EBCs and misIDs: KK's BY III, MMXXIII

[Kalaharikind]

And with almost a quarter of the year gone, I'm reporting for duty.

 

Still using the D3200 Dinkytoy and Sigma 150-600 mm, still shooting JPEGs, still not doing any PP apart from cropping. (Life is sooooooo exciting when nothing ever changes! )

 

A drive to the Bossieveld on New Year's day got off to an auspicious start with our national bird:

 

1    Blue Crane
Bloukraanvoël
Grus paradisea
 

 

2    Little Grebe
Kleindobbertjie
Tachybaptus ruficollis
 

 

3    Southern Red Bishop
Rooivink
Euplectes orix
mister and missus, swaying in the wind:

 

and a twofer of EBCs:

5    Southern (Common) Fiscal
Fiskaallaksman
Lanius collaris

 

6    Speckled Mousebird
Gevlekte Muisvoël
Colius striatus
 

 

 

[Galana]

Welcome back from retirement.

[PeterHG]

Good to see you back!

[Dave Williams]

Nice to see the Bishops in breeding plumage instead of being LBJs.

Love the title of your BY!!

[Kalaharikind]

Thanks, @Galanaand @PeterHG!

Statement of fact, @Dave Williams, statements of fact. 

 

6    Pale Chanting Goshawk
Bleeksingvalk
Melierax canorus
 

Fugly perch, but in the absence of a dead camelthorn tree, it will have to do. 

 

7    Lesser Kestrel
Kleinrooivalk
Falco naumanni
 

 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

Edited March 20, 2023 by Kalaharikind

[Kalaharikind]

Lunch caught, this juvenile was contentedly tearing it apart, not a care in the world.

 

8    Rock Kestrel
Kransvalk
Falco rupicolus
 

 

 

 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

[xelas]

Oh boy how do I miss those raptors ☺️!

[Kalaharikind]

Me too, @xelas! The Bossieveld feels just too tame for them. 

 

Usually posted as a garden bird, it was nice to get a more outdoorsy one. Breeding male who didn't want to show his back.

 

9    Malachite Sunbird
Jangroentjie
Nectarinia famosa
 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

[Kalaharikind]

10    Red-knobbed coot
Bleshoender
Fulica cristata
 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

 

[Kalaharikind]

11    Western Cattle Egret (Br)
Veereier
Bubulcus ibis

 

 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

[Kalaharikind]

12    Karoo Prinia
Karoolangstertjie
Prinia maculosa
 

The Afrikaans name means Karoo Long-tailed; the length of this one is slightly exaggerated by the angle of my shot

 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

 

Better view:

Stoney Point, 11 Feb 23

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

Definitely an EBC; high misID probability. It is number 13, after all!

 

13    Reed Cormorant
Rietduiker
Microcarbo africanus
 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

[Kalaharikind]

And while I was busy with what was on show at the farm dam, I was being watched by alien eyes:

 

14    Black-winged Kite
Blouvalk
Elanus caeruleus
 

 

and it then promptly flew off:

 

Bossieveld, 1 Jan 23

[Galana]

2 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

It is number 13, after all!

But the ID holds good for me.

[Kalaharikind]

Thanks @Galana!

 

That was that for the New Year's Day birding. Bulbul time:

 

15    Cape Bulbul
Kaapse Tiptol
Pycnonotus capensis
 

 

First the fugly pipe, then up in a tree:

 

Garden, 19 Jan 23

[Kalaharikind]

My go-to spot for the Crowneds, but it's on private land. So, even with the farm gate standing wide open, I'm trespassing. Quick dash in, a few quick shots, a very fast getaway. My life of crime, for a BY tick and an EBC to boot.

   

16    Crowned Lapwing
Kroonkiewiet
Vanellus coronatus
 

Bossieveld, 22 Jan 23 

[Kalaharikind]

Spotted goose, not looking particulary comfortable

 

17     Egyptian Goose
Kolgans
Alopochen aegyptiaca
 

Bossieveld, 22 Jan 23

[PeterHG]

Interesting to see the SA name for the Egyptian Goose. Kolgans is the name we use for the Greater White-fronted Goose.

[Kalaharikind]

@PeterHGand the two don't look remotely similar!

 

18    Helmeted Guineafowl
Gewone Tarentaal
Numida meleagris
 

Bossieveld, 22 Jan 2023

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

A new addition to my BY entries:

 

19    African Black Duck
Swarteend
Anas sparsa
 

Bossieveld, 22 Jan 2023

[Kalaharikind]

The same farm dam yielded this tofer: 

 

20    Hamerkop
Hamerkop
Scopus umbretta

 

21    Hadeda Ibis
Hadeda
Bostrychia hagedash
 

 

[Kalaharikind]

... and another twofer:

 

22    African Darter
Slanghalsvoël
Anhinga rufa
 

23    Blacksmith Lapwing
Bontkiewiet
Vanellus armatus
 

Bossieveld, 22 Jan 2023

 

24    Common Moorhen
Grootwaterhoender
Gallinula chloropus
 

Bossieveld 22 Jan 2023

 

In February, the Swartrivier road yielded junior: 

 

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

25    Cape Wagtail
Gewone Kwikkie
Motacilla capensis
 

Garden, 26 Jan 2023

 

26    Grey Heron
Bloureier
Ardea cinerea
 

Garden, 31 January 2023

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

Back to the Bossieveld, for some LBJs...

 

27    African Pipit
Gewone Koester
Anthus cinnamomeus
 

Bossieveld, 3 February 2023

 

28    Large-billed Lark
Dikbeklewerik
Galerida magnirostris

 

Bossieveld, 3 February 2023

[Kalaharikind]

29    Pied Crow
Witborskraai
Corvus albus
 

Bossieveld, 3 February 2023

 

Making its first appearance in my BY:

30    Southern Black Korhaan
Swartvlerkkorhaan
Afrotis afra

 

Bossieveld, 3 February 2023