Michael's Ninth Year

[michael-ibk]

391/N106) Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) / Riesentrappe

 

Etosha, 30/5. Always a cool bird to see.

 

[michael-ibk]

392/N107) Black-chested Snake-Eagle (Circaetus pectoralis) / Schwarzbrust-Schlangenadler

 

Etosha, 30/5. Formerly considered conspecific with the short-toed and Beaudouin's snake eagles, to which it is closely related.

 

[michael-ibk]

393/N108) Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) / Raubadler

 

Etosha, 30/5. The classic safari Eagle. Did not see many of them, 5 sightings.

 

[michael-ibk]

394/N109) Pale Chanting-Goshawk (Melierax canorus) / Silbersinghabicht

 

Etosha, 30/5. Everywhere everytime all at once.

 

[michael-ibk]

395/N110) Lilac-breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus) / Gabelracke

 

Etosha, 30/5. No safari without them!

 

[michael-ibk]

396/N111) Southern Fiscal (Lanius collaris) / Fiskalwürger

 

Etosha, 30/5. Previously lumped together with the Northern Fiscal as Common Fiscal. Sometimes also calle "Jackie Hangman".

 

[michael-ibk]

397/N112) Cape Crow (Corvus capensis) / Kapkrähe

 

Etosha, 30/5. Found in a wide variety of open country habitats, including desert, dry savanna, montane grassland, and cultivation.

 

[michael-ibk]

398/N113) Namaqua Sandgrouse (Pterocles namaqua) / Namaflughuhn

 

Etosha, 30/5. Huge numbers at the waterholes in the morning.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

399/N114) Burchell's Sandgrouse (Pterocles burchelli) / Fleckenflughuhn

 

Etosha, 30/5. The second super-common Sandgrouse in Etosha.

 

 

 

[michael-ibk]

400/N115) Pearl-spotted Owlet (Glaucidium perlatum) / Perlzwergkauz

 

Etosha, 30/5. A delightful surprise sighting in camp.

 

[TonyQ]

Well done on reaching 400 @michael-ibk.

Beautiful photos. I really like the Sandgrouse (x2) and the Owlet

[PeterHG]

Congratulations on #400! A beautiful owlet indeed. I agree with @TonyQabout the sandgrouse shots.

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @TonyQand @PeterHG!

 

401/N116) Red-crested Bustard (ebird taxonomy) aka Korhaan (IOC taxonomy) (Lophotis ruficrista) / Rotschopftrappe

 

Etosha, 31/5. Four sightings altogether of the "suicide bird".

 

[michael-ibk]

402/N117) Grey-backed Sparrow-Lark (Eremopterix verticalis) / Graurückenlerche.

 

Etosha, 31/5. The only sighting. Have only seen this bird twice before in the Kgalagadi.

 

[michael-ibk]

403/N118) Chat Flycatcher (Melaenornis infuscatus) / Akazienschnäpper

 

Etosha, 31/5. As LBJ as LBJ gets. Fairly common.

 

[Peter Connan]

Congratulations on the 400!

Beautiful birds and photos Michael!

[michael-ibk]

-/N119) Namaqua Dove (Oena capensis) / Kaptäubchen

 

Etosha, 31/5. Making an exception for my "no duplicates" rule since we had far nicer sightings of them here than in Oman.

 

 

[michael-ibk]

Thanks @Peter Connan!

 

404/N120) Stark`s Lark (Spizocorys starki) / Falblerche

 

Etosha, 31/5. Lifer. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are dry savannah and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. Named after Arthur Cowell Stark (27 November 1846 – 18 November 1899),  an English medical doctor and naturalist. He is best known for initiating an ornithological work, The Birds of South Africa (from Wiki).

 

[michael-ibk]

405/N121) Southern Anteater-Chat (ebird taxonomy) aka Ant-Eating Chat (IOC taxonomy) (Myrmecocichla formicivora) / Termitenschmätzer

 

Etosha, 31/5. Only two sightings.

 

[michael-ibk]

406/N122) Burchell's Starling (Lamprotornis australis) / Riesenglanzstar

 

Etosha, 31/5. More a woodland bird, so not too common in Namibia.

 

[michael-ibk]

407/N123) South African Shelduck (Tadorna cana) / Kapgans

 

Etosha, 31/5. Present at many waterholes in Etosha. Believe it or not, a lifer for me!

 

[michael-ibk]

408/N124) Capped Wheatear (Oenanthe pileata) / Erdsteinschmätzer

 

Etosha, 31/5. A widespread Wheatear in Africa. An open country bird.

 

[michael-ibk]

409/N125) African Jacana (Actophilornis africanus) / Blaustirn-Blatthühnchen

 

Etosha, 31/5. A very unusual bird for Namiba in these dry times away from the Caprivi strip. Hopelessly out of place here, stuck around Okakuejoy waterhole. A storm must have swayed it far away from its proper home.

 

[michael-ibk]

410/N126) White-quilled Bustard (ebird taxonomy) aka Northern Black Korhaan (IOC taxonomy) (Afrotis afraoides) / Weißflügeltrappe

 

Etosha, 1/6. Impossible to miss because of its loudness. It "singcalls a strident, ratcheting “kraak-kraak-kraak” which leads into a maniacal “raa-cha-ka-ka-ka....cha-ka-ka-ka” display as the male flies around 20–30 m above the ground, with legs dangling."

 

 

The female:

 

 

[michael-ibk]

411/N127) Greater Kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) / Steppenfalke

 

Etosha, 1/6. A cool-looking and very large Kestrel, really like it. It is fairly common and widespread in the southern parts of its range but is scarce and patchily distributed further north. I can attest to that, have only ever seen it in Southern Africa.