Peter B's Second Big Year 2023

[Galana]

Good collection building up. I like Barbets so will be more than happy with Double-toothed when sitting in Ruhezi. I did wonder if you would find the Red-faced B as whilst common where it is found it is very localised as an East African Endemic. Good view too.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Galana
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[BRACQUENE]

Thanks a lot Fred : I seem to have some problems with posting for the moment ; Safaritalk went offline at 11 for some time  and downloading my pictures is also an issue ! Is this the case with you or others ?? 

[TonyQ]

Excellent Barbets, lovely photos. I can see you are goIng to have a good collection from Rwanda

[PeterHG]

Beautiful set of Barbets!

[BRACQUENE]

 

12/289 White-headed Barbet ( Lybius Leucocephalus - Witkopbaardvogel ) Akagera NP Far North 16th of December 2023 : 

 

This one is even more uncommon in Rwanda and Akagera ; in Vandeweghe's  "Birds of Rwanda" ( 2011 ) I read that one single bird was recorded on the 15th of October 2009 on the northern slopes of the Mutumba plateau in Akagera but not confirmed ; We saw it in the north before arriving at the Nyungwe Gate : one lucky shot ...

 

Happy 2024 to everyone !!

[Galana]

2 hours ago, BRACQUENE said:

one lucky shot .

Indeed. I don't recall it appearing on distribution maps for Rwanda. A lucky shot and a luckier find.

 

Perhaps your problem with ST was that you were not believed?

[Kitsafari]

Love that double-toothed barbet! I have yet to see it. 

[BRACQUENE]

Let's continue with the Ardeidae : 

 

13/ 290 Black-crowned Night-Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax - Kwak ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema Ruzizi area 10th of December 2023 : 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

The Black-crowned Night Heron is a common breeding resident in Rwanda and abunda

[BRACQUENE]

To quick on the first day of the year ... 

 

The Black-crowned Night Heron is a common breeding resident in Rwanda and abundant in the Akagera bassin ; it is found mainly in swamps and rice fields and breeding colonies are registered in lakes Ihema and Mihindi in Akagera NP ; for me they are first timers ..

[BRACQUENE]

14/ Striated Heron ( Butorides striata - Mangrovereiger ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga Magashi Concession 14th of December 2023 : 

 

We saw quite a few in Kenya but never as close and clear as this common breeding resident mainly occurring in permanent marshes 

[BRACQUENE]

15/291 Squacco Heron ( Ardeola ralloides - Ralreiger ) Akagera NP Ruzizi Tented Camp 10th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

The local resident in camp on the shores of Lake Ihema  I saw daily ; there is a breeding colony on an island of the Lake where up to 50 pairs occur annually mixed with other herons ...

[BRACQUENE]

16/292 Rufous-bellied Heron ( Ardeola rufiventris- Roodbuikreiger) Akagera NP Lake Ihema & Rwanyakizinga 10th , 13th & 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite a  lot of sightings of this breeding resident or partial migrant in the Akagera swamps ; inhabits inundated plains, edges of swamps and lakes, waterlily beds and edges of tall reed and papyrus 

[BRACQUENE]

17/ Cattle Egret ( Bubulcus ibis- Koereiger ) Akagera NP Magashi Concession 13th of December 2023 : 

 

Very common partial migrant occurring throughout Rwanda in swamps or at lake shores like here ...

[BRACQUENE]

18/ Grey Heron ( Ardea cinerea - Blauwe reiger ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 :  

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

19/ 293 Goliath Heron ( Ardea Goliath - Reuzenreiger ) Akagera NP Ruzizi Area and Magashi Concession 10th , 11th & 14th of December 2024 : 

 

 

 

 

 

As always a delight to see them ( didn't see them in Kenya ) and though a common breeding resident numbers in Akagera are somewhat limited ; usually in the swamps hunting on fish, frogs and small mammals 

[BRACQUENE]

20/294 Purple Heron ( Ardea Purpurea - Purperreiger ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema 10th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

We saw them on the shores of Lake Ihema not far from Ruzizi Tented Lodge ; fairly common breeding resident or partial migrant more abundant from November to May but population seems to be declining in Akagera 

[PeterHG]

Great shots again, Peter! I especially like your second Goliath Heron!

[xelas]

Nice herons. My vote goes to third Purple.

[Peter Connan]

Lovely birds, great photography!

 

Thanks and happy new year to you too.

[BRACQUENE]

21/295 Great White Egret ( Ardea Alba- Grote zilverreiger ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

[BRACQUENE]

22/296 Yellow-billed Egret ( Ardea brachyrhyncha - Middelste Zilverreiger ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema 10th of December 2023 : 

 

 

Previously considered conspecific with Asian Intermediate Egret ; shorter yellow bill than the Great White with gape line that stops before the eye 

[BRACQUENE]

23/ Little Egret ( Egretta garzetta - Kleine zilverreiger) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 : 

 

[BRACQUENE]

24/ Hamerkop ( Scopus umbretta - Hamerkop ) Akagera NP Magashi Concession 14th of December 2023 : 

[BRACQUENE]

Next the Phalacrocoracidae :

 

25/297 Reed Cormorant ( Microcarbo Africanus - Afrikaanse dwergaalscholver ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 : 

   

 

A common breeding resident , abundant in Akagera especially on the island of Lake Ihema but seen here in the north of the Park in a more quiet place ...