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Many thanks for your help, adrian

IMHO The first bird is a brown morph brown-throated martin. Rock martin will show a two-tone (dark on top) head and slightly lighter chest/belly than back. The underwing coverts of a Rock Martin is pale-brown and should show up in contrast with the rest of the bird.

Thanks for your input, JvR, and Happy 2013! I had also wondered about the lack of "windows" in the tail, but hadn't realised the possibility of the brown morph brownthroated martin. Thanks for enlightening me, it's always great to learn something new!

The windows are not always visible and certainly it will not be visible in the shots you published, even if they were present, because of the angle of sight and the tail not "working". Therefor the "tail windows" is a moot ID feature in this case. The windows are best seen when the bird banks and its tail feathers are splayed in the process.

Are these Jameson's Firefinches? (Tsendze December 2013)

They sure look like it Naomi.

maybe specialist could explain the difference between African and Jameson's Firefinch , please

I'm no expert, but African has a brown cap and back.

and Jameson's seems to be more north

Hi guys.. The habitat for African Firefinch is mostly a big factor. They are birds that prefer dense inland and coastal forest areas. The only place which offers the type of habitat for them in KNP is most likely way up north in Punda and down in Berg 'n Dal.

The dry mopane area in Tzendse is really not the type of habitat they prefer so this is 100% Jameson Firefinch..

Also what BB said.

thank you DotDan

I can't see the photos, but I wouldn't be surprised if African Firefinch did pitch up at Tsendze with its lush environment.

The main difference between African and Jameson's Firefinch is that the African Firefinch has a grey crown and nape, where the Jameson's has a pink crown and nape.

African Firefinch

http://www.laine-dirk.co.za/photos/840/840.html

Jameson's Firefinch

http://www.laine-dirk.co.za/photos/841/841.html

thank you, is very flagrant on your pictures, beautiful pictures

my problem was the places...

Thanks anne-marie, glad to help.

Thanks for the confirmations - at last I can tick it off!