A buffalo goes a long way
5 Jun
With the Xakanaxa pride moving on during the night, it was time for the scavengers to take advantage of their departure. In the early morning light, those scavengers that held back yesterday had already started to feast on the remains of the nari (Syncerus caffer) carcass.
2 phokoje (Canis adustus) were feeding on different pieces of the carcass, while the numerous hooded (Necrosyrtes monachus), white-headed (Aegypius occipitalis) and white-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) watched on, waiting for their chance to feed. The phokoje kept a wary eye on these winged scavengers and chased off any that got to close. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the phokoje left the carcass and we choose to leave too.
The tau (Panthera leo) had not moved far from the carcass and were sleeping in the shade of a motsebe (Croton megalobotrys) about a kilometre away. Even though their bellies were not quite as swollen as yesterday, they still spent the whole day sleeping and recovering from their huge feast.
A young eagle landed in an tree nearby that cause a fair bit of discussion between us, which helped pass the time while the lions slept. We could’t agree upon what species it was. I thought it was an immature Tawny eagle (Aquila rapax) and Jason thought it was an immature Wahlberg’s (Aquila walhbergi) eagle. Whichever species it was, we were both in agreement that it was a pale colour morph. Even checking all the reference books in the camp shed no further light.
Any birders out there, can you help settle this debate?
- Leo Hughes
could it be the pale form of a Whalber’s eagle? Can’t see if it has a barred or unbarred tail, so I am not completely sure.
Hi Cris
I’ve checked all my pictures and none show a barred tail.
All the reference books in camp, don’t refer to any bars.
Jury still out on this one…
Thanks
Jason
Jason,
that is a toughy! No bars…then I would say it is a tawny. But I am more of a mammal person!
Cristina
Hi Cristina
It does seem to be leaning towards a tawny, but it is close.
Thanks for the input.
Cheers
Jason
So the bird is a juvenile pale form Tawny Eagle.
Thanks to Pete Hancock and Richard Randall, from Bridlife Botswana