BY 2022 - Soukous (even if there are no birds, you can still enjoy the music)

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Soukous said:

we found that there is indeed a Siberian Stonechat and it has its own Latin name too.

Another attempt to get us to buy another Field guide. Does this mean that torquatus has been removed from the Indian list? 

Good to see the 'experts' are keeping busy.

 

Nice growing collection @Soukous

[Soukous]

47 minutes ago, Galana said:

Does this mean that torquatus has been removed from the Indian list? 

 

You'll have to ask someone cleverer than me.  torquatus is in my field guide and maurus is not.

 

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

A little late on my part and  you’re so far beyond that number now, that I might as well have waited till you’ve reached the next century!

 

Sadly I don't think that will happen

[xelas]

4 hours ago, TonyQ said:

If you or @xelashave seen a Swamphen in Europe or Africa it will be a different species (Porphyrio porphyrio) so an additional tick

And in eBird Porphyrio porphyrio became a Western Swamphen!!

[xelas]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

You'll have to ask someone cleverer than me.  torquatus is in my field guide and maurus is not.

 

eBird again: 

 

Fuerteventura Stonechat Saxicola dacotiae (maybe @Chakra will show us one?!)

European Stonechat Saxicola rubicola

Siberian Stonechat Saxicola maurus

Amur Stonechat Saxicola stejnegeri

African Stonechat Saxicola torquatus

Reunion Stonechat Saxicola tectes

White-tailed Stonechat Saxicola leucurus

 

[Galana]

4 hours ago, xelas said:

eBird again: 

Is eBird now the official taxonomic authority?

[xelas]

For now and for me, yes. It is the easiest way specially when using the Merlin Bird ID app . 

[Galana]

For you maybe.

"Avian taxonomy is a complicated business,"

But for me the little bird with the black cap that sits on the heather here is a Common Stonechat and the small duck with the stripey chestnut and green head is a Common Teal and not a race of Green-winged Teal.

[Soukous]

17 hours ago, xelas said:

And in eBird Porphyrio porphyrio became a Western Swamphen!!

 

so Purple Swamphen is no more?  seems silly to me, the bird is a Swamphen and it is purple.

[Soukous]

13 hours ago, Galana said:

Is eBird now the official taxonomic authority?

 

not for me whilst I still have a field guide - yes I know, I'm an old fart

[Soukous]

Coucal was another species we had some confusion with. 

Savio called it as a Greater Coucal, but according to my (old, non-e-bird) field guide, Greater Coucal is not found in Goa, which means it has to be the Southern Coucal or the Lesser Coucal. 

I actually think I may have one of each. this one from Goa has a dark bill, which should make it Lesser

 

# 431 - Lesser Coucal - Centropus bengalensis

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

and this one, based on distribution, should be a Southern Coucal

 

# 432 - Southern Coucal - Centropus (sinensis) parroti

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

I am sure there will be someone who can tell the difference 

[Soukous]

# 433 - Red-wattled Lapwing - vanellus indicus

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

 

# 434 - Yellow-wattled Lapwing - Vanellus malabaricus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

 

# 435 - Pallid Harrier - Circus macrorourus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

[Soukous]

# 436 - Gull-billed Tern - Gelochelidon nilotica

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

 

 

# 437 - Brown-headed Gull - Chroicocephalus brunnicephalus

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 438 - Oriental / Crested Honey-Buzzard - Pernis ptilorhynchus

Nov 2022

 

Goa

 

Maharastra

 

Maharastra

 

# 439 - Long-tailed Shrike - Lanius schach

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

 

# 440 - Bay-backed Shrike - Lanius vittatus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 441 - Brown Shrike - Lanius cristatus

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

[Soukous]

# 442 - Tree Pipit - Anthus trivialis

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 443 - Black-headed Cuckooshrike - Coracina melanoptera

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 444 - Large Cuckooshrike - Coracina macei

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 445 - White-eyed Buzzard - Butastur teesa

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 446 - Common Iora - Aegithina tiphia

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 447 - Asian Pied Starling - Gracupica contra

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 448 - Common Myna - Acridotheres tristis 

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 449 - Jungle Myna - Acridotheres fuscus

Karnataka, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 450 - Common Hawk Cuckoo - Hierococcyx varius

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

[Galana]

Another good bunch of birds. 2nd #438 is special.

55 minutes ago, Soukous said:

and this one, based on distribution, should be a Southern Coucal

Er. Not really. I make that a Lesser based on dark eye colour. Indeed you may well have the two reversed.

 

2 hours ago, Soukous said:

not for me whilst I still have a field guide - yes I know, I'm an old fart

Join the club. They do more splits than a bloody Circus Gymnast. Blackbirds next.

[Soukous]

4 minutes ago, Galana said:

Er. Not really. I make that a Lesser based on dark eye colour. Indeed you may well have the two reversed.

 

 

Thank you. I have swapped them over. 

[TonyQ]

Great new additions.

The whole system of species designation is an artificial human created construct as an attempt to impose fixed certainty onto a constantly evolving wildlife. It is fun to play the game when accumulating ticks on the Big Year, while recognising that in most cases it is unimportant.

The main thing is to take pleasure in seeing, and photographing birds - whatever they are called.

[Soukous]

19 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

he main thing is to take pleasure in seeing, and photographing birds - whatever they are called.

 

I try 

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on whizzing way past 400 birds.  Some really lovely pictures there!

[BRACQUENE]

Congratulations for this beautiful artistic collection of birds ; loved the Bee-eaters from Goa !

[Soukous]

# 451 - Spotted Redshank - Tringa erythropus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

I really struggled, and failed, to get a decent shot of this next one

 

# 452 - Bronze-winged Jacana - Metopidius indicus

Goa & Maharastra. Nov 2022 

 

 

 

I didn't have much better luck with this next one either, which was a shame as it is a lifer for me.

 

# 453 - Pheasant-tailed Jacana - Hydrophasianus chirurgus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

but I did get a consolation shot of both species together, and with a White-throated Kingfisher in the foreground too.

 

 

# 454 - Mongolian / Sykes' Short-toed Lark - Calandrella dukhunensis

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 455 - Laughing Dove - Stigmatopelia senegalensis

Goa. Nov 2022

 

 

# 456 - Indian Scops Owl - Otus bakkamoena

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

 

They had a nest hole in the tree and apparently there were young inside, but I was not fortunate enough to see them.

 

# 457 - Crested Serpent Eagle - Spilornis cheela

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

 

 # 458 - Yellow-footed Green Pigeon - Treron phoenicopterus

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

 

# 459 - Zitting Cisticola - Cisticola juncidis

Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

 

# 460 - Oriental Magpie Robin - Copsychus saularis

Karnataka & Maharastra, India. Nov 2022

 

female

 

male

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Soukous

[PeterHG]

An amazing variety of Indian birds and many great photos

[Galana]

8 hours ago, TonyQ said:

The main thing is to take pleasure in seeing, and photographing birds - whatever they are called.

Absolutely. To quote a much used phrase "It's only a bl00dy game'.

I thought of this when admiring your Yellow-footed Pigeon and  I wondered when ebird (after de Purpling the Swamphen, would get around to renaming that. The whole point of bird names is, or should be, telling it as it is.  Save the Zitting Cisticola!

More great birds. Even a three in one shot. That would take some beating.

[PeterHG]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

after de Purpling the Swamphen

Whenever I feel the need to brush up my English, all I have to do is read through your comments. Thanks!

[Kitsafari]

love that shot of the 2 jacanas flying over the kingfisher!