Tanzanian Birds (part four)

A female Sunbird finds sun-warmed flowers near a reptile park in Arusha.

A Babbler forages for insects in the trees.

I said to the guide... "I'd love to see a Bataleur." He said "Maybe later today." Then I looked up from the hippo pool and saw a bird circling down towards us and there it was. Such cool stumpy-tailed birds. Unmistakeable.

No idea what this is... but it's a looker.

The bird baths at Ol Mesera tented camp get an amazing diversity of birds. 25 species over breakfast.

Black Kites are generalists everywhere except the picnic area at Ngorongoro, where they specialize in stealing sandwiches out of your hands. (CLICK HERE to see them in action)

Swooping in to check if anyone is being careless with their lunch.

Black-bellied Bustards strut their stuff on the plains. That's it for the Tanzanian Birds series. Let me know if you want to see a series with other Tanzanian animals.

Tanzanian Birds (part three)

A Eurasian Roller in Mikumi National Park.

An unidentified Eagle hunting insects in the northern Serengeti.

Flamingos on the edge of Lake Manyara on a cool morning.

A Dark Chanting Goshawk in the western Serengeti.

A small falcon (Hobby?) dines on a small bird near Lake Manyara.

I love Fish Eagles. I can't explain why.

A juvenile Fish Eagle consorts with Marabou Storks in Mikumi.

Guinea Fowl wander near a picnic spot in Ngorongoro Crater.

A Southern Ground Hornbill defies its name by prancing around in the trees.

An Indian House Crow, locally called a Zanzibar Crow, contemplates a sea voyage.

Tanzanian Birds (Part Two)

A Martial Eagle, the largest in Africa, takes flight in the Serengeti.

A Secretary Bird quenches its thirst.

One of the less common but more beautiful starlings in Tanzania, a Ruppel's Starling.

A Paradise Flycatcher takes a dip in the pool. This bird often returned to bathe at this spot.

On the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater, a female Ostrich sways as she preens.

Open-billed Storks scatter as a raptor passes by, almost imperceptibly, high overhead.

Marabou Storks are thought of as ugly... but not to me. My bird-o-philia even extends to bare-necked carrion eaters.

They often stand, sentinel like, keeping watch over the plains.

This kingfisher is a terrestrial bird. It hunts insects and lizards and can often be found far from water. I'll look it up in my guidebook later.

Sand Grouse on the move as the impending short rains promise to break the dusty grip the dry season has held on the land.

Tanzanian Birds (Part One)

Here is a Weaver Bird making a nest near Arusha, Tanzania. I might not identify (to species) some of the birds in these posts. This is because I haven't looked them up yet... feel free to take it on as an ID quiz and post your answers in the comments. These images are from a series of trips I took to Tanzania over the past few years. I grew up in Dar es Salaam.

A Superb Starling keeps cool in the afternoon heat.

A Swallow resting near a hotel pool in the Serengeti.

The same Swallow with nesting material.

A Tawny Eagle perched on a ribcage snatched from a nearby lion kill.

A Von der Decken's Hornbill brings a large grasshopper to waiting chicks.

This adorable bird is called a Thick-knee. There are several types of Thick Knee and this is one of them. And yes... its knees are thick.

These are White-faced Whistling Ducks at a hippo pool in Mikumi National Park.

At the eastern gate to the Serengeti there is a tree. It is the only tree for miles. I once found it full of birds that looked a bit like doves from a distance. Upon closer inspection it turned out they were all small falcons - kestrels. This was the lone White-eyed Kestrel in the bunch.

Sometimes you look out of your car window and find an African Wattled Plover keeping pace. More tomorrow...

Tanzanian Birds (sneak peek)

A Martial Eagle in the northern Serengeti. Stay tuned for more Tanzanian birds starting tomorrow.