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Live for today but work for everyone's tomorrow! Any views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of any organisation/institution I am affiliated with.

Sunday 26 May 2019

Some other birds from Nairobi

Africam paradise flycatcher (rufous morph)
Malachite kingfisher

African harrier hawk - youngster high in tree,
screaming to be fed.
Pin-tailed whydah

Variable sunbird in a banana flower

Yellow-vented bulbul.

White-eyed slaty flycatcher

and again

a sulking ibis on the roof
Baglafecht weaver
a trogon (species unknown) with its young


Mourning collered dove

Cormorant

Bronzed sunbird

and finally ....

the hadada ibis




Saturday 25 May 2019

Mousebirds mousebirds mousebirds

A bundle of mousebirds.

There are many wonderful animals in Africa. Many of these are birds. Many of the birds are big, many are colourful but few can match the speckled mousebirds for seeming to be having a good time.

Mousebirds have long thin tails, whispy crests and remarkably big feet and claws. They typically hang out in groups descending on plants and ripping flowers up or chewing on fruit. Most remarkably, they like to rest all balled up together - big feet gripping each other as well as the twigs of their roost.

On the ground, mousebirds often sit on their rumps with their big feet sticking out in front of them.

Here are some mousebirds going about their business in the grounds of a hotel in Nairobi

A mousbird contemplates some palm fruits.




The mouse-like tail of the mousebird

A little gang of mousebirds forage in the grass.


A comtemplative moment 

A youngster 'sitting' - the fledglings seem to have paler pluamge

A young mousebird sunbathes - warming its tummy in the sun 
A ball of mousebirds - they sleep in a communal huddle which helps them keep
warm through the night


Young mousebirds splay-legged on the ground



One of the mousebird's favoured flowers

The hotel grounds - home to the mousebirds 1

The hotel grounds - home to the mousebirds 2

'Holding hands' - Big feet clasped together


XXX