Brown-hooded Kingfisher in Dar es Salaam

An adult calling yesterday and this morning in Oysterbay. no records from Dar in 2009, only 3 in 2008 and only 1 in 2007 (all from a visitor from upcountry). none in 2006, 6 in 2005 from Jangwani Beach but none from "the city". is this a bird that's gone from the city or just not recorded by resident birders. Neil

Which cordon is this?

Neil, which cordon is this? Looks a bit like blue capped male, but guess it is red cheeked female, in our garden.

Jan

Jan van den Hombergh

Country Director
PharmAccess Foundation Tanzania

Tel. Office: +255 222 124888
Fax: +255 222 124889

Mobile: +255 753 714572
E-mail: j.vandenhombergh@pharmaccess.or.tz

PO BOX 635 Dar es Salaam
Skyway Building 3rd floor
Corner Ohiostreet/Sokoine Drive

Yet another example of an established feral population of a dry country species in Dar es Salaam as a result of the bird trade.

Great photos Jan and yes, a male Blue-capped. map to follow.

Neil

2 Honeyguide maps NEW

African Penduline Tit map

the latest map for this species, an improvement on that in Birds of Africa but still some serious questions regarding sub species range limits. neat birds, always well worth watching a nest to see if it's active or not but almost impossible to search for eggs without damaging the nest which of course must be avoided. I'll have to scan and send the data from BoA on separating these races in the field, it's often difficult but knowing the range limits helps. Neil Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania. Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864. http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com Subscribe to: tanzaniabirds-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Pearl-spotted Owlet

the latest map for this species to go with that excellent photograph from Lara last week.

if there is only one bird call you can ever play to a speaker trough your MP3 player choose this one. Perfect for bringing bush birds into view and even better if u have a plastic owl to display as well.

Neil

Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.
http://tanzaniabirdatlas.com

You can now buy your birdbooks and safari gadgets and items from Amazon via tzbirdatlas!
Adm.

Lesser Seedcraker

some birds are just always good to find and to see well and this is one of them, always a treat.

Throughout the life of the Atlas no one has actually lived in the preferred habitat for this species. It's never a garden bird or a regular safari tick. Brother Arthur came closest in Peramiho.

I'm hoping that the safari guides in this new camp in the southern Selous will tell us much about the sedentary nature of this beast, it's far too small for any hunters or WD field staff to have taken any interest in it. Brent, you need to print this map and keep it handy as a reminder.

Always well worth stopping on any blocked drainage line in the eastern Miombo and searching the long rank grasses at the edge of the dambo for this and Lavender (now Grey !!) Waxbill.

Not many of you have seen and reported this bird in the last 30 years.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.
Mobiles: 0776-360876 and 0776-360864.

Purple Grenadier

Hi all

this latest map prompted by Martin Perks never having seen one in Dar yet it features in the Dar guide.

clearly this population in Dar is due to releases (traders just release birds rather than continue to feed them when there are no customers) and escapees from the bird trade.

with only 4 or 5 potential ID errors beyond the edge of the range this map shows well the distribution of this species.

as we approach the 1 million record many of the month gaps shown here within the core range do not really cause us any concerns.

BUT WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO FILL THEM WITH POSITIVE DATA. !!

trust you all had a good break over Easter and had your bins and note books out.

Neil
Neil and Liz Baker, Tanzania Bird Atlas, P.O. Box 1605, Iringa, Tanzania.