Lark, Witsand, South Africa (1 Viewer)

[Andy Adcock]

Taken at Witsand National Park, January 2012

Apologies, I know I'm the first to complain when people upload poor images but I thought that as this was desert habitat, the choices may be very limited?

My wife was taking a picture and hadn't noticed the bird in between me and her!

I include the original for perpective and you can see the bird between me and the camera, I can e-mail a high res image which allows you to zoom in if anyone thinks it will help?

I have an inkling that I may have posted this before so apologies for that too if I have?

 

[dwatsonbirder]

Andy, I'll venture a comment as no-one else has yet - for the little it is worth!
Its been a while since I was last in southern Africa, but from the features I can see (obvious white super, white throat contrasting with buff streaking on breast, and perhaps the suggestion of a dark "blob" between the throat and upper breast) wouldn't Sabota lark be the best option? I seem to remember Sabota and Fawn coloured being the commonest two larks I observed in the Namibian Kalahari.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Sabota would be my guess too, but I'm not really seeing a clear image on my phone.

 

[Andy Adcock]

Thanks chaps, Sabota would be the easiest and most likely option I agree, was hoping for something better though, Eastern Clapper par example 🐫, you see, now you gave me the hump.

Loving the new emojis btw, I finally have one for embarassment, tbh, I shouldn't have posted it, it's a terrible shot.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I'd put Rufous-naped as a possibility before Eastern Clapper, but really it's just too far away and too blurry, at least for me.

 

[Andy Adcock]

I'd put Rufous-naped as a possibility before Eastern Clapper, but really it's just too far away and too blurry, at least for me.

Agree, cheers Larry although, when I zoom in on a big screen, I think it has reddish, breast sides, not sure off the top of my head if Red-capped is in range?

 

[Nutcracker]

Thanks chaps, Sabota would be the easiest and most likely option I agree, was hoping for something better though, Eastern Clapper par example 🐫, you see, now you gave me the hump.

Are you accusing Larry of Sabotage?

 

[MacNara]

Andy, assuming your memory that this was at Witsand is correct, then according to Sasol (3rd edition), Sabota is nowhere near range, and Rufous-naped is nearer but not at that location. Red-capped is indeed in range, and would seem to be the only (Sasol) possibility for a bird that basically looks like this. I took the liberty of blowing up the photo, and it looks fine for Red-capped to me. The red breast sides you mention fit, and the head pattern looks good, too. It's in shade, so it doesn't look as bright as it usually would. HTH

 

[Andy Adcock]

Many thanks indeed for this, much appreciated.