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

[Kalaharikind]

70) Lilacbreasted roller          Gewone troupant   Coracias caudatus     

 

 

Sadly, this was just about the only LBR we saw on our trip. We did see one at Witsand NR, but the light was against me and the shot was even worse than this one. 

 

[Kalaharikind]

71) Northern black korhaan          Witvlerkkorhaan         Afrotis afraoides

 

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful.

[Kalaharikind]

Moving on to Witsand Nature Reserve - known for it roaring sand

 

Birding here was really difficult - both because of the dense vegetation into which birds simply just disappear and because they seem really afraid - even just a butterfly fluttering by would set them off. We heard a lot of birds, butting getting a shot of them - not even a half-way decent shot but simply a record shot - was really difficult. Even the usual restcamp regulars and the picnic spot specials kept well away.

 

72) Black-chested prinia          Swartbandlangstertjie          Prinia flavicans

 

 

72) 

[Kalaharikind]

73)            Bontroklaksman          Nilaus afer

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

74) Chestnut-vented tit-babbler          Bosveld-tjeriktik          Curruca subcoerulea 

 

[Kalaharikind]

75) Pririt batis          Priritbosbontrokkie          Batis pririt 

 

F

 

M

 

[Galana]

Just to show I am paying attention #73 is  a Brubru (telephonebird).

[Kitsafari]

I had to google Bontroklaksman as I'd never heard it before. and google returned with Brubru. is that a South African name for the bird? in any case, I've never seen a Brubru before. such a cool-looking bird. 

 

Lovely additions @Kalaharikind! I hope you are planning to do a TR for this trip. we are starving of TRs.

 

[Kalaharikind]

@Kitsafari, as our ever-vigilant @Galana remarked, I did not give the English name for it - Bontroklaksman is the Afrikaans. There will be a TR - maybe I should give the birds a break for a while.

[Kitsafari]

58 minutes ago, Kalaharikind said:

There will be a TR - maybe I should give the birds a break for a while.

 

Yay to the TR!

[elefromoz]

a fantastic collection from the trip

[Dave Williams]

I need an African adventure!!

[Kalaharikind]

Oh my goodness, but I've been MiA for far too long - and, as we wailed at school and uni, I'm so behiiiiiiiiiiind! And not only behind with my BY postings, there is the TR that got stuck in thick sand, and then of course catching up on everybody else's BY sightings. So, apologies all around

 

I'm going to start with some recent sightings, and then work my way back to where I left off.

 

As the Afrikaans name indicates, they were introduced from Europe - or more probably the UK - by Cecil John Rhodes; we have a small group here in the village. 

 

76) Common Starling (Br)          Europese spreeu          Sturnus vulgaris

 

[Kalaharikind]

With all the orchards surrounding the village, Red-winged Starlings are quite common. They form biggish flocks, and then move from orchard to orchard, depending on what fruits or berries are ripe. Needless to say, the farmers are not too happy to see them descending on an orchard.

 

At the moment, there isn't much fruit, but they sit high up in the trees, gathering, calling, and then flying off, only to descend on the next tree and repeat the entire process. Yesterday was no exception, and I managed to get this shot: 

 

 

It could have been any bird with a strong bill.

 

A little later I got this: slightly better, at least the wing colour was slightly visible, and we all love bum shots, don't we? 

 

 

Very uncharacteristically, they then landed on a neighbour's roof - with a nice wing display - and I was in EBC territory, yet again.

 

 

This starling did not get the high in the tree memo, and perched on a pillar for a while. By now, I was thoroughly frustrated, decided that this shot would have to do and went inside to get back to my annual Tour de France binge.

 

 

 During yet another TV commercial, I heard them quite close, decided to have a look outside, only to see some of them drinking from puddles in the road - something else I had never see them do - and then stumbled across this:

 

77) Red-winged Starling          Rooivlerkspreeu          Onychognathus morio

  

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

78) African Harrier Hawk          Kaalwangvalk          Polyboroides typus

 

Juvenile

 

 

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

79) African Goshawk          Afrikaanse sperwer          Accipiter tachiro

 

[Kalaharikind]

80) Red-faced Mousebird          Rooiwangmuisvoel          Urocolius indicus

 

[Kalaharikind]

81) Cape Batis          Kaapse Bosbontrokkie          Batis capensis

Male

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

Not a new addition to my BY, but when a Spur-winged Goose pays the neighbours a visit, the only way to return the compliment is to take a picture of it.

 

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

The Swee waxbills visit the garden from time to time, but in case I miss them, here's an extremely cropped male 82) Swee Waxbill          Suidelike Swie          Coccopygia melanotis

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

The last batch of birds were all from the garden or our immediate neighbours; let's move further afield. I had to go to the Bossieveld to collect olives (they're being brined at the moment) and managed to snag a few birds as well.

 

83) White-necked Raven          Withalskraai          Corvus albicollis

 

 

84) Crested Guineafowl          Gewone tarentaal          Numida meleagris

       

 

There is nothing that says 'bush' to me as the smell of dust and a camp fire as the sun sets, accompanied by the sounds of the 'squeaky wheelbarrow bird' settling down for the night. We've a blazing fire going in the fireplace, but it's a very poor substitute.

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

Early May, and the two of really needed to get out in a Covid-safe and government-approved way . Betty's Bay is a short drive away, fishing conditions were perfect according to Johan, so he packed his fishing tackle, I the dinkytoy and off we went.

 

85) African Penguin          Brilpikkewyn          Spheniscus demersus

What used to be an old whaling station is now known as Stony Point NR, where these endangered penguins are protected.

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

The weather was incredible for the time of year: it was hot, windless and, best of all, there were no holiday crowds. A windless day in the Western Cape is something to sing about, as did this 86) Southern Double-collared Sunbird          Klein-rooibandsuikerbekkie          Cinnyris chalybeus

 

 

 

[Kitsafari]

13 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

The Swee waxbills visit the garden from time to time, but in case I miss them, here's an extremely cropped male 82) Swee Waxbill          Suidelike Swie          Coccopygia melanotis

 

 

 

 

In our vernacular jargon, "swee" is used to describe something that is beautiful and indeed this waxbill is such. 

 

Very curious how that touch of African penguin ended up in Australia? i tried to google but found zilch. ahh the entertainment from the drama that is the guineafowl - didn't think I would say this, but it makes me think how I miss that loud noise from Africa!