Dave Williams Big Year 2017

[Dave Williams]

OK, desperate measures!

Adjutant claimed so 329) Ruddy Shellduck in the river behind the Taj Mahal,Agra,India

 

ME6B9113

Edited December 14, 2017 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

330) Black Ibis. Somewhere in India! Shot out of the back of the bus.

You can tell it's Black Ibis because the legs don't extend beyond the tail which they do with Glossy... or so I'm told.

[xelas]

46 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

OK, desperate measures!

 

Taking photos of birds from close range is such a joy !

[Dave Williams]

331) Indian Roller.   Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia

Another long distance grab from a boat trip.

[Dave Williams]

332) Blue-tailed Bee-eater. ...... again, on our boat trip  Tonle Sap, Cambodia

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by Dave Williams

[Dave Williams]

333) Darter   Again, Cambodia, flying over Tonle Sap lake.

[Dave Williams]

334) Large Billed Crow. The last one from that Cambodian boat trip which was with hindsight one of the most productive days of our month long trip. That was day 2 so I had high hopes back then!! The Tern I'm not sure of , the Swallow I think is a Barn so not counting either.

[Dave Williams]

335) Siskin   Spinus spinus

A Hen harrier has been seen several times this week down at our local RSPB reserve so I thought I must have a go. Sadly that was a no show for me but the Siskin was a bonus bird for my BY!

The photo isn't the best but I didn't bother hanging around to get a better one. 

[Dave Williams]

336) Song Thrush   Turdus philomelos

Another failed attempt to see the Hen Harrier, another compensation with a Song Thrush. They are becoming increasingly rare it seems to me. We had a pair visiting my bird bath earlier in the year but I didn't get a decent shot then so pleased to do better today.

 

[Dave Williams]

337) Indian Robin.

Somewhere in India between Jaipur and Delhi. Taken from the back of the bus!

[Dave Williams]

338) Oriental Turtle Dove      Angkor Wat,Cambodia.

Another classic shot.

[Dave Williams]

339) Bank Mynah.

These opportunist birds were hanging around a toll booth on the road to Delhi. The moment a vehicle stops they check out the mud flaps for anything edible that might be stuck to them.

[Dave Williams]

340) Yellow -vented Bulbul    Xian,China........ 10 to go!

[Dave Williams]

341) Tree Sparrow, Singapore

Tree Sparrow  Passer montanus   Singapore by Dave Williams, on Flickr

[Dave Williams]

342) House Swift   Apus Affinis    Angkor Wat, Cambodia

[Dave Williams]

343) Common Myna   Acrdotheres tristis

 

I saw these everywhere we went , just a case of choosing a shot that wasn't a spec in the distance. This one was in Vietnam.

[Dave Williams]

344) Jungle Myna   Acridotheres fuscus

Realising I saw two different Mynas in India and the Far East had me checking these again and I'm happy to say it's yet a third species. Seen in Singapore's Botanical gardens.

 

[Dave Williams]

345) Asian Glossy Starling    Aplonis panayensis

Checking on the Myna's reminded me I saw a tree full of these in the Singapore Botanical Gardens. 

We were only there for 20 minutes for a flying visit to the Orchid House but whilst everyone else was looking at orchids I wasn't.

[Dave Williams]

346)  Red-wattled lapwing   Vanellus indicus

This is a very common species in India it seems and I saw them in the strangest places from the fountains in front of the Parliament buildings in Delhi to a pair I saw at a loo stop on the motorway between Jaipur and Delhi. Very confiding, I got some half decent images using my 24-105mm lens but as I have put up some dodgy photos so far I'll add my bestest!

[Dave Williams]

347)  Olive-backed Sunbird   Cinnyris jugularis

 

Turned in to a profitable loo stop!

[Dave Williams]

348) White-throated Kingfisher    Halcyon smyrnensis

I saw lots of these sat on wires along the roadside and had thought I'd have to settle for one of those grab shots until I found this one and the third loo stop capture! A well spent 15 minutes!

[Dave Williams]

349) Jungle Babbler   Turdoides striata

 

After travelling 000's of miles and 29 night's stopovers covering 7 countries my tally stood at 28 birds ID'd and captured on camera. I'd seen quite a few more, usually glimpses from the coaches we travelled on but it was a disappointing haul. On our last day we had been put up in an airport hotel far from the centre of Delhi and we decided to have a chill day. Claire by the pool , me, well I'd spotted a small local park so off I went to investigate as I'd seen a Babbler when we'd driven past.

[Dave Williams]

350) Black-rumped Flameback    Dinopium benghalense

This park turned in to a little gem

[Dave Williams]

351) Ashy Prinia    Prinia socialis

[Dave Williams]

352) House Crow   Corvus splendens