Michael´s Fifth Year

[michael-ibk]

Se non é vero é ben trovato!

Edited April 3, 2020 by michael-ibk

[Galana]

37 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

Se non é vero é ben trovato!

My keyboard does not have accents so "It's true!"

Both your Batis are confirmed.  Particularly like the female Eastern BH.

Cisticolas are sound. You only have half a dozen to choose from anyway!  If I had a doubt I would suggest your Rattler was a Winding.  I can swing for the two new ones! Did you take a side trip to Kilembero?

[michael-ibk]

I see what you mean about the Rattler but no - we did check the call. And habitat would be all wrong for Winding. Apparently the Ruahas Rattlers have decided to be a bit more colourful than the rest. And that bird does have "ten races". No, we did not go down to the Swamps (everything was flooded anyway) but the fields around Hondo Hondo (our base in the Udzungwa mountains) were very productive.

[Galana]

2 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Apparently the Ruahas Rattlers have decided to be a bit more colourful than the rest.

Perhaps they smartened up for your visit?

 

You were lucky. Hondo Hondo charged me $80 to visit Kilombero. (they tried for $160 but I got a refund when I reported their 'mistake' on Trip Adviser.) I wouldn't care but I used my own car and driver.

Did they still have a sign in the Car Park saying 'No drivers passed this point?'

[michael-ibk]

10 hours ago, Galana said:

Did they still have a sign in the Car Park saying 'No drivers passed this point?'

 

Wow, not at all, no. I found their rates very, very customer-friendly, they charged something like USD 40,-- for 1 1/2 days of the services of their (very good) birding guide and I think something like USD 20,-- for getting us to/from the park entrance. I liked the place a lot more than I expected I would and there was not even a hint of that - manager and all staff were locals btw.

[michael-ibk]

The next batch is in theory a very attractive bird familiy but my photos don´t really show that since (some exceptions aside) in general they were not terribly accommodating. Or very accommodating in  a way because some did their best to produce splendid ebc material!

 

226/T182.) Hofmann´s Sunbird (Cinnyris hofmanni) / Hofmann-Nektarvogel

 

A good record for the Selous which made the experts on the Birding Tanzania group happy - most of them only knew it from Mikumi. This bird was split off from Shelley´s Sunbird, at least the IOC recognizes it like that, Clements does not. Apparently a fair bit smaller than Shelley´s but otherwise very similiar. Hidden high up in the canopy against the sun, and the female was even farther off.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

227/T183.) Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) / Amethyst-Glanzköpfchen

 

Common in the garden of our lodge on Chole Island. Male and female.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

228/T184.) Banded Green Sunbird (Amthreptes rubritorques) / Rotband-Nektarvogel

 

From our hike in the Udzungwa Mountains, the source of my most splendid ebcs. This is a female. We also saw Rufuous-Winged Sunbird, an Udzungwa endemic, but it was so dark in there my camera would never focus.

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

229/T185.) Purple-Banded Sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciata) / Zweiband-Nektarvogel

 

The default Sunbird in the Coastal areas (including the Selous) but common as it was a tricky one to get close to, Amethyst was much cooler about being photographed. Confusingly the males in the Selous still wore their non-breeding plumage while the ones on Mafia had dressed up for the occasion - weird!

 

Males from the Selous:

 

 

Probably a female:

 

 

A juvenile:

 

 

And breeding males from the Island:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

230/T186.) Scarlet-Chested Sunbird (Chalcomitra senegalensis) / Rotbrust-Glanzköpfchen

 

Just one sighting in the Selous.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

231/T187.) Beautiful Sunbird (Cinnyris pulchella) / Elfennektarvogel

 

One sighting in Ruaha. A bit confusing since it does not have the long stramers typical for breeding males of this species but I´ve read that it´s not uncommon for them to lose them.

 

[michael-ibk]

232/T188.) Collared Sunbird (Hedydipna collaris) / Halsband-Nektarvogel

 

Quite common in the Udzungwas and Mafia. Male and female.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

233/T189.) Eastern Violet-Backed Sunbird (Anthreptes orientalis) / Schwalben-Nektarvogel

 

One sighting in Ruaha. Yet another bird which "should not be here" according to "Birds of East Africa".

 

[michael-ibk]

234/T190.) Uluguru Violet-Backed Sunbird (Anthreptes neglectus) / Uluguru-Nektarvogel

 

One of my most splendid ebcs, I hope Fred will appreciate it. "Seen" in the Udzungwas of course.

 

[xelas]

And with Sunbirds, also @michael-ibk has proudly entered into a proper EBC category! Banded Green sunbird is a proud example of such . Bravo!

[michael-ibk]

Thank you, happy to be part of the club again! And don´t you worry, I have plenty of more to come.

[PeterHG]

Great to see such a variety of sunbirds!

[Galana]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

One of my most splendid ebcs, I hope Fred will appreciate it.

Oh he does, he does. Worthy of a special mention at least!

Some nice captures there. Looking at the number of birds "that should not be there" I wonder if there is a southerly 'drift' in range due to climate change? And of course the average Sunbird just cannot afford the price of a good map let alone a 2nd hand copy of Fanshawe to find out where it belongs.

 

And at least you saw the fabled Rufous-winged variety. When I did that hike we got narry a glimpse. Time I went back anyway.

Good news about Hondo Hondo management.

[TonyQ]

A great collection of Sunbirds, and well done on finally achieving an EBC that is (just about) worthy of the name 

[michael-ibk]

24 minutes ago, Galana said:

Looking at the number of birds "that should not be there" I wonder if there is a southerly 'drift' in range due to climate change?

 

I don´t think so, I was told the book is (and always was) just plain wrong with a number of species, especially those who only come to Southern Tanzania seasonally.

[michael-ibk]

And the ebc-saga continues, moving on to Shrikes and friends.

 

235/T191.) Long-Tailed Fiscal (Lanius cabanisi) / Langschwanzwürger

 

One distant group in the Selous.

 

[michael-ibk]

236/T192.) Red-Backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) / Neuntöter

 

The most widespread Shrike in Europe. Quite common in Ruaha but I still failed in getting a good picture.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

237/T193.) Magpie Shrike (Urolestes melanoleucus) / Elsterwürger

 

An atypical Shrike I associate more with Southern Africa, it´s a "Botswana bird" for me. Regulars in Ruaha.

 

[michael-ibk]

238/T194.) Black-Backed Puffback (Dryoscopus cubla) / Schwarzmantel-Schneeballwürger

 

Regularly seen throughout the trip, best opportunity in Impala Camp in the Selous where we stayed a night after being kicked out of Lake Manze Camp.

 

[michael-ibk]

239/T195.) Brown-Crowned Tchagra (Tchagra australis) / Dorntschagra

 

A few sightings in Ruaha. Sometimes difficult to separate from its Black-Crowned cousin but showing the brown crown clearly enough here.