Sunday, 5 January 2020
Saturday, 4 January 2020
6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - SADDLE BILLED STORK (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
The Saddle-billed Stork, known scientifically as Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis, is a magnificent and large wading bird belonging to the stork family, Ciconiidae. It stands tall, reaching heights of 145 to 150 cm (4 ft 9 in to 4 ft 11 in), with a wingspan stretching an impressive 2.4 to 2.7 m (7 ft 10 in to 8 ft 10 in). The male of the species is typically larger and heavier than the female, with weights ranging from 5.1 to 7.52 kg (11.2 to 16.6 lb).
Distinguishing between the sexes is straightforward; the female boasts golden yellow irises, while the male has brown irises complemented by dangling yellow wattles. Both sexes share a striking plumage, with iridescent black covering the head, neck, back, wings, and tail, and the rest of the body along with primary flight feathers being white. The juvenile birds wear a more subdued brownish-grey attire. The stork's bill is a vivid red adorned with a black band and a distinctive yellow frontal shield, the namesake "saddle." Their legs and feet are black with pink hocks, and a bare red patch of skin can be found on the chest, which intensifies in color during the breeding season.
Saddle-billed Storks have a preference for protected areas abundant in open water, such as national parks and protected swamps, which provide safer environments for both the birds and ornithologists.
This species is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa, with its range extending from Sudan, Ethiopia, and Kenya in the east, down to South Africa, and also found in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Chad in West Africa.
In flight, the Saddle-billed Stork is a sight to behold, with its neck outstretched and its large bill drooping below the belly. They are generally silent, save for the bill-clattering sounds made at their nests. The species is known for its solitary nesting habits and lifelong pair bonds, often seen in pairs even outside the breeding season.
The Saddle-billed Stork builds large, deep stick nests in trees, where it lays one to five white eggs, with incubation lasting 30–35 days. After hatching, the chicks fledge in another 70–100 days, often staying within the parents' territory until the next breeding season.
These storks are adept hunters, stabbing their bills into water, mud, and vegetation to catch a variety of prey. They primarily feed on aquatic creatures like lungfish and catfish, which can weigh up to 1.3 kg (2.9 lb). They also consume frogs, snails, small mammals, birds, snakes, and various insects.
6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - LILAC BREASTED ROLLER (Coracias caudatus) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
The lilac-breasted roller (Coracias caudatus) is a member of the roller family, Coraciidae, resplendent in a panoply of pastel hues. This African bird is a sight to behold, with its lilac throat and breast, olive crown to mantle, and cheeks of lilac-rufous. The species is further adorned with long, black tail streamers, which juveniles lack. Unofficially, it is considered the national bird of Kenya.
In the field, the lilac-breasted roller is almost unmistakable. Adults boast a lilac throat that deepens into a darker lilac breast, with an olive crown and mantle. The cheeks and ear coverts are a lilac-rufous. Juveniles and immatures can be identified by their lack of tail streamers and a throat and breast of rufous-tawny with broad diffuse buffy-white streaks. The species is not sexually dimorphic, though males may be slightly larger.
The lilac-breasted roller favors open woodland and savanna, typically avoiding treeless expanses. They are often seen perched high, surveying the landscape for prey.
This species is widely distributed across Southern and Eastern Africa and is a vagrant to the southern Arabian Peninsula. It is most abundant in Kenya and can be found from sea level to elevations of 2,000 meters or more.
6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - COMMON IMPALA (MALE) (Aepyceros melampus ssp. melampus)PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
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.
6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - RED LECHWE (FEMALE) (Kobus leche ssp. leche) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
The lechwe is native to Botswana, Zambia, southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, northeastern Namibia, and eastern Angola, especially in the Okavango Delta, Kafue Flats, and Bangweulu Wetlands. The species is fairly common in zoos and wild animal farms.
Adult lechwe typically stand 90 to 100 cm (35 to 39 in) at the shoulder and generally weigh from 50 to 120 kg (110 to 260 lb), with males being larger than females. They are golden brown with white bellies. Males are darker in colour, but exact hue and amount of blackish on the front legs, chest and body varies depending on subspecies. The long, spiral horns are vaguely lyre-shaped and borne only by males. The hind legs are somewhat longer in proportion than in other antelopes to ease long-distance running on marshy soil.
Lechwe are found in marshy areas where they are an important herbivore of aquatic plants, as well as grasses that are found in flooded meadows. They use the knee-deep water as protection from predators. Their legs are covered in a water-repellant substance which allows them to run quite fast in knee-deep water. Lechwe are diurnal. They gather in herds which can include many thousands of individuals. Herds are usually all of one sex, but during mating season they mix.
Friday, 3 January 2020
6-6-2019 KHWAI CAMP, BOTSWANA - DOUBLE BANDED SANDGROUSE (Pterocles bicinctus) PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER
The double-banded sandgrouse, Pterocles bicinctus, presents itself as a moderately-sized bird with a quail-like appearance. Its plump body is adorned with light brown plumage, featuring darker mottling and rows of whitish specks. The species is characterized by a small, pigeon-like head, elongated wings, and a lengthy tail.
Males can be readily identified by a striking black-and-white band across the forehead and a chestnut throat bordered by another black-and-white band. Both sexes boast an area of bare, yellow skin encircling the eye, while the male's beak is tinged with orange. Females are generally smaller and exhibit a more subdued brown coloration. Juveniles resemble the female in appearance.
Thursday, 2 January 2020
Wednesday, 1 January 2020
1-1-2020 CREU DE LONGA, VALENCIA - EURASIAN KESTREL (Falco tinnunculus)
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The common kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, is a bird of prey from the kestrel group within the falcon family Falconidae. It is also known as the European kestrel, Eurasian kestrel, or Old World kestrel. In the United Kingdom, it is often simply referred to as the "kestrel." This raptor is small compared to other birds of prey but larger than most songbirds, with long wings and a distinctive long tail.
Males and females exhibit sexual dimorphism in their plumage. The male has a blue-grey cap and tail with a black tip bordered by a narrow white rim. Its back is chestnut with black spots, and the underside is buff with black streaks. The female is larger and lacks the blue-grey coloring, having a brown back with black bars and a similar underside to the male. Both sexes have a prominent black malar stripe, bright yellow cere, feet, and eye-ring, with dark toenails, bill, and iris.
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The common kestrel favors open habitats such as fields, heaths, shrubland, and marshland. It does not require woodland but needs alternative perching and nesting sites like rocks or buildings. It thrives in treeless steppes and can adapt to human settlements and various landscapes, from wetlands to arid savannas.
This species has a vast range, being widespread in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and occasionally reaching the east coast of North America. It has colonized some oceanic islands, though vagrant individuals are generally rare.
The common kestrel is diurnal and can be sedentary or migratory, depending on the region. It is known for its characteristic hunting behavior, hovering 10-20 meters above the ground before diving steeply onto prey. It is also capable of seeing ultraviolet light, which aids in detecting the urine trails of small mammals.
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Breeding occurs in spring or the start of the dry season, with the kestrel preferring cavity nests in cliffs, trees, or buildings. Clutches typically consist of 3-7 eggs, which are incubated by both parents. The young fledge after 4-5 weeks and stay with the family for a short period thereafter.
The lesser kestrel and American kestrel are similar but not closely related. The lesser kestrel lacks black on the upperside except for wing and tail tips, while the American kestrel has much grey in the wings of males.
's diet consists almost exclusively of mouse-sized mammals, such as voles, shrews, and true mice. It may also consume small birds, particularly during the summer when fledglings are abundant. Invertebrates and arthropods can be significant food sources seasonally.
The IUCN lists the common kestrel as Least Concern. Its population has fluctuated but remains generally stable, with an estimated 1-2 million pairs globally. Some subspecies, such as those in the Canary Islands, are rarer and number less than 1000 adult birds.
23-3-2017 SAN GERARDO DE DOTA COSTA RICA - RED CROWNED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes rubricapillus)
The red-crowned woodpecker, Melanerpes rubricapillus, is a vibrant member of the woodpecker family, Picidae. This species exhibits a striking plumage, with both sexes adorned in a similar fashion, save for subtle differences in their head patterns. Adults typically measure between 16 to 18.5 cm in length and weigh between 40 to 65 grams.
To identify the red-crowned woodpecker, look for the adult male's bright red crown and orange-red nape, contrasted with a pale yellow to whitish forehead. The female, while sharing the pale forehead, features a more subdued crown of pale gray-buff to whitish tones, with a reddish to orange-red nape. Both sexes have grayish-buff cheeks, chin, and throat, with a barred black and white mantle and back. Their underparts are generally buffish-gray with a reddish to orange-red central belly patch.
This species thrives in a variety of environments, from the interiors of mature deciduous forests to secondary forests, coastal scrublands, mangroves, and even human-altered landscapes such as plantations and gardens.
The red-crowned woodpecker is found across a broad range, from southwestern Costa Rica through Panama, into northern and central Colombia, the northern half of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and Tobago.
As year-round residents, these woodpeckers are often observed foraging alone or in pairs, utilizing a combination of probing, gleaning, and hammering to extract their insect prey, as well as reaching for fruits which they skillfully pierce or peck open.
The red-crowned woodpecker is known for its distinctive calls, which include a wavering "churr, churr, krr-r-r-r," a display "wícka, wícka," and various chattering sounds. Both sexes engage in drumming, particularly during the breeding season, and also produce softer taps near their nest holes.
Breeding seasons vary by location, with nests typically constructed in large tree trunks, branches, or cacti. Clutch sizes are usually three to four eggs, but often only two young successfully fledge. Both parents share in the incubation over a 10-day period and continue to care for the nestlings and fledglings post-hatching.
While there are no specific similar species mentioned, it is important to note the differences among the subspecies, such as the slightly smaller M. r. subfusculus with darker underparts, or M. r. paraguanae with a paler yellow forehead and wider white bars on its upperside.
The diet of the red-crowned woodpecker is diverse, including a significant amount of fruits and berries, insects, spiders, and nectar from flowers. They are known to frequent feeders and can be considered a nuisance in plantations and gardens due to their fruit-eating habits.
The IUCN has classified the red-crowned woodpecker as Least Concern, with a stable population estimated to be over half a million mature individuals. It is common throughout most of its range and even abundant in some areas, potentially benefiting from forest clearance that creates more open woodland habitats.
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