Bulletin 379 - Uganda #23 - Thrushes, Shrikes, Starlings, Mongooses, Warthog

 After the week in the Capetown area, the guide Casper Badenhorst, and I flew to Uganda and met a local guide. We started at Entebbe Airport on the southeast corner of Uganda and made a diagonal trip to Murchison Falls NP in the northwest corner. From there, we proceeded south through a chain of nature preserves and parks to the southwest corner at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We finished along the southern border back to the airport.

Thrushes are favorite birds of birders and non- birders alike due to theirs colors and beautiful songs. They are a worldwide family of 169 species. I photographed 2 new species in Uganda and of course both were life birds. The 8.5" African Thrush (Turdus pelios) is similar to our American Robin but with a paler breast.

African Thrush

The 7.5" Fraser's Rufous Thrush (Stizorhina fraseri) is a bright rufous bird with a gray head.

Fraser's Rufous Thrush

I also had 2 lifer shrikes in Uganda. The 10" Gray-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is all white below, with a gray crown and back and the typical black mask and wings. His hooked beak is readily seen.

Gray-backed Fiscal

The 8" Mackinnon's Shrike (Lanius mackinnoni) is similar but smaller and with a reduced size of the black mask.

Mackinnon's Shrike

Starlings form part of a large old world family of 118 species. I found 3 new ones for the trip.

The 14" Rüppell's Starling (Lamprotornis purpuroptera) is a glossy blue long tailed bird. He has a black face and yellow eye.

Rüppell's Starling

The 9" Waller's Starling (Onychognathus walleri) is a black starling with a red wing patch seen when the bird flies.

Waller's Starling

The last is the amazing 12" Splendid Starling (Lamprotornis splendidus). This is a glossy blue starling but in sunlight has all sorts of colors. He is difficult to photograph to see the various colors. He has a yellow eye.

Splendid Starling

Here is another in the sunlight.

Splendid Starling

And a third.

Splendid Starling

The Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) has dark stripes across the lower 1/2 of his back. We were birding and suddenly a large group of perhaps 50 animals ran across a grass airstrip. They ran right up to us and the babies played at our feet.

Banded Mongoose

The Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) was a life mammal for me. It is the smallest carnivore in Africa, with the adults weighing only 3/4 pound.  A mutualistic relationship has evolved between dwarf mongooses and hornbills, in which hornbills seek out the mongooses in order for the two species to forage together, and to warn each other of nearby raptors and other predators.

Common Dwarf Mongoose,

The ugly Common Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus) I had seen before, but I had not seen one kneel down to eat like this. In short grass, they cannot browse as their neck is too short, so they have to 'kneel' down to reach the grass. Nature always has interesting behaviors if we look and have curiosity.

 

I put the different bird and mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 50 of the 169 species of thrushes

I have photos of 8 of the 33 species of  shrikes

I have photos of 18 of the 118 species of  starlings and mynahs

I have photos of 7 of the 35 species of  mongooses

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2021 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.

Bulletin 378 - Uganda #22 - Falcons, Turacos

 After the week in the Capetown area, the guide Casper Badenhorst, and I flew to Uganda and met a local guide. We started at Entebbe Airport on the southeast corner of Uganda and made a diagonal trip to Murchison Falls NP in the northwest corner. From there, we proceeded south through a chain of nature preserves and parks to the southwest corner at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We finished along the southern border back to the airport.

The worldwide 19" Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) is well known to all birders as the fastest flyer in the world in its dives. This is the subspecies south of the Sahara Desert, (F p minor). It is listed as uncommon in East Africa. We did not see it until the last morning.

Peregrine Falcon

There were 3 smaller falcons. The first is the 13" Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). It is a fierce looking all brown falcon with black streaking on the breast. He has the typical moustache like most falcons.

Common Kestrel

The 13" Gray Kestrel (Falco ardosiaceus) is all gray with bare yellow skin around the eye.

Gray Kestrel

Lastly is the 14" Eurasian Hobby (Falco subbuteo). This bird resembles our American Kestrel. It is a winter migrant to Africa.

Eurasian Hobby

Turacos are a small family of large, long-tailed, showy birds endemic to Africa. 3 of them are national birds. The 19" Bare-faced Go-away Bird (Corythaixoides personata) has a white head, neck and breast, a black face and the rest of the bird is brown. There is a large crest and a long tail.

Bare-faced Go-away Bird

The 20" Eastern Plantain-eater (Crinifer zonurus) is charcoal colored with some spots, a long tail and bushy crest.

Eastern Plantain-eater

Next is the fantastic 30" Great Blue Turaco (Corythaeola cristata). This is an enormous blue bird with a crest and long tail. It is an easy ID.

Great Blue Turaco

Lastly is the stunning 21" Ross's Turaco (Turaco rossae). This is a royal blue bird with a yellow beak and facial skin and a red crest. It is an easy ID and it was the most spectacular bird for the whole trip.

Ross's Turaco

I put the different bird and mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 17 of the 65 species of falcons

I have photos of 7 of the 23 species of  turacos

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2021 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.