| Great
White Pelican |
|
16
sep. one flying near airport |
| African
Darter |
|
4 seen in Yenzi
lake 28 sep., a few elsewhere (e.g. along rd to Colas) |
| Little
Egret |
|
22 sep. one at
Nyanga estuary |
| Hamerkop |
|
grasslands sev.
lone or pairs, also in Yenzi |
| Woolly-necked
Stork |
|
grasslands sev.
pairs |
| Hadada
Ibis |
|
often seen in
Yenzi, less elsewhere |
| Hartlaub's
Duck |
* |
20 sep. 3 flying
overhead just before Matsiegui lagoon NW of Gamba |
| Osprey |
|
a few, like 17 sep.
E of Yenzi lake |
| Black
Kite |
|
16 sep. one
overhead W of Yenzi lake |
| African
Fish-Eagle |
|
a few heard, one
seen 24 sep. along rd to Colas |
| Palm-nut
Vulture |
|
seen daily across
whole area, also juvenals |
| Congo
Serpent-Eagle |
* |
19 sep. briefly
seen in bare tree top while calling; splendid scope views of two
28 sep. in open forest at start of Boua rd |
| African
Harrier-Hawk |
|
sev. seen closeby,
diff. plumages, across grasslands/woodlands |
| Red-thighed
Sparrowhawk |
* |
scope view of adult
male in bare tree top W of Yenzi lake 16 sep. |
| Red-necked
Buzzard |
* |
sometimes on Yenzi
compound, and W of Yenzi lake |
| Long-crested
Eagle |
|
17 sep. one in
flight across grassland Vera plains |
| Crowned
Eagle |
|
21 sep. in air
above forest Bouda rd ('secret valley'), chased by Pied Crow |
| Lanner
Falcon |
|
19 sep. one seen
hunting along coastal scrub at Colas |
| Scaly
Francolin |
* |
21 sep. pair with
two half-grown young on track in first open forest of Bouda rd.;
later one again same place |
| Plumed
Guineafowl |
* |
24 sep. 4 on track
and then in tree in Tondou forest |
| African
Finfoot |
|
19 sep. one female
seen closeby along mangrove rd opp. airport, in dark puddle. |
| African
Jacana |
|
the few ponds we
saw nearly all had this bird |
| Water
Thick-knee |
|
Yenzi and roads
(night), also in coastal scrub and even on beach |
| Senegal
Lapwing |
* |
occasionally in
grasslands, once with young; first only on 24 sep. near comm.
tower Vera plains; also named Lesser Blackwinged Plover |
| Common
Ringed Plover |
|
a few at Nyanga 22
sep. |
| Kittlitz's
Plover |
|
23 sep. one in
muddy lagoon seaward of Matsiegui lagoon |
| Forbes'
Plover |
* |
some pairs in
grasslands; first on 20 sep. along laterite side rd to Sette
Cama |
| White-fronted
Plover |
|
22 sep. 3 at
Nyanga; 23 sep. 4 at muddy lagoon seaward of Matsiegui lagoon |
| Whimbrel |
|
22 sep. 3 in scope
while flying S at Nyanga |
| Common
Sandpiper |
|
at beach, also on
Yenzi lawns |
| Common
Greenshank |
|
several along coast |
| Ruddy
Turnstone |
|
22 sep. two at
Nyanga beach |
| Sanderling |
|
group at Nyanga
beach 22 sep. |
| Little
Stint |
|
23 sep. one in
muddy lagoon seaward of Matsiegui lagoon, between Ringed Plovers
and Curlew Sandp. |
| Curlew
Sandpiper |
|
22 sep. two at
puddle in Nyanga beach |
| Damara
Tern |
|
sev. migrating
along coast |
| "Comic
Tern" |
|
22 sep. sev. at
Nyanga beach & estuary ("Comic"= Common Tern or
Arctic Tern) |
| Royal
Tern |
|
sev. migrating
along coast, and at beach Nyanga |
| Sandwich
Tern |
|
sev. at beach
Nyanga 22 sep. |
| African
Skimmer |
|
group of c. 20 at
beach Nyanga estuary 22 sep. |
| Western
Bronze-naped Pigeon |
* |
26 sep. Tondou
forest near entrance, flying around after playback |
| Red-eyed
Dove |
|
common in all
habitats |
| Emerald-spotted
Wood-Dove |
|
sev. in forests,
flying up from tracks etc. |
| Blue-spotted
Wood-Dove |
|
a few in forest,
scope view to discern from more common Emer.sp. |
| Blue-headed
Wood-Dove |
* |
18 sep. Bibonga
forest seen on track at 8 a.m. |
| African
Green-Pigeon |
|
sev. groups (of up
to 50 indiv.) along forest edge and in coastal scrub |
| Gray
Parrot |
* |
dozens at Yenzi
(esp.in evening) and daily elsewhere |
| Yellow-billed
Turaco |
* |
heard at many sites
(forest, woodland) and some seen well |
| Red-chested
Cuckoo |
|
often heard, a few
seen |
| Klaas'
Cuckoo |
|
18 sep. one pair in
scope (+sound) in open forest at start of Bouda road |
| African
Emerald Cuckoo |
|
heard everywhere in
forest & woodland |
| Dideric
Cuckoo |
|
often heard Yenzi,
sometimes at other rather open places |
| Yellowbill |
* |
sev. seen in open
forest/woodland, some in mixed spec. flocks |
| Blue-headed
Coucal |
* |
sev. seen in
disturbed forest/woodland, all large and with blue sheen; best
28 sep. Bouda rd (see photo) |
| Senegal
Coucal |
|
sometimes heard |
| Square-tailed
Nightjar |
|
20 sep. one
defending 2 chicks on ground next to car on P along asphalt rd
to Colas; 26 sep. evening sev. heard along asphalt rd S |
| Black
Spinetail |
* |
20 sep. one seen
during 2 minutes in company of Cassin's Spinetail, see there |
| Sabine's
Spinetail |
* |
21 sep. two closeby
in halfopen area near Mark's track R of Bouda rd, brillant views |
| Cassin's
Spinetail |
* |
20 sep. two seen
closeby along asphalt rd to Colas, near dead trees |
| African
Palm-Swift |
|
seen a few in Yenzi
and coastal scrub |
| Common
Swift |
|
26 sep. one above
Tondou forest |
| Little
Swift |
|
common near
buildings (Yenzi, airport, etc.), nesting |
| Shining-blue
Kingfisher |
* |
one seen at pond
near golf course (seen well, cheek and contrasting back), 15
sep. |
| Chocolate-backed
Kingfisher |
* |
24 sep. pair in
Tondou forest; later one again in Bibonga forest |
| Woodland
Kingfisher |
|
sev. heard and seen
in woodlands (Yenzi etc.) |
| Blue-breasted
Kingfisher |
|
sev. heard and seen
calling high over forests/woodland, esp. along mangrove rd opp.
airport |
| Giant
Kingfisher |
|
heard a few, one
seen well |
| Pied
Kingfisher |
|
22 sep. one
hovering at Nyanga estuary; also at Yenzi lake |
| Blue-breasted
Bee-eater |
* |
common in open
habitat, like Yenzi and grassland borders; at home, seen feeding
young |
| Black-headed
Bee-eater |
* |
almost daily seen
at forest edges |
| Rosy
Bee-eater |
* |
abundant at forest
edges and over neighbouring grasslands; often groups perched in
bare tree tops |
| Blue-throated
Roller |
* |
17 sep. two in
scope at end of first open forest of Bouda rd.; later again
there |
| White-crested
Hornbill |
* |
22 sep. crossed
track in front of us during frantic drive near Nyanga beach,
later also 2 Totou rd |
| Red-billed
Dwarf Hornbill |
* |
often heard (and
sev. seen) in forests, in mixed species flocks |
| African
Pied Hornbill |
|
many seen at forest
edges or emerging trees |
| Piping
Hornbill |
* |
common, mostly in
flight between forest blocks |
| White-thighed
Hornbill |
* |
20 sep. scope view
at forest edge of 4th plain behind P of nightjar |
| Black-casqued
Hornbill |
* |
sev. groups seen in
forest, also pairs; roost flights of in total 65 indiv. near
start of Bouda rd 17 sep. |
| Gray-throated
Barbet |
k |
group W of Yenzi
lake 16 sep, scope view, in bare tree top; a few elsewhere |
| Naked-faced
Barbet |
* |
group seen in scope
in bare tree tops open forest start of Bouda rd 17 sep; only
sporadically elsewhere |
| Red-rumped
Tinkerbird |
* |
often heard in
woodland and forest; 18 sep. briefly seen in Bibonga forest |
| Yellow-throated
Tinkerbird |
* |
many heard in
woodland and forest |
| Yellow-spotted
Barbet |
k |
28 sep. scope view
at start of first open forest Bouda rd |
| Hairy-breasted
Barbet |
* |
28 sep. first open
forest Bouda rd (same tree as Grey-ch Sunbird pair), subsp.
flavipunctata, scope view during song (1.2 per second) |
| Green-backed
Woodpecker |
* |
24 sep. in Tondou
forest near stream, one pair foraging high in tree but well
visible and later lower |
| Brown-eared
Woodpecker |
* |
24 sep. Tondou
forest, better view for J on 28 sep. in Bibonga forest |
| Yellow-crested
Woodpecker |
k |
17 sep. one at
start of Bouda rd in open forest, bare tree & in flight; 24
sep. Tondou forest 1 |
| African
River Martin |
* |
hundreds seen along
asphalt rd to Colas, and sev. high in the air elsewhere; see
main text & photos; first ones only at 20 sep. |
| Square-tailed
Sawwing |
* |
26 sep. plantation
forest before Tondou forest, one resting near Fraser's
Forest-Flycatchers |
| Gray-rumped
Swallow |
* |
common above
grasslands |
| Banded
Martin |
|
some pairs above
grasslands; first only on 21 sep. along Bouda rd |
| Barn
Swallow |
|
a few singles
migrating |
| Lesser
Striped-Swallow |
|
some near buildings
and bridges |
| Rufous-chested
Swallow |
* |
23 sep. two closeby
(dark cheek) at grassland of Totou rd |
| Mosque
Swallow |
|
20 sep. two seen
flying around us along asphalt rd to Colas; light cheek seen
well; in grassland near woodland |
| Long-legged
Pipit |
* |
everywhere on
grasslands |
| Yellow-throated
Longclaw |
|
some on grasslands |
| Common
Bulbul |
|
common in open
woodland, not abundant |
| Little
Greenbul |
|
often heard (a few
seen) in woodland and forest; 23 sep. Bouda seen well |
| Plain
Greenbul |
k |
23 sep. along Totou
rd sandy side rd; also called Cameroon Sombre G |
| Yellow-whiskered
Greenbul |
|
sev. heard (a few
seen) in woodland and forest |
| Golden
Greenbul |
* |
seen two or three
times, first 17 sep. two in tree top start of Bouda rd. |
| Honeyguide
Greenbul |
* |
20 sep. one
followed long time with playback in light woodland behind P of
nightjar but did not show well; later sev. heard elsewhere |
| Spotted
Greenbul |
* |
sev. groups in
forest, forest edges (and even in Yenzi) |
| Swamp
Greenbul |
* |
some groups at
Yenzi wet woodland, and mangrove road near airport |
| Icterine
Greenbul |
* |
many groups in
forest, in mixed species flocks |
| Red-tailed
Bristlebill |
k |
28 sep. inside
Bibonga forest, mixed flock, seen well 3 times, at eye level. |
| Lesser
Bristlebill |
* |
group of 4 in
forest along golf course 16 sep., later some elsewhere, like 28
sep near Red-t Britslebill |
| Western
Nicator |
* |
singles seen on
sev. occasions in half open forest |
| Red-tailed
Greenbul |
* |
24 sep Tondou
forest and 28 sep Bibonga forest, in mixed species flocks, hence
large size seen well (not heard) |
| Rufous
Flycatcher-Thrush |
* |
17 sep. one above
us at 8 m, near plantation in forest block before Tondou forest;
24 sep. also 2+1 in Tondou forest |
| African
Thrush |
|
mainly at Yenzi
gardens |
| Fire-crested
Alethe |
* |
24 sep. at only 5 m
in undergrowth in Tondou forest |
| Chattering
Cisticola |
* |
scope view on 16
sep. in rural area W of Yenzi lake, later some heard elsewhere |
| Zitting
Cisticola |
|
rather common on
grasslands |
| Grey-backed
Camaroptera |
|
often heard in
woodland and forest edge |
| Green
Crombec |
* |
25 sep. in (rare!)
savannah woodland near Totou rd, small group with young being
fed |
| Yellow
Longbill |
* |
18 sep. Bibonga
forest seen well at 7 m, crawling along branches; later some
heard elsewhere |
| Gray
Longbill |
* |
sev. heard in
forest/woodland, after 18 sep. Bibonga forest (reacts strongly
to playback but does not show well) |
| Fraser's
Forest-Flycatcher |
* |
some small groups
(of 2 to 3 ind.) in clearings; first 23 sep. along laterite rd
near Totou rd |
| Spotted
Flycatcher |
|
26 sep. just
outside Tondou forest in lone tree |
| Forest
Robin |
* |
21 sep. splendid
view on log in dark Bibonga forest; is like fig. 1d but
completely orange-red below |
| Brown-throated
Wattle-eye |
|
23 sep. pair in dry
forest next to muddy lagoon seaward of Matsiegui lagoon |
| Chestnut
Wattle-eye |
k |
24 sep. in flock
Tondou forest at only 7 m, 1 ad. + 1 juv |
| ed-bellied
Paradise-Flycatcher |
|
sev. singles in
forest (mixed species flocks)(also called Black-headed P-F) |
| ous-vented
Paradise-Flycatcher |
* |
23 sep. female at
puddle in woodland track next to muddy lagoon seaward of
Matsiegui lagoon |
| Grey-chinned
Sunbird |
k |
28 sep. first open
forest of Bouda rd, pair in tree top |
| Collared
Sunbird |
|
a few seen; first a
female 21 sep in woodland in strongest dip in Bouda rd |
| Reichenbach's
Sunbird |
* |
common in woodland
and at forest edges, very vocal too |
| Green-headed
Sunbird |
k |
sev. seen at forest
edge; first 21 sep. Bouda rd. scope view |
| Western
Olive Sunbird |
* |
24 sep. Tondou
forest at 5 m, quietly perched, long bill; later heard elsewhere |
| Carmelite
Sunbird |
* |
common at woodland
edges, clearings etc.; brilliant views at Yenzi and golf course |
| Olive-bellied
Sunbird |
* |
two males seen well
(long bill, etc.) at golf course 15 sep. |
| Tiny
Sunbird |
* |
24 sep. male + 2
fem in 'cecropia-like' tree near stream in Tondou forest; bill
very short and bird very small |
| Johanna's
Sunbird |
* |
20 sep. female
(spiderhunterlike!) along asphalt rd to Colas, near pool, in
woodland |
| Rufous-bellied
Helmetshrike |
* |
18 sep. two seen
well at 10 m above us in Bibonga forest |
| Velvet-mantled
Drongo |
* |
sev. in forest;
first at end of open forest at start of Bouda rd 17 sep. |
| Pied
Crow |
|
nesting in Yenzi,
not often seen elsewhere |
| Splendid
Glossy-Starling |
* |
some at clearings,
and many in roost flights, esp. at airport |
| Purple-headed
Glossy-Starling |
* |
17 sep. two in tree
top E of airport, scope view |
| Chestnut-winged
Starling |
* |
17 sep. Tondou
forest, scope view of 2 in tree top |
| Cassin's
Malimbe |
* |
scope view,
foraging in tall tree W of Yenzi lake 16 sep. |
| Red-bellied
Malimbe |
* |
21 sep. along
forest edge Bouda rd, scope view (red belly) |
| Blue-billed
Malimbe |
* |
26 sep. Tondou
forest 10 m above us, bill and black-red pattern seen well; 28
sep. also in Bibonga forest |
| Red-headed
Malimbe |
k |
24 sep. Tondou
forest high in tree clambering on thick branches, seen well; 28
sep. first open forest Bouda rd |
| Loango
Weaver |
* |
19 sep. Colas
coastal scrub group of male and fem; seen well + sound; a
restricted-range species! |
| Black-necked
Weaver |
|
two in bush along
rd E of Yenzi lake 17 sep. |
| Vieillot's
Black Weaver |
k |
best seen 16 sep. W
of Yenzi lake, colony, scope view |
| Village
Weaver |
|
common in Yenzi,
sev. colonies |
| Red-headed
Quelea |
* |
a few groups in
open habitat; first was fem. closeby W of Yenzi lake; group of
40 in coastal scrub at end of mangrove rd opp. airport |
| Gray-headed
Nigrita |
|
14 sep. two
foraging in palm on Yenzi grounds; 28 sep first open forest
Bouda rd |
| Chestnut-breasted
Nigrita |
* |
21 sep. at
eye-level at 12 m seen well, at deep stream across Bouda rd |
| Orange-cheeked
Waxbill |
* |
sev. groups in open
areas with some bushes |
| Western
Bluebill |
* |
(J only) 17 sep. at
5 m in bush in woodland E of Yenzi lake, small side rd |
| Black-bellied
Seedcracker |
* |
19 sep. juv seen
well while foraging in bush along mangrove rd opp. airport |
| Black-chinned
Quailfinch |
* |
20 sep. sev. small
groups along first kms of laterite rd to Sette Cama |
| Bronze
Mannikin |
|
a few small groups
at Yenzi etc. |
| Black-and-white
Mannikin |
k |
group of 12 in top
of small tree W of Yenzi lake 16 sep. |
| Pin-tailed
Whydah |
|
27 sep. well seen
Yenzi near weaver colony |
| Cinnamon-breasted
Bunting |
|
19 sep. female in
coastal scrub near end of mangrove rd opp. airport |