Friday 26th Aug
After gathering at the Mantuma Camp for a welcome get together, we all retired to our various accomodation for the evening.
Saturday 27th Aug
After a morning at leisure, we met at Muzi Pan, just outside the reserve, for a picnic lunch. The overcast weather worked in our favour enabling us to spend a pleasant couple of hours scanning the pan and enjoying each others company.
Amongst the birds seen were Squacco Heron, African Openbill, Black Crake, Whiskered Tern, Wood Sandpiper, Painted Snipe and Kittlitz's Plover. An African Purple Swamphen made periodic appearances from within the reeds.
Sunday 28th Aug
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| This Verreaux's Eagle-Owl nesting in a Fever Tree was pointed out by the guide on the way to the 'Fig Forest Walk' (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
With the Pel's Fishing Owl gone from the Fig Forest at Mkhuze, Doug, Angie, Hazel and Margaret still decided to do the guided walk.
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| Sunday's 'River Walk' (Photo Ron Whitham) |
Others met at Mantuma Camp for a morning's birding along the 'River Walk'. A brief glimpse of Eastern Nicator, as we started the walk, was a highlight for those fortunate enough to see it.
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| Sunday's lunchtime gathering at Nsumo Pan (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
Nsumo Pan was the location for our lunchtime get together. Large numbers of Great White Pelican and African Spoonbill were present, the pelicans giving a spectacular display as scores lifted off and flew into the distance. The resident Hippos also gave us an entertaining time.
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| Andy looking decidedly uneasy as the gang surprise him with a birthday cake and sing 'happy birthday' for his upcoming 50th. (Photo Ron Whitham) |
As yet another delightful weekend away drew to a far too quick end, everyone assembled at the Mantuma lapa in the late afternoon for a final 'au revoir' get together.
General photos
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| Impala relaxing behind an Impala Lily (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| The scorched landscape provides a dramatic setting for these Zebra (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| Although elusive at first Giraffe appeared in numbers (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| Crowned Lapwing on the airfield (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| Good numbers of nesting White-backed Vultures were seen. This bird gracefully launches into the air. (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| Yellow-bellied Greenbuls were very tame around the camps (Photo Andy Ruffle) |
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| Female Pink-throated Twinspots (Photo Ron Whitham) |
More photos to follow hopefully.
Birds recorded: (187 bird species were recorded during the weekend)
Great White Pelican
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Cape Turtle-Dove
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Green-backed Camaroptera
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Pink-backed Pelican
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Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
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Rattling Cisticola
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White-breasted Cormorant
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Tambourine Dove
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Neddicky
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Reed Cormorant
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African Green-Pigeon
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Tawny-flanked Prinia
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African Darter
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Purple-crested Turaco
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African Dusky Flycatcher
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Grey Heron
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Burchell's Coucal
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Ashy Flycatcher
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Black-headed Heron
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Spotted Eagle-Owl
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Grey Tit-Flycatcher
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Purple Heron
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Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
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Southern Black Flycatcher
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Great Egret
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Fiery-necked Nightjar
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Pale Flycatcher
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Little Egret
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Little Swift
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Fiscal Flycatcher
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Cattle Egret
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Speckled Mousebird
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Chinspot Batis
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Squacco Heron
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Red-faced Mousebird
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Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher
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Hamerkop
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Pied Kingfisher
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African Paradise-Flycatcher
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Woolly-necked Stork
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Brown-hooded Kingfisher
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African Pied Wagtail
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African Openbill
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Striped Kingfisher
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Yellow-billed Stork
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White-fronted Bee-eater
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African Pipit
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African Sacred Ibis
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Little Bee-eater
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Bushveld Pipit
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Glossy Ibis
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Lilac-breasted Roller
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Common Fiscal
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Hadeda Ibis
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African Hoopoe
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Magpie Shrike
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African Spoonbill
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Green Wood-Hoopoe
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White-faced Duck
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Trumpeter Hornbill
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Black-backed Puffback
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White-backed Duck
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Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
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Brubru
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Egyptian Goose
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Crowned Hornbill
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Brown-crowned Tchagra
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Yellow-billed Duck
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Black-collared Barbet
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Black-crowned Tchagra
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Red-billed Teal
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Acacia Pied Barbet
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Gorgeous Bush-Shrike
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Spur-winged Goose
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White-eared Barbet
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Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike
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White-backed Vulture
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Red-fronted Tinkerbird
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Grey-headed Bush-Shrike
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Yellow-billed Kite
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Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
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Common Myna
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Black-shouldered Kite
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Crested Barbet
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Wattled Starling
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Wahlberg's Eagle
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Scaly-throated Honeyguide
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Long-crested Eagle
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Golden-tailed Woodpecker
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Black-bellied Starling
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Martial Eagle
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Cardinal Woodpecker
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Red-billed Oxpecker
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Brown Snake-Eagle
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Bearded Woodpecker
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Marico Sunbird
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Black-chested Snake-Eagle
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Sabota Lark
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Purple-banded Sunbird
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Bateleur
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Wire-tailed Swallow
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White-bellied Sunbird
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African Fish-Eagle
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Red-breasted Swallow
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Olive Sunbird
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Lizard Buzzard
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Lesser Striped Swallow
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Scarlet-chested Sunbird
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Little Sparrowhawk
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Brown-throated Martin
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Amethyst Sunbird
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African Marsh-Harrier
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Black Saw-wing
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Collared Sunbird
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African Harrier-Hawk
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Black Cuckooshrike
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Crested Francolin
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Fork-tailed Drongo
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House Sparrow
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Natal Spurfowl
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Square-tailed Drongo
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Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
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Helmeted Guineafowl
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Black-headed Oriole
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Yellow-throated Petronia
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Crested Guineafowl
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Pied Crow
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Dark-backed Weaver
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Black Crake
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Southern Black Tit
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Spectacled Weaver
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African Purple Swamphen
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Dark-capped Bulbul
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Village Weaver
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Common Moorhen
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Terrestrial Brownbul
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Southern Masked-Weaver
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African Jacana
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Sombre Greenbul
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Lesser Masked-Weaver
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Greater Painted-snipe
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Yellow-bellied Greenbul
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Yellow Weaver
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Kittlitz's Plover
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Fan-tailed Widowbird
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Three-banded Plover
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Kurrichane Thrush
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White-winged Widowbird
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Crowned Lapwing
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Mocking Cliff-Chat
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Green-winged Pytilia
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African Stonechat
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Pink-throated Twinspot
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Common Sandpiper
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Red-capped Robin-Chat
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African Firefinch
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Wood Sandpiper
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White-throated Robin-Chat
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Jameson's Firefinch
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Pied Avocet
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White-browed Scrub-Robin
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Blue Waxbill
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Black-winged Stilt
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Bearded Scrub-Robin
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Pin-tailed Whydah
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Spotted Thick-knee
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Dark-capped Yellow Warbler
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Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah
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Water Thick-knee
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Yellow-breasted Apalis
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Dusky Indigobird
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Whiskered Tern
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Rudd's Apalis
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Yellow-fronted Canary
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Red-eyed Dove
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Long-billed Crombec
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Golden-breasted Bunting
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Additions to list: Greater Honeyguide, Common Scimitarbill, Yellow-throated longclaw, White-crested Helmet-shrike
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