SANParks.org Forums

Goodness, adrianp, but you make life so-o-o-o easy for the mites...

I wanted arks to open a fieldguide for a change...

Thanks Johan and Adrian!

@JvR: I DO always look (often extensively) in my field guide before I post here, but sometimes (even often) I can miss the obvious Juvenile fiscal was my other guess, tho in fact my book (Newman) doesn't have any pix of the juvenile.

Hi, Could you ID this stork I saw in the Kruger Park last December. I know the two birds on each side are Woolly-necked Storks but I can't positively ID the bird in the middle.

I thought that it might be a young Woolly-necked stork but it didn't seem to fit the description in Newman's. Then I thought it might be a scruffy looking Black stork, however I am sure you guru's will be able to ID it.
Thanks bondm UK

Looks like a big woollynecked chick.

Hi bondm,
I think it is a black stork.
yvo

Black Stork

These ducks have got me puzzled. I originally thought that they were southern pochards, but now, looking more closely at the head, I'm wondering whether they may be Hottentot teals -- even tho the pix in my field guide show a much paler body? Seen at Strandfontein (Cape Town) on 8 December 2012.

Definitely Hottentot Teals

Thanks, WTM

Hi All,

Many thanks for your help in IDing the stork. I think I will go along with the Black stork.

Thanks again

bondm UK

me too.

At first I thought that this (the larger bird) was a ruff, but now I'm wondering whether it might rather be a greenshank? Seen at Strandfontein (Cape Town) in early December 2012.

There is something amiss with the propotions of the bird. Maybe the pix were stretched on the long axis?

My prroportion-misgivings apart, I think you are right with this ID.

Thanks, Johan! Not sure what you mean about the photo being 'stretched', tho it is very cropped as these birds were quite far away. Don't know it it 'explains' anything, but here's the full frame.

Here's another wader that has me puzzled, not sure whether it's a common sandpiper or perhaps, because of the curved bill, a curlew sandpiper? Again, far away, so pix are very cropped. Seen at Strandfontein in early December 2012.