Birds

[Hunner]

Did you slip some African vultures in on us?? ummm must be a white backed Gyps Africanus?

[beavis]

Did you slip some African vultures in on us?? Lappet-faced?

Those are definitely African Vultures..........perhaps Griffons?

[Charles Helm]

Yes, they are African. There were some Lappet there but I am not sure if they are the ones in the picture. My recollection is that the one we saw took off before I started taking the pictures.

I have to admit I do not recall the species. I'll try to look it up.

Edit: Cape Griffon is probably right.

Hey, I never said I had the answers!

Just to make up for it, a gimme...

[beavis]

I think they are White-backed Vultures upon further review:

[beavis]

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/mr ... a16063.jpg

White-backed Vultures

[PhilD]

I know that one, it's a Blue Water Tower South Padre Island Texas sand dune crane.

So very close...

Looks like a Great Blue Heron to me, but seeing as you said he was close, I'd have to go with a Sand Hill Crane.

[Hunner]

You know I figured it might be a Blue Heron but it was more fun to try for that local name. Other than those last pics I posted of Blue Heron I have never (captured an image) (you have to be careful around here saying (shot) a Blue Heron as they are a protected species, of one that looked blue. They always look grey. Those were late afternoon and those I shot looked almost irridescent.

[Charles Helm]

Looks like a Great Blue Heron to me, but seeing as you said he was close, I'd have to go with a Sand Hill Crane.

I meant the Blue Water Tower South Padre Island part was right.

[PhilD]

I meant the Blue Water Tower South Padre Island part was right.

I'd be worried if he got that wrong

[beavis]

Great Blue Heron

[Charles Helm]

No other guesses? I admit I do not know them all, but here is one clue. One of the pictured birds is considered by some to be the heaviest bird capable of flight.

[beavis]

Kori Bustard?

[beavis]

Not sure of the location for this bird because that would definitely help ID, but I believe he is perched in a MEsquite tree and this is South US?

So it kind of looks like an Ash-throated Flycatcher.

[Charles Helm]

Kori Bustard it is. Very good.

South Texas is correct on the second one, beats the heck out of me what it was but he was hanging out close to me on a slow day.

There is one more from Namibia that I was told at one time but cannot recall. I even tried to check the list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Namibia

This is the mystery guest (posted above as well).




I thought maybe it was a tit, but was unable to match it and the image search went horribly wrong.

[beavis]

I'll work on the mystery bird Charles and see what I can come up with.........