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Two more that have me puzzled, both seen at Bontebok NP on 3 October 2009.

I think that this one might be a Namaqua warbler? It has a white throat, white underparts and much lighter streaking than the similar Karoo prinia ... so ... ?




Any help pointing me to clues that I'm missing will be, as always, greatly appreciated

Hi Arks,

I think both birds are Cisticola's. I'll try to narrow it down, but these things drive me up the wall!

Bontebok has 5 Cisticola species recorded, so we can narrow it down to these in the first instance.

Zitting, Cloud, Grey-backed Levaillant's and Neddicky.

(If it's not one of these, we can then look at possible vagrants).

The first bird has streaked underparts, the only two Cisticala's that show this in our 5 are Cloud and Grey-backed. Cloud shows a streaked head, Grey-backed has a plain head. I think we can say that this bird is a Grey-backed.

My ID's of these two birds may be wrong, so confirmation by someone more experienced would be appreciated, but hope this helps.

Barcud

Sorry Arks, did your first bird perhaps have a short tail or was it long like that of your second birds...the angle isnt giving away much?!

Hi RJ,

Funnily enough, my initial gut feeling was for an Acro warbler, but discounted it after looking it up in the book as I thought the back and nape colouration was wrong. I maybe should have stuck with my initial thoughts. Still, it's good to learn.

Barcud

Hi RJ, thanks for pursuing these. The first bird did have a short(er) tail, not at all like that of the 2nd bird. And both were seen quite close to the Breede River — the road parrallels the river and these were both seen on the farther side of the road. So plenty of water nearby, altho not a dam or a vlei

Thanks Arks

Then your first bird I believe is a Cloud Cisticola (Southern Cape Morph with the Streaked Appearance).

Hi RJ & Arks,

Tail length gives that one away, but I learnt one thing from this - Cloud Cisticola can show a plain reddish head rather than streaked as all the field guides show (the ones I have at least). Did another search for photos and found one with a plain bright head as the one in Arks' pic.

As the saying goes, there's nowt to beat experience in the field.

Enjoyed looking this one up, just hope my eyesight holds out tonight

Have a good one,

Barcud