alan lewis wildlife stuff

General wildlife stuff, mainly birds, plants including bryophytes, fungi in season! unfollows political tweeters

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

A few colourful birds from Kenya - Rosy-patched Bush-shrike, Yellow-throated Longclaw and Variable Sunbird. There is no better trip on the planet than Kenya for pottering around snapping birds from the car!

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Jackson's Widowbird in the Kenyan Highlands - a spectacular tail but an even more spectacular display (last image). It jumps high in the air out of the grass, like a Lesser Florican, repeatedly, to impress the female sat nearby - totally bonkers!

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

A trio of Babblers from Kenya - the shy Scaly Babbler from Manda Island, the conspicuous Northern Pied Babbler from Nairobi NP and a skulking Rufous Chatterer from Shaba:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Golden-winged Sunbird at the Dragon's Teeth, Aberdares, Kenya - this stormer is one of the best birds in Kenya and this male stayed for a few seconds allowing some great views:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@AllanConlin @KirstenboschNBG Great birds sunbirds as a whole and love the Double collared group - quite a few of them further north, but all excellent 👍

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@01000011S There are a few of the Robin-chats like that in Africa - all great birds, some are absolute B********s to see, but this one was very showy.

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

A few hours on the morning of 4th May were enough to see Kilimanjaro White-eye on the Kenyan flank of this famous mountain, also Ruppell's Robin-chat and Southern Citril, both of which are very local in Kenya:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Tacazze Sunbird (male) from Mount Kenya, a stunning species when seen in good light:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Red-billed Oxpecker, Yellow-billed Oxpecker and a fine Grevy's Zebra at Shaba. The Zebra is endangered and Shaba is probably the best place in Kenya to see it. Both Oxpeckers are best seen in the parks and scarce outside them:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@denmor77 Love even!

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@denmor77 Lover that Swallowtail shot!

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Hinde's Pied-babbler, Kenya - I'd seen this rare endemic well 20 years ago but the views this time were sensational - a quick roadside stop near Mount Kenya as we headed up towards Shaba / Samburu:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Three species of Sandgrouse from Kenya - Yellow-throated, Black-faced and Chestnut-bellied. Always great to see and often very close to the jeep along track edges:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

A few more moths from @PortlandBirdObs over the weekend - Eyed Hawk (because it's one of the best moths!), Ni Moth (still not self-trapped 😧), a stunning Purple Marbled (from the fridge) and a Small Mottled Willow (nice orange spotted one):

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@churchartnature @PortlandBirdObs Funny enough those antlers were how I recognised it -remembered that from the one in Kent

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Overnight trapping on Portland (2 MVs, 1 Lepi-LED) on Friday night was my most successful migrant moth haul to date, with a Striped Hawk-moth, a stunning Mediterranean Brocade (first for @PortlandBirdObs, 14th for Britain), an Eastern Bordered Straw and 4 Bordered Straw:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@duncan_dine Definitely 👍

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

Golden Pipits were much scarcer in Kenya than expected despite good recent rains, but our driver picked up this superb male right by the jeep. A major highlight of Tsavo East:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

The Taita Hills in Kenya are famed for their three very rare endemics and we managed to see all of them in one very hot afternoon: Taita Apalis, Taita Thrush and Taita White-eye. The thrush took some time to pin down but we managed to see 3-4 well in the end:

[alan lewis wildlife stuff @LewisStuff]

@silveryk @tescomobile 100% - total garbage coverage - planning restrictions on mast heights is the main issue - not an issue anywhere else. Better reception across Kenya a few weeks ago than rural Hampshire.