Peter B's first big year

[BRACQUENE]

Even if I am not completely convinced it is a good idea to start my contribution to this topic for "keen" and "specialist" birders some members think I should ;  but anyway what is small for some can be big for others and vice versa so I will have a try , even if sometimes I might be reprimanded for making mistakes ; please do not hesitate to correct me if I am wrong as I am still in a learning process but passionate by al means as you may have noticed lately !

 

Here we go very slowly in no particular order and with date of view and exact location as much as possible  : 

 

1° Eurasian Jay ( Garrulus glandarius - Gaai ) : Wilderbos Brussels - 8th of July 2022:

2° Great Spotted Woodpecker ( Dendrocopos major - Grote Bonte Specht ) - Wilderbos Brussels - 8th of July 2022:

3° Rose-ringed Parakeet ( Psittacula krameri - Halsbandparkiet ) - Wilderbos Brussels - 8th of July 2022 :

4°Grey heron ( Ardea cinerea- Blauwe Reiger) - Wolfsputten Dilbeek - 9th of July 2022 :

5° Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus- Torenvalk) - Wolfsputten Dilbeek - 2th of July 2022:

6°Great Crested Grebe ( Podiceps cristatus - Fuut ) - Anderlecht Neerpede - 30th of June 2022 :

7° Common Coot ( Fulica atra - Meerkoet) - Anderlecht Neerpede - 30th of June 2022:

8° Great Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo- Aalscholver ) - Dilbeek lake - 30th of June 2022 :

9° Canada Goose ( Branta canadensis - Grote Canadese Gans ) - Anderlecht Neerpede - 30th of June 2022 :

10° Mallard  (Anas platyrhynchos - Wilde eend) - Dilbeek Wolfsputten 3th of July 2022 :

11°. Blue-breasted Bee-eater( Merops variegatus- Blauwborstbijeneter)- Bangweulu Wetlands - Zambia - 20th of July 2022 :

 

Well this might be a surprise for many and I didn't want to react when some called them Little Bee-eaters because they are very similar and only marginal larger but in Bangweulu and the Northwest on dambos and floodplains it is the common species ; Lloyd our guide was affirmative so ..

 

[TonyQ]

Welcome aboard @BRACQUENE a great start 

Many of us were not keen birders before we started, but became so.

Be warned

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks @TonyQ and if you can read between the lines you can imagine I want to become one 

[michael-ibk]

Great to have you on board, Peter, looking forward to your contributions. Like Tony said many of us were refusing to even identify as "birders" when we started this. But all hope is lost for us now.

 

Seriously, for me travelling is what brought me to local birding, and I was so surprised (and often excited) how much we can find on our hometurf. Where I once though Mallards and Blackbirds were the only birds in existence.

[Peter Connan]

Welcome Peter!

 

I love your not-so-little Bee-eaters!

[Galana]

Welcome. A good start too. Love the Blue-breasted BeeEaters.

[pedro maia]

Welcome Peter, I’m the living proof that this is not just for “keen” or “specialist” birders.

 

I’m sure you will enjoy yourself here and that’ s the only thing that matters.

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks @michael-ibk @Peter Connan and not in the least my two companions from popular games during the pandemic @Galanaand @pedro maia for your welcome words , advice and support ; I will keep that in mind !

[PeterHG]

Welcome to this wonderful thread @BRACQUENE! I already learned about the existence of a Blue- breasted Bee-eater from your first postings, so I’m looking forward to more!

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks a lot @PeterHGfor your kind words ;  I'll see what I can do  

[Dave Williams]

A 2022 late starter but better late than never!

Welcome to the group. 

[BRACQUENE]

12° Little Bee-eater ( Merops pusillus-kleine bijeneter ) - North Luangwa NP 13th of July 2022 &  Tafika South Luangwa NP 23th of July 2022 : 

 

[BRACQUENE]

13° White-fronted Bee-eater ( Merops bullockoides-Witkapbijeneter ) North Luangwa NP Mwaleshi Camp 17th of July 2022 & South Luangwa NP Tafika 25th of July : 

 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

14° Southern Carmine Bee-eater (Merops nubicoides -zuidelijke karmijnrode bijeneter) - South Luangwa NP Tafika 25th of July 2022 : 

[Tdgraves]

Welcome. It’s great to have a new BY entrant. I’m afraid that you are now a birder, even if you don’t admit it yet…..

[BRACQUENE]

15° Brown-hooded Kingfisher ( Halcyon albiventris-Bruinkapijsvogel) - South Luangwa NP - Tafika 23 and 25th of July 2022 : 

 

[BRACQUENE]

16° Malachite Kingfisher ( Corythornis cristatus - Malachiet ijsvogel) - North Luangwa NP Takwela 14th of July 2022 & Bangweulu Wetlands 18th of July 2022:

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

17° Giant Kingfisher ( Megaceryle maxima- Afrikaanse Reuzenijsvogel ) - North Luangwa NP Takwela 15th of July 2022 & South Luangwa NP Tafika 24th ofJuly 2022 :

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

18° Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis- Bonte ijsvogel ) - North Luangwa NP Mwaleshi 18th of July 2022 & South Luangwa NP Tafika 23th of July 2022 : 

 

[Zim Girl]

Welcome to the Big Year @BRACQUENE, I am sure you will have a great time here.  Lovely selection of birds to start.

[michael-ibk]

Great selection of Bee-eaters and Kingfishers. 👍

[BRACQUENE]

19° Hamerkop ( Scopus umbretta - Hamerkop ) - North Luangwa NP Takwela Camp 12th of July 2022 & South Luangwa NP Tafika 25th of July : 

 

[BRACQUENE]

20° Swainson's Spurfowl ( Pternistis swainsonii -Swainsons Frankolijn ) - South Luangwa NP Tafika - 25th of July 2022 : 

[BRACQUENE]

21° Lilac-breasted Roller ( Caracas caudatus- Vorkstaartscharrelaar ) - South Luangwa NP Tafika 23th of July 2022 : 

 

[BRACQUENE]

22° Green ( Red-billed ) Wood Hoopoe - ( Phoeniculus purpureus - Groene Kakelaar ) - South Luangwa NP Tafika 23th of July 2022  :