14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - AFRICAN SWAMPHEN (JUVENILE) (Porphyrio madagascariensis)

The African swamphen (Porphyrio madagascariensis) is a species of swamphen occurring in Egypt, Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar. It used to be considered a subspecies of the western swamphen, which it resembles, but with bronze green or green-blue back and scapulars. It also resembles the grey-headed swamphen of Asia, sharing the greenish back with it, but lacking the paler grey head of that species.

The African Swamphen is a mainly sedentary species that can be found in sub-Saharan Africa, including southern Africa, where it is sometimes locally common, and also along the Nile north to the Nile Delta in Egypt. It is found in northern and eastern Botswana, part of Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and the coast of Mozambique. In South Africa it is absent from the Northern Cape and the interior of the Eastern Cape.

It has occurred as a vagrant in Israel with a record from Eilat in October 2015.

The African swamphen has a preference for freshwater or brackish ponds, slow flowing rivers, especially those flanked by reeds (Phragmites) and sedges, marshes, swamps, it also occurs on seasonally flooded wetlands.

The population is believed to be decreasing due to local disturbance and loss of habitat although it is not considered to be threatened.

16-3-2026 MINDELO, CAP VERDE - CARRUTHERS FALSEFACE (Pseuderanthemum carruthersii)

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii, the Carruthers' falseface, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae. It is native from the Solomon Islands to Vanuatu.

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii is popularly grown as an ornamental outside of its native range. It has been introduced in many tropical countries. Prior to contact with Europeans, Melanesian islanders brought P. carruthersii to different Pacific Islands. Later it also began to be grown in European nurseries.

Pseuderanthemum carruthersii is similar in appearance to Graptophyllum pictum.

The Carruthers' falseface is highly used in researches for extracting many chemical compounds. The following chemicals can be found in the plant.

16-3-2026 MINDELO, CAP VERDE - PEA BLUE BUTTERFLY (Lampides boeticus),

Lampides boeticus, the pea blue, or long-tailed blue, is a small butterfly that belongs to the lycaenids or gossamer-winged family.

The Latin species name boeticus refers to Baetica, a province of the Roman Empire in the Iberian Peninsula . Its common name refers to the long streamers on its hind wings, the male's bright iridescent blue colour, and peas, which is the typical host plant of the butterfly.

This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1767 and was initially named Papilio boeticus.

This species can be found in Europe, Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Australia. It is also found in the Hawaiian islands. It is also found in the Maldives.In New Zealand this species is regarded as being self introduced as was first observed in November 1965.

This species inhabits the edge of forests, mountain meadows and hot flowery places at an elevation up to 2,700 metres (8,900 ft) above sea level.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - AFRICAN JACANA (Actophilornis africanus)

The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It has long toes and long claws that enables it to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, its preferred habitat. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacanidae.

The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) is a wader in the family Jacanidae. It has long toes and long claws that enables it to walk on floating vegetation in shallow lakes, its preferred habitat. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. For the origin and pronunciation of the name, see Jacanidae.

The jacana has evolved a highly unusually polyandrous mating system, meaning that one female mates with multiple males and the male alone cares for the chicks. Such a system has evolved due to a combination of two factors: firstly, the lakes that the jacana lives on are so resource-rich that the relative energy expended by the female in producing each egg is effectively negligible. Secondly the jacana, as a bird, lays eggs, and eggs can be equally well incubated and cared for by a parent bird of either sex. This means that the rate-limiting factor of the jacana's breeding is the rate at which the males can raise and care for the chicks. Such a system of females forming harems of males is in direct contrast to the more usual system of leks seen in animals such as stags and grouse, where the males compete and display in order to gain harems of females.

The parent that forms part of the harem is almost always the one that ends up caring for the offspring; in this case, each male jacana incubates and rears a nest of chicks. The male African jacana has therefore evolved some remarkable adaptations for parental care, such as the ability to pick up and carry chicks underneath its wings.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - HAMERKOP (Scopus umbretta)

The hamerkop (Scopus umbretta), also called the umbrette, is a medium-sized bird. It is the only living species in the genus Scopus and the family Scopidae. The species and family was long thought to sit with the Ciconiiformes but is now placed with the Pelecaniformes, and its closest relatives are thought to be the pelicans and the shoebill. The shape of its head with a long bill and crest at the back is reminiscent of a hammer, which has given this species its name after the Afrikaans word for hammerhead. It is a medium-sized waterbird with brown plumage. It is found in mainland Africa, Madagascar and Arabia, living in a wide variety of wetlands, including estuaries, lakesides, fish ponds, riverbanks, and rocky coasts. The hamerkop is a sedentary bird that often shows local movements.

The hamerkop takes a wide range of prey, mostly fish and amphibians, but shrimps, insects and rodents are taken too. Prey is usually hunted in shallow water, either by sight or touch, but the species is adaptable and will take any prey it can. The species is renowned for its enormous nests, several of which are built during the breeding season. Unusually for a wading bird, the nest has an internal nesting chamber where the eggs are laid. Both parents incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

The species is not globally threatened and is locally abundant in mainland Africa and Madagascar. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has assessed it as being of least concern.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - UPLAND COTTON (Gossypium hirsutum)

 Gossypium hirsutum, also known as upland cotton or Mexican cotton, is the most widely planted species of cotton in the world. Globally, about 90% of all cotton production is of cultivars derived from this species. In the United States, the world's largest exporter of cotton, it constitutes approximately 95% of all cotton production. It is native from Mexico to Ecuador and northeast Brazil, the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean and the Pacific (Fiji, Marianas, Polynesia and Revillagigedo Islands).

It is believed that gossypium hirsutum was created when wild Mexican cotton breeds mixed with gossypium herbaceum around 5-10 million years ago, producing a hybrid species with 26 pairs of chromosomes via polyploidy.

Archeological evidence from the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico shows the cultivation of this species as long ago as 3,500 BC, although there is as yet no evidence as to exactly where it may have been first domesticated. 

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - MALACHITE KINGFISHER (Corythornis cristatus)

 The malachite kingfisher (Corythornis cristatus) is a river kingfisher which is widely distributed in Africa south of the Sahara. It is largely resident except for seasonal climate-related movements.

It is a small kingfisher, around 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. In Southern Africa, the reference size is 14cm and in East Africa] and Ethiopia, 12cm. The general color of the upper parts of the adult bird is bright metallic blue. The head has a short crest of black and blue feathers, which gives rise to the scientific name. The face, cheeks, and underparts are rufous and there are white patches on the throat and rear neck sides. The bill is black in young birds and reddish-orange in adults; the legs are bright red. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are a duller version of the adult.

This species is common to reeds and aquatic vegetation near slow-moving water or ponds. It occurs throughout Sub-Saharan Africa except for the very arid parts of Somalia, Kenya, Namibia and Botswana.

The flight of the malachite kingfisher is rapid, with the short, rounded wings whirring until they appear a mere blur. It usually flies low over water.

The nest is a tunnel in a sandy bank, usually over water. Both birds excavate. Most burrows incline upward before the nesting chamber is reached. Three or four clutches of three to six round, white eggs are placed on a litter of fish bones and disgorged pellets.

The bird has regular perches or stands from which it fishes. These are usually low over the water. It sits upright, its tail pointed downwards. It drops suddenly with a splash and usually returns at once with a struggling captive. Large food items are beaten on a bough or rail; small fish and insects are promptly swallowed. A fish is usually lifted and carried by its middle, but its position is changed, sometimes by tossing it into the air, before it is swallowed head downwards. Fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans are eaten.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - PINK BACKED PELICAN (Pelecanus rufescens)

The pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens) is a bird of the pelican family. It is a resident breeder in the swamps and shallow lakes of Africa and southern Arabia; it has also been extirpated from Madagascar.

It is a relatively small pelican, although by no means is it a small bird. Its length is from 125 to 155 cm (49 to 61 in), wingspan is 2.15–2.9 m (7.1–9.5 ft) and body mass is from 4 to 7 kg (8.8 to 15.4 lb). The bill is 30 to 38 cm (12 to 15 in) in length.[7][8] The plumage is grey and white, with a pinkish hue on the back occasionally apparent (never in the deep pink of a flamingo). The top of the bill is yellow and the pouch is usually greyish. Breeding adults have long feather plumes on the head.

It shares its habitat with the great white pelican, which is generally larger and has white instead of greyish plumage.

The pink-backed pelican is found in a range of aquatic habitats, but prefers quiet backwaters with shallow water, avoiding steep, vegetated lake banks. It prefers for freshwater lakes, swamps, large slow-flowing rivers, and seasonal pools but also frequents reservoirs, seasonally flooded land and flood-plains near river mouths. It may occur on alkaline and saline lakes and lagoons, and can sometimes be found along the coast in bays and estuaries (although seldom on open seashore). The species tends to roost and breed in trees (e.g. mangroves), but will also roost on sandy islands, cliffs, coral reefs and sand-dunes.

Nesting trees have many nests built close together. These nests are re-used every year until the trees collapse, although the birds will normally remain in the area. The species nests colonially in trees, reeds or low bushes along waterfronts as well as (less often) on the ground on sandy islands and in mangroves.

Its nest is a large heap of sticks and may be 10–50 m (33–164 ft) above the ground. The female lays two to three large white eggs and later the chicks feed by plunging their heads deep into the adult's pouch and taking the partially digested regurgitated fish.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - SQUACCO HERON (Ardeola ralloides)

The Squacco Heron, Ardeola ralloides, is a diminutive member of the heron family, measuring a mere 44–47 cm in length, with a compact body of 20–23 cm and a wingspan stretching 80–92 cm. This species is adorned with a buff-brown back and, during the summer months, adults boast elongated neck feathers that add to their allure.

The Squacco Heron favors marshy wetlands in temperate regions for its habitat, where the water is warm and inviting.

Originating from the Old World, the Squacco Heron breeds in the southern reaches of Europe and extends into the Greater Middle East. When not breeding, it migrates to winter in the African continent.

This species is migratory by nature, seeking the warmer climates of Africa to spend the winter. It is seldom seen north of its breeding grounds. The Squacco Heron has been observed as a vagrant in the Fernando de Noronha islands and, on rarer occasions, in mainland South America. It nests in modest colonies, often in the company of other wading birds, and constructs its nests from sticks on platforms in trees or shrubs.

The Squacco Heron selects freshwater locales across Europe and the Middle East to breed, later migrating southward to the Sub-Saharan African region. During the breeding season, they lay a clutch of three to four eggs.

Adept at foraging, the Squacco Heron feeds on a diet consisting of fish, frogs, and insects, making the most of its wetland environment.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - GREY HOODED GULL (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

The grey-headed gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus), also known as the grey-hooded gull, is a small species of gull which breeds patchily in South America and Africa south of the Sahara. It is not truly migratory, but is dispersive, becoming more widespread in winter. This species has occurred as a rare vagrant to the United States, Italy, and Spain. As is the case with many gulls, it had traditionally been placed in the genus Larus. Recent evidence suggests the South American and African populations may represent two separate cryptic species.

The grey-headed gull is slightly larger than the black-headed gull at 42 cm length. The summer adult has a pale grey head, a grey body, slightly darker in tone than in black-headed gull, and red bill and legs. The black tips to the primary wing feathers have conspicuous white "mirrors". The underwing is dark grey with black wingtips. The grey hood is lost in winter, leaving just two dark smudges around and behind the eye. The eye is dark in immatures, but has a white iris in adults. The sexes are similar. It takes two years to reach maturity; first year birds have a black terminal tail band, and more dark areas in the wings. In flight, the wings are broader than those of black-headed gull. It is a noisy species, especially at colonies. The call is a raucous crow-like caw, caw.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - GREAT WHITE EGRET (Ardea alba ssp. alba)

The great egret (Ardea alba), also known as the common egret, large egret, great white egret, or great white heron, is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and southern Europe. Recently, it has also been spreading to more northern areas of Europe. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, it builds tree nests in colonies close to water.

The great egret is a large heron with all-white plumage. Standing up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall, this species can measure 80 to 104 cm (31 to 41 in) in length with a wingspan of 131 to 170 cm (52 to 67 in). Body mass can range from 700 to 1,500 g (25 to 53 oz), with an average around 1,000 g (35 oz). It is thus only slightly smaller than the great blue or grey heron (A. cinerea). Apart from size, the great egret can be distinguished from other white egrets by its yellow bill and black legs and feet, though the bill may become darker and the lower legs lighter in the breeding season. 

In breeding plumage, delicate ornamental feathers are borne on the back. Males and females are identical in appearance; juveniles look like nonbreeding adults. Differentiated from the intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia) by the gape, which extends well beyond the back of the eye in case of the great egret, but ends just behind the eye in case of the intermediate egret.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - WESTERN REEF HERON (Egretta gularis)

The western reef heron (Egretta gularis), also called the western reef egret, is a medium-sized heron found in southern Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. It has a mainly coastal distribution and occurs in several plumage forms: a slaty-grey plumage which can only be confused with the rather uncommon dark morph of the little egret (Egretta garzetta); a white form which can look very similar to the little egret, although the reef heron's bill tends to be paler and larger; and a black form with a white throat, E. g. gularis, found in West Africa.

There are also differences in size, structure and foraging behaviour. There have been suggestions that the species hybridizes with the little egret, and based on this, some authors treat schistacea and gularis as subspecies of Egretta garzetta. Works that consider the western reef heron as a valid species include the nominate gularis and schistacea as subspecies.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - AFRICAN PIED KINGFISHER (Ceryle rudis ssp rudis)

The pied kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) is a species of water kingfisher widely distributed across Africa and Asia. Originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, it has five recognised subspecies, and is the only member of the genus Ceryle. Its black and white plumage and crest, as well as its habit of hovering over clear lakes and rivers before diving for fish, make it distinctive. Males have a double band across the breast, while females have a single broken breast band. They are usually found in pairs or small family groups. When perched, they often bob their head and flick up their tail.

This is a medium-sized kingfisher, about 25 cm (9.8 in) long with a white with a black mask, a white supercilium and black breast bands. The crest is neat and the upperparts are barred in black. Several subspecies are recognized within the broad distribution. The nominate race is found in sub-Saharan Africa, extending into West Asia. The subspecies syriacus is a larger northern bird similar to the nominate subspecies (following Bergmann's rule). Subspecies leucomelanura is found from Afghanistan east into India, Thailand and Southeast Asia. The subspecies travancoreensis of the Western Ghats is darker with the white reduced. The subspecies C. r. insignis is found in Hainan and southeastern China and has a much larger bill. Males have a narrow second breast-band while females have a single broken breast band.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - CRESTED LARK (Galerida cristata)

The crested lark (Galerida cristata) is a small, non-migratory songbird (17–19 cm) known for its distinctive spiky, long crest and cheerful, musical warbling song. They thrive in dry, open habitats, including arid plains, agricultural fields, and disturbed urban areas, feeding primarily on seeds and insects. 

Habitat: They prefer dry, open, sparse vegetation like steppe, farmland, and semi-deserts, and are often seen near coastal areas and roadsides.

Appearance: A medium-sized lark with brownish streaking, a short tail, and a prominent crest that rises during display.

Eggs & Breeding: Monogamous breeders that nest on the ground. They lay clutches of 3 to 5 eggs that are gray-white to brownish and finely speckled. They often raise two broods per year.

Diet: Primarily granivorous (seeds and grains) but also consume invertebrates like beetles, often digging for food in the ground.

Behavior: They are known to be non-migratory (sedentary) and often show high adaptability to human-modified landscapes, including airports and urban outskirts.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres)

The ruddy turnstone (Arenaria interpres) is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria.

It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae. It is a highly migratory bird, breeding in northern parts of Eurasia and North America, and flying south to winter on coastlines almost worldwide. It is the only species of turnstone in much of its range and is often known simply as turnstone.

In Africa, it is common all the way down to South Africa with good numbers on many offshore islands. In Asia, it is widespread in the south with birds wintering as far north as southern China and Japan (mainly in the Ryukyu Islands). It occurs south to Tasmania and New Zealand and is present on many Pacific islands. Some non-breeding birds remain year round in many parts of the wintering range, with some of those birds still taking on breeding plumage in the spring and summer.

The ruddy turnstone has a varied diet including carrion, eggs, fish and plant material but it feeds mainly on invertebrates. Insects and their larvae are particularly important in the breeding season. At other times it also takes crustaceans, spiders, molluscs, and worms. It often flips over stones and other objects to get at prey items hiding underneath; this behaviour is the origin of the name "turnstone". It usually forages in flocks.

They have also been observed preying on the eggs of other bird species such as gulls, terns, ducks, and even other turnstones, though this behaviour is uncommon. In the majority of observed cases, turnstones typically go after undefended or unattended nests, puncturing the shells with their beaks to get at the contents within.

14-3-2026 CAPE POINT BANJUL, THE GAMBIA - WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus)

The Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) is a large, long-distance migratory shorebird known for its distinct long, downward-curving bill, often seen probing mudflats for crabs and invertebrates. Roughly the size of an American Crow, they breed in the Arctic tundra and winter along coastal areas, making them a common sight on beaches and in salt marshes worldwide. 

Here are key facts about Whimbrels:

Physical Characteristics: They are 30–45 cm in length, with streaked brown plumage, a pale belly, and a striped head. The most identifying feature is the long, decurved bill used to extract crabs from burrows.

Scientific Name & Meaning: Numenius phaeopus. Numenius is Greek for "new moon," referring to the crescent-shaped bill, and phaeopus means "dusky-footed" or "grey-footed".

Call/Voice: Their call is a loud, whistling "tittere-tittere-tittere" or a seven-note whistle, leading to nicknames like "Seven Seas Whistler".

Diet & Foraging: They primarily eat crabs, marine invertebrates, insects, and berries. They are often seen feeding on mudflats, sandy beaches, and sometimes in fields.

Migration & Habitat: These birds undertake immense journeys from Arctic breeding grounds (Canada, Alaska, Eurasia) to wintering grounds in South America, Africa, and Australia.

Predators & Threats: Predators of eggs and young include foxes, gulls, and jaegers. Their populations are threatened by habitat loss of coastal wetlands and, for the North American population, rapid warming in the Arctic.

Behavior: They are known to form large flocks for roosting at night, especially during the new moon high tides.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - SPOTTED JOKER (Byblia ilithyia)

The Spotted Joker (Byblia ilithyia) is a Nymphalid butterfly found in African and Asian grasslands, featuring deep orange wings with black spots and bands, distinctive from the similar African Joker. They are small (4–6 cm wingspan), have an erratic, low-flying flight pattern, and feed on Tragia plants, rotten fruit, and mud.

Key Facts About the Spotted JokerIdentification: The male has deep rich orange upperwings with a broad black terminal band and a specific row of black spots (discal area) on the hindwing that distinguishes it from the African Joker.

Flight & Behavior: They have an erratic flight pattern, usually 1 to 2 meters above the ground. They often settle on plants, particularly grass flowerheads (even though they don't produce nectar), and are often seen basking, feeding, or mud-puddling.

Habitats: These butterflies thrive in open, dry savanna and grassland habitats.

Diet: The larvae feed primarily on Tragia plants (family Euphorbiaceae), while adults prefer feeding on rotten fruit and faeces.

Distribution: They are found in parts of Africa (from the Eastern Cape through KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, to Limpopo) and Asia (central/southern India and Sri Lanka).

Life Cycle: Eggs are laid singly on plant leaves. Larvae grow to about 3.2–3.5 mm in their first instar and develop branched, thorny protuberances.

Distinction from Similar Species: The Spotted Joker (B. ilithyia) is distinguished from the African Joker (Byblia anvatara) by its smaller spots, different markings on the costa (leading edge of the forewing), and a distinct, thinner band on the underside.

Conservation Status: The species is not considered threatened and is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - DAMARA SKINK (Trachylepis damarana)

Trachylepis damarana, also known as the Damara skink or Damara variable skink, is a species of skink.  It is found in southern Africa, specifically in south-eastern Angola, northern Namibia, western Zambia, northern and eastern Botswana, Zimbabwe, north-eastern South Africa, and western Mozambique.

Trachylepis damarana is a very common terrestrial skink inhabiting open, rocky habitats in savanna. It has fully developed limbs and can reach 68 mm (2.7 in) in snout–vent length.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - GUINEA FOWL BUTTERFLY (Hamanumida daedalus)

Hamanumida daedalus, the guineafowl butterfly, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae and only member of the genus Hamanumida.

It is found in the Afrotropical realm (Natal, Eswatini, Transvaal, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, tropical Africa (dry lowland areas) and southwest Arabia).

The wingspan is 55–65 mm for males and 60–78 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round, with peaks in midwinter and summer.

The larvae feed on Combretum and Terminalia species.

22-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - ELEGANT GRASSHOPPER (Zonocerus elegans)

Zonocerus elegans is a common species of gaudy grasshopper in the family Pyrgomorphidae. It is native to Madagascar and sub-Saharan African savannah, though mainly south of the equator. It has sluggish habits and in many, underdeveloped wings. Adults measure some 3 to 5 cm long, with males being smaller. Its life cycle is synchronized with rainfall.

The head is mainly black and the eyes orange, with the antennae placed between the latter. The antennae are banded orange and black, to which the generic name alludes. The shield (pronotum) is olive in colour, and the abdomen is banded in stark colours. Some do have long front (tegmina) and hind wings and can fly. Even these macropterous forms are poor flyers though. The pied nymphs are gregarious.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - SOUTHERN GREATER KUDU (Tragelaphus Strepsiceros)

The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is a large woodland antelope, found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, and poaching. The greater kudu is one of two species commonly known as kudu, the other being the lesser kudu, T. imberbis.

Greater kudus have a narrow body with long legs, and their coats can range from brown/bluish grey to reddish brown. They possess between 4 and 12 vertical white stripes along their torso. The head tends to be darker in colour than the rest of the body, and exhibits a small white chevron which runs between the eyes. 

Greater kudu bulls tend to be much larger than the cows, and vocalize much more, utilizing low grunts, clucks, humming, and gasping. The bulls also have beards running along their throats, and large horns with two and a half twists, which, were they to be straightened, would reach an average length of 120 cm (47 in), with the record being 187.64 cm (73.87 in). They diverge slightly as they slant back from the head. The horns do not begin to grow until the bull is between the ages of 6–12 months. The horns form the first spiral rotation at around 2 years of age, and not reaching the full two and a half rotations until they are 6 years old; occasionally they may even have 3 full turns.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - LESSER GREY SHRIKE (Lanius minor)

The lesser grey shrike (Lanius minor) is a member of the shrike family Laniidae. It breeds in South and Central Europe and western Asia in the summer and migrates to winter quarters in southern Africa in the early autumn, returning in spring. It is a scarce vagrant to western Europe, including Great Britain, usually as a spring or autumn erratic.

It is similar in appearance to the great grey shrike (Lanius excubitor) and the Iberian grey shrike (Lanius meridionalis); both sexes are predominantly black, white and grey, and males have pink-flushed underparts. It is slightly smaller than the great grey shrike, and has a black forehead and relatively longer wings. This species prefers dry open lowlands and is often seen on telephone wires.

This medium-sized passerine eats large insects, especially beetles, butterflies, moths and grasshoppers. Lesser grey shrikes frequently hover when hunting on their breeding grounds, but do not do so while moulting on non-breeding grounds. Like other shrikes, it hunts from prominent perches and sometimes impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder".

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - COMMON IMPALA (MALE) (Aepyceros melampus ssp. melampus)

The impala (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope that is found in Africa. It was first described to European audiences by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy.

Impala is an elegant and magnificent species of antelope. The animal has slender body with the identifying "M"-like marking on the rear. This medium-sized antelope possesses thin, pointed horns with tips, lying far apart from each other. Males of this species are identified by the characteristic "S"-like horns. The elegant limbs of these animals have scent glands behind the ankles. The overall coloration of their fur is red-brown with paler sides. In addition, they have black and white colored areas on their body. Thus, the tail, belly, chin, lips, inside ears as well as the lines above the eyes are colored with white. Meanwhile, black bands cover their thighs, tail, forehead and ear tips.

21-2-2026 MADIKWE GAME RESERVE, S AFRICA - NAMAQUA DOVE (Oena capensis)

The Namaqua dove (Oena capensis) is a very small species of pigeon. It is the only species in the genus Oena. It is found over much of Sub-Saharan Africa as well as Arabia and Madagascar.

The Namaqua dove is a tiny sparrow-sized pigeon, typically 22 cm in length with a 28–33 cm wingspan, and weighing 40g. It has a very long black tapered tail, and the size and shape have led to comparison with the budgerigar. The plumage is mostly grey apart from a white belly, and chestnut primary feathers which are visible in flight.

The adult male has a yellow and red beak and a black face, throat and breast. The adult female lacks the black and has a red-based grey bill. Young birds are dark blotched on the wings and shoulders, and otherwise resemble the females.

The song is a quiet, short, double hoo, higher on the longer second note kuh-whooo, mournful and frequently repeated.

13-3-2026 ATLANTIC OCEAN, OFF GUINEA - NORTHERN GANNET (JUVENILE) (Morus bassanus)

The Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) is a seabird, the largest species of the gannet family, Sulidae. It is native to the coasts of the North Atlantic Ocean, breeding in Western Europe and Northeastern North America. It is the largest seabird in the northern Atlantic. The sexes are similar in appearance. The adult northern gannet has a mainly white streamlined body with a long neck, and long and slender wings. It is 87–100 cm (34+1⁄2–39+1⁄2 in) long with a 170–180 cm (67–71 in) wingspan. The head and nape have a buff tinge that is more prominent in breeding season, and the wings are edged with dark brown-black feathers. The long, pointed bill is blue-grey, contrasting with black, bare skin around the mouth and eyes. Juveniles are mostly grey-brown, becoming increasingly white in the five years it takes them to reach maturity.

Nesting takes place in colonies on both sides of the North Atlantic, the largest of which are at the Bass Rock (75,000 pairs as of 2014), St. Kilda (60,000 pairs as of 2013) and Ailsa Craig (33,000 pairs as of 2014) in Scotland, in Ireland (Sceilg Bheag; little Skellig, 35,000 pairs in 2011), Grassholm in Wales, and Bonaventure Island (60,000 pairs in 2009) off the coast of Quebec. Its breeding range has extended northward and eastward, with colonies being established on Russia's Kola Peninsula in 1995 and Bear Island (the southernmost island of Svalbard), in 2011. Colonies are mostly located on offshore islands with cliffs, from which the birds can more easily launch into the air. The northern gannet undertakes seasonal migrations and catches fish (which are the mainstay of its diet) by making high-speed dives into the sea up to 60 mph.

The northern gannet was previously hunted for food in certain parts of its range, and although that practice still continues in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and the Faroe Islands, the bird faces few other natural or man-made threats. Since its population is growing, the International Union for Conservation of Nature considers it a least-concern species. Because it is both a conspicuous and a common bird, it is referred to in several ancient myths and legends.