[noelcmn]

Do you maintain a "life list" noelcmn? Fairly popular thing to do here. Many bird field guides have check-off life lists in the back.

Yes and No . A fairly loose life list, more mental rather than physical. But being an avid birder, I am on the lookout for ones I have not ticked off yet. and there are some I definitely want to see, like a Shoebill, for which I will have to go north of our borders. Some are just plain difficult to ID, such as LBJ's (little brown jobbies) and have seen most of our raptors a special interest.
A portrait of a Waterbuck

[WPRESTO]

A warbler caught in a mist net by counter/banders. Warblers out their breeding plumage can be tricky to id (some field guides have a section for "confusing Fall warblers"). Some sparrows are tricky, and in the southwest, some hummingbirds, especially the females, are almost impossible to id without having a bird in your hand.
OOPS, forgot. This appears to be a female Nashville warbler, although the distinctive white eye ring is obscured by the messed-up feathers making it look more like a female common yellow throat.

[noelcmn]

Seeing that we have some human/animal interaction

[WPRESTO]

Northern wheatear FYI: Has nothing to do with "wheat" or "ear." Derived from, and a corruption of "white" and "arse" referring to their white rump.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 01-29-2016 at 12:01 PM.

[Paleo Pete]

This is a first for me, a Yellow Throated Vireo. Uncommon bird, according to my books, only saw this one for a few minutes.



Another first, Spotted Sandpiper. Not easy to ID sandpipers, but this one is pretty distinct, bobs its head up and down constantly, the whole body pivots along with it. First time I've seen one, it's landed on the bank of the lake several times, this was the only time I was close enough for a shot or three.



FAwn. Two of these in a field on the way to band practice a few days ago. After a minute or so they decided I might be a threat and ran off.

[noelcmn]

Nice PP.

A meerkat I saw for the 2nd time @ Rietvlei Nature Reserve.

[WPRESTO]

Whooper swan, ubiquitous but never abundant.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 01-29-2016 at 12:01 PM.

[noelcmn]

Common Sandpiper

[WPRESTO]

I think this image is different from the other whale shots I've posted. Humpback looking - - humped.

[Blackwater]

Red Deer, one blink and they were gone.

[WPRESTO]

A grounded tern.

[tmlawes]

A Bewick's swan hanging out with some tundra swans last winter.

[noelcmn]

Swamp Moorhen, known around here as Purple Gallinule

[WPRESTO]

Cactus wren, a bit lost against the jumble background. I cannot make out whether the AF missed and latched onto the bark of the tree, if this combo (1.4X + 300 F4) needs a focus-point tweak, or perhaps this combo simply isn't as sharp as it's supposed to be.

[noelcmn]

Yellow Mongoose