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Galana's sixth. Building on what was started.


Galana

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2 hours ago, Kitsafari said:

your list shows how varied the birds can be even in a supposedly desert country!

Agreed. What struck me as strange was my checklist hit 190 this trip. So where the heck are the photos for the 'missing' 23? Of course one will see unphotographical subjects but I can rattle off the top of my head several species that would normally appear but simply did not. Waxbills, mousebirds, Vultures (where were the White-backed etc?) I did see Green Wood-hoopoe twice in Halali Camp but neither time had a camera. (I don't take a camera to meals.) Where were the Owls, Verreaux and Eagle? Larks and Pipits I can understand as they flush from the roadside as you drive by and vanish by the time you brake to stop, but where were the BeeEaters? I go all the way there to find European plus two sightings of Swallow-tailed? Not good enough. Must try harder next time.

OK, it was raining and the breeding was about to kick off and it was very hot by midday. I am happy enough with the scores, check list and BY but it was a marked contrast to previous trips.

Good excuse to go back and nail those Damara Rockrunners.

Not just birds either. We saw more ellies outside Etosha than inside. No cheetah and one set of lions.

 

Now to boost the local migrants at home.

Starting with...

 

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216.(IOM 49) Northern Wheatear. Point of Ayre IOM.

 

 

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You did well with 190 recorded birds!

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I have got so used to posting daily here that I thought you may like this.

 

Called round to "my" Peregrines this morning for a brief post Easter check. Mrs P was sitting tight. I have pencilled in by pure guesswork a first chick date of May 3rd. The Tiercel was keeping watch nearby.1-DSCN4386.JPG.4a53c8d312e0f0c0c319b00ad61d7b62.JPG

 

I then thought to take a look at the calm sea off Point of Ayre. Lots of Eider and a few Gannets. Then something large fishing well out and something I dearly wanted for both lists this year was identified. OK it is a heavy crop but it counts.

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217/IOM 50. Great Northern Diver. Point of Ayre. The sea really was that colour today.

 

I would have done some Gannets but another day they will be closer. As will the Swallows and Sand Martins that have just arrived.

 

 

 

 

 

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Good to get un update on the peregrine and a great addition to your BY list!

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Too busy outside to go far today so the birds came to me over dinner ( Seared Sea Bass with Sweet Potatoes) which coincided with High Tide. I watched out the window as Sandwich Terns came after the sand eels but did not want dinner to get cold.

After dessert I was off to the lounge with camera in hand. The terns had gone, OK I only need them for the IOM list as seen in Namibia already. But the Gannets had come in their place, probably looking for a nice Bass too.:)The main flocks are still to come in so only around 50 targets to home in on.

It was a nice sunny evening and leaning out the window I got a few useable ones for BY and a short selection follows... 1-DSCN4415.JPG.e92b500f919a38f646dbc817f197bf78.JPG1-DSCN4418.JPG.fb4d0e70f95d0e775287d1ebb45ce066.JPG1-DSCN4478.JPG.72f9f77c2da5095618a5357ccc43bbbe.JPG1-DSCN4514.JPG.e80862280d38598a3c550df23482b9d6.JPG1-DSCN4535.JPG.ff12dfef789891626109e1a3ee6733db.JPG1-DSCN4539.JPG.551b4fb66fb509268b188b7a3bb96fd9.JPG

218. 051 IOM. Gannet (Northern if one must.) Galana Towers - Salon. Wohnzimmer.

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The view from Galana Towers is quite spectacular. People must be queuing up to gain acces!

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27 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

People must be queuing up to gain acces!

Admission is free but bringing a bottle helps getting access the Lift.:rolleyes:

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I could not resist the sunshine today so braved the busy week end for a couple of hours or so.

 

Found an old favourite to use as 'improvement'..

 

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And then found something worth a long overdue tick.

 

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219. 052 IOM. Chaffinch. Ballakesh.

The Gorse is coming out all over.

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michael-ibk

Congrats on your 200 Fred, well done. Really enjoyed your Namibia collection! Many excellent photos. 

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Today the Warblers have arrived along with Sand and House Martins and Swallows but so far they have evaded my lens. Time will no doubt bring them to book and although I have House Martins, Swallows and Willow Warblers already in BY from Namibia they will boost my IOM score.

However the bag today was just a Robin in the Gorse...1-DSCN4636.JPG.8a0766f1f3d3817482c55e932e01bbed.JPG

 

And a couple of dodgy photos 1-DSCN4619.JPG.c14142ba654471644c77a59b98794be5.JPG

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220/IOM 53. Wood Pigeon (Ring Dove or Cushat)  in Ballakesh.

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A better which started with my check on the Peregrine. Sitting tight and eggs due I think around 4th May.

Whilst there I took this rather nice shot of a Stonechat with quite a lot of white in his wings.

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Then duty done I went off to Smeale Beach as a change from my usual spot as I was trying to catch up on some Sandwich Terns  for the IOM list.

 

But first I was drawn to a territorial dispute between two Buzzards and a Hooded Crow.

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Go gettim Floyd!

221. IOM 54. Common Buzzard. Smeale Ayres. (number corrected by edit.

 

Then I picked up some locals for both lists.

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No dogs allowed 1st April to 1st August and we have eyes on you.

 

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222. IOM 55.  Meadow Pipit. Smeale Ayres.1-DSCN4802.JPG.0d7508b1ed58182ddc982bb1157ef0e5.JPG1-DSCN4803.JPG.6210e78129f2807abcb1115fbea6054d.JPG

223/ IOM 56. Linnet. Smeale Ayres. Keeping my hand in with EBCs.

 

and

 

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224/57 IOM. Skylark. Smeale Ayres

 

And finally after several Gannets and Cormorants the Terns showed up to augment the IOM list.

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107/58 IOM Seen already in Walvis Bay (probably not the same one)  Sandwich Tern. Smeale Beach. They don't breed here but stage through on their way to Northern Ireland

 

The beach is now roped off to await the arrival  of breeding Arctic and Little Terns in about two weeks or so.

 

 

Edited by Galana
Noted 221 omitted but 222 dup, corrected
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Love the Skylark!

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Congratulations on reaching 200, a great collection of birds from Namibia!

Lots of good stuff from home as well, I love that you can see Gannets from your front room!

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Thank you.

10 hours ago, Zim Girl said:

I love that you can see Gannets from your front room!

We generally see them almost daily at high tide from early April. On a still afternoon (twice a year or so:P) we can hear them thwacking into the sea.

 

A couple of product improvements today, plus a neighbour I had waited for to get his lovely yellow bill. Then a total unexpected visitor and an addition to my 'island list'.

 

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1. This was #1 this year but it looks better when the sun shines and not on a feeder.

 

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I had to reduce the zoom in order to focus.

 

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225/IOM 59. Eurasian Blackbird. Ballakesh, Can't read the ring though.

 

And now for something completely different. I had switched off 'continuous' for the blackbird when a large and light coloured raptor guided by. At first I thought Harrier or even Short -Eared Owl, both of which would have been special. Ruled out Red Kite as no forked tail. The aspect ratio of the 'bent' wings ruled out pale phase Common Buzzard and, having seen them in Europe, I am going for Rough-legged Buzzard. Having got home and checked my Field Guides I note the black band on the tail. It IS on the Manx list and now it is going on mine.

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226/ IOM60. Rough-legged Buzzard. Ballakesh.

 

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That is a great sighting, Fred!

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michael-ibk

Agree - very cool!

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Today I had to visit the capital city to get my Passport and Pensioners Travel pass renewed so decided to return via the hills to seek some upland birds. Lots of Wheatears now but my target bird was elusive.

 

But I did get a cooperative Tree Pipit to sit long enough to take his/her place in the gallery.1-DSCN4878.JPG.7a60316ce0064f81c2f605fa57ad5c8e.JPG

227. (IOM 61) Tree Pipit. Montpelier, Druiddale.

 

And then just as I was giving up hope my target drifted into view (through the windscreen but good enough to use)

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228. (IOM 62.) Hen Harrier. Druiddale

 

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You are doing brilliantly at the moment!

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Using every opportunity to get birds for BY!

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44 minutes ago, xelas said:

Using every opportunity to get birds for BY!

Why not? With the longer days now arriving who needs sleep?

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Kitsafari

I love how even in the IOM, there are notices that ban the run of dogs in a breeding/nesting area, and how nesting areas on the ground are cordoned off. i don't know if our authorities are informed/educated/considerate enough to do that for our native but endangered Malaysian plovers who lay their eggs in the grass open to a lot of humans walking by. 

 

 

You're fairly racing along in numbers @Galana but i'll also be looking forward to the falcons' nesting soon!

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My first outing following the long weekend was not in ideal conditions but I was overdue at the nesting Peregrines so proceeded there first. She was sitting tight so impossible to tell if there were any chicks.

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Not the best of clarity but the light was poor and I do not like to linger. I do not have an exact date as I don't know when laying gave way to sitting but the first chick cannot be long now. Her 'cousin' in Nottingham/Trent produced her first two this week, 3rd and 4th May, right on schedule.

Then up to 'the coast'. No Terns as yet and despite  a nice calm sea nothing of note on it. The Golden Plovers have now left so you will be spared them for the summer.:P

Over to my patch and in a quiet field I spotted something worth a try.

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229/IOM 063/ Whimbrel. Ballaghennie. A passing party of around 25 on their way back north. They do not breed here.

 

And after a flurry of Dunnock, Robins and more Goldfinch than you could shake a Teasel at I got another "Regular" in the Bank. I still have a fairly long list of regulars not yet brought to book with a half decent portrait. but here is one more..

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230/064 IOM? Mistle Thrush. Ballakesh.  I juggled the settings and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of noise at higher ISOs.

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Nothing to add to my list since Thursday despite two brief outings.

I now know how expectant fathers must feel.

My lady is still not showing any sign of brooding chicks and whilst I do not know an exact date when egg laying gave way to brooding the clutch, indeed I have yet to see any eggs, I did have early May pencilled in. It is now 10th.

She was sitting tight today and the male was in attendance so I may have just missed a feed.

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I have deliberately cropped in very tight in order not to show the nest location but if she was covering chicks she would be more upright. Of course this is only one snapshot in time as I don't linger.

Just as well I don't smoke as I would be on 60 per day.

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On 4/19/2022 at 9:49 AM, Galana said:

I did see Green Wood-hoopoe twice in Halali Camp but neither time had a camera. (I don't take a camera to meals.)

 

nor do I, but I went back and got mine when I heard the Wood Hoopoes

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On 4/19/2022 at 5:55 PM, xelas said:

You did well with 190 recorded birds!

 

indeed. way more than i got :( but then I would always expect that

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