Michael's Ninth Year

[michael-ibk]

307/N20) Pied Crow (Corvus albus) / Schildrabe

 

D1275, Khomas Region. One of the Crows I have a bit of a soft spot for, always like pied birds.

 

[michael-ibk]

308/N21) Cape Starling (Lamprotornis nitens) / Rotschulter-Glanzstar

 

Solitaire, 19/5. The most common Starling in Namiba.

 

 

Two from Palmwag. I don't know why bird books always depict Cape Starlings without ear patches, they show them in most photos.

 

[michael-ibk]

309/N22) Sociable Weaver (Philetairus socius) / Siedelweber

 

Solitaire, 19/5. Saw lots and lots of their nests (esp in Etosha), but not too many birds.

 

[michael-ibk]

310/N23) Karoo Chat (Emarginata schlegelii) / Bleichschmätzer

 

C19, Hardap Region, 19/5. Lifer. The Namibian races are paler than their South African cousins. The only sighting.

 

[michael-ibk]

311/N24) Rüppel's Bustard (ebird taxonomy) or Korhaan (IOC taxonomy) (Heterotetrax rueppelii or Eupodotis rueppelii) / Rüppeltrappe

 

C19, Hardap Region, 19/5. Lifer, an important target for me. No need to worry about getting, had regular sightings. ebird has recently changed all Korhaans to Bustards. This bird (like many others) is named after Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell (20 November 1794 – 10 December 1884), a German naturalist and explorer, best known for his collections and descriptions of plants and animals from Africa and Arabia.

 

 

A male from Damaraland:

 

[michael-ibk]

312/N25) Lappet-faced Vulture (Torgos tracheliotos) / Ohrengeier

 

Sossuvlei, 20/5. Tagged, but unfortunately could not see the numbers on any of my photos.

 

[michael-ibk]

313/N26) White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) / Weißrückengeier

 

Sossuvlei, 20/5. Not a very prolific trip for Vultures, would have expected to see more of them.

 

[michael-ibk]

314/N27) Scaly (ebird taxonomy) aka Scaly-feathered (IOC taxonomy) Weaver (Sporopipes squamifrons)

 

Dead Vlei, 20/5. Really fond of this bird, love its grumpy look.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

315/N28) Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus) / Kapsperling

 

Sossuvlei, 21/5. Fairly to very common throughout the trip.

 

[TonyQ]

A great start from Namibia @michael-ibk

Well done on passing 300

[xelas]

Congrats on 300, a number that does not mean much to you , as it is just a counter on your way to much higher numbers! I could see #500 achieved before coming back, so consider all liked.

[Peter Connan]

Some really stunning photos here!

Congratulations.

[Tdgraves]

Whoops, didn’t even see the milestone, congratulations 

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on passing the 300 mark! Great Namibia collection of photos and your flight shots of the swifts are superb!

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @TonyQ, @xelas, @Peter Connan, @Tdgravesand @PeterHG!

 

19 hours ago, xelas said:

I could see #500 achieved before coming back,

 

I could not!

[michael-ibk]

316/N29) Crowned Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus) / Kronenscharbe

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Lifer. A small Cormorant restricted to near-shore marine environments. The red eyes are a good ID feature.

 

[michael-ibk]

317/N30) Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) / Kapscharbe

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. The default marine cormorant within its range and forages in much deeper waters than other cormorants.

 

[michael-ibk]

318/N31) Lesser Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor) / Zwergflamingo

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Very, very common in the Swakopmund area.

 

 

Its Greater cousin is equally numerous.

 

[michael-ibk]

319/N32) African Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini) / Kapausternfischer

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Not too common apparently, just saw these three birds.

 

[michael-ibk]

320/N33) Chestnut-banded Plover (Charadrius pallidus) / Rotband-Regenpfeifer

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Lifer, one of my more important targets. Lovely looking Plover IMO.

 

[michael-ibk]

321/N34) White-fronted Plover (Charadrius marginatus) / Weißstirn-Regenpfeifer

 

Swakopmund, 22/5.  Very, very common.

 

[michael-ibk]

322/N35) White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus) / Weißbrustkormoran

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Just a subspecies of Great Cormorant according to ebird, but a good species for IOC. Good enough for me.

 

[michael-ibk]

323/N36) Tractrac Chat (Emarginata tractrac) / Oranjeschmätzer

 

Swakopmund, 22/5. Lifer, another important target. If only all target birds would cooperate like this one (called "Haensel").

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

324/N37) Blue-billed Teal (Spatula hottentota) / Pünktchenente

 

Walvis Bay Bird Paradise, 22/5. As indicated by the scientific name this used to be the Hottentot Teal.

 

[michael-ibk]

325/N38) Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii) / Kaplöffelente

 

Walvis Bay Bird Paradise, 22/5. Only my second sighting, and the first photo.