Malawi, September-October 2008
Page 8: Larks to Wagtails
All dates between 22nd and 30th relate to September, all dates from 1st to 10th relate to October.
Rufous-naped Lark Mirafra africana [1]
1 Nyika 5th. The race nyikae is confined to the Nyika Plateau.
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Rufous-naped Lark, Nyika Plateau, 5th October
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Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucotis [2]
2 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe 3rd.
Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark, between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe, 3rd October
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Fischer's Sparrow-Lark Eremopterix leucopareia [1]
1 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe 3rd - a very pleasant surprise!
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Fischer's Sparrow-Lark, between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe, 3rd October
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Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea [1]
8 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe 3rd.
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Red-capped Lark, between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe, 3rd October
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White-headed Sawwing Psalidoprocne albiceps [4]
At Nyika, 1 at Lake Kaulime 5th and 3 near Chowo Forest 6th.
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White-headed Sawwing, Lake Kaulime (Nyika Plateau), 5th October
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Eastern Sawwing Psalidoprocne (pristoptera) orientalis [36]
14 Zomba Plateau (mostly Ku Chawe) 27th, up to 12 Dzalanyama 1st-3rd and 10 Makuzi 8th.
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Eastern Sawwing, Dzalanyama, 1st October
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Eastern Sawwing, Dzalanyama, 1st October
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Eastern Sawwings, Ku Chawe (Zomba Plateau), 27th September
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Grey-rumped Swallow Pseudhirundo griseopyga [7]
6+ Nyika 7th and 1-2 between Makuzi and Senga Bay (at River Bua) 8th.
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Grey-rumped Swallow, Nyika, 7th October
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Sand Martin (Bank Swallow) Riparia riparia [1]
1 Vwaza Marsh 4th - a Palaearctic migrant.
Barn Swallow (Eurasian Swallow) Hirundo rustica [1328+]
A Palaearctic migrant: 8 Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo) 30th, 20+ Vwaza Marsh and 6 between Vwaza and Nyika 4th, 20 Nyika, 10 between Nyika and Rumphi, 150 between Mzuzu and Nkhata Bay and 500+ between Nkhata Bay and Makuzi 7th, 500 Makuzi and 100+ between Makuzi and Salima 8th, 10+ between Mua and Salima 9th and 4 Cool Runnings (Senga Bay) 10th.
Barn Swallows, Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo), 30th September
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Barn Swallows, Makuzi, 8th October
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Angola Swallow Hirundo angolensis [6]
Up to 6 Chelinda and 2nd Dam (Nyika) 5th-6th.
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Angola Swallows, Chelinda Dam (Nyika Plateau), 5th October
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Wire-tailed Swallow Hirundo smithii [35]
Up to 18 Liwonde 23rd-25th, up to 6 Lujeri Tea Estate (Mulanje) 28th-29th, 2 Satemwa Guest House (Thyolo) 29th, 6 Blantyre 30th, 2+ Vwaza Marsh 4th and 1 Makuzi Lodge 8th. Those at Liwonde, Mulanje, Thyolo and Makuzi were all nesting in the buildings we were staying at and at Liwonde pairs were nesting above the reception desk at Mvuu Camp and inside the boat. A fledged juvenile, presumably from an earlier brood, was seen at Liwonde.
Blue Swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea [20]
Up to 20 at Nyika (mostly around Chelinda or the second dam) 5th-6th.
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Blue Swallows, Nyika Plateau, 5th October
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Rock Martin (African Rock Martin) Ptyonoprogne fuligula [1]
1 Zomba town 26th.
House Martin (Common/Eurasian House-Martin) Delichon urbicum [15]
A Palaearctic migrant: 15 between Vwaza and Nyika 4th.
Lesser Striped Swallow Cecropis abyssinica [8]
4+ Lilongwe 22nd, 2 Dzalanyama 2nd and 2 Makuzi Lodge 8th.
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Lesser Striped Swallow, Makuzi Lodge, 8th October
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Mosque Swallow Cecropis senegalensis [2]
A pair at Liwonde on the evening of 23rd - the guide who found these was quite excited about them; apparently he'd only ever seen them here once before.
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Mosque Swallow, Liwonde, 23rd September
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African Pipit (Grassland Pipit, Grassveld Pipit) Anthus cinnamomeus [15]
Up to 4 Lujeri Tea Estate (Mulanje) 28th-29th, 3 Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo) 30th, 1 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe 3rd, 1 Vwaza Marsh 4th and 6 Mpatsanjoka (Senga Bay) 9th.
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African Pipits, Lujeri Tea Estate (Mulanje), 28th-29th September
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Jackson's PipitAnthus latistriatus [2]
Singles Nyika Plateau 5th and 6th; 3 Nyika 7th were either this form or possibly African Pipit (if that occurs here). Not only is the identification of large African pipits difficult but the taxononmy is also very confusing. Jackson's Pipit is sometimes treated as a full species, sometimes as a race of African Pipit and often as a race of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis. Birds of Malawi appears to go one step further and suggests that Jackson's Pipit is a synonym of Long-billed Pipit. Whatever the taxonomy, these birds didn't look quite like African Pipits seen elsewhere and most photos show buffy not white outer tail feathers.
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Jackson's Pipit, Nyika Plateau, 5th October
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Jackson's Pipit, Nyika Plateau, 6th October
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Woodland Pipit (Wood Pipit) Anthus nyassae [4]
Having missed them at Dzalanyama I was pleased to find 4 on the way out of Nyika on 7th (2 inside the park and 2 just outside). Woodland Pipit was formerly treated as a subspecies of Long-billed Pipit Anthus similis but most authorities now treat it as a separate species.
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Woodland Pipit, just outside Nyika, 7th October
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Woodland Pipit, just inside Nyika, 7th October
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Buffy Pipit Anthus vaalensis [1]
1 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe on 3rd.
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Buffy Pipit, between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe, 3rd October
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Yellow-throated Longclaw Macronyx croceus [4]
At Liwonde 1 23rd, 1 heard 24th and 2 25th; 1 Dzalanyama 2nd.
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Yellow-throated Longclaw, Liwonde, 23rd September
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Yellow-throated Longclaw, Dzalanyama, 2nd October
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African Pied Wagtail Motacilla aguimp [26]
2 Lilongwe Airport 22nd, up to 3 Liwonde 23rd-25th, 2 Lake Chilwa 26th, up to 4 Lujeri Tea Estate (Mulanje) 28th-29th, up to 4 Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo) 29th-30th, 1 between Blantyre and Lilongwe 30th, 1 Vwaza Marsh 4th, 1 between Nyika and Rumphi 7th, up to 2 Makuzi 7th-8th, 5 between Makuzi and Salima 8th and 1 Cool Runnings (Senga Bay) 10th.
Mountain Wagtail (Long-tailed Wagtail) Motacilla clara [4]
2 Ku Chawe (Zomba Plateau) 27th and 2 Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo) 29th. Very similar to Grey Wagtail in jizz and habits.
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Mountain Wagtails, Satemwa Tea Estate (Thyolo), 29th September
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