Michael´s Sixth Year

[PeterHG]

A beautiful raptor collection and impressive photography for many of them!

Edited December 28, 2021 by PeterHG

[michael-ibk]

346/K89) Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus) / Braunohr-Mausvogel

 

Aberdares, 18/11/21. Abundant in this area, but also around in NNP, the Mara and Ol Pejeta.

 

[michael-ibk]

347/K90) Blue-Naped Mousebird (Urocolius macrourus) / Blaunacken-Mausvogel

 

Naboisho, 13/11/21. Much scarcer than its cousin, only seen here and one bird in NNP.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

348/K91) African Hoopoe (Upupa africana) / Afrikanischer Hopf

 

Ol Pejeta, 21/11/21. Though its exact status is still debated most sources treat it a as a good species. And so I do as well of course. 

 

 

 

Why I am so sure it´s African Hoopoe and not its Eurasian cousin:

 

 

The all black primaries are one of the key ID features to tell the two species apart, Eurasian has much more white here.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

349/K92) Green Woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) / Baumhopf

 

Ol Pejeta, 19/11/21. Surprisingly just this one (distant) sighting of this noisy and conspicuous bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

350/K93) Abyssinian Scimitarbill (Rhinopomastus minor) / Goldschnabelhopf

 

Ol Pejeta, 21/11/21. The only sighting - but I really should not complain about that since it is a lifer for me. 

 

[michael-ibk]

351/K94) Crowned Hornbill (Lophoceros alboterminatus) / Kronentoko

 

Aberdares, 15/11/21. The only sighting of this species.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

352/K95) African Grey Hornbill (Lophoceros nascutus) / Grautoko

 

Massai Mara, 13/11/21. Surprisingly this seems to be the first time I‘ve seen this common species in Kenya.

 

 

In camp I also had an interesting sighting of a Hornbill devouring a Frog. Never really thought of them as Frog-Eaters but since they eat bird chicks it´s not that surprising.

 

[michael-ibk]

353/K96) Von der Decken‘s Hornbill (Tockus deckeni) / Von-der-Decken-Toko

 

Ol Kinyei, 12/11. A pair was resident here, we saw it on almost every game drive.

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

354/K97) Silvery-Cheeked Hornbill (Bycanistes brevis) / Silberwangenhornvogel

 

Aberdares, 16/11/21. Always a delight to see this impressive bird. They are common here but close-up sightings like this are never a sure thing.

 

 

 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

 

 

 

5 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

 

In camp I also had an interesting sighting of a Hornbill devouring a Frog.

Amazing picture @michael-ibkand I would be surprised someone here on safaritalk ever had that view 

[mvecht]

@michael-ibkGreat additions. As always I am jealous about the Wallcreeper!

[michael-ibk]

@mvechtThanks! So here are some Wallcreeper photos just for you. (Ok - admittedly just to show off )

 

Because I could not wait until I am back home I ordered a little thingy so I could upload the photos to the Ipad. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Fantastic series of Wallcreeper shots!

[shazdwn]

Impressive gallery and impressive total (or are there more to come?).  Loving seeing the African birds

[michael-ibk]

4 hours ago, shazdwn said:

 (or are there more to come?). 

 

Thanks! Quite a few indeed. Won‘t be able to post them all this year, will have to finish in January.

[xelas]

4 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Quite a few indeed.

 

I recon #400 will be reached?!

[michael-ibk]

31 minutes ago, xelas said:

 

I recon #400 will be reached?!

That is not the question. 

[michael-ibk]

355/K98) Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) / Haubenzwergfischer

 

Nairobi NP, 10/11/21. Seen one hour after arrival, and then another one later in Naboisho.

 

[michael-ibk]

356/K99) Grey-Headed Kingfisher (Halcyon leucocephala) / Graukopfliest

 

Ol Kinyei, 13/11/21. The only Kingfisher fairly common, especially in the Mara.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

357/K100) Striped Kingfisher (Halcyon chelicuti) / Streifenliest

 

Ol Kinyei, 13/11/21. The only sighting. Not the most Kingfisher-prolific trip - as mentioned before might be my first safari without having seen a Pied.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

358/K101) Little Bee-Eater (Merops pusillus) / Zwergspint

 

Ol Kinyei, 12/11/21. As always, the most common Bee-Eater. Seen in good numbers everywhere except in the Aberdares.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

359/K102) Cinnamon-Chested Bee-Eater (Merops oreobates) / Bergspint

 

Aberdares, 15/11/21. The default Bee-Eater here. Very similar to the Little but a lot bigger and richer-coloured belly.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

360/K103) Blue-Cheeked Bee-Eater (Merops persicus) / Blauwangenspint

 

Ol Pejeta, 20/11/21. A migrant from Central Asia. Kinda unexpected, apart from Lake Baringo I have never seen it in Kenya - much more of a „Botswana bird“ to me.

 

 

-/K104) European Bee-Eater (Merops apiaster) / Bienenfresser

 

Aberdares, 18/11/21. Seen a couple of times (and heard) flying over, but this was the only sighting when they were sitting.

 

 

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

361/K105) European Roller (Coracias garrulus) / Blauracke

 

Ol Pejeta, 20/11/21. Seen a couple of times in NNP, the Mara and even the Aberdares. But their numbers in Ol Pejeta were downright absurd, one on every bush it seemed. One morning drive I counted 38 different individuals.

 

 

This one definitely bit off more than it could chew: