum so better quit while ahead )

[Galana]

Another 'bleak week' has me pushing into EBC territory just to stay in touch.

30. Ringed Plover. Ramsey harbour on the way to the shops. Using tiny handbag Fuji.

I WILL do better.

 

[Galana]

I have hashed up the numbers so Ringed Plover was double counted as 16.

 

So the new number 30 gets the Uganda trip off to a good start with a bathing beauty.....

 

So.

The new 30 is Shikra (Little Banded Goshawk) Airport Guest House, Entebbe whilst waiting for the rest of the team.

Sorry contact is specific. We are now three days into the trip and I have selected a nice photo for #100. But as a spoiler the Shoebill is #86.

@Dave Williams The hare is with me and tracking for a change but running hard and a little overwhelmed by our sightings.

Bye for now.

 

 

[xelas]

Beautiful bird, @Galana, I am so envious !

[elefromoz]

@Galana, lovely Shikra, in the garden no less. When I saw it I thought 'gee that looks very Goshawkish"...duh

[Kitsafari]

Beautiful Shikra - off to a great start. Hope the Hare gets many Happy Sightings !

[Galana]

Thanks all. First connection for some time.The Hare was sighted one morning but he looked tired and bleary eyed and did not hang around.

My list is growing but I am being worked too hard with starts at silly o clock or sooner. Now in Bwindi so may get some down time to catch up.

Hugs.

[Galana]

Slow to come like Christmas but here is

#31.

Red-chested Sunbird. Airport Guest House, Entebbe.

Happily the birds and beasts are coming quicker than I am posting.

#100 is decided and only yesterday Sunday, I had no choice with the selection of #200 as it fell in place just right.

If only the WIFFY was as considerate.

As a leader the group species list was 267 as at last night with only two weeks to go. Not all came easily to camera though.

32. Black-eyed (Common) Bulbul. a.k.as "my neighbour" because he is always around.

@xelas has 1,000s of them!

 

[PeterHG]

What a score for two weeks! That Guesthouse near the runways looks like a good place to start the trip.

[Galana]

On 2/18/2020 at 2:40 PM, PeterHG said:

What a score for two weeks! That Guesthouse near the runways looks like a good place to start the trip.

Always a good place to start and finish a trip.Speaking of finishing we have arrived at our last but one stop and by

saturday evening it will be plane to catch time for @kittykat23uk and follwed shortly thereafter by @xelas with me attending to family matters and enjoying a few hours sneaky birding too before following.

Overall the team worked well together with minimal bloodshed. They also seem to have survived sleep and Wiffy deprivation without harm.

Checklist as at last night was 361 and three days to go.

I note Jo referred to the precipitation and sadly this did mar a couple of excursions. Indeed one swamp was flooded and anotherwas inaccessible so some Swampy birds were passed.

Now looking to catch up with some photos on here but it ain't easy to load with only a one horse power system.

PS Failed again.

[kittykat23uk]

2 hours ago, Galana said:

Always a good place to start and finish a trip.Speaking of finishing we have arrived at our last but one stop and by

saturday evening it will be plane to catch time for @kittykat23uk and follwed shortly thereafter by @xelas with me attending to family matters and enjoying a few hours sneaky birding too before following.

Overall the team worked well together with minimal bloodshed. They also seem to have survived sleep and Wiffy deprivation without harm.

Checklist as at last night was 361 and three days to go.

I note Jo referred to the precipitation and sadly this did mar a couple of excursions. Indeed one swamp was flooded and anotherwas inaccessible so some Swampy birds were passed.

Now looking to catch up with some photos on here but it ain't easy to load with only a one horse power system.

PS Failed again.

 

Well we've certainly had a lot of laughs on this trip!

[shazdwn]

361, wow I’ll be lucky to get that for the entire year! 

[Galana]

On 2/25/2020 at 5:20 PM, kittykat23uk said:

Well we've certainly had a lot of laughs on this trip!

nice to think so. That's what a Whiteknuckles Trip is all about.

Update.

We are all safely back in Airport Guest House, Entebbe prior to going our separate ways home.

The checklist went to >400 on the drive back so that was a nice milestone. Of course what you see does not equate to what was photographed but fingers crossed for a good one country score.

Suppers ready. Time to go.

 

Pip Pip.

[xelas]

Waiting for our taxi to the airport next door. This was unique trip in many regards. Some hard works behind us, and some more hard works ahead of us, but it was a great visit to a fascinating country.