Lake Naivasha, Limuru

Geplaatst op door Henk Groenewoud

Verder in Kenya, naar Lake Naivasha, Limuru. Op de heenweg langs de indrukwekkende Rift gereden – dezelfde breuk van een jaar of 10 geleden, in Ethiopië. Door een aardbeving zijn het ondergrondse waterlopen langs de Rift Valley (de grote Afrikaagse slenk) verstopt geraakt. Met als gevolg dat de meren niet meer afwateren. Want tja, ook hier regent het wel eens.


In een verbazingwekkend snel tempo stijgt elk jaar de waterspiegel. Bossen en dorpen lopen onder, landbouwgrond gaat verloren…


Enorm veel dieren deze eerste dagen. Meest indrukwekkend misschien wel de hyena’s met jongen – toen een groep toeristen te dichtbij kwam, verlieten ze hun burcht om de aandacht af te leiden


Vorkstaartscharrelaar (Lilac-breasted roller – Coracias caudatus
Afrikaanse lepelaar (African spoonbill – Platalea alba)
Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
Steppezebra (Common zebra – Equus quagga)
Domincaner wida (Pin-tailed whydah – Vidua macroura)
Roodborsthoningzuiger (Scarlet-chested sunbird – Chalcomitra senegalensis)
Secetarisvogel (Secretarybird – Sagittarius serpentarius)
Grijsgroene specht (Grey woodpecker – Dendropicos gaertae)
Impala (Aepyceros melampus)
Defassawaterbok (Defassa waterbuck – Kobus e. defassa)
Gevlekte hyena (Spotted hyena – Crocuta crocuta)
Netgiraf (Reticulated giraffe – Giraffa c. reticulata)
Driekleurige glansspreeuw (Superb starling – Lamprotornis superbus)
Smidsplevier (Blacksmith lapwing – Vanellus armatus)
Heilige ibis (Sacred ibis – Threskiornis aethiopicus)
Pijlpuntbabbelaar (Arrow-marked babbler – Turdoides jardineii)
Sporenkievit (Spur-winged lapwing – Vanellus spinosis)
Nimmerzat (Yellow-billed stork – Mycteria ibis)
Langteenkievit (Long-toed lapwing – Vanellus crassirostris)
Reuzenreiger (Goliath heron – Ardea goliath)
Lelieloper (African jacana – Actophilornis africanus)
Hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)
Afrikaanse zeearend (African fish-eagle – Haliaeetus vocifer)

Last series of Madagascar

Geplaatst op door Henk Groenewoud

It’s too much!

More on Madagascar

Geplaatst op door Henk Groenewoud

It´s been a while since I’ve been there, but I just have to share some more pictures of this beautiful, intriguing island in the Indian ocean.

First part was in the south. Tulear with fishermen, water taxis and birds like the beautiful tropicbird.

Then up to Antsokay an Anakao with birds lik the olive bee-eater and magpie-robin.

Further to the Mangily spiny forest, and from there to Zombitse

And now: Birds

Geplaatst op door Henk Groenewoud

Yes, it was a birding trip to Madagascar. So it’s about time to show some of the beautiful birds that live there. Almost all of them endemic to the island as well, just as the lemurs. First the Madagascar Pygmy kingfisher Corythornis madagascariensis. An amazing success of our guide ‘Jacana’, who was able to spot this tiny bird in the trees of the rainforest


There is another kingfisher that looks a lot like our Eurasian kingfisher. At first glance they appear to be the same. But look closely: there is no blue cheek and less white on the chin. It’s a Madagascar malachite kingfisher Corythornis vintsioides


Incredibly graceful these Madagascar paradise flycatchers (Terpsiphone mutata mutata). Same species, white and brown morph

The Madagascar crested ibis Lophotibis cristata; quite shy and difficult to find. It took several days of searching before he showed up. “It has always been an endangered species,” the guide said, “but when the Covid pandemic broke out and tourists didn’t come anymore, lots of them were eaten…”


The hoopoe! And again an endemic: the Madagascar hoopoe Upupa marginata. I’m afraid I don’t see the difference with the Eurasian hoopoe


Souimanga sunbird – Cinnyris souimanga. That reflection of light on the feathers!  


Another colourful bird: the Pitta-like ground-roller Atelornis pittiodes. Also very difficult to find, as he is walking in dense dark forests. So many colours: Green wings, ruby breast, blue spotted head… truly amazing

The family of rollers is one of my favourites. This is a Broad-billed roller Eurystomus glaucurus, mostly brown but it has beautiful blue feathers in the wings and tail

Last one for now: two Madagascar scops owls Otus rutilus happy together