Pelagic Birding

Got the internet for a brief period - just long enough to post a couple of quick picks from today's pelagic birding trip with Zest For Birds.  What an amazing day!  Literally thousands of seabirds, many within only metres of the boat!  Personal highlights were definitely 4 species of albatross, and also Subantarctic Skua so close I could almost touch it!  Awesome!!

I spent most of the time staring awestruck at the birds, but I did manage to grab a few photos as well.  I've never shot pelagic before, so it was a bit of an experiment!  All in all, fairly pleased with the preliminary results.

Shy Albatross (Thallasarche cauta)

White-chinned Petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis)

That's all for now - on the plane to Nelspruit tomorrow then into Kruger for 9 days.  I expect to have no internet there, so it may be a while before next communication.

Until then!
Kyle

First South Africa Photos

Hello!

After a week in the Capetown area, I finally have some internet access and can get some photos up!  It has been an interesting and whirlwind journey around the area, and I've seen lots of amazing things!  I've just had time to get a few photos together, and they're all quick selections hastily edited, so be kind!

Some scenery typical of the Western Cape:

Cape Scenery

One of our first stops was Betty's Bay, the site of an African Penguin colony!

African or Jackass Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)

Upon arriving at Table Mountain National Park, we were treated to a troop of baboons ripping the mirror off a truck in the parking lot.  The occupant of the truck - sleeping at the time - was surprisingly unperturbed.  It was a work truck after all...

Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus)

While on the mammal train, we picked up some zebras near the Cape of Good Hope.

Cape Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra zebra)

In West Coast National Park, Bryna spotted the snake of the trip!  Not an award-winning photo, but what an animal!

Cape Cobra (Naja nivea)

And finally a bird with fewer than 5000 individuals in the worldwide population!

African Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus moquini)

Headed out pelagic-birding tomorrow, then up to Kruger and the surrounding area for the next few weeks!  Will update when possible!

:)
Kyle

Still Alive in MG!!

Hello!

I have finally returned to the internet after a month-long absence (how did I survive??).  Last full day in Madagascar, flying to South Africa tomorrow.  Internet access in SA should be slightly more frequent than it has been here (none), but probably not significantly.  I will try to update when I can.

In the meantime, prepare for the longest post ever.  To make up for my absence, I have prepped a bunch of photos (quickly, and on a tiny computer, so I hope they're ok!).  I haven't had time to research the IDs yet, so apologize where they are lacking or incorrect!

We've managed about a half-a-dozen snakes in MG, mostly small and terrestrial.  Apparently the Malagasy name of this species means "many snakes in one hole."  Garter Snake anyone? (thanks to Bryna for excellent snake-wrangling!).

Lateral Water Snake (Bibilava lateralis)

Frog diversity here is stunning, and there are more frog species than birds!

Greater Madagascan Green Treefrog (Boophis luteus)

We've seen about a dozen chameleon species in the country, some very big and some very small!

Thiel's Pygmy Chameleon (Brookesia thieli)

Short-horned Chameleon (Calumma brevicorne)

One of my favourite bird species here:

Collared Nightjar (Caprimulgus enarratus)

Another cham!

Jewel Chameleon (Furcifer lateralis)

Truly one of the most bizarre (and among stiff competition) species that MG has to offer:

Giraffe-necked Weevil (Trachelophorus giraffa)

More frogs...

Betsileo Reed Frog (Heterixalus betsileo)

Largest lemur in the world!

Indri (Indri indri)

Sneaky kingfisher photo...

Madagascar Kingfisher (Alcedo vintsioides)

One of the most sought-after frogs in the country!

Baron's Mantella (Mantella baroni)

Total guess on the ID here, but it certainly appears to be a Nephila spider to me.  Check out the male (fully grown) on her back.  Careful little fella!  (not a joke - she would be quite happy to eat him before or after mating).

Giant Orb-Weaver (Nephila sp?)

Frequently shared breakfast with our little friend Larry (well, until we realized that Larry was actually Larries...).  Day-Geckos eat fruit and nectar, so a little jam or honey was not to be passed up.  Apparently chocolate cake is just as good.  (sad to note that although Day-Geckos enjoy chocolate cake, they do not posses a mechanism to ingest it effectively - Larry basically pressed his tongue against it for a while and hoped it would absorb).

Lined Day-Gecko (Phelsuma lineata)

One of my most-wanted Madagascar creatures!

Pill Millipede (Family: Arthrosphaeridae)

Tons of great butterflies, no way to identify them...

Butterfly (Species Unknown)

Craziest thing ever!  Total length about 3 inches.  Start researching turbellarians, prepare to be dumbfounded.

Turbellarian Flatworm (Species Unknown)

Lots of crazy phasmids!

Stick Insect (Species Unknown)

All credit goes to Bryna for this amazing find!  Note the epic common, and latin, names!

Satanic Leaftail Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)

A member of one of the endemic bird families - found this lady on a pendulous nest in the middle of a trail!

Velvet Asity (Philepitta castanea)

That is all for now!  Will try to update when possible from SA!

Kyle