Michael‘s Seventh Year

[michael-ibk]

983/E18) Namaqua Dove (Oena capensi) / Kaptäubchen

 

Mana Pools, 30/10/2022. A pretty small and quite terrestrial Dove.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

984/Z19) Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) / Kaffernhornrabe

 

Mana Pools, 30/10/2022. A few sightings here and later in Gonarezhou. Such a cool bird!

 

[michael-ibk]

985/Z20) Yellow-Bellied Greenbul (Chlorocichla flaviventris) / Gelbbauchbülbül

 

Mana Pools, 30/10/2022. Although this bird is around in East Africa as well I have only ever seen it in Southern Africa where it´s common. A very hygienic one!

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

986/Z21) Three-Banded Courser (Rhinoptilus cinctus) / Bindenrennvogel

 

Mana Pools, 31/10/2022. A nocturnal species which spends the day roosting under a thick bush. Lovely to see it with a chick.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

That´s already it from Mana Pools! Most birds from there already featured in Uganda, some I did not bother (I told you I was lazy this time) and for some I got better shots in Gonarezhou (at least I hope I did!). So onwards to the next location:

 

987/Z22) Southern Yellow White-Eye (Zosterops anderssoni) / Südbrillenvogel

 

Vumba Mountains, 31/10/2022. Almost at the border to Mozambique, and a very different habitat from safari areas. Weather was pretty lousy (rain, mist) here but birding was prolific. Collected quite a few lifers here. Not this one.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

988/Z23) Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra) /Kaprötel

 

Vumba Mountains, 31/10/2022. Another familiar and widespread bird.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

989/Z24) Tambourine Dove (Turtur tympanistria) / Tamburintaube

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. Not a Dove seen very often, so one of the few of this family I really like to get.

 

[Galana]

Onwards and upwards.

[michael-ibk]

990/Z25) African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus) / Smaragdkuckuck

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. I did hear all green Cuckoos in Uganda a lot but did not get a single one. More luck with them in Zim.

 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

That Emerald Cuckoo is a real beauty! 

[Galana]

I don't think I have seen a better photo of an Emerald Cuckoo. Beautiful.

[xelas]

Fascinating Cuckoo wearing Trogon-like colours!

[TonyQ]

Another vote for the cuckoo! Beautiful 

[Soukous]

a wonderful cuckoo. I've never seen one, so very envious

[Zim Girl]

And another vote for the Lillian's lovebirds and the Emerald cuckoo - beautiful birds!

 

Not far off that magic number now!

[Soukous]

38 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

Not far off that magic number now!

 

12 birds to get and 12 days to find them

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @PeterHG, @Galana, @xelas, @TonyQ, @Soukous and @Zim Girl.

 

I guess they are not that rare, one hears their "Georgie" call often enough in the right habitat but they are really not easy to find. It took me quite a long while to get an angle on this bird through all the foliage.

 

And Martin, either I´m completely misunderstanding you or your maths teacher really should not read your last post.

 

991/Z26) Cape Batis (Batis capensis) / Kapschnäpper

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. My first lifer. Quite a distinctive (and pretty) Batis.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

992/Z27) Olive Bushshrike (Chlorophoneus olivaceus) / Olivwürger

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. The next lifer. Quite common in the area. Every second time I asked our birding guide which bird I was hearing the answer was Olive Bushshrike. As mentioned before I´m really not good at learning songs.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

993/Z28) Common Square-Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii) / Geradschwanzdrongo

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. Much tougher to get than its Fork-Tailed cousin. Have only seen this one once before, in Tanzania´s Udzungwa Mountains. Refused to come out of the deep shadows it was hiding in.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

994/Z29) Bar-Throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica) / Halsband-Feinsänger

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. Another one I have only seen in the Udzungwa Mountains before - a similar habitat there.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

995/Z30) Chirinda Apalis (Chirinda Apalis) / Chirindafeinsänger

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. Lifer! Very limited range, only found in Eastern Zimbabwe and neighbouring Mozambique.

 

 

 

[Galana]

6 minutes ago, michael-ibk said:

995/Z30) Chirinda Apalis

Only one word will do. Epic!

[michael-ibk]

996/Z31) Stripe-Cheeked Greenbul (Arizelocichla milanjensis) / Olivbrustbülbül

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022.  Very common in the area - another lifer. Limited range similar to the Chirinda Apalis.

 

[michael-ibk]

5 minutes ago, Galana said:

Only one word will do. Epic!

 

I know, it must be one of the most thrilling photos every posted here!

[michael-ibk]

997/Z32) Yellow-Streaked Greenbul (Phyllastrephus flavostriatus) / Gelbstreifenbülbül

 

Vumba Mountains, 1/11/2022. Another lifer - Seldomseen (the place we stayed at) really gave my life list a good push. Much scarcer than the previous one, quite a battle to get a photo - as with most Greenbuls.