Zvezda & Alex BY attempt #8

[xelas]

6 hours ago, Galana said:

Well it's either that or he has messed up in post processing.

That bird's pigmentation is all wrong, back and head markings too.

 Then it is a leucistic one as there was not much fiddling around in PP. WYSIWWS = what you see is what we saw.

 

Edited December 19, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

MALAGAS to WITSAND - 26/Nov - 16 species

(gravel & tarmac road, birding from the car)

 

 

BY 473  /  SA 073    

White-throated Canary  -  Crithagra albogularis

 

 

 

BY 474  /  SA 074    

Yellow Canary  -  Crithagra flaviventris

 

 

 

BY 475  /  SA 075    

Red-billed Duck  -  Anas erythrorhyncha

(Red-billed Teal)

 

 

 

BY 476  /  SA 076    

Greater Flamingo  -  Phoenicopterus roseus

 

Edited December 20, 2023 by xelas

[Soukous]

12 hours ago, xelas said:

MALAGAS to WITSANDS

 

MALAGAS to WITSANDS 

[xelas]

43 minutes ago, Soukous said:

 

MALAGAS to WITSANDS 

 

It looks that I have improved my birding skills but not much my spelling skills.

[xelas]

WILDERNESS - 26/Nov PM & 27/Nov - 34 species

(on foot within Ebb & Flow camp grounds and from the boat on Touw river)

 

 

 

BY 477  /  SA 077    

Black-backed Puffback  -  Dryoscopus cubla

 

 

 

BY 478  /  SA 078    African Black-headed Oriole  -  Oriolus larvatus

 

 

 

BY 479  /  SA 079    Amethyst Sunbird  -  Chalcomitra amethystina
 

 

[xelas]

BY 480  /  SA 080    

Narina Trogon  -  Apaloderma narina

 

 

 

 

 

BY 481  /  SA 081    

Half-collared Kingfisher  -  Alcedo semitorquata

 

 

 

 

BY 482  /  SA 082    

Lemon Dove  -  Aplopelia larvata
 

 

[xelas]

BY 483  /  SA 083    

Brimstone Canary  -  Crithagra sulphurata

 

 

 

BY 484  /  SA 084    

Black Sawwing  -  Psalidoprocne pristoptera

 

 

 

BY 485  /  SA 085    

Grey-hooded Gull  -  Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus

 

 

 

BY 486  /  SA 086    

White-breasted Cormorant  -  Phalacrocorax lucidus

 

 

[xelas]

BY 487  /  SA 087    

Greater Double-collared Sunbird  -  Cinnyris afer

 

 

 

BY 488  /  SA 088    

Southern Boubou  -  Laniarius ferrugineus

 

 

 

BY 489  /  SA 089    

Brown-hooded Kingfisher  -  Halcyon albiventris

 

 

 

BY 490  /  SA 090    

African Hoopoe  -  Upupa africana
 

 

[xelas]

The Bird Of The Trip (my personal favourite)

 

BY 491  /  SA 091    

Knysna Turaco  -  Tauraco corythaix
 

 

 

 

[Tdgraves]

I think my bird of the trip would have been the trogon….

[Soukous]

34 minutes ago, Tdgraves said:

I think my bird of the trip would have been the trogon….

 

It was mine, if only we had seen it in better light. 

Mind you, if I'd been quick enough to catch the Turaco in flight I'd have been very very happy.

[Peter Connan]

Some stunning shots of some very rarely seen birds! Wow!

[Kitsafari]

awesome collection!

[BRACQUENE]

Exceptional birds and pictures !!

[xelas]

AMAKHALA PRIVATE RESERVE - 28/Nov - 1/Dec - 61 species

(6 game drives at 3 hrs/drive)

 

 

 

BY 492  /  SA 092    

Cape Starling  -  Lamprotornis nitens

 

 

 

 

BY 493  /  SA 093    

Mouse-coloured (Grey) Sunbird  -  Cyanomitra veroxii

 

 

 

BY 494  /  SA 094    

Booted Eagle  -  Hieraaetus pennatus

 

 

 

BY 495  /  SA 095    

Common Quail  -  Coturnix coturnix

 

 

 

 

BY 496  /  SA 096    

Ludwig’s Bustard  -  Neotis ludwigii

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Many very cool birds here (Trogon! Turaco!) but Quail photos like that (any Quail photo actually!) are exceptional!

[PeterHG]

Excellent photos of very good species! 

[Galana]

I agree. I am baffled by the first Quail. Never seen one like that but now I have.

[xelas]

7 hours ago, Galana said:

I agree. I am baffled by the first Quail. Never seen one like that but now I have.

Imagine myself! Browsed through many photos and several books to find a similar example. At one time I hoped it is a Harlequin Quail but also that one does not fit. I might ask on a South African bird forum.

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful shots! Quail are hard to photograph.

[michael-ibk]

8 hours ago, Galana said:

I agree. I am baffled by the first Quail. Never seen one like that but now I have.

 

I was wondering about that too. But also did not find a better match.

 

This one is almost as dark as the one Alex photographed:

 

https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/224033931

Edited December 23, 2023 by michael-ibk

[xelas]

Great find, Michael!

[xelas]

Second day, two game drives. Morning first.

 

 

BY 497  /  SA 097    

European Honey Buzzard  -  Pernis apivorus

 

 

 

 

BY 498  /  SA 098    

Pied Crow  -  Corvus albus

 

 

 

BY 499  /  SA 099    

Red-billed Oxpecker  -  Buphagus erythrorynchus

 

 

 

BY 500  /  SA 100    

Klaas’s Cuckoo  -  Chrysococcyx klaas
 

 

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by xelas

[Galana]

1 hour ago, michael-ibk said:

This one is almost as dark

Great find.  In that guise it is very reminiscent of an Asiatic bird.

Fanshawe has one with a 'chestnut' faced male but not so clearly marked..

The trouble is they are so darned hard to capture let alone see we just don't have the opportunity to have much experience. Quite often our only views are of the wrong end.

@xelas must have a special knack as the best views I have ever got were with him in Uganda.

 

He has gone and split my post now but that's also a fine cuckoo.

[xelas]

And afternoon game drive birding.

 

 

BY 501  /  SA 101    

Cape Sparrow  -  Passer melanurus

 

 

 

BY 502  /  SA 102    

Denham’s Bustard  -  Neotis denhami

 

 

 

 

BY 503  /  SA 103    

Familiar Chat  -  Oenanthe familiaris

 

 

 

 

BY 504  /  SA 104    

Ring-necked Dove  -  Streptopelia capicola