Peter Connan's big Year

[Peter Connan]

Yellow-billed Hornbill:

 

Red-billed Hornbill:

 

Hamerkop:

 

Grey go-away bird:

 

Lilac-breasted Roller:

 

Tawny Eagle:

 

Pearl-spotted Owl:

 

Red-billed Oxpecker:

 

And a few vultures:

Edited August 2, 2014 by Peter Connan

[PT123]

@@Peter Connan

 

What a great thread - I'm not a "birder" but do have a layman's appreciation and am thoroughly enjoying these beautiful pictures. I have to admit that with each return trip to Africa I have an ever increasing appreciation for the avian population. I really liked the shot of the Helmeted Guineafowl in flight (as I've seen dozens skittering along on the ground but don't remember seeing one in flight). Also, I always like a good hammerkopf shot - thanks for sharing and please keep them coming.

[michael-ibk]

Indeed, some spectacular pics. Especially love the Glossy Starling and the Pearl-Spotted-Owl. Never had any real interest in birds, but a trip to India thoroughly changed that, I´m now always actively studying bird guide books before a trip.

[Soukous]

some lovely photos there Peter

Love the Cape White Eye in #23 and the face on shot of the hornbill in #26

[Peter Connan]

Thanks guys

 

I also arrived late to birding, despite lots of opportunities.

 

My dad was always a birder, and frequently a bird-breeder as well, and my uncle was one of the largest breeders of parrots in the country, but despite that my interest in breeding developed (or should I say is developing) as an off-shoot from my interest in photography.

[Sverker]

 

And is this a Lanner falcon harrasing a pied crow?

Probably not a Lanner - Cuckoo hawk or Ovambo sparrowhawk. And isn´t it the crow that is harrasing the hawk?

[Sverker]

Lanner Falcon:

Eurasian Hobby (falcon)

[Sverker]

I am really enjoying this thread, Peter.

 

Lot of good pics of beautiful birds = great.

[Peter Connan]

Thank you Sverker!

 

No, the hawk/sparrohawk/falcon was definatly the one doing the harrassing. It was above and behind the crow most of the time.

[Peter Connan]

Back to Marievale on Friday. Some of these birds have featured before, but in almost unrecognizeable pictures.

 

Pied Avocet:

 

Brown-throated Martin:

 

Red-knobbed Coot:

 

Flamingo:

 

Glossy Ibis:

 

Orange-throated Longclaw:

 

Whiskered Tern and Speckled Pigeon:

 

Pied Kingfisher:

 

Purple Heron:

 

Red-billed Teal:

 

Scuacco Heron:

 

Cape Shoveller:

 

Cape Wagtail:

[Tdgraves]

@@Peter Connan love the shoveller portrait, isn't the heron in flight a Goliath?

[TonyQ]

@@Peter Connan

A really interesting thread with losts of great pictures

My favourite so far is the yellow rumped tinkerbird

[Peter Connan]

@@Peter Connan love the shoveller portrait, isn't the heron in flight a Goliath?

Indeed, it seems I have buggered it up again!

 

Thanks TD

[Peter Connan]

Missed one!

 

Spotted Thick-knee:

[Peter Connan]

At the end of each trip there are a few truly horrible photos which would definately have been deleted were it not for this thread.

 

From the kruger daytrip:

 

Retz's Helmet-shrike:

 

Golden-breasted Bunting:

 

MAle Chinspot Batis:

 

Mocking Chat:

 

From MArievale:

African Marsh-harrier:

[Peter Connan]

Took a short business trip to Swaziland this week. The camera went along, but time was short and the weather did not really co-operate, with some of these being taken in heavy mist.

 

Lizard Buzzard:

 

Red-billed Firefinch:

 

Purple-banded Sunbird:

Male:

Female:

 

Scarlet-chested Sunbird:

 

Lesser-striped Swallow:

[Peter Connan]

It's getting harder and harder to find new species.

 

Striped Kingfisher

 

 

And is this a dark Tawny, lesser-spotted or Wahlberg's?

 

 

 

Photos taken near Moloto this weekend.

 

[Peter Connan]

The migrants are slowly arriving, giving some new opportunities.

 

Barn swallow:

 

Greater-striped Swallow:

 

White-breasted Swallow:

[Peter Connan]

And some residents have bought new coats too.

 

Broad-billed weaver (the exception in the weaver family):

 

Southern Red Bishop (had it before, but not like this...

 

Long-tailed Widowbird:

 

Red-collared Widowbird:

 

And a "mixed species foraging flock":

[Peter Connan]

Pin-tailed Whydah (sometimes called a King of six):

 

Black-headed heron (I hope):

 

Green-backed heron:

 

These last couple are duplicates, but much better than before:

Black-chested Snake Eagle:

 

Arrow-marked Babbler:

[TonyQ]

@@Peter Connan

The tail on the long-tailed widow bird is amazing - you wonder how it can fly - and you show us

Edited November 10, 2014 by TonyQ

[Peter Connan]

Thanks @@TonyQ

 

They actually fly rather well despite the tail.

[Soukous]

You say it's gettng harder to find new species, but youi're doing a fine job @@Peter Connan

[Peter Connan]

Thanks Martin!

[Peter Connan]

We have recently returned from our December family holiday. The deal is, every second year I take my girls to the seaside, while every alternate year we can go to the bushveld. This year was a sea-year, and our chosen destination was Maphelane.

 

This fairly little-known destination is the most southern end of the Isimangaliso/St. Lucia wetlands conservation area, and is set on a dune between the sea and the Whito Umfolozi river, amidst dense coastal forest. It is a blind twitcher's delight, the birdlife is amazing and one can hear various birds calling all the time, but although one also sees many different birds, unfortunately many birds are only heard and never seen. In addition, the weather was mostly cloudy and in the dense forests, light was constantly a problem, and I was usually too far away. I therefore aplologize in advance for the quality of many (most?) of the photos.

 

Unfortunately, we invited some friends along, but they took so long to decide that they couldn't join us that the campsite was booked out for the last few days, and so we spent those at Phongolo game reserve on the shores of Pongola/Jozini dam.

 

I am still in the process of sorting, identifying and editing, but here are a few starters:

 

Red-billed Quellia:

 

Blue-cheeked bee-eater:

 

European Bee-eater:

 

Black-chested Starling (nesting in the campsite):

 

Striped Kingfisher:

 

And the worst photo of a Pygmy Kingfisher ever taken:

 

Crested Guineafowl:

 

Collared Sunbird (male):

 

And Female:

 

According to my book this is a Natal Robin, but I think the name has changed now: