Thursday 7 April 2011

Cape Verde Pt 4 - desert birding

Below are some images of typical desert species I saw in Boa Vista, Cape Verde last month.  Boa Vista was the only island I visited and held enough to keep me occupied.  Other islands are expensive to visit and the locals seem to know how to charge the Euro200 inter-island flight.  A further 200 euros paid for a trip to Razo island for the endemic Razo Lark but I declined when told you cannot now land !

A typical ribeira, or dry river bed.  This area alone held three species of lark and Cream-coloured Courser


Hoopoe Lark, a common bird of the open desert

Hoopoe Lark, adult seen feeding a fledgling nearby.
Hoopoe Lark, in open desert with no vegetation. The tube in the foreground is actually a parched branch from an ancient woodland. 


Adult Spectacled Warbler, common in all habitats.

Bar-tailed Desert Lark; more localised but still present in good numbers.



Female Black-capped Finch Lark, common in arid desert.

Juv Black-capped Finch Lark

Adult male Iago Sparrow, a common endemic of the Cape Verdes (sometimes known as Rufous-backed Sparrow).

This was one of my target species and I saw about 20 in total.

Adult Cape Verde Cream-coloured Coursers, a localised sub species.

 

4 comments:

  1. Superb set Steve, Have we had more than one Cream Coloured Courser in Cornwall. I know of one on the Scillies.

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  2. Looks like you had a very productive trip Steve. Spectacled Warbler image is superb. Would like to know which lens you used and also camera settings used for this particular shot.

    Regards
    Tony Armstrong

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  3. Hi Tony - the reply to your question is as follows: 300mm f/2.8 plus 2x TC. Tripod mounted. Settings: ISO 250. F/8. WB Cloudy.Exp c. EV 0.0

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