Africa Wild

081. Hamerkop Scopus umbretta

Identification
48-56 cm, heavy crest, flattened black bill, black legs and feet, brown eye.

by Mel
14th Dune Road, March 2013

by nan

by ExFmem
Nov. 2012 Nossob side, south of Rooiputs

by Michele Nel
Kij Kij - Dec 2008

by Dindingwe

085. Abdim’s Stork Ciconia abdimii

Identification
73 cm, black stork with grey legs, red knees and feet, grey bill and white underparts, red facial skin in front of eye and blue skin near the bill in breeding season.

by Mel
Southern Auob, March 2010

by nan

by Michele Nel
Near Rooiputs, February 2013

112. Cape Shoveler Anas smithii

Identification
51–53 cm, large spatulate bill. Adults have speckled grey-brown plumage and dull orange legs. sexes appear similar, but the male has a paler head, a pale blue forewing separated from the green speculum by a white border, and yellow eyes. The female's forewing is grey.


Southern Auob, March 2013


By Nan
26.2.2016 - Samevloeiing

124. Lappet-faced Vulture Aegypius tracheliotus

Identification
With 95-115 cm a huge vulture, blackish above with a strongly contrasting white thigh feathers. The black feathers on the back are lined with brown. Underparts can range from pure white to buff-brown. Like many vultures, bald head. The head coloration can range from reddish to dull pink in more. The combination of the colourful head and fleshy folds on the side are distinctive. Compared to the similarly marked Hooded Vulture, it is considerably larger with a more massive bill.

by Mel
Kwang, October 2013

by Mel
In flight, October 2012

by Tina
Kwang, October 2013

by ExFmem
Kwang November

by nan

by Michele Nel
Kwang - Dec 2016
by Lisbeth - Nov. 2017
by Dindingwe

804. Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (Grey-headed Sparrow) Passer diffusus

Identification
Length 15-16 cm. The head is grey, the back brown, and the rump is bright rufous and conspicuous in flight. The wings have short, but usually obvious white wingbars. White to pale grey underparts. The eyes, legs and feet are brown, and the bill is black when breeding (horn when not breeding).



by Mel
Both sexes, Grootkolk, March 2013

by Tina
Grootkolk September 2012

by ExFmem
Nov. 2013 Grootkolk

by nan
22.1.2012 - around Nossob

by Michele Nel
Jan 2016 - Dikbaardskolk.
(c) Lisbeth
Mata-Mata 2017
by Dindingwe

541. Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis

Identification
25 cm. Glossy black. Wings duller. Large head. Forked tail. Heavy black bill. Red eye. Short legs. Female similar but duller.



by Mel
13th to 14th Borehole, October 2013

by Tina
Mata Mata September 2012

by nan
8.3.2013 - near KTC

by ExFmem
Oct. 2009

by Michele Nel
Leijersdraai Picnic Spot - Jan 2016
(c) Lisbeth
by Dindingwe

126b. Yellow-billed Kite Milvus aegyptius

Identification:Has a deeply forked tail and narrow wings. Male: Dull white crown, back of head and nape, with dark brown streaks, dull brown chin, throat and breast with darker stripes, rufous underwings, brown-grey tail barred darker, black bill with yellow at base of lower mandible, yellow cere, pale grey-yellow iris surrounded by a black line, yellow legs and toes with black claws. Female: larger, darker and redder.
Juvenile: dark iris, more mottled plumage, each feather tipped with a greyish white or ferruginous patch. The bands on the tail are less distinct.


Male, Nossob Riverbed, April 2011

by nan
14.9.2009 - near Dalkeith

by MIchele Nel
North of Nossob - Feb 2011

67. Little Egret Egretta garzetta

Identification
Black legs and yellow toes differentiate this species from any other white Heron in the region.


Southern Nossob river - 2.2.2012

142. Brown Snake-Eagle Circaetus cinereus

Identification
68-75 cm. The head and body are dark brown, while the flight feathers are mottled white and the underwing is gray. The tail is brown with narrow white barring and a white tip. The cere, long bare legs, and feet are pale gray. The beak is black, and the eyes are yellow.
Juveniles are similar to adults but are sometimes lighter in color, and the bases of their feathers are often white.

by Tina
Near Mata Mata September 2012

by nan
13.2.2011 - on the way to Nossob

by ExFmem
Nov. 2011

by Mel
Juvenile, April 2011

by Michele Nel
Near Kij Kij, January 2013
(c) Lisbeth

297. Spotted Thick-Knee (Dikkop) Burhinus capensis

Identification
It's predominantly nocturnal.

by nan
1.2.2012 - Southern Auob river

by Mel
October 2011

by Lisbeth

by ExFmem
Auob, October

by Tina
Near Auchterlonie October 2013

by Michele Nel
Spotted Thick-Knee - note the eggs under the bird - along Auob - JAN 2015
by Dindingwe