Tanzania 2021 Bird Identification

[campsafari2015]

Hello all, 

 

Thanks for any help you can provide. All were from my trip 31 Oct - 15 Nov. I'll divvy out the posts into five picture increments. 

 

1) Kogatende, Serengeti 

 

2) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

3) Kogatende, Serengeti

 

 

4) Kogatende, Serengeti

 

 

5) Kogatende, Serengeti

 

[michael-ibk]

Tricky ones!

 

1) Maybe an Eastern Paradise-Whydah but just too many candidates for non-breeding Widow/Whydah-type birds to say for sure.

2) A Lark but which one? Fawn-Coloured is my best guess.

3) Common or (more likely IMO because of the amount of yellow in the bill) African Cuckoo

4) Common or Lesser Kestrel (not possible to say for sure IMO)

5) African Hawk-Eagle (I think!)

[campsafari2015]

6) Lemala Kuria Hills, Northern Serengeti

 

7) Lemala Kuria Hills, Northern Serengeti

 

 

8) Mara River Area, Serengeti

 

9) Mara River Area, Serengeti

 

 

 

10) Kogatende Airstrip, Serengeti

 

 

Edited November 27, 2021 by campsafari2015

[campsafari2015]

On 11/26/2021 at 11:06 AM, michael-ibk said:

Tricky ones!

 

1) Maybe an Eastern Paradise-Whydah but just too many candidates for non-breeding Widow/Whydah-type birds to say for sure.

2) A Lark but which one? Fawn-Coloured is my best guess.

3) Common or (more likely IMO because of the amount of yellow in the bill) African Cuckoo

4) Common or Lesser Kestrel (not possible to say for sure IMO)

5) African Hawk-Eagle (I think!)

Thank you for trying to help! These are all not wonderfully useful pictures in terms of featuring diagnostic characteristics either. But if I can just get a few more IDs, I'll be happy

[campsafari2015]

11) Kogatende Area, Serengeti

 

 

12) Seronera or Nanyukie Area of Serengeti

 

 

13) Seronera Area of Serengeti

 

 

14) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

15) Ngorongoro Crater

 

[campsafari2015]

16) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

17) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

18) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

19) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

20) Ngorongoro Crater

 

[michael-ibk]

11) Probably African Pipit
12) Rattling Cisticola (probably)
13) Winding Cisticola (pretty sure on this one)
14) Kinda stumped by this one - juv. Montagu´s Harrier is my best guess
15) Zitting Cisticola (probably)
16) Pallid Harrier
17) Red-Capped Lark
18) African Hawk-Eagle (probably)
19) Holub´s Golden Weaver
20) Zitting Cisticola (probably)

 

Especially with Pipits and Cisticola you need close-range photos from several angles to enable a positive ID, and even then it´s difficult.

[campsafari2015]

7 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

11) Probably African Pipit
12) Rattling Cisticola (probably)
13) Winding Cisticola (pretty sure on this one)
14) Kinda stumped by this one - juv. Montagu´s Harrier is my best guess
15) Zitting Cisticola (probably)
16) Pallid Harrier
17) Red-Capped Lark
18) African Hawk-Eagle (probably)
19) Holub´s Golden Weaver
20) Zitting Cisticola (probably)

 

Especially with Pipits and Cisticola you need close-range photos from several angles to enable a positive ID, and even then it´s difficult.

Dang. I have some multiple angles, but not many. Did you have anything for 6-10? 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

53 minutes ago, campsafari2015 said:

Did you have anything for 6-10? 

 

Sorry, overlooked those.

 

6) Tabora aka Long-Tailed Cisticola
7) Zitting Cisticola (my best guess)
8) Common or Lesser Kestrel
9) Green Sandpiper
10) Yellow-Spotted Petronia (probably)

 

Fun guesswork thread! Hope some of our experts join in - @Galana, @inyathifor example!

[campsafari2015]

21) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

22) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

23) Lake Manyara NP

 

 

24) Lake Manyara NP

 

 

25) Lake Manyara NP

 

[Galana]

Oh, Where to begin from so late a start. Eyes boggled from scrolling up and down and then to right page in Fanshawe etc., and checking @michael-ibk's calls too.

Now to read my notes.

1-6 OK def Common Cuckoo but I think #5 is Auger Buzzard.

7-13.

10 I have just written 'could be'.

12 & 13 I think are both Winding but I would not fall out over Rattler for #12.

14-20 .

15 is perhaps another Fawn-coloured Lark? They are very light coloured in arid areas.

18 I have as Common Buzzard.

 

Now for my 'solo' contribution.

21-25.

21-22 I think are Plain-backed Pipit but with an outside for 22 as imm Wagtail possibly.

23. Is a puzzler. I will spread my bet between a doubtful Common  and/or Honey Buzzard but not rule out Gtr Sparrowhawk juv.

24. Common or Steppe Buzzard. I  don't go for splits with these.

25. Petronia. Choose one as long as it has 'yellow' in the name.

[campsafari2015]

Thanks @michael-ibkand @Galana. 

 

I have many of the same conclusions, except any attempt at cisticolas. Here are some more birds for your consideration. The first two are particularly interesting (to me) because I recorded them as Semi-Collared Flycatchers, but they've not been recorded (on eBird) in the area (Lemala Kuria Hills, Kogatende). 

 

26 and 27) Kogatende, Serengeti

 

 

 

28) Kogatende

 

 

29) Seronera 

 

 

30) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

31) Manyara

 

 

32) Manyara

 

 

33) Manyara

 

 

34) Tarangire

 

 

35) Tarangire

 

 

36) Manyara

 

 

37) Ngorongoro Crater

 

 

38) Manyara

 

 

39) Rivertrees, Arusha

 

 

40) Arusha (Kiligolf)

 

 

 

[Galana]

Blimey.  This was tough and some nigh on impossible. Stop photoing birds like they are mosquitoes.

My best shots and I am waiting for @michael-ibkto pick up where he left off are....

26-27, Semi-collared Flycatchers. A good close match. Photos one can work with. 99.9%

28. a bit of tone tweaking and I think you have either a Lesser -spotted or maybe Steppe Eagle. 85%

29. Immature Collared Pratincole. 100%

30. I will go for  Fan-tailed Widowbirds. >85%

31. Long-crested Eagle. 90%

32. Black-chested Snake Eagle.  98%

33. Female Weaver 100%. choose your own species.

34. 35. At first I was tempted with Greenshank but later went firmer on Marsh Sandpiper.  90%

36. A real teaser. It's a large Eagle and again with close scrutiny (White trousers, very mottled, vestige of golden crown and large bill I am going for an immature Imperial Eagle.  85%

37. Some of your Yellow-throated Petronias again I think. Not a bird I have noted much. the white obvious supercilium persuaded me.    90%

38. Lead -coloured Flycatcher due stance and general appearance.  98%

39. I cannot make out if that is a red tail or a leaf in the way. I think it is a Greenbull in general and if so a good fit, lower bill, bright eye and 'reddish tail' if so a good fit would be Grey-olive Greenbull. Even those who named it are not sure of the right colour.  78%

40. After much head scratching and fresh eye drops I think this is a female Yellow-crowned Bishop. Maybe Red but...

85%.

 

I am off to lunch now. I don't often take alcohol before noon but I note it is 10 mins passed and I need one. Your fault if I fall asleep this afternoon.

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Galana

[campsafari2015]

On 12/1/2021 at 6:11 AM, Galana said:

 

39. I cannot make out if that is a red tail or a leaf in the way. I think it is a Greenbull in general and if so a good fit, lower bill, bright eye and 'reddish tail' if so a good fit would be Grey-olive Greenbull. Even those who named it are not sure of the right colour.  78%

 

 

I am off to lunch now. I don't often take alcohol before noon but I note it is 10 mins passed and I need one. Your fault if I fall asleep this afternoon.

 

 

Thank you so much for your time and attention! "Stop photoing birds like they're mosquitos"...not sure how to take that haha!

 

 

39. I concluded the same on 39, as it is its tail that is the reddish blur. 

 

29. For the pranticole, how did you decide collared? When the flock of 8 flew, there were two with completely black underwings. I was hoping that the individual pictured was one of the Black-winged in the flock, but I can't tell an immature BW Pranticole from a collared and the guide I'm using wasn't helping much. 

 

33. I laughed audibly at that. That is exactly what I would tell myself in the field, followed shortly by "take a photo and deal with it later"

[Galana]

12 hours ago, campsafari2015 said:

29. For the pranticole, how did you decide collared? When the flock of 8 flew, there were two with completely black underwings.

Well beware of Red underwing looking black in poor light says my book.

Also if you look at distribution, allowing that birds don't read maps, then Collared is odds on favourite although November could see some BW coming through.

Using that and the details of the photo, lighter colour, red on bill reaching the nostrils and the 'collar' less defined etc., I would take some persuading that those wing tips outreached the tail.

 

But I could be wrong.

[michael-ibk]

My additional remarks:

 

23) I´d go with Honey Buzzard for this one
25) Yellow-Spotted Petronia IMO. Yellow-Throated would be out of range.
26, 27) Not that I´m doubting @Galanabut why not a Collared? That´s a pretty big white batch at the primary base. Both species would be very rare in the Serengeti I think.
31) Long-crested Eagle was Fred´s pick. But with a white belly? And those coverts? I´m really not sure but would tend more towards A. Hawk-Eagle or something like that (although I think Fred is right that my prior AHEs were mis-IDed. :-))
34. 35) Disagree here. 34) is a Greenshank for me, Less sure about 35) but would also go with Green here. Bill looks too strong, supercilium too weak.
36) Imperial Eagle.  Well possible, sub-adult I´d say. Has been recorded recently in Manyara by others. Especially the black patch on the head fits very nicely.
37) Yellow-throated Petronias would be out of range here. Not sure - Yellow-Rumped aka Reichenow´s Seedeater is my best guess.
38) Looks more like a Common Whitethroat to me? At least that was my first impression. But tricky with the lighting here.
40.) Agree with Yellow-crowned Bishop.

 

And I think Fred is correct with Augur and the Common Buzzard instead of my AHE. Also agree with Common Cuckoo. I though there was a lot of yellow in the bill but the barring on the breast seems too strong for African.

[Galana]

Nothing to argue about here.

26/27/ Semi-collared is much more likely, so odds better, and the '2nd' wing bar.

34. Well that was my first pick but I got swayed to the Marsh on bill length and weight.

38. Whitethroat never even crossed my mind but now @michael-ibkmentions it.......