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

[Galana]

9 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Daft heading 100's, 1000's of miles

It seems that we cannot help ourselves sometimes..

[michael-ibk]

Really beautiful Robin photo. And I appreciate how much patience you must have had for that Nightingale photo - fought one myself today without much success.

[Soukous]

On 4/18/2022 at 11:07 PM, Galana said:

It seems that we cannot help ourselves sometimes..

 

so true

[Soukous]

Time to return to the BY with some birds from Namibia.

Obviously changes have been afoot in my absence as my Pith Helmet has been removed and I have now been given the rank of Rookie. Whatever that means.

 

# 122 - Rosy-faced Lovebird - Agapornis roseicollis

Twyfelfontein, Namibia. April 2022

 

I had already seen and photographed this lovely species in Windhoek, but got the opportunity for better photos here

 

 

#123 - Ashy Tit - Melaniparus cinerascens

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

I only got 1 photo

 

#124 - Pale-winged Starling - Omychognathus nabouroup

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#125 - White-browed Sparrow Weaver - Plocepasser mahali

Namibia. April 2022

 

The most numerous and ubiquitous species we saw.

 

[Soukous]

# 126 - Speckled Pigeon - Columba guinea

Namibia, April 2022

 

these too were everywhere

 

 

 

#127 - Rock Martin - Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Erongo Mountains, Namibia - April 2022

 

 

#128 - Mountain Wheatear - Myrmecocichla monticola

 

grey plumage - Erongo Mountains

 

more common black & white plumage - Twyfelfontein

 

#129 - Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - Merops hirundineus

 

Erongo Mountains

 

Khowarib

 

#130 - Southern Grey-headed Sparrow - Passer diffusus

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#131 - Tinkling Cisticola - Cisticola rufilatus

Black-chested Prinia - Prinia flavicans

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#132 - Monteiro's Hornbill - Tockus monteiri

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#133 - Southern Masked Weaver - Ploceus velatus

Erongo Mountains, Namibia - April 2022

 

Male

 

female

 

#134 - Dusky Sunbird - Cinnyris fuscus

Erongo Mountains, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#135 - Monotonous Lark - Mirafra passerina

Erongo Mountains, Namibia - April 2022

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Soukous

[Zim Girl]

Great start to your Namibian birds!

[Galana]

6 hours ago, Soukous said:

31 - Tinkling Cisticola - Cisticola rufilatus

Now you know you can do better than that.

 

Welcome home. Good to see you got back home safe even if your stay is brief..

[xelas]

Aha, someone was worried about @Galana?! Darn, that would be a good excuse I could sell to Zvezda .

 

[TonyQ]

A great start from Namibia 

[Soukous]

15 hours ago, Galana said:

Now you know you can do better than that.

 

Welcome home. Good to see you got back home safe even if your stay is brief..

 

If I could have, I would have

There are several birds I have not got a firm ID on, so I've taken the route of just giving them the ID I think is right, knowing that there are those out there who will straighten me out

[Tdgraves]

1 hour ago, Soukous said:

 

If I could have, I would have

There are several birds I have not got a firm ID on, so I've taken the route of just giving them the ID I think is right, knowing that there are those out there who will straighten me out

 

Martin, as @Galanais being coy (or unhelpful, depending on your perspective ) may I suggest that it is a black-chested prinia?

[Soukous]

55 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

 

Martin, as @Galanais being coy (or unhelpful, depending on your perspective ) may I suggest that it is a black-chested prinia?

Thanks Tracy (apologies if it should be Tracey)

I prefer to think that he is challenging me to look harder.

[Soukous]

# 136 - Crimson-breasted Shrike - Laniarius atrococcineus

Namibia, April & May 2022

 

 

 

#137 - African Red-eyed Bulbul - Pycnonotus nigricans

Namibia - April & May 2022

 

What is it about Bulbuls? You see the first one and think 'that's a nice looking bird', then you see them everywhere you go until you are sick of the cight of them

 

 

 

no doubt my next offering will attract scathing comments from a certain Isle of Man resident, but the choice of crested Larks is not large and it was not singing like a Monotonous Lark

 

#138 - Rufous-naped Lark - Mirafra africana

Twyfelfontein, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#139 - Grey-backed Sparrow Lark - Eremopterix verticalis

Twyfelfontein, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

is this the female?

 

#140 - Namaqua Dove - Oena capensis

Twyfelfontein, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Great to see your excellent Namibia photos!

[Tdgraves]

42 minutes ago, Soukous said:

Thanks Tracy (apologies if it should be Tracey)

I prefer to think that he is challenging me to look harder.

Tracey 

[Dave Williams]

Some excellent photos Martin. I think the BY has encouraged us all to take better ones as the years have gone on.

[Tdgraves]

In dangerous territory here, but isn’t your “rufous-naped lark” the same bird as your female sparrow-lark?

[Soukous]

6 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

In dangerous territory here, but isn’t your “rufous-naped lark” the same bird as your female sparrow-lark?

 

undoubtedly similar, but the female Sparrow-lark, if that is indeed what it is, has no crest. The one with the crest is definitely a male and he was singing his heart out.

 

but I am by no means certain of anything

[Soukous]

#141 - African Paradise Flycatcher - Terpsiphone viridis

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

I was surprised to see this as we sipped our gin & tonics on the terrace. Even more surprised that it still had a couple of long tail feathers left, even if they are looking a bit ragged.

 

 

[Soukous]

#142 - Fork-tailed Drongo - Dicrurus adsimilis

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

This one was at Khowarib, but we saw them everywhere. A juvenile

 

 

#143 - Grey Go-away-bird - Corythaixoides concolor

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#144 - Three-banded Plover - Charadrius tricollaris

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#145 - Common Scimitarbill - Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#146 - Cape Glossy Starling - Lamprotornis nitens

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#147 - Lesser Masked Weaver - Ploceus intermedius

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#148 - Laughing Dove - Spilopelia senegalensis

Epupa Falls, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#149 - Gymnogene - Polyboroides typus

Epupa Falls, Namibia. April 2022

 

I know we are supposed to now call it an African Harrier Hawk, but to me it does not behave like a typical harrier and I much prefer the unique name - Gymnogene - for such a unique bird.

 

and a young 'un

 

both of them crashing about in the high branches of the Makalani Palms, too high for decent photos, especially with the sun right behind them

 

#150 - White-backed Vulture - Gyps africanus

northern Namibia, April 2022

 

we spotted this as we were driving, so it is a hurried shot in poor light

 

 

 

[Soukous]

ID help needed

 

These were seen at Khowarib. They are a bit like Familiar Chat, but seem to lack the rufous tail

 

 

[Soukous]

#151 - Black-backed Puffback - Dryoscopus cubla

Khowarib, Namibia. April 2022

 

this bird gave us quite a chase as it flitted from tree to tree, always staying hidden amid the foliage.

 

 

 

#152 - Kori Bustard - Ardeotis kori

by the road, northern Namibia. April 2022

 

we saw plenty more of them in Etosha, but this was the first pair of the trip

 

 

#153 - Mourning Collared Dove - Streptopelia decipiens

Epupa Falls, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

#154 - Holub's Golden Weaver - Ploceus xanthrops

Epupa Falls, Namibia. April 2022

 

 

 

#155 - Rufous-tailed Palm Thrush - Cichladusa ruficauda

Epupa Falls, Namibia. April 2022

 

common enough around the Kunene, but not found elsewhere

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

I’m thinking flycatcher- do you have any other angles? Options being Marico and chat…

[Soukous]

3 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

I’m thinking flycatcher- do you have any other angles? Options being Marico and chat…

 

unfortunately I do not.

Chat Flycatcher looks promising. I am pretty sure I have Marico Flycatcher in Etosha and it has a bit more distinct markings than these.