Malawi, September-October 2008
Page 2: Grebes to Spoonbills
All dates between 22nd and 30th relate to September, all dates from 1st to 10th relate to October.
Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis [2]
At Nyika 1 on the dam at Chelinda 4th-6th and a second on Dam 2 on 5th. Birds in Malawi belong to the race capensis which differs from European birds in having more white on the secondaries, quite noticeable when seen in flight.
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Little Grebe, Chelinda Dam (Nyika), 5th October
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White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax (carbo) lucidus [130]
Large numbers (perhaps 100) at Liwonde 23rd-25th; at the Lake, c20 Makuzi 8th and 10+ Senga Bay 9th-10th. The distinctive white-breasted form of Cormorant is sometimes treated as a species in its own right, but more often treated as a race of the Cormorant of Europe etc.
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White-breasted Cormorants, Liwonde, 24th September
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Long-tailed Cormorant (Reed Cormorant) Phalacrocorax africanus [17]
Up to 10 Liwonde 23rd-25th, 1 Lake Chilwa 26th, 4 Makuzi 8th and 2 Mua 9th.
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Long-tailed Cormorants, Liwonde, 23rd-24th September
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Grey Heron Ardea cinerea [15]
1-2 Liwonde 24th-25th, 1 Ku Chawe (Zomba Plateau) 27th, 1 Kasungu 3rd, up to 6 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th and 4 Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay) 9th. Birds in Malawi and most of Africa belong to the racecinerea, the same as in Europe.
Grey Heron, Vwaza Marsh, 4th October
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Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala [16]
Small numbers at several places from Mulanje in the south to Nyika in the north; max 6 Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay) 10th. A couple of birds were seen to be nesting and some were found hunting in woodland habitat.
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Black-headed Herons, Mpatsanjoka (left) and Bird & Hippo Sanctuary (right) (both Senga Bay), 9th October
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Black-headed Herons, Nyika Plateau, 4th-5th October
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Goliath Heron Ardea goliath [1]
Having missed this species at Liwonde I was glad to eventually find one at the Bird and Hippo Sanctuary at Senga Bay on 9th.
Goliath Heron, Bird & Hippo Sanctuary (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Purple Heron Ardea purpurea [3+]
2 Liwonde 24th-25th and 1 Lake Chilwa 26th. Birds in continental Africa belong to the race purpurea, the same as in Europe.
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Purple Herons, Liwonde, 24th-25th September
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Purple Heron, Lake Chilwa, 26th September
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Great White Egret Ardea alba [20]
Liwonde 23rd-25th with max 12 24th, 1 Kasungu 3rd, 3 Senga Bay 9th.
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Great White Egrets, Liwonde, 24th-25th September
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Great White Egret (front) and Intermediate Egret, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Black Heron (Black Egret) Egretta ardesiaca [13+]
Up to 3 Liwonde 23rd-25th and c10 Lake Chilwa 26th.
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Black Herons, Lake Chilwa, 26th September
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Black Herons, Liwonde, 23rd September
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Intermediate Egret (Yellow-billed Egret) Egretta intermedia [3]
In the Senga Bay area, 2 Mpatsanjoka and 1 Bird & Hippo Sanctuary 9th.
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Intermediate Egret, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Little Egret Egretta garzetta [14]
2-3 Liwonde 23rd-24th; at least 11 at various sites at or near the Lake 8th-10th including 4 Senga Bay 10th. Birds here and elsewhere in Africa belong to the race garzetta, the same as in Europe.
Little Egret, Makuzi Lodge, 8th October
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Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides [20]
Up to 15 Liwonde 23rd-25th, 2 Lake Chilwa 26th; at Senga Bay 1 Mpatsanjoka and 2 Bird & Hippo Sanctuary 9th. Birds breeding in Africa belong to the race paludivaga but this is hardly distinct from the Palaearctic race ralloides which winters in Africa but has not been confirmed in Malawi.
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Squacco Herons, Liwonde, 24th-25th September
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Squacco Herons, Lake Chilwa, 26th September
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Squacco Heron, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis [85]
Small numbers at several lowland localities with larger flocks at a couple of sites: 40 Liwonde 24th and 30 Senga Bay area 9th.
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Cattle Egrets, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Striated Heron (Green-backed Heron) Butorides striata [5]
At Liwonde 3 24th and 4 25th.
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adult Striated Heron, Liwonde, 24th September
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juvenile Striated Heron, Liwonde, 25th September
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Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax [8]
6 Liwonde 24th and 2 Lilongwe 10th. Birds here and elsewhere in Africa belong to the race nycticorax, the same as in Europe.
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Black-crowned Night Heron, Liwonde, 24th September
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White-backed Night Heron Gorsachius leuconotus [2]
2 Liwonde 25th - one of the highlights of the holiday.
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White-backed Night Heron, Liwonde, 25th September
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Hamerkop Scopus umbretta [9]
1 south of Blantyre 27th, singles Mulanje and Thyolo 29th, 2 Kasungu 3rd, 2 Makuzi 8th, 1 between Makuzi and Senga Bay 8th, 1 Senga Bay 9th.
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Hamerkop, Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo), 29th September
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Hamerkops, Makuzi Lodge, 8th October
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Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis [43]
Up to 7 Liwonde 23rd-24th, up to 10 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th and 26 Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay) 9th.
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Yellow-billed Storks, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Yellow-billed Stork, Liwonde, 25th September
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Yellow-billed Stork, Vwaza Marsh, 4th October
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Yellow-billed Storks, Vwaza Marsh, 4th October
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African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus [36]
Up to 30 Liwonde 23rd-25th, 5+ Lake Chilwa 26th and 1 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th.
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African Openbills, Liwonde, 23rd-25th September
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African Openbill, Vwaza Marsh, 4th October
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African Openbill, Lake Chilwa, 26th September
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Saddle-billed Stork Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis [1]
1 in flight Liwonde 24th. This is a local and decreasing species in Malawi.
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus [16]
Up to 8 Liwonde 23rd-25th, 2 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th and 1 Mpatsanjoka and 5 Bird & Hippo Sanctuary (both Senga Bay) 9th.
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juvenile Sacred Ibises, Liwonde, 24th September
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Sacred Ibis, Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay), 9th October
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Hadada Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus [23]
This noisy species is sure to wake you up at dawn if you ever stay at Mvuu Camp at Liwonde! 15+ Liwonde 24th-25th and 8 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th.
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Hadada Ibises, Liwonde, 24th September
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African Spoonbill Platalea alba [7]
3 Liwonde 24th and 4 Vwaza Marsh 3rd-4th.
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African Spoonbills, Vwaza Marsh, 4th October |
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