Southern Malawi header: Lilian's Lovebirds

Systemmatic list - part 14: Wattle-eye, Batises and Shrikes

 

Black-throated Wattle-eye Platysteira peltata [3]

Singles Zomba 15th, Cape Maclear 18th and Liwonde 27th.

click for larger image click for larger image

Black-throated Wattle-eye, Liwonde, 27th May 2011

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Black-throated Wattle-eyes, Zomba, 15th May 2011 (left) and Cape Maclear, 18th May 2011 (right)

 

Chinspot Batis Batis molitor [6+]

6+ Dzalanyama 23rd.

click for larger image click for larger image

Chinspot Batises, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Pale Batis Batis soror [1]

1 Zomba Plateau 17th. Initially identified as a Malawi Batis as I didn't think Pale Batis occurred here and, with it being a young bird, it doesn't quite resemble the field-guide examples of either species. Thanks to Lizanne for getting in touch about it, firstly correcting my ID and secondly confirming that indeed it shouldn't occur at this altitude, so quite an unusual record.

click for larger image click for larger image

Pale Batis, Zomba Plateau, 17th May 2011

 

Malawi Batis Batis dimorpha [1]

1 Zomba Plateau 17th.

Malawi Batis is sometimes treated as a race of Cape Batis Batis capensis.

click for larger image click for larger image

Malawi Batis, Zomba Plateau, 17th May 2011

 

White Helmet-Shrike Prionops plumatus [c80]

Several groups of up to about a dozen seen, especially at Lengwe:

Up to at least 50 Lengwe 20th-21st, 8 between Dzalanyama and Lilongwe 24th and 6-10 Liwonde 25th-26th.

White Helmet-Shrikes, Lengwe, 21st (left) and 20th (right) May 2011 - with so many seen you might have thought I'd have managed a better photo than these!

 

Retz's Helmet-Shrike (Red-billed Helmet-Shrike) Prionops retzii [-]

I'm pretty sure I glimpsed one at Dzalanyama 23rd but there's a doubt in my mind so I'm not counting it.

 

Brubru Nilaus afer [2]

1 Lengwe 21st and 1 Dzalanyama 23rd.

Brubru, Lengwe, 21st May 2011

 

 

Brubru, Lengwe, 23rd May 2011

 

Black-backed Puffback (Southern Puffback) Dryoscopus cubla [8+]

1 Zomba and 1 Zomba Plateau 15th, another Zomba Plateau 17th, 1-2 Dzalanyama 23rd-24th and 2 Liwonde 26th-27th.

click for larger image click for larger image

Black-backed Puffback, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

click for larger image click for larger image

Black-backed Puffbacks, Dzalanyama, 24th May 2011

 

click for larger image  

Black-backed Puffback, Liwonde, 27th May 2011

 

Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegalus (Tchagra senegala) [1]

1 Dzalanyama 23rd.

click for larger image click for larger image

Black-crowned Tchagra, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Brown-crowned Tchagra (Brown-headed Tchagra) Tchagra australis [6+]

Up to 6 Lengwe 20th-21st - not all were seen well enough to eliminate Black-crowned Tchagra but those that were proved to be Brown-crowned.

click for larger image click for larger image

Brown-crowned Tchagra, Lengwe, 20th May 2011

 

Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethopicus [3]

1-2 Dzalanyama dambo 23rd-24th and 1 Chongoni 25th.

click for larger image click for larger image

Tropical Boubou, Dzalanyama, 24th May 2011

 

Olive Bush-Shrike Telophorus olivaceus (or Malaconotus olivaceus ) [1]

A brief view of 1 by the Forest camp site at Zomba Plateau 17th - I would have liked better views but I don't think the combination of grey head, green back and wings and peachy breast leaves any other options.

 

White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike Coracina pectoralis [3]

At Dzalanyama 1 in the dambo 22nd and 2 in miombo woodland across the river from the Lodge 23rd.

click for larger image click for larger image

White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Souza's Shrike Lanius souzae [2]

2 Dzalanyama 23rd in miombo woodland just across the river from the Lodge.

click for larger image click for larger image

Souza's Shrike, Dzalanyama, 23rd May 2011

 

Common Fiscal (Fiscal Shrike) Lanius collaris [6]

2 between Blantyre and Zomba 14th, 1 Zomba Plateau 16th, 2 Chongoni 25th and 1 between Malosa and Blantyre 28th.

click for larger image click for larger image

Common Fiscals, Chongoni, 25th May 2011

 

click for larger image click for larger image
click for larger image click for larger image

Common Fiscal, Zomba Plateau, 16th May 2011

 

 

Click here to carry on...

Or here to return to the start of the sytemmatic list

Or here to jump to itinerary.