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Okavango Delta - Botswana - February (1 Viewer)

AndyS56

Well-known member
This was the next destination on my trip earlier this month. Just a couple for now.

1. What species of Pelican is this? My "Birds of Southern Africa" lists only two kinds, but neither appears to have the white bill.

2. Northern Black Korhaan?

TIA

Andy
 

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The inevitable further questions!

1. Black Crake?
2. Lappet-faced Vultures?
3. Black-shouldered Kite?
4. ?
5. Perhaps a Thrush of some sort?

TIA

Andy
 

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I've never been to Southern Africa but some of the species occur further North as well, so I'd give it a try:

1) yes, Black Crake
2) Hooded Vulture with their minute bill, Lapped-faced would have a massive bill
3) juvenile Martial Eagle, note the very strong legs and neatly patterned plumage
4) surely a fresh juvenile lark. I'd say Flapped, but not sure
5) I'd say adult Flapped Lark
 
Thanks again.

Next batch...

1. Lappet-faced Vulture - at least the one at the top of the tree; not sure about the lower one.
2. Another Vulture, but now I've really confused myself as to the specie.
3. ?
4. African Stone Chat?
5. ?

Hard though it may be to believe, I have managed to identify the overwhelming majority of the 110+ species that I saw during the trip!

TIA (again)

Andy
 

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Last edited:
Post #9:

1) Lapped-faced Vulture indeed, but the lower is a Hooded
2) Hooded again
3) African Dusky Flycatcher
4) African Stonechat
5) a Pratincole, probably Black-winged
 
Post 9

1. Lappet-faced Vultures
2. Hooded Vulture, juvenile
3. Ashy Flycatcher
4. African Stonechat
5. Pratincole - I think Red-winged, because the tail seems to extend beyond the wings, but if you have a flight photo where you can see the underwing colour, you can be sure.
 
Post #9:

1) Lapped-faced Vulture indeed, but the lower is a Hooded
2) Hooded again
3) African Dusky Flycatcher
4) African Stonechat
5) a Pratincole, probably Black-winged

1. Yes, a Lappet-faced and a Hooded; didn't look closely enough at the second one.
3. The book says African Dusky is not in the Okavango Delta, and this bird is very grey.
5. I think Black-winged is more common, but as I said, the tail appears to go beyond the wing-tips, which the book says is a sign for Red-winged
 
How about Grey Tit-flycatcher on #3?

I'm basically just going by the book on this one. In the Okavango, the distribution of Ashy Flycatcher and Grey Tit-flycatcher seem to be roughly the same, but the book says Ashy is 'common resident' while Grey T-f is 'uncommon resident'.

Is there some feature in the photo that makes you think it is Grey T-f, or that it is not Ashy? Looking at the illustrations in Sasol, I'm not sure how you could tell them apart from the front; it's the tail and wings that appear to be the distinguishing features
 
I actually cannot tell these 2 apart from this angle; only want to throw in another candidate since the range of both species seem to overlapped.
 
Hi there,

I agree number 3 is tough because we don't see the most important features: wing pattern and tail. Jizz told me at first sight, however, that is Grey Tit-Flycatcher. The spot on lores instead of thin, clean supercilium and faintly streaked, darkish breast might be enough to confirm my gut reaction. I don't see a Ashy Flycatcher here although it is the only other option, African Dusky F. being totally different.
 
Here are another two shots of the vexed No3 from my earlier post. They aren't my finest photos: in my defence, it's a pretty small bird that was more or less inside a shrub or bushes.

I hope these help - looking at my Sasol, I'm none the wiser!

Andy
 

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