Birding Weekly 20140413

Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus) nesting in the palm trees in the gardens of Quatiere Jak, Cotonou.

Well, this week I thought I'd be birding Burkina Faso again and seeing some of the Sahel species. However I was stuck in Cotonou, Benin while sorting out visa's and flights. If all goes well I will be looking for Sahel Species this coming week and then head onto the edge of the rain forests in Cote d'Ivoire. Lets not get too far ahead though...

There is not much to bird in Cotonou, I left the abundant bird life of Serarou of Plantain Eaters (Crinifer piscator), Senegal Parrots (Poicephalus senegalus) and the like to the suburbs of Cotonou, a place I prefer to avoid. However birding always gets me out and about even in a pitfall of places for birds. The Collared Sunbrids (Hedydina collaris) call, with Speckled Pigeons (Columba guinea) and Laughing Doves (Spilopelia senegalensis) flying from roof top to rooftop. The ever present Common Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus) makes its presence too. So not entirely dull, yet I look forward to a better birding location.

Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus): So my photo of one is not the best of my photos, however these guys have kept my bird interest alive this last week. I have marveled at the variation within one species over the vast geographical ranges and yet the variation don't warrant separation. I am not here to argue those points, there are way better scientist out there that hopefully understand what they are doing. This particular species had me baffled for a while before I came to accept it as a Village Weaver. It Southern Africa variation shows great differences, with the West Africa variation being a lot more striking in colour. The greatest difference in male is a brown neck and on the breast the black head fading through brown into the yellow appears an orange colour. The spotted back (a previous name for the species) is more in my opinion has more striking black and yellow on its back, than the southern variation. 

Diederik's Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius): This was a somewhat highlight, with the weavers going crazy and the Diederik's Cuckoo calling, if I closed my eyes I envision a scene and a waterhole in the Kruger National Park. The Diederik's cuckoo are brood-parasites to a few Weaver species and are very likely to be found in the area where there is a colony of weavers. Here in the city of Cotonou it is no different. 

Village Weaver (Ploceus cucullatus), showing a sign of an extended malar stripe which is absent in Southern Africa races.