Michael´s Fifth Year

[michael-ibk]

261/T217.) Southern Grey-Headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus) / Damarasperling

 

Might have also seen Northern Grey-Headed but nothing definitive to prove that, and the ranges of these two seem to be pretty unclear in Southern Tanzania.

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

262/T218.) Swahili Sparrow (Passer suahelicus) / Suahelisperling

 

Taking the place of the Grey-Headeds in Ruaha.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

263/T219.) Yellow-Throated Petronia (Petronis superciliaris) / Kapsteinsperling

 

One sighting in Ruaha.

 

[michael-ibk]

264/220.) White-Browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) / Mahaliweber

 

The Lord of the Selous. I cannot remember ever having been in a park where one species was so abundant. There seems to be a colony on each tree.

 

[michael-ibk]

265/221.) Grey-Capped Social-Weaver (Pseudonigrita arnaudi) / Marmorweber

 

I only remember this species from one colony in the Mara Triangle. Quite common in Ruaha.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

266/T223.) White-Headed Buffalo-Weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli) / Starweber

 

Seen quite regularly, photo here from Ruaha.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

267/T224.) Red-Billed Buffalo-Weaver (Bubalornis niger) / Büffelweber

 

Quite scarce, one sighting in Ruaha and the Selous each.

 

[michael-ibk]

268/T225.) Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) / Dorfweber

 

THE Weaver in Africa. Common everywhere, here from the Selous.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

269/T226.) Lesser Masked Weaver (Ploceus intermedius) / Cabanisweber

 

One colony seen, in a dead tree in a hippo pool in the Selous.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

270/T227.) Vitelline Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus) / Dotterweber

 

Just this single bird in Ruaha IIRC. A very nice sighting, spent quite some time watching it weave.

 

[michael-ibk]

271/T228.) Spectacled Weaver (Ploceus ocularis) / Brillenweber

 

One sighting in  Udzungwa. The bird book does not show that, non-breeding females have pinkish bills.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

272/T229.) Black-Necked Weaver (Ploceus nigricollis) / Kurzflügelweber

 

Two sightings in Ruaha. A common bird last year in Gabon - quite a different habitat here.

 

[michael-ibk]

273/T230.) Golden-Backed Weaver (Ploceus jacksoni) / Jacksonweber

 

One colony on the banks of the Great Ruaha River.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Originally posted as Southern-Brown Throated but they are African Golden which is in one of the next posts anyway.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk
Misidentification

[michael-ibk]

274/T231.) Kilombero Weaver (Ploceus burnieri) / Kilomberoweber

 

A proper Tanzanian endemic, confined to the wetlands East of the Udzungwas. So another really good tick.

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

275/T232.) Holub´s Golden Weaver (Ploceus xanthops) / Safranweber

 

One sighting in Ruaha.

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

276/T233.) African aka Eastern Golden Weaver (Ploceus subaureus) / Goldweber

 

The default Weaver in the Selous, very very common along the major waterways. Behaves like a Sparrow in camp, very bold bird.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

277/T234.) Dark-Backed Forest Weaver (Ploceus bicolor) / Waldweber

 

Seen in the Udzungwas. A somewhat confusing bird since the birdbook does not show this very distinct blue eye-ring. And photos online (mostly on ebird) don´t feature that neither. Had a discussion about that with the experts on Birding Tanzania, apparently that´s a feature of the Coastal and Usumbura range birds. Dark-Backed Weavers I photographed in Kakamega (Kenya) certainly looked quite different so this seems to be quite a distinct race.

 

 

Phew, Weavers over and out!

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk

[Galana]

Some very interesting captures there. Enjoyed them all.

Your promotion to the EBC league is under review again.

You had a brilliant offering for the BH Oriole in photo 226 and you went and blew it with a better photo in 248 when that photo would have done for the Sunbird instead! You need consistency my friend!

[TonyQ]

Excellent additions. Interesting to see so many different weavers. They are fascinating to watch when they are weaving.

You really are racing along. An great score from Tanzania already.

[PeterHG]

19 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

even when boosting the magenta slider all the way to the right the colour would not react.

Now that sounds like a fun way to ID starlings ;)! Great collection of starlings and weavers, Michael!

[Dave Williams]

That's me caught up again, you have accelerated at speed Michael. Some lovely birds and as ever I have to say when you see so many similar looking species I admire the fact that you keep on going. I would have ignored most of the weavers assuming they ere all the same species!

[shazdwn]

Wow I had no idea there were so many different species of weavers 

[michael-ibk]

Actually there are not - I have been told my superspecial Southern Brown-Throated is in fact another African Golden Weaver. But of course I always knew that and just wanted to test you - you all failed!

 

Numbers go one down - sigh!

[michael-ibk]

278/T235.) Red-Billed Quelea (Quelea quela) / Blutschnabelweber

 

Just a few scattered sightings, not the huge flocks one often sees on safari. A boring non-breeding individual from the Selous.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by michael-ibk