Peter B's first big year

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana
 

Ok then Fred not a BW Kite  but another bird of Prey then which isn’t yet in my collection perhaps ? 

[Galana]

Well my guess, sans a good viewand my field guide is it is that @Tdgravesis correct and it is a Harrier but which one?

Pallid would fit well from the b its we can see but depending on the full wing patternwhich we don't see, so might Marsh and Montagues

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana@Tdgraves

I have done some research following Fred's intervention and in Bangweulu where my picture was taken , close to Shoebill Island Camp four species of Harriers occur : Western Eurasian , African Marsh , Pallid and Montagu's .

After comparing all of them I am more and more convinced that it might be the first species ( see picture below) it is the heaviest Harrier dark brown , grey and black with a pale cream crown , nape and throat  local in marshes and wetlands with extensive reed beds and mainly seen in flight, quartering fairly low over marshes, with wings raised in shallow V. : Montagu's still might be  another possibility with larger black wing tips than the Pallid but we can't see the thin black bar on the upperwing that is characteristic ; looking at the African Marsh Harrier the barred flight feathers and tail don't seem to correspond with my picture which isn't clear of course  .. What do you think? 

 

[Galana]

Without my Guide I am left with a Harrier with grey top wing and black wing tips.

[BRACQUENE]

This one I discovered today preparing the last episode in my  " Gonarezhou topic " and was taken in the gardens of Malcolm Lodge Harare

 

214° Olive Sunbird ( Cyanomitra olivacea - Olijfgroene honingzuiger ) Malcolm Lodge Gardens Harare 21th of October 2022 : 

[Kitsafari]

a belated congrats on the 200th as I try to catch up with all the BY threads that are seeing improved levels from the languid years of 2020-2021!

 

[BRACQUENE]

215° Long-Tailed or Eastern Paradise Whydah ( Vidua paradisaea - Smalstaartparadijswida) Northern Gonarezhou Chilojo Cliffs area 18th of October 2022 : 

 

 

[Galana]

On 11/15/2022 at 3:45 PM, BRACQUENE said:

What do you think? 

Top vote is still Pallid. I think we can rule out Marsh as the face is grey.

So we are left with Monty as a chance and the blacker area of wing tip does suggest this. Can you 'lighten' the image slightly so we can see the underwing colour as this could be the decider as if Pallid it will be grey and not if a Monty?

[BRACQUENE]

@Galana

 

Thanks Fred ; this could help perhaps but difficult to get something clear ! Is it Pallid I don't know because not enough white in underwing and belly from what I am seeing so Montagu for me ...

 

[Galana]

It is an oddity, no doubt. Looking hard at it the broad black wing tip and fingers put me more in mind of a small eagle than a Harrier. I wonder if it is a pale morph of Booted Eagle? Hard to tell.

[BRACQUENE]

Here are a few pictures I am still looking for a positive ID , so be my guest 

 

Bangweulu Wetlands 21 th of July 2022 : My guess would be a Great Reed or Greater Swamp Warbler ...

North Gonarezhou Masasanya Dam 14th of October 2022 : the one in the foreground "of course" perhaps a Marsh Sandpiper ?? 

North Gonarezhou Chilojo Cliffs area 17th of October 2022 

[Galana]

Time to be positive and negative about your first offering.

Negative. It ain't a Reed Warbler as they have plain heads. You are looking at the C word again.

Lots to choose from but the speckles/striped head and nape plus habitat put me i mind of Dambo which is not one I am familiar with but 'why not?'

Marsh Sandpiper fits well and the pair of Eagles look like Martial but you need to lighten them up a bit.

[BRACQUENE]

 

 

Thanks a lot Fred @Galanafor answering so quickly ; the negatives could turn into positives  if I can add some more birds to my 2022 collection so I decided to do a " Name that bird " without knowing myself the answer except that for the Sandpiper I was pretty sure : I concentrated on Warbler's instead of Cisticola's of which until now I have pictures and positive ID of chirping and rattling only and I am sure it is another one : Dambo is certainly a look alike but might be restricted in habitat to the extreme NW Zambia and is not mentioned in the  Bangweulu bird list ,  but it is a close one and which would be the alternative? 

Here is a closer look of the eagles if it helps because the light as you can see wasn't ideal !? 

 

 

[Galana]

Wahlbergs do have a slight crest on their crown.

[pedro maia]

Belated congrats on your second century @BRACQUENE.

[BRACQUENE]

216° Dambo or Cloud-Scraping Cisticola (Cisticola Dambo - Dambograszanger) Bangweulu Wetlands 21th of July 2022 : 

 

After long consideration and most importantly Fred's @Galanahelp I will go for the Dambo even if Desert Cisticola or Cisticola aridulus ( more common in the Bangweulu Swamps ) and also with a brown streaking on the crown is a close second .

 

217° Marsh Sandpiper ( Tringa stagnatilis - Poelruiter ) North Gonarezhou - Masasanya Dam 14th of October 2022 : 

218° Ruddy Turnstone ( Arenaria interpres- Steenloper ) Nieuwpoort Belgian Coast 12th of February 2022 : 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

219° Redwing ( Turdus iliacus - Koperwiek ) Dilbeek my garden this morning 18th of December 2022 : 

 

220° Eurasian Jackdaw ( Corvus monedula- Kauw ) Dilbeek chimney neighbour 18th of December 2022 :  

[michael-ibk]

Great to have a Redwing in the garden - a rarity here.

[Dave Williams]

Well done on the 200. A great first year and now you are hooked!

[BRACQUENE]

Thanks a lot @Dave Williamsand to prove I am indeed hooked I spend the Christmas period at the Belgian coast looking for more 🦅 to end my first Big Year in style 🎄

 

 

A happy Christmas for all the passionate birders and all the other safaritalkers and their loved ones !!

[Peter Connan]

Merry Christmas Peter!

[BRACQUENE]

Merry Christmas to you Peter !

[Peter Connan]

Thank you.

[PeterHG]

5 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

happy Christmas for all the passionate birders and all the other safaritalkers and their loved ones !!

And the same to you and yours, Peter!

[Kitsafari]

10 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

Thanks a lot @Dave Williamsand to prove I am indeed hooked I spend the Christmas period at the Belgian coast looking for more 🦅 to end my first Big Year in style 🎄

 

 

Indeed, in true ST birding fashion! Merry Christmas!