Samburu, Kenya, October 2023 (1 Viewer)

[AndyS56]

This is the last stop on our trip to Kenya, and the final batch of questions. My best attempts are:
2362: Some species of Lark, if so what?
2735: Variable Sunbird;
2747: Grey Hornbill - although the guides I've looked at show them to be more brown than grey.
2998: Some species of Weaver, if so what?
3155: Possibly a Wattled Starling although it doesn't look like the others that I saw;
3198: ?
3202: Juvenile Tawny Eagles?

TIA

Andy

 

[Andy Adcock]

No book used so apologies for any errors.

Red-capped Lark 2362
Wattled Starling 3155
White-throated for 2932
Hornbill is Von der Decken's I think.
Possibly Pink-breasted Lark for 3198
Sunbird is possibly an immature Marico?

 

[foresttwitcher]

I think the hornbill is a female Von der Decken's and the Bee-eater a White-throated.

 

[MacNara]

Red-capped Lark > Edit (see JWN Andrewes below) Foxy Lark
I would go for Mariqua, as I didn't think variable was quite so blotchy on the breast, but...?
Female Von der Decken's
White-throated Bee-eater
Pass for the time being
Wattled Starling
Pink-breasted Lark?
Tawny Eagle

Warning: I seem to be going through a bad patch with lots of mis-IDs recently, so treat with caution.

 

[MacNara]

Pass for the time being - female/eclipse Chestnut Weaver?

 

[THE_FERN]

Pass for the time being - female/eclipse Chestnut Weaver?

No I don't think so: that should have different bill colour and white throat

 

[JWN Andrewes]

I don't think the Lark looks much like a Red-capped. Foxy perhaps?

 

[MacNara]

I don't think the Lark looks much like a Red-capped. Foxy perhaps?

A good call I think. We saw Foxy (Abyssinian) in Samburu.

 

[AndyS56]

Many thanks to you all for your help. Much appreciated.

Andy

 

[MacNara]

Many thanks to you all for your help. Much appreciated.

Andy

Did you get a conclusion on 998, maybe from another source? It seems a good enough photo that someone should get it. I now think that if it's not the Chestnut Weaver, then it's perhaps a vidua or euplectes, but have no idea which one.

 

[AndyS56]

Did you get a conclusion on 998, maybe from another source? It seems a good enough photo that someone should get it. I now think that if it's not the Chestnut Weaver, then it's perhaps a vidua or euplectes, but have no idea which one.

I have settled on Chestnut Weaver - the entry in my Helm Field Guide looks very much like my photo - if I'm wrong so be it! Many thanks for taking the time to research this further for me.

 

[Andy Adcock]

No I don't think so: that should have different bill colour and white throat

The field guide also shows breast streaking to be more extensive, not restricted to breast sides as here but, Chestnut Weaver seems to be the best fit to me.

 

[AndyS56]

I'm open to suggestions! I'm much more a photographer than a birder.

 

[MacNara]

The field guide also shows breast streaking to be more extensive, not restricted to breast sides as here but, Chestnut Weaver seems to be the best fit to me.

Slightly off-topic: Andy, I thought you were going to be in Ghana now?

When my wife joins me in retirement in, I hope, less than a year, then we'll be off on trips while we are still fit.

At home, I'd be watching the forum; but away it would be birds, animals, and of course the local culture (as much as possible); and a good meal, drink and chat in the evening and BirdForum (wonderful as it is) wouldn't see me until I got back home.

 

[AndyS56]

No, that's not me (unfortunately)!

I would urge you to fit in as many trips as you can while you can. None of us knows what may be lurking round the corner.

 

[MacNara]

No, that's not me (unfortunately)!

I would urge you to fit in as many trips as you can while you can. None of us knows what may be lurking round the corner.

I was talking in my off-topic post to Andy Adcock, a long-term Bird Forum friend and helper, as I thought was obvious from the reply quote, and not you, Andrew Shaw. Apologies for the misunderstanding.

 

[AndyS56]

I should have looked more carefully - sorry.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Slightly off-topic: Andy, I thought you were going to be in Ghana now?

When my wife joins me in retirement in, I hope, less than a year, then we'll be off on trips while we are still fit.

At home, I'd be watching the forum; but away it would be birds, animals, and of course the local culture (as much as possible); and a good meal, drink and chat in the evening and BirdForum (wonderful as it is) wouldn't see me until I got back home.

I've been Mac, got back on Tuesday morning.

Just back from hospital, managed to put my foot down a hole and gashed my shin, five stitches. Had the stitches out before I came home and the wound reopened, Dr says it should have had ten stitches, that's why it reopened.

 

[MacNara]

I've been Mac, got back on Tuesday morning.

Just back from hospital, managed to put my foot down a hole and gashed my shin, five stitches. Had the stitches out before I came home and the wound reopened, Dr says it should have had ten stitches, that's why it reopened.

Well, I hope the trip was otherwise worthwhile and that you recover soon.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Well, I hope the trip was otherwise worthwhile and that you recover soon.

Got the Picathartes, that was the objective for me.