Peter B's Second Big Year 2023

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26/ Great Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax carbo-Aalschover ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

This one I see of course regularly in Belgium ( my number 29 on the 11th of January ) and he is a breeding resident and partially migratory 

 

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27/ 298 White-breasted Cormorant ( Phalacrocorax lucidus - Witborstaalscholver ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema 10th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

The  taxonomic status of the white-breasted cormorant has been under discussion for some decades : sometimes treated as a subspecies of the great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo lucidus, some authorities retain its original treatment as an allospecies in the P. carbo superspecific group, in which case it is referred to as "Phalacrocorax lucidus". 

As its name suggests, the 80–100 centimetres  long white-breasted cormorant has a white neck and breast when adult, and the white area tends to increase as the bird becomes more mature. 

We saw a lot of them !

 

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28/299 African Darter ( Anhinga ruff - Afrikaanse Slangenhalsvogel ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema 10th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

 

Common breeding resident and abundant in Akagera NP especially in Lake Ihema ! 

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Now the Malaconotidae : 

 

29/300 Papyrus Gonolek ( Laniarius mufumbiri - Papyrusfiskaal) Akagera NP Magashi Concession Lake Rwanyakizinga 12th & 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

 

 

In Michelin stars we would rate this one three : worth the trip and it is the one for my third century !! It took us a while , almost unbearingly long to have the first view on the 12th ; heard him a few times in the papyrus close to Ruzizi lodge but it is a bird that makes you work to see him a bit like the Golden Oriole in May this year 

The second view was on a boat trip on the 15th at much closer range and again my heart was beating faster  a birders life can be heaven ;

[Peter Connan]

A great bird to mark a great achievement!

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30/301 Black-headed Gonolek ( Laniarius crythrogaster - Zwartkopfiskaal ) Akagera NP Magashi Concession 14th & 16th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

 

 

More present than the Papyrus , which is strictly dependent on papyrus , and common breeding resident throughout the lower parts of Rwanda but again not easy to photograph even in Magashi Camp 

 

[xelas]

Congratulations, and a fabulous bird to get!

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The Phoeniculidae : 

 

31/ Common Scimitarbill ( Rhinopomastes cyanomelas - Zuid-Afrikaanse Boomhop ) Akagera NP Far North 16th of December 2023 : 

 

Seen on the way back to Kigali this common breeding resident is restricted to Akagera NP and the central Bugesera region ; it is sympatric with the next bird the Green Wood 

Hope which we saw close-by ! 

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32/302 Green Wood Hoopoe ( Phoeniculus purpureus - Groene Kakelaar ) Akagera NP Far North 16th of December 2023 : 

  

 

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Thanks a lot everybody and especially@michael-ibk@Galana@xelas@Kitsafari @TonyQ@Peter Connanand @PeterHGfor all the comments and appreciation until now ; my 2023 BY that started on the first of January is not finished yet as you can imagine so 2024 will have to wait a bit  

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on the 300th - a good bird to get for the milestone, and yet another good bird for the 301th!

 

4 minutes ago, BRACQUENE said:

my 2023 BY that started on the first of January is not finished yet as you can imagine so 2024 will have to wait a bit  

 

I'm in good company then - I am still not done with the 2023 BY list!

[PeterHG]

I’m sure we are all looking forward to the 2023 birds you’ve still got for us! Some really beautiful species again and a spectacular #300!

[michael-ibk]

Congrats Peter, an awesome bird for your #300! Have only seen this one in Uganda. Really enjoying your Akagera birds, please take your time, no rush - and I'm not finished myself with my 2023 birds.

[Galana]

Good to see you did get the 2nd target of Papyrus Gonalek which are heard far more often than they are seen.

Congratulations on your 300.

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Now the Charadriidae :

Not the same abundance as in Kenya , more difficult to spot them also in the long grass but at least the next one was a lifer for me : 

 

33/303 Long-toed Lapwing ( Vanellus crassirostris - Langteenkievit ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 :  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common breeding resident found throughout the Akagera basin ; inhabits floating meadows, waterlily and Nile Cabbage beds : nice to have seen  this one ! 

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34/ African Wattled Lapwing ( Vanellus senegallus-Lelkievit ) Akagera NP Ruzizi Area 10th & 11 th of December 2023 :

 

 

 

 

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35/304 Senegal Lapwing ( Vanellus lugubris - Rouwkievit ) Magashi Conservancy 12th of December 2023 : 

 

 

Another new one I didn't see in Kenya , fairly common in the eastern savanna areas of Rwanda but usually its numbers decrease from November onwards dependent on the amount of rainfall 

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36/ Spur-winged Lapwing ( Vanellus spinosus- Sporenkievit ) Magashi Conservancy 14th & 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

A common breeding resident that feeds on dry ground avoiding the muddy areas inhabited by the Long-toed Lapwing 

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37/ Kittitz's Plover ( Charadrius peccaries- Herdersplevier ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakazinga 15th of December 2023 : 

 

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A few Scolopacidae : 

 

38/ Common Sandpiper ( Actitis hypoleucos - Oeverloper ) Lake Ihema Ruzizi area 11th of December 2023 : 

 

 

I had seen it already in Anderlecht Neerpede on the 21th of May (112) but this one is nicer in my opinion. 

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39/ 305 Common Greenshank ( Tringa nebularia- Groenpootruiter ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema & Lake Rwanyakizinga 9th & 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

Seen last year in Zimbabwe but not in 2023 

[Zim Girl]

Congratulations on the 300.

Very much enjoying your Rwandan birds.

[BRACQUENE]

40/306 African Jacana ( Actophilornis Africanus - Lelieloper ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 14th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

Common breeding resident , bird of floating vegetation as waterlilies and Nile Cabbage ; we have seen him also on Lake Ihema  and at a certain moment I thought seeing the very rare Lesser Jacana but no shot I am afraid 

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Of the family of the Rallidae we saw : 

 

41/ Common Moorhen ( Gallinule chloropus - Waterhoen ) Akagera NP Lake Ihema 10th of December 2023 : 

And more interesting ... 

 

42/ 307 Black Crake ( Amaurornis flavirostra - Zwarte porseleinhoen ) Akagera NP Lake Rwanyakizinga 15th of December 2023 : 

 

 

 

Common breeding resident occurring in the whole of Rwanda and especially abundant on waterlilies and Nile Cabbage beds ...

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Let's have a look at the Musophagidae : 

 

43/ Bare-faced Go-away bird ( Corythaixoides personatus - Maskertoerako ) Akagera NP Magashi Conservancy 13th of December 2023 : 

 

 

To love is to share ....