Zvezda & Alex BY attempt #8

[TonyQ]

Very much enjoying your SA birds. An excellent choice for your 500 - well done!

[Galana]

Congratulations on the #500. I missed that point .

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on your beautiful #500 ! I’ve never managed to see one yet. A slight mix- up in species names for nrs 498/499, but I can never tell them apart anyway ;). There are many great shots in your batch, but my favourite must be the Familiar Chat with chick!

[xelas]

3 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

but I can never tell them apart anyway

Obviously me neither .

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on #500 Alex, a great bird to mark that milestone. 

[xelas]

There are still plenty of South African birds to be posted before the year ends, however, at reaching that quite important figure we wish to thank you all for participating at and for following this years Zvezda & Alex attempt #8!

 

A Merry Christmas and a Happy (and Healthy) New Year 2024!

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

Third day, last drive, as passengers only me and my  !

 

 

BY 510  /  SA 110    

Bokmakierie  -  Telophorus zeylonus

 

 

 

 

BY 511  /  SA 111    

Green Woodhoopoe  -  Phoeniculus purpureus

 

 

 

 

BY 512  /  SA 112    

Red-billed Quelea  -  Quelea quelea

 

 

 

BY 513  /  SA 113    

Southern Tchagra  -  Tchagra tchagra

 

 

 

BY 514  /  SA 114    

Plain-backed Pipit  -  Anthus leucophrys
 

Edited December 23, 2023 by xelas

[BRACQUENE]

Congratulations with your 500 and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

[Kitsafari]

Congrats on the 500th with a beautiful bird!

 

Merry Christmas and wishing you a fantastic BY 2024! from me and Herman. 

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on getting to 500 and for getting such wonderful shots, and thanks for the wishes. The same to the Strazar family!

[xelas]

MOUNTAIN ZEBRA NP - 1/Dec PM - 3/Dec AM - 68 species

(3x self-driving game drives)

 

 

1st day (afternoon)

 

BY 515  /  SA 115    

Golden-breasted Bunting  -  Emberiza flaviventris

 

 

 

BY 516  /  SA 116    

Greater Striped Swallow  -  Cecropis cucullata

 

 

 

 

BY 517  /  SA 117    

Mountain Wheatear  -  Myrmecocichla monticola

 

 

 

 

BY 518  /  SA 118    

Common Ostrich  -  Struthio camelus

 

 

 

BY 519  /  SA 119    

Sickle-winged Chat  -  Emarginata sinuata
 

 

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

BY 520  /  SA 120    

Helmeted Guineafowl  -  Numida meleagris

 

 

 

BY 521  /  SA 121    

Pin-tailed Whydah  -  Vidua macroura

 

 

 

BY 522  /  SA 122    

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow  -  Passer diffusus

 

 

 

BY 523  /  SA 123    

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow (Petronia)  -  Gymnoris superciliaris

 

 

 

BY 524  /  SA 124    Little Swift  -  Apus affinis

 

 

[xelas]

2nd day (full day)

 

BY 525  /  SA 125    

Spike-heeled Lark  -  Chersomanes albofasciata

 

 

 

 

BY 526  /  SA 126    

Wing-snapping Cisticola  -  Cisticola ayresii

 

 

 

BY 527  /  SA 127    

Streakey-headed Seedeater  -  Crithagra gularis

 

 

 

BY 528  /  SA 128    

Red-winged Starling  -  Onychognathus morio

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

BY 529  /  SA 129    

Rufous-eared Warbler  -  Malcorus pectoralis

 

 

 

BY 530  /  SA 130    

Lark-liked Bunting  -  Emberiza impetuani (observed by the bulbul)

 

 

 

BY 531  /  SA 131    

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting  -  Emberiza tahapisi

 

 

 

BY 532  /  SA 132    

Quailfinch  -  Ortygospiza atricollis
 

[xelas]

Building the nest under the watchful eye!

 

 

BY 533  /  SA 133    

Southern Masked-Weaver  -  Ploceus velatus

 

 

 

 

 

[xelas]

3rd day (morning)

 

 

BY 534  /  SA 134    

Chestnut-vented Warbler  -  Curruca subcoerulea

(Chestnut-vented Tit-Babbler - Sylvia subcoerulea)

 

 

 

BY 535  /  SA 135    

Black-fronted Bulbul  -  Pycnonotus nigricans

 

 

 

BY 536  /  SA 136    

Square-tailed Drongo  -  Dicrurus ludwigii

 

 

 

BY 537  /  SA 137    

Pale Chanting-Goshawk  .  Melierax canorus

 

 

 

BY 538  /  SA 138    

Forest Buzzard  -  Buteo trizonatus

 

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by xelas

[xelas]

BY 539  /  SA 139    

Chinspot Batis  -  Batis molitor

 

 

 

 

 

BY 540  /  SA 140    

(Acacia) Pied Barbet  -  Tricholaema leucomelas

 

 

 

 

BY 541  /  SA 141    

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver  -  Plocepasser mahali

 

 

 

 

 

BY 542  /  SA 142    

Scaly Weaver  -  Sporopipes squamifrons

 

 

 

 

BY 543  /  SA 143    

Southern Anteater-Chat  -  Myrmecocichla formicivora
(Ant-eating Chat)

 

 

[Peter Connan]

Some really cool birds and great shots here!

[Kitsafari]

Great to see some birds there which would have been lifers for me.  

[xelas]

SWARTBERG PRIVATE WILDLIFE ESTATE - 4/Dec to 8/Dec - 48 species

(mostly around the house and on foot)

 

 

BY 544  /  SA 144    

Crowned Lapwing  -  Vanellus coronatus

 

 

 

 

BY 545  /  SA 145    

Karoo Scrub Robin  -  Cercotrichas coryphoeus

 

 

 

BY 546  /  SA 146    

Cape Robin-Chat  -  Cossypha caffra

 

 

 

 

BY 547  /  SA 147    

Southern Fiscal  -  Lanius collaris

 

 

 

BY 548  /  SA 148    

Cape Weaver  -  Ploceus capensis

 

 

 

 

BY 549  /  SA 149    

Rock-loving (Lazy) Cisticola  -  Cisticola aberrans
 

 

 

[xelas]

On the road over the Swartberg Pass.

 

 

BY 550  /  SA 150    

Black-headed Canary  -  Serinus alario

 

 

 

BY 551    SA 151    

Orange-breasted Sunbird  -  Anthobaphes violacea
 

 

[xelas]

Zvezda let me testing the BIF capabilities of OM-1 on smaller and faster birds.

 

 

BY 552  /  SA 152    

White-Throated Swallow  -  Hirundo albigularis

 

 

 

BY 553  /  SA 153    

White-rumped Swift  -  Apus caffer

 

 

 

BY 554  /  SA 154    

Rock Martin  -  Ptyonoprogne fuligula
 

 

 

 

[PeterHG]

Wow Alex, really excellent bif shots of the swallows! And many more good photos and species.

[xelas]

Thanks, @PeterHG! BIF are easier with birds of prey.

 

BY 555  /  SA 155    

Black Harrier  -  Circus maurus

 

 

 

BY 556  /  SA 156    

African Fish-Eagle  -  Icthyophaga vocifer
 

[michael-ibk]

Black Harrier is a really cool bird. Great BIFs!