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Kalaharikind merel(y) lark(ing) about in 2021


Kalaharikind

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Towlersonsafari

Mount Zebra is one of our favourite San Parks- we love the scenery and just the character of the place @Kalaharikind-although its also the location of the coldest sundowner/ night drive we have ever been on- it should have been a hot soupdowner

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Lovely shot of the Scimitarbil!

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Still trotting from Sanpark to Sanpark, this time from Mountain Zebra NP to Addo Elephant NP - as did a lot of other people: we met a couple at Karoo NP and agreed to get together for a braai in Addo, about 400 kms away... It felt almost like being on a package tour - if it's Wednesday it must be Amsterdam, type of thing. Not our ideal holiday, but we nevertheless got the chance to visit parks and places we might not have visited otherwise, and I'm not going to complain too much.

 

Addo was dry, but the elephants looked happy and healthy, there were planty of water holes - and birding took even more of a back seat than before.

 

137) Emerald-potted Wood Dove          Groenvlekduifie          Turtur chalcospilos

 

This one does not seem to have the iridescent spots, and the white margins on the feathers are also uncommon (unless, of course, it's not an Emeral-spotted? But what else can it be?) 

 

607646833_137GroenvlekduifieAddoElephantNP2021(213).JPG.b583bcdfd544e2253e5a4676b262111f.JPG

 

Here's the more typical form (which doesn't seem to upload):

 

1384740205_137GroenvlekduifieAddoElephantNP2021(120).JPG.b5324625b1dc6ae02ab0e98c67bee66d.JPG

 

 138) Greater Double-collared Sunbird          Grootrooibandsuikerbekkie          Cinnyris afer

There was a Jackal Buzzard perched close by, and the two seemed to be playing a game of "who is going to blink - or attack - first?" The Sunbird continued to sing, probably aware that it was not really on the menu and that it would be able to escape pretty quickly. The stand-off was fun to watch, until a small herd of elephants, which was even more entertaining, appeared.

 

1628948745_138Groot-rooibandsuikerbekkieAddoElephantNP2021(362).JPG.7558739e1ddf77a04801c006f12f1c3f.JPG

 

139) Pied Starling          Witgatspreeu          Lamprotornis bicolor

 

1564464015_139WitgatspreeuAddoElephantNP2021(115).JPG.ae9577b4c352844bec9493e927b95453.JPG

 

140) Yellow Weaver          Geelwewer          Ploceus Subaureus

 

495423058_140GeelwewerAddoElephantNP2021(136).JPG.c6bb84c872fb857b5c6a137d84edf96b.JPG

137 Groenvlekduifie Addo Elephant NP  2021 (119).JPG

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4 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

(unless, of course, it's not an Emeral-spotted? But what else can it be?) 

That's a very good question. In addition to the lack of Emeralds and the white fringes its feet and legs should be pinky red and not dark like that. A true puzzle.

 

Like you I stop birding when ellies are around.

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13 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

and I'm not going to complain too much.

Darn right! I would not complain at all :). I've heard less restrictions are imposed in the country?

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@xelas The restrictions have been much relaxed, but people/newspapers/social media gossipmongers have already started banging on drums for December: another wave (possible)/beach closures like last year/no alcohol sales/various other conspiracy theories - take you pick.

My greatest worry is a possible ban on interprovincial travel: my mum is up in Gauteng, and I desperately want to see her over Christmas. It might just be a last chance to do so. Johan and I have been "double-Pfizered", so we should be ok for travel, though. 

@Galana If you are stumped, I no longer feel bad about wasting years of my life trying to make an ID. I wonder if Addo has a dedicated ornithologist I could ask? Worth a try, anyway.

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3 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

Worth a try, anyway.

Worth a try. Let me know. Put it on "Help with bird ID" on ST too.

My guess it is a hybrid.

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Last of the Local is Lekker birds: all from the Storms River rest camp in the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park. March 2021.

 

141) Sombre Greenbul          Gewone Willie          Andropadus importunus

 

       2146367948_141GewonewillieSNP2021(193).JPG.001f81598765d6c127d13160b8f0e1d8.JPG

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@Kalaharikindsome nice new ones there. Your weather sounds as odd as ours, in the last two days we have seen 38 degrees a little north and then hail this morning in the city.

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Aah, so the images are displaing properly now: I had the little square thingy earlier on.

 

@elefromozThanks! And that reminds me: I should start with a 2021 lifer list. Odd weather indeed. These days, I only look at windspeeds! 

 

 

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Please help me out here: I think the lighter one is the adult Dusky Flycather, and the darker one the juvenile? 

142) Dusky Flycatcher          Donker Vlieevanger          Muscicapa adusta

 

1524181211_142DonkervlieevangerSNP2021(30).JPG.e2f73e48d318a2cecc9982cd0c6bed6b.JPG

 

1524181211_142DonkervlieevangerSNP2021(30).JPG.e2f73e48d318a2cecc9982cd0c6bed6b.JPG301466610_142DonkervlieevangerSNP2021(31).JPG.5661fa998db94dd78661b0044163fb8e.JPG

Are they even flycatchers?

 

Edited by Kalaharikind
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143) Speckled Mousebird          Gevlekte Muisvoel          Colius striatus

 

231424697_143GevlektemuisvoelSNP2021(14).JPG.b7c21db82e4a73ebb2180c83d0844733.JPG

 

144) Red-necked Spurfowl          Rooikeelfisant          Pternistis afer

 

870369303_144RooikeelfisantSNP2021(2).JPG.ae2e4218f0e0791bf8565dd295505306.JPG

 

 

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Surely, this must get the EBC of the Year award!

 

145) Giant Kingfisher          Reusevisvanger          Megaceryle maxima

 

1194133953_145ReusevisvangerSNP2021(351).JPG.91bb2151bb9760db8c3f5648f2c50ec6.JPG

 

 

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4 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

Surely, this must get the EBC of the Year award!

A worthy contender indeed.

African Dusky Adult confirmed but I am not sure about the juv. due to the supercileum.

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Dave Williams

 Giant? it's almost a Ghost !!

They all count though.

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And another brilliant EBC, nailed today, in the garden:

 

146) Bar-throated Apalis          Bandkeelkleinjantjie          Apalis thoracica

 

2048525655_145Bandkeelkleinjantjie.JPG.d5d9e0804d33c096833b0aa0c3a24c9c.JPG

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On 10/27/2021 at 2:26 AM, Kalaharikind said:

Surely, this must get the EBC of the Year award!

 

145) Giant Kingfisher          Reusevisvanger          Megaceryle maxima

 

1194133953_145ReusevisvangerSNP2021(351).JPG.91bb2151bb9760db8c3f5648f2c50ec6.JPG

 

 

 

I can't argue with you!

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In September I drove 260 kms - almost all of it in pouring rain - to Clanwilliam to bring you a few entries for the Slightly Better Birds segment of this thread:

 

The White-backed Mousebird from Augrabies NP was not much more than a pic of a bird in a tree.

 

1234831943_WitkruismuisvoelClanwilliam(33).JPG.96498e5c065ae064baefd8ec391fccb0.JPG

 

And you get the juv Southern Fiscal simply for the curious expression on his face:

 

1689644995_FiskaallaksmanClanwilliam(4).JPG.48570cecd705f64b7bac1036105c0c90.JPG

 

Then all the way up to Nieuwoudtville, birdless apart from the Pied Crow you've seen, but with an abundance of spring flowers:

 

1253964451_Nieuwoudtville(66).JPG.36d6afa644d4349d974425d064024ecd.JPG

 

419108677_Nieuwoudtville(131).JPG.007192f6cb3255cfe34cfd226d7f2dde.JPG

 

and then all the way down to Velddrift on the West Coast where I jumped in and out of the bakkie  - it was drizzling on and off - for a few new faces:  

 

147) Black-winged Stilt          Rooipootelsie          Himantopus himontopus

 

944802568_147RooipootelsieVelddrif(24).JPG.7875f2ed710f5c8ca91683e680bd0be1.JPG

 

148) Common Greenshank          Groenpootruiter          Tringa nebularia

 

22252078_148MoerasruiterQVelddrif(9).JPG.bdfa81db82266b71f8896c427030b30f.JPG

 

149) Greater Flamingo          Grootflamink          Phoenicopterus roseus

 

958723935_149GrootflaminkJVelddrif(35).JPG.bd261895f5462cbbbc81ee219c410262.JPG

 

150) Lesser Flamingo          Kleinflamink          Phoenicopterus minor

 

631818575_150KleinflaminkVelddrif(66).JPG.ec6d1ef1804ebe305266cbc72f9196d5.JPG

("Lesser" because they lack legs)

 

151) Cape Teal          Teeleend          Anas capensis

 

105029196_151TeeleendVelddrif(94).JPG.7e28667e31a0d41b61e3fbbaeaabcf9f.JPG

 

 

 

Edited by Kalaharikind
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11 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

Slightly Better Birds segment

This is a huge understatement; the Mousebird and the Fiscal photos are truly masterpieces.

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beautiful  wildflowers, its great having the opportunity to enjoy the birds and the Flowers at the same time.

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Congratulations on the 150!

 

Some lovely shots in this batch.

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Beautiful photos indeed, and congrats on passing 150, well done! Are you sure about that Marsh Sandpiper though? 

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1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

Are you sure about that Marsh Sandpiper though? 

My thoughts as well. Beautiful batch of photos of birds and flowers!

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