Birding the “No man’s land”: Help ID the bird

Please help in identifying a bird that I spotted while birding along the South African border with Botswana last Saturday. The bird was perched on the Botswana side and I could only get a shot of it after spotting it with my binoculars and off it went.

Help ID the bird

Birding in winter II: the "no man's land"

I went birding on the Botswana and South African border on Saturday.

 In that bitterly cold winter weather ,there were still some interesting species to see. While the space between the two countries was only the “no man’s land” strip of land; the birds were flying over it, in and out of the two countries. Others, like the Scaly-feathered Finch had their nests based in the “no man’s land”.

The Little Bee-eaters were out on display while a solitary Swallow-tailed one was on a wire perch enjoying the sun on the Botswana side.

The Little Bee-eater enjoying a snack from the other side of the border

Just perching for a brief moment - where to now.

South Africa or Botswana?

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - enjoying the winter sun on the Botswana side

The strip of land between the fences - "No man's land"

Birding in winter: is still fun

It's already winter time down here in South Africa. All migrants are gone and some of the locals are really wonderful and keep the spirit of birding alive. Here are some of the locals.

Bokmakierie - a near endemic resident

Temminck's Courser - a fairly common resident

Marico Flycatcher - a common near endemic resident

 

Capped Wheatear - common localised resident

Ticks on birds: a common sight or not

While birding I came across this tick infested Short-clawed Lark. At a glance one would not notice the ticks around its neck and crown. It looked quite healthy, but it was only after realizing that it was infested with ticks that I took interest in the bird.

 The Short-clawed Lark being “near-threatened” according to the Red Data List; was this not going to be one of the contributory factors towards its extinction? How vulnerable are birds towards this blood sucking parasites?

Tick -infested Short-clawed Lark

At a glance all looked funny to identify

Short-clawed Lark: near threatened

I was amazed by a discovery of several pairs (three in number) of Short-clawed Larks while  birding this morning near the village of Moletsamongwe, North-west of Mahikeng in the  North West Province. That was within an area of 2.3 ha in fallow land adjoining the village.
According to the Red Data List, they are Near-threatened.  We need to protect them.

Short-clawed Lark calling from on top of a bush

"Dive-bombing" the enemy: why do birds do it?
I spend three days at the Bird Atlass Bash at Vaalboskraal near Mareetsane in the North West Province. This was for SABAP2 (South African Bird Atlass Project ) It was real fun.
While atlassing pentad 2600_2535 and 2605_2535, I  witness a spectacle where a Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk was being mobbed by Pied Crow at first, then a Black Shouldered Kite.
Birds normally mob an intruder who enters their territory by harrasing, intimidating and chasing off using the "dive-bombing"  or "sally attacks" techniques. Protection of a territory. Here is the story

The Pale Chanting Goshawk just perched on a power line

(being in a wrong territory)

Along came a Black-shouldered Kite

Dive bombing

Moved to another location for its own safety

But along came a Pied Crow this time