Birding Weekly 20140330

Little Banded Goshawk (Accipiter badius)

This week having put more effort into birding was a great week. However the sighting that stood out the most came from work on creating fishing ponds and walk ways around the dam with the bulldozer. Oddly enough the bulldozer served as a form of viewing vehicle as the birds aren't afraid of it or don't think of it as something that wants to kill it. Instead as land was displaced and replaced the disturbance of insects and frogs takes place. this draws in the magnificent Abyssinian Roller (Coracias abyssinicus) collecting its bounty. However one particular bird that capitilized the most from this activity was a Little Banded Goshawk (Accipiter badius). he was not shy to sit in a tree 2 m away and watch for any unlucky frog or insect. On occasion though the Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) would gather in their numbers after the flock saw the first one had caught something. They would get lost in the fights between themselves that they would move off leaving the Little Banded Goshawk to carry on hunting.

Grasshopper buzzards (Bustastur rufipennis): a common sight recently and although they are migratory it appears that a few would remain during the wet season. Driven by climate in their movement north and south as the insect density are affected by rains, last year was a relatively dryer year for Benin, this may or may not indicate why some did not move north.  Despite their sporadic movements and migratory habits there are currently between 3 and 5 at the moment hanging around Lake Bature.

Western (European) Marsh-harrier (Circus aeroginosus): This is a great bird to watch at the dam and it is nearing the end of its visit here in WA for this season. As the weather warms up in Europe they will make their migration north to breed. With the African Cuckoos arriving as mentioned in last weeks Birding Weekly (20140324) these European migrants will push off shortly. I got to enjoy them while they are around.

Northern White-faced Scops-owl (Ptilopsus leucotis): I was delighted with the presence of this little creature while sitting out at Lake Bature enjoying the sunset. I heard a strange call and having seen a Nightjar earlier that day which I could not Identify I was eager to find them that night. listening intentively I heard this call which sounded very much like a cats guttural meow. I went after it to find a Northern White-faced Scops-owl flying around calling among the stand of Shae-Butter trees (Vittellaria paradoxa). the next night it acquainted me with its presence right above the Shae-Butter tree at the cottage. Mentioning it to a college and found out that like in South Africa any owl species is regarded as being demonic and is often killed or chased away from homesteads.

Other species of interest around Serarou: Mottled spinetail (Telacanthura ussheri)
Long-crested eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)
Bearded Barbet ((Lybius dubius)