Michael´s Fifth Year

[Dave Williams]

Come on Michael, you must have something new to add by now. How about looking in the refrigerator?

[michael-ibk]

That one is empty Dave! But don't worry, more stuff coming up. I'm on my way back from the airport right now after two weeks of Tanzania. 😎

[Dave Williams]

8 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

That one is empty Dave! But don't worry, more stuff coming up. I'm on my way back from the airport right now after two weeks of Tanzania. 😎

Looking forward to it Michael.

[Galana]

Its over two weeks since you got back @michael-ibk. I call that overdue. Even Ryanair would have to pay compensation for such delays.

[michael-ibk]

@Galana Mea maxima culpa, I know. 😎 But it will probably be another couple of weeks until I get started. 🙁

[michael-ibk]

But here is a Malachite from Selous just to keep you happy. 😎

 

 

[Zim Girl]

Stunning picture of the Malachite, Michael.  Looking forward to the rest when they start appearing!

[Kitsafari]

WOW! 

show-off.come on then, get cracking on the rest before the shadow of @xelas 's Uganda trip catches up

[kittykat23uk]

2 hours ago, Galana said:

Its over two weeks since you got back @michael-ibk. I call that overdue. Even Ryanair would have to pay compensation for such delays.

[Peter Connan]

Stunner!

[xelas]

What a beautiful, shinny blue bird!

[Galana]

4 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

But here is a Malachite from Selous just to keep you happy. 😎

Happy? Not really! We all want the full meal not just nibbles.

Nice capture though.

[michael-ibk]

Sorry, still no Tanzania - a few local clicks:

 

34/E34.) Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) / Buchfink

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 5/3/20. One of our most common songbirds. "Fringillus" is the Latin word for "Finch". "Coelebs" is the stuff the Catholic Church asks of its priests - poor Chaffinch is celibate. Especially in Winter males and females separate.

 

[michael-ibk]

35/E35.) Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) / Buntspecht

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 5/3. Our default Woodpecker. "Dendrocopos" is Greek and means "Treehammerer" - fitting. Note the tongue in the last picture - a Woodpecker´s tongue wraps around its brain while it hammers! A male here - easily told apart from the female by the red napepatch (females have an all black-and-white head).

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

36/E36.) Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor) / Kleinspecht

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 5/3/20. Delighted to see this one, not a species I get every year. This is a female - again only the males have some red on the head.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

37/E37.) Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) / Zwergtaucher

 

Stausee Reißeck, Carinthia, 1/2/20. "Tachýs" is Greek for "fast", "baptein" is diving in - perfectly describing this bird´s behaviour. "Ruficollis" means red-throated - they should have used that one for its cousin.

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

38/E38.) Red-Crested Pochard (Netta rufina) / Kolbenente

 

Chiemsee, Germany, 5/3/20. One of our most attractive (though quite weird looking) Ducks. (Boring Latin name - "Red Teal"). A relative newcomer to Europe - it has only started breeding here in the 20th century.

 

 

And a first double - these Mergansers were pairing up so nicely.

 

 

Now back to work on Ruaha!

 

Edited March 5, 2020 by michael-ibk

[Galana]

Very nice locals.

[TonyQ]

I’ve never seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. A great addition!

[shazdwn]

7 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Note the tongue in the last picture - a Woodpecker´s tongue wraps around its brain while it hammers! 

 

Wow, who knew? 

[xelas]

Lucky you having to pass by Chiemsee so often! Great finds, specially Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Work harder with Tanzania birds !

[Galana]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

Work harder with Tanzania birds !

Absolutely! I never understand how it takes so long to 'process' trip photos when recent local shots don't seem to need it! Didn't somebody go to Uganda recently and returned before me only to post a couple of chaffinches?? Probably still  busy photoshopping the 2795 Bulbuls into penguins!

Edited March 6, 2020 by Galana
Additional text.

[xelas]

28 minutes ago, Galana said:

Probably still  busy photoshopping the 2795 Bulbuls into penguins!

 

Not yet. It is harder to plow through 12000 photos vs 1200 photos. And I have been brought up to favour seniors ... specially when that helps me with ID task . I have finished with Mabamba Swamp, starting with Kibale birds.

[michael-ibk]

17 hours ago, TonyQ said:

I’ve never seen a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. A great addition!

 

Well, @TonyQ, there´s your goal for this year - just checked, and you should have it in the UK.

 

5 hours ago, Galana said:

Absolutely! I never understand how it takes so long to 'process' trip photos when recent local shots don't seem to need it!

 

Well, I like to post my birds in the order of the bird book to have a good overview. Therefore I work through all my photos first and only start posting when I have IDed everything. That, and unfortunately I still have to suffer through my day job. Maybe I should report that I coughed twice yesterday and have a slight headache  today and get myself quarantined, then I´d be faster for sure.

[PeterHG]

A stunning Malachite and some very good local birds. That Lesser Spotted Woodpecker was a good find! We have it here, too, but I rarely see one. I'm sorry to hear you've still got a job. . So much easier without one. Having said that: I'm still working on my SA photos from February and once I've finished those there a still a great many photos from the Colombia trip last year to work my way through...