Monday, March 28, 2011

Please help with this Kitulo Pipit!

Please help with this Pipit!
And RN Lark attached as an example.

Paul Oliver
Box 425
Arusha
Tanzania
+255754510741
pauloliversafarisuk@hotmail.com
www.paul-oliver.com
 
Paul,
 
Why is this NOT a Grassland Pipit ? hind claw looks good (would prefer it to be longer though) and those pale, close to white, tips to the secondary (greater) wing coverts suggest a juv / immature bird. Bill looks OK. There is tremendous variation in this bird, even within local populations. The classic STANDARD Anthus cinnamomeus hardly exists and it's VERY difficult for field guides to even begin to depict the variations.
 
If it's at all possible pipits can be more dificult than cisticolas so anyones comments on this individual would be most welcome.
 
I find the Faansie Peacock (2006) Pipits of Southern Africa to be really useful.
 
and yes, this high altitude race of Rufous-naped Lark has very dark, almost black upperparts.
 
as ever, great pics. 
 
Neil


Thursday, March 24, 2011

Info for the book on carbofuran poisoning

Hello,

I am several days away from completion/submission the book on carbofuran poisoning. I am going through the chapter on Kenya and trying to tidy up some loose ends. I have anecdotal evidence that Furadan is still accessible in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. I have a personal communication on this from Uganda, but not for Tanzania or Rwanda. Can you or any of your colleagues substantiate this for me (ie, serve as a personal communication)?

Best wishes,

Ngaio

Ngaio.Richards@anglia.ac.uk

Ngaio Richards, PhD
Department of Forensic Science
Anglia Ruskin University
East Road
Cambridge CB1 1PT



Friday, March 4, 2011

Cape Parrot publications

a number of publications about the South African population are now on our web site
 
enjoy
 
Neil
Neil and Liz Baker

Subject: RE: African Parrot distributions.