Tag Archives: birds

Kingfisher Collection

Kingfishers are rare in the UK – I only saw my first Kingfisher back in the UK last summer.

Here in Tanzania they are much more common. Last week I saw a Woodland Kingfisher – thus completing the set of all those which can be seen in this part of Tanzania. All of these have been seen in our garden, apart from the Giant Kingfisher (seen in Kigoma) but resident here. However, not all of the photos were taken in the garden.

So here is the collection…..

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Woodland Kingfisher

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Grey-headed Kingfisher

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Pygmy Kingfisher

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Malachite Kingfisher

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Pied Kingfisher

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Giant Kingfisher

WPC – Look Up To The Skies

A submission to this week’s photo challenge :Look Up – looking up to see the birdlife around us in Tanzania and across Africa.

I’ll Miss…. The Birdlife

Term’s over, school’s out and soon we’ll be out of Africa.

Not for ever ….. but for a couple months whilst we return to the UK. Here is a short series on some of the things I’ll miss whilst we’re gone.

It may not be a surprise to those who follow this blog regularly that the birdlife has been a major part of the experience here. You can find out more by clicking on the link below and working forward. A Bird a Day in June

 

A Bird A Day (The ones that got away) – Day 35 : House Sparrow

Day 35 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Sadly there weren’t enough days in June – so here are some of the birds which got away. This is an apt one to finish with – a regular visitor we never expected to see here in Tanzania.

House Sparrow

Other Sparrows

A Bird A Day (The ones that got away) – Day 32 : Speckled Pigeon

Day 32 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Sadly there weren’t enough days in June – so here are some of the birds which got away. This is a recent visitor to our garden but is found widely locally

Speckled Pigeon

 

African Green Pigeon 

This one is not local but found in along the Indian Ocean coast.

 

A Bird a Day in June: Day 30 – Bronze Mannikin

Day 30 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden including this one.

A Bird a Day in June: Day 29 – Southern Red Bishop

Day 29 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – but this one is not but from close by.

Southern Red Bishop

A Bird a Day in June: Day 28 – Black-backed Puffback

Day 28 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden including this one.

Black-backed Puffback

A Bird a Day in June: Day 27 -Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Day 27 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – but this is the another one from elsewhere in Tanzania and further afield.

Northern Carmine Bee-eater

Other Bee-eaters

A Bird a Day in June: Day 26 – Red-billed Firefinch

Day 26 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – this in one of them

Red-billed Firefinch

A Bird a Day in June: Day 25 – Swamp Flycatcher

Day 25 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – but this one is not but from close by.

A Bird a Day in June: Day 24 – African Mourning Dove

Day 24 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden.

African Mourning Dove

Other Doves – Laughing Dove / Red-eyed Dove / Ring Necked Dove

A Bird a Day in June: Day 23 – Lilac Breasted Roller

Day 23 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – but this is the first one from elsewhere in Tanzania.

Lilac Breasted Roller

A Bird a Day in June: Day 22 – Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo

Day 22

of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – this was a very rare visitor indeed.

Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo

Other Cuckoos- Klaas Cuckoo

 

A Bird a Day in June: Day 21 – African Thrush

Day 21 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden.

African Thrush

A Bird a Day in June: Day 20 – Nubian Woodpecker

Day 20 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden – this was a one time visitor.

Nubian Woodpecker

A Bird a Day in June: Day 19 – Grey-backed Camaroptera

Day 19 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden including this one. This is quite elusive – so difficult to photograph.

Grey-backed Camaroptera

A Bird a Day in June: Day 18 – Speckled Mousebird

Day 18 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden including this one.

Speckled Mousebird

A Bird a Day in June: Day 17 – Yellow Vented (Common) Bulbul

Day 17 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden including this one.

Yellow Vented (Common) Bulbul

A Bird a Day in June: Day 16 – Pied Kingfisher

Day 16 of a series illustrating some of the fantastic birds we see here on Lake Victoria and across Tanzania. Many of these are seen in our garden, including this one.

Pied Kingfisher