DIVERSE AFRICA the BIRDS

On return from the S A Bird Club Trip, Bob B asked participants to give their opinions on what they considered to be the Top Five BEST Birds and Mammals of the trip.
Bob has now collated the findings and passed them on to me.

This list, as Bob says depends on several factors.These include the views that were gained,what each
participant was hoping or expecting to see or simply something that was just exciting.

Before I reveal the total list, I Would like to give THANKS, mine, Wendy's  and all of those who  travelled on the tour.
These Thanks from everyone go to Dave and Dave, (there were three Daves,two Bobs and a Rob,a
recipe for confusion to say the least) .
Of course I'm talking about Dave Thomas and Dave Hyslop .Special THANKS to Dave Hyslop who's tireless efforts of driving (our vehicle), sorting, helping and being a genuinely really nice guy. Even his choice of music played on the long hauls wasn't bad either .Dave and his company    
DIVERSE AFRICA  deserve nothing but praise.
This is in to no way undermine all the sterling efforts of our very own Dave Thomas, who's taste in music is Questionable. But who's photography............

THANK you guys for everything.

Anyways to the list, I would like to augment this with some  images so come on you guys send me some pix.

BIRDS.

01 KORI BUSTARD.............................................................................................28 VOTES

Barry Boswell

02 NORTHERN BLACK KORHAN..................................................................24 VOTES

Barry Boswell

03 SECRETARYBIRD.........................................................................................17 VOTES

Barry Boswell

04 INDIAN YELLOW NOSED ALBATROSS..................................................17 VOTES

Bob Gill

Dave Jackson

05 SPECTACLED PETREL..............................................................................15 VOTES

Dave Jackson

Bob Bullock

06 SOUTHERN RED BISHOP..........................................................................10 VOTES

Barry Boswell

07 SOUTHERN BLACK KORHAN.................................................................10 VOTES

Bob Gill

Barry Boswell

08 CRIMSON BREASTED SHRIKE...............................................................09 VOTES

Robin Gossage

09 CAPE ROCKJUMPER................................................................................09 VOTES

Barry Boswell

10 AFRICAN PENQUIN..................................................................................09 VOTES

Robin Gossage

11 PIGMY FALCON..........................................................................................07 VOTES

Robin Gossage

12 GIANT PETREL.................................................................................................07 VOTES

Bob Gill

Barry Boswell

13 LUDWIGS BUSTARD.......................................................................................06 VOTES

Robin Gossage

14 BLUE CRANE....................................................................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

15 BLACK HARRIER............................................................................................05 VOTES

16 VERRAUX'S EAGLE OWL.............................................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

17 CHESNUT VENTED TIT BABBLER.............................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

18 SHAFT TAILED WHYDAH.............................................................................05 VOTES

Barry Boswell

19 SPOTTED EAGLE OWL..................................................................................04 VOTES

Robin Gossage

Barry Boswell

20 PALE CHANTING GOSHAWK.......................................................................04 VOTES

Barry Boswell

21 GREAT SHEARWATER....................................................................................04 VOTES

Bob Gill

Bob Bullock

Bob Bullock

23 RED HEADED FINCH......................................................................................04 VOTES

Robin Gossage

24 SHY ALBATROSS.............................................................................................04 VOTES

Bob Bullock

Bob Bullock

25 FAIRY FLYCATCHER.....................................................................................04 VOTES

Barry Boswell

26 CORY'S SHEARWATER..................................................................................04 VOTES

Bob bullock

Bob Bullock

Bob Gill

27 ORANGE BREASTED SUNBIRD..................................................................03 VOTES

Barry Boswell

28 CAPE SUGARBIRD.........................................................................................02 VOTES

Bob Gill

29 RED NECKED FALCON ................................................................................02 VOTES

Robin Gossage

30 SPOTTED THICKNEE....................................................................................02 VOTES

Dave Jackson

31 SCALY FEATHERED FINCH...........................................................................02 VOTES

Robin Gossage

32 WHITE BROWED SPARROW WEAVER........................................................01 VOTES

Robin Gossage

33 CINNAMON BREASTED WARBLER..............................................................01 VOTES

Robin Gossage

34 GREATER FLAMINGO......................................................................................01 VOTES

A beautiful shot by Barry Boswell

35 AFRICAN BLACK OYSTERCATCHER..........................................................01 VOTES

Bob Bullock

36 LARKS...................................................................................................................01 VOTES

Robin Gossage

Cant help but think that the similarity between Northern and Southern Black Korhan if added together would result in  a chart topping 34 votes?

I'm hoping to receive some images from other photographers on the trip and will add when I can.

The Top five Mammals will have to wait as it takes a while to compose so please send me images of them also.

To close I'd like to include this fantastic image from Dave Thomas,

A not so fantastic image from myself.but with the EAGLES blaring away you had to be there

Life in the fast lane

DIVERSE AFRICA

cell +27 83 626 0444

dave@diverse africa.co.za  www.diverse africa.co.za

Rooks in Stoke Bruerne

Hello

Anyone with any local naturalist knowledge of Stoke Bruerne village and surround is invited to contact Christine Statham - cz.statham@btinternet.com Tel 01604 863920. 

This follows an application to the South Northants Council to fell a 100' pine tree in the grounds of Bruerne House, Bridge House, Stoke Bruerne. Apparently this tree forms part of an active Rookery and there are concerns locally that the tree supports as many as 40 pairs of Rooks which would be lost if the tree was felled. 

If you feel you can provide a perspective please make contact with Christine.

Hopefully common sense will prevail and the Rooks will be left alone to nest in peace...

Regards

Neil M

Rook, adult and juvenile

Nene Wetland Surveys

Hello

Ted Weber from the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire has put out a call for volunteers to help with annual surveys of the breeding birds across the whole of our Nene Wetlands reserves in Northamptonshire; as you’ll appreciate, it’s a big area so help is required from experienced birdwatchers and ornithologists. Recorders must be able to identify a wide range of birds by sight and by their songs and calls, as some parts of the survey are in thickly grown areas. Ideally, volunteers would be able to commit to completing all the survey dates, but even doing one or two would be a help. 

The dates concerned are:

Visit 1: 12 April - 20 April (optimum date 12/13 April)

Visit 2: 10 May - 25 May (optimum date 10/11 May)

Visit 3: 7 June -22 June (optimum date 14/15 June)

Visit 4: 5 July - 20 July (optimum date 12/13 July) (The purpose of the July visit is primarily to look for broods of water birds).


Should you think you may be able to assist in surveys in the Nene Valley corridor, please email Ted on Edward.Weber@wildlifebcn.org

Thank-you

Neil M

Cetti's Warbler

Little Grebes

Runners up 3

Some more great entries from the NBC Photographic Competition.

First from Bob Bullock

Elephant Hawk Moth

Red Squirrel

Red Kite

Great White Egret

Keeled Skimmer

Chiffchaff

Sanderling

Followed by 5 from Bob Gill.

Clouded Yellow

Eared Leafhopper

Great Diving Beetle

Hoopoe

Pied Wagtail

And Clive Bowely

Nut Weevil

Wasp sp

Siskin

Turnstone

Grizzled Skipper

 More later.

Bird Club Car Trip Sunday 20th March 2016.

Hello

The next club car trip is planned for this coming Sunday (20th March 2016) when the plan is to visit The Forest of Dean and Symonds Yat in Gloucestershire. The weather forecast indicates it will be a little dull with a light north-easterly breeze but hopefully a little spring sunshine might illicit some of the scarce wildlife of this area to show themselves.

Birds for us to seek include Goshawk, Peregrine, Hawfinch, Crossbill, Mandarin Duck and we should see plenty of birds such as Jay, Nuthatch, Raven, Common Buzzard, Grey Wagtail, Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Brambling. In the past we have managed to espy scarce species such as Great Grey Shrike, Woodlark, Dipper and Firecrest but would be very lucky to find more than one of these species - a challenge for us then!

I would be grateful if anyone interested in trying their luck in the forest and surround would let me know and we can plan our day accordingly - birdingallthetime@gmail.com

Thank-you

Neil McMahon

And with this poor image being my
best of a wild Goshawk, it's about
time for a closer and photogenic
view please!

NBC Photographic Meeting 2nd April 2016.

Hello

There will be a photographic meeting on Saturday morning the 2nd of April 2016 entitled...

'WHAT MAKES A GREAT PHOTOGRAPH'.

This will be hosted by our very own winner of the Graham Soden Award, Dave Jackson. 

As always any member or non-member of the club is invited to come along and we very much enjoy learning together.

The venue will be The Fishing Lodge at Pitsford Reservoir, Brixworth Road, Holcot, NN6 9SJ and we hope to start at 10.15am. If the conditions are right, we may even have the opportunity to try out any newly learnt skills in the field at Pitsford so bring your camera!

Although this is a continuation of a series of photographic workshops, there is no requirement to have been before and we would very much look forward to new faces and new ideas!

Any would-be attendees are requested to email Robin Gossage at robin.gossage@sky.com so he can gauge numbers and may even resort to supplying some hot drinks and biscuits!

Happy Snapping!

Neil McMahon

Nuthatch by
Dave Jackson.

RUNNERS UP (2)

Some great shots from Barry Boswell,

Black Skimmer

Black Guillimot

Great Skua

Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Martial Eagle

Red Kite

Next Indoor Meeting...Wednesday 2nd March 2016

Hello

A reminder to members and an invitation to non-members that our next indoor meeting will be at the Fishing Lodge, Pitsford Reservoir, Brixworth Road, Holcot on Wednesday 2nd March 2016 starting promptly at 7.30pm. Parking is available around the Lodge and also by the waters edge by the fishing boats and on the road causeway.

The first agenda item is the club's AGM with our Chairman Bob Gill presiding. After a successful year for the club, it is likely that this formal business will be a rather brief affair, and then the main item for the evening will be Bob Bullock presenting a digital presentation on the Birds of Northamptonshire. This will be the first half of a presentation of Bob's images of eventful birds in the county during the last decade or so.

As usual hot drinks and biscuits will be available all evening and we look forward to seeing you there!

Regards

NBC Committee

Peregrine

Spotted Crake

RUNNERS UP

Some of the other great entries from the Northants Bird Club Photographic Competition.

Tibetan Sandgrouse

Saker Falcon

Lesser Sandplover

Hawfinch

Stoat

Cuckoo

Top 3 are entries from Andrew Cook which sadly were accidentally overlooked.
Also some shots from Alan Coles.
I will try to add to these as and when I can.