Michael´s Sixth Year

[michael-ibk]

439/K191) Violet-Backed Starling (Cinnyricinclus leucogaster) / Amethyst-Glanzstar

 

Sandai Farm, 17/11/21. The only bird I saw. Definitely would have preferred the much more beautiful male to show up.

 

[michael-ibk]

440/K192) Slender-Billed Starling (Onychognathus tenuirostris) / Zimtflügelstar.

 

Aberdares, 15/11/21. They like to hang around Queen´s Cave. First mistook it for the very similar Red-Winged Starling but this one has a longer tail and is a highlands specialist.

 

[michael-ibk]

441/K193) Hildebrandt´s Starling (Lamprotornis hildebrandti) / Hildebrandt-Glanzstar

 

Ol Kinyei, 13/11/21. A beautiful Starling. They made a lasting impression on me on my very first safari when they were hopping around Naabi Hill Gate in the Serengeti.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

442/K194) Rüppel´s (Long-Tailed) Starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera) / Schweifglanzstar

 

Ol Kinyei, 12/11/21. A few sightings in the Mara.

 

[michael-ibk]

443/K195) Superb Starling (Lamprotornis superbus) / Dreifarben-Glanzstar

 

Nairobi NP, 10/11/21, and most other places. A very fitting name.Why can´t our abundant species in Europe look like this? Sparrows, I´m talking about you!

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by michael-ibk

[michael-ibk]

444/K196) Greater Blue-Eared Starling (Lamprotornis chalybaeus) / Grünschwanz-Glanzstar

 

Ol Pejeta, 21/11/21. A few scattered sightings, most common (but not very numerous) in Ol Pejeta.

 

[michael-ibk]

445/K197) Abyssinian Thrush (Turdus abyssinicus) / Abessiniendrossel

 

Nairobi NP, 10/11/21. Common here and in the Aberdares particularly.

 

[michael-ibk]

446/K198) African Grey Flycatcher (Bradornis microrhynchus) / Strichelkopfschnäpper

 

Ol Kinyei, 13/11/21. Two distant sightings here in the Greater Mara.

 

[michael-ibk]

447/K199) Pale Flycatcher (Agricola pallidus) / Fahlschnäpper

 

Sandai Farm, 17/11/21. Very plain Flycatcher, with an unstreaked crown.

 

 

 

Our Spotted Flycatcher (K200) was particularly common in the Aberdares.

 

[michael-ibk]

448/K201) African Dusky Flycatcher (Muscicapa adusta) / Dunkelschnäpper

 

Aberdares, 16/11/21. A highlands regular. LBJ, yes, but I`m very fond of them.

 

[michael-ibk]

449/K202) Southern Black Flycatcher (Melaenornis pammelaina) / Glanzdrongoschnäpper

 

Ol Pejeta, 21/11/21. One sighting at the camp waterhole. (The very similar) Northern Black does not occur in Ol Pejeta.

 

[michael-ibk]

450/K203) Silverbird (Melaenornis semipartitus) / Silberschnäpper

 

Ol Kinyei, 13/11/21. Two sightings here. A distinctive and beautiful Flycatcher I´ve long wanted to see. A lifer.

 

Edited January 3, 2022 by michael-ibk

[Tdgraves]

Half way there….

[michael-ibk]

5 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

Half way there….

 

Don´t overestimate me, 900 is certainly not in the cards.

[BRACQUENE]

@michael-ibk

My mailbox literally exploded in the last two hours but for this impressive series of birds I have no words 

[shazdwn]

7 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

If you get to 500 this year I think I will have to chuck my camera in the swimming pool...

Good excuse to buy a new one 

[PeterHG]

An incredible score already and many excellent photos! You certainly made good use of your six weeks in Kenya! 

[Zim Girl]

Wow, congratulations on the 450 (so far?), fantastic collection from Kenya!

[michael-ibk]

9 hours ago, PeterHG said:

You certainly made good use of your six weeks in Kenya! 

 I wish!

[michael-ibk]

451/K204) White-Eyed Slaty Flycatcher (Melaenornis fischeri) / Bergdrongoschnäpper

 

Aberdares, 16/11/21. Almost as annoying as Bulbuls here. Three out of four times you think you have found something new it´s this one.

 

 

A juvenile:

 

[michael-ibk]

452/K205) Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra) / Kaprötel

 

Aberdares, 17/11/21. Its main range is in South Africa so the name is not totally undeserved. Farther north they are only found in the mountains. Common in the Aberdares.

 

 

You can always ask it for the way:

 

 

Took me a while to figure out that this must be a juvenile:

 

[michael-ibk]

453/K206) White-Browed Robin-Chat (Cossypha heuglini) / Weißbrauenrötel

 

Ol Pejeta, 21/11/21. Seen in camp. The most widespread and best-known Robin-Chat.

 

[michael-ibk]

454/K207) Rüppel´s Robin-Chat (Cossypha semirufa) / Braunrückenrötel

 

Aberdares, 18/11/21. Replacing the extremely similar White-Browed in more montane habitats.

 

[michael-ibk]

455/K208) Irania aka White-Throated Robin (Irania gutturalis) / Weißkehlsänger

 

Sandai Farm, 17/11/21. A good tick, only my 2nd sighting of this migrant from the Middle East. A 1st year bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

456/K209) Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) / Sprosser

 

Sandai Farm, 17/11/21. At least I think it is, certainly skulked like one!

 

 

Its close cousin, the Common Nightingale (K210), was also seen - in the Aberdares. My first sighting in Africa.