Zim Girl's 5th Big Year 2022

[Galana]

1 hour ago, PeterHG said:

Lovely Wattled Crane!

Absolutely. A rare and endangered bird and well captured.

 

9 hours ago, Zim Girl said:

I will leave the typo , or else Fred's joke won't make sense!

Too kind. Some would say they rarely do.

[michael-ibk]

A lot of old friends from Zambia - beautiful photos! Especially like the Black-Backed Barbet, would be a lifer for me.

 

And congratos to your #150 for the UK, well done indeed! I have never (really) seen a Barn Owl in Europe (not counting a shadow flying out of a barn in the night in Seewinkel). And love your Snow Buntings.

[Zim Girl]

Thank you @PeterHG, @Galana and @michael-ibk.

The Wattled cranes were much easier to see on the Busanga plains than from camp.  I was surprised how close we were able to get.

 

On 12/17/2022 at 7:53 PM, michael-ibk said:

A lot of old friends from Zambia - beautiful photos! Especially like the Black-Backed Barbet, would be a lifer for me.

 

And congratos to your #150 for the UK, well done indeed! I have never (really) seen a Barn Owl in Europe (not counting a shadow flying out of a barn in the night in Seewinkel). And love your Snow Buntings.

Thank you Michael.  I am impressed we saw the barbet then if that would have been a lifer for you, given the numbers of birds you have seen.

Re Barn owls, we think there at least a couple that are resident within a couple of miles from home, but still hard to spot them.

[BRACQUENE]

@Zim Girl

 

Congratulations for all those magnificent bird pictures that bring back memories of my 2019 Kafue safari : I especially love your Ashy Flycatcher , Bohm's  Bee-eater and Violet-backed Starling amongst others !

[Zim Girl]

Thank you very much @BRACQUENE.

 

Last batch of Zambia birds.

 

188. Z38  Goliath Heron

Seen at spot by big boulders on tfr between Ntemwa and Musekese.

 

 

 

[Zim Girl]

189. Z39  Malachite Kingfisher

Kafue river

[Zim Girl]

190. Z40  African Jacana

Kafue river

 

[Zim Girl]

191. Z41  Saddle-billed Stork

 

[Zim Girl]

192. Z42  African Barred Owlet

Musekese camp

[Zim Girl]

193. Z43  Blacksmith Lapwing

Kafue river

 

[Zim Girl]

194. Z44  African Skimmer

 

Kafue river

 

[Zim Girl]

195. Z45  Greater Painted Snipe

 

[Zim Girl]

196. Z46  Square-tailed Nightjar

 

 

That is the end of the Zambia birds.  Not many, I know, and I have rather annoyingly ended up on 196/Z46, so now I need to get to the 200!

The weather here recently has been dreadful, as other UK BY'ers will know, so haven't been able to get out. But, a couple of weeks to go so you never know.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Zim Girl

[Zim Girl]

So I have found another Zambia bird.  I had ignored it originally because it wasn't a great picture and I didn't know what it was.  I have had another look and I still don't know what it is  other than pretty boring LBJ.  Maybe one of the many cisticolas or warblers??    Any ideas please?

 

197. Z47  Tawny-flanked Prinia

Ntemwa camp

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Zim Girl
ID for bird (thanks to Tdgraves)

[PeterHG]

I love the Owlet! Good luck in finding the remaining 4!

[TonyQ]

Beautiful photos of the Skimmer, and an excellent total (so far😊)

[Galana]

Owlet's always do it for me so love the Barred Owlet.

Your mystery bird puts me in mind of a Nightingale or similar.

[Tdgraves]

Is it not a tawny-flanked prinia?

[Kitsafari]

wonderful collection from Zambia. 

still 11 days to end December for just 4 remaining birds (or mb three with the unidentified zambian bird). 

[Zim Girl]

Thank you @PeterHG, @TonyQ, @Galana, and @Kitsafari.

 

@Tdgraves, I looked up the prinia (one of the few birds I hadn't already trawled through), and it def fits better with general body and tail shape, and the juveniles apparently have yellowish underparts and bill, which mine has, so I think I will go with that, thank you.  Now 3 more to go!

[Peter Connan]

A beautiful collection!

[Dave Williams]

Some stunning birds, I'd love to see a Skimmer and I'm envious that everyone sees great close ups of Violet=backed Starling when I never even see them.

Hope you are out there looking for the 3 you need. Good luck on that one and don't forget the fridge!

[Peter Connan]

Merry Christmas @Zim Girl!

[Zim Girl]

On 12/24/2022 at 1:36 PM, Dave Williams said:

Some stunning birds, I'd love to see a Skimmer and I'm envious that everyone sees great close ups of Violet=backed Starling when I never even see them.

Hope you are out there looking for the 3 you need. Good luck on that one and don't forget the fridge!

Thank you, Dave.

2 down and one to go, but fast running out of time!

[Zim Girl]

Merry Christmas @Peter Connan and a Happy New Year to everyone on Big Year and ST.