Tanzania - 2020 - Part 9 - Assorted images of birds photographed in Tanzania - Feb. 2020

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European bee-eater (Merops apiaster)
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320

As the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps, and hornets. They catch insects in flight, in short flights from an open perch. The European bee-eater has a bright yellow throat and turquoise underparts. The head and neck are brown; the back and wings are lighter brown becoming green towards the wing-tips and shoulder. It has a broad black eye-band and red eyes. Males and females are very similar.

Grey-breasted Francolin (Pternistis rufopictus)

Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
40-150mm f/2.8 Lens at 110mm
1/1000 sec at f/2.8, ISO 1600

The Grey-breasted Spurfowl or Grey-breasted Francolin is a species of bird in the pheasant family (Phasianidae). It is found only in Tanzania. They are terrestrial, but not flightless, and feed on insects, vegetable matter and seeds. They have a hooked upper beak and spurs on the tarsi (not visible in this photos). Link

Lilac-Breasted Roller (Coracias caudatus)
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1250

Lilac-breasted roller is a beautiful and commonly seen species found throughout eastern and southern Africa. It has a greenish head, lilac throat and breast, a turquois belly and blue wing feathers. Both males and females have the same coloration.

Lilac-Breasted Roller
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/500 sec at f/4.5, ISO 160

Lilac-Breasted Roller
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/2500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 400

Greater Flamingo in flight
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320

β€œThe greater flamingo resides in mudflats and shallow coastal lagoons with salt water. Using its feet, the bird stirs up the mud, then sucks water through its bill and filters out small shrimp, seeds, blue-green algae, microscopic organisms, and mollusks.” From Wikipedia

Greater Flamingo in flight
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/2000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 320

Red-headed Quelea (Quelea erythrops)
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 2x teleconverter
1/3200 sec at f/8, ISO 2000

"Quelea is a genus of small passerine birds that belongs to the weaver family Ploceidae, confined to Africa. These are small-sized, sparrow- or finch-like gregarious birds, with bills adapted to eating seeds." (I have lost the source of this quote). The red head of the breeding male is distinctive but non-breeding male and female are inconspicuos, nondescript, streaky brown birds with buffy eyebrows and seldom reported.

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.