First Bird outing Spring 2014

Although I'd intended to post all the birds we sighted over the weekend, I decided just to show the pair of Black-faced Sandgrouse and their chicks. Later when I've corrected the problem I'm experiencing with Blogger, I'll post all the others

I'm sure this pair of Black-faced Sandgrouse is the same one that we've seen over the past months. On Sunday night we spotted a bird walking on the side of the road going into the bush. Grant stopped the car and I got out. It was fast becoming dusk, so I made a wide berth into the bush to the left of the bird, when I saw its mate. Then Grant called softly that they had a chick. Then I squealed (softly, lol) that there were two chicks.

I managed several photos of the female with one baby and although I also photographed the male repeatedly, he kept his charge well hidden from me. 

 Black-faced Sandgrouse and chick

 Black-faced Sandgrouse female and chick. It's quite a challenge to pick out these birds as their camouflage, even in the chicks allows them to blend into their surroundings

Black-faced Sandgrouse Male. He kept hiding his chick with his body

Black-faced Sandgrouse are endemic to North East Africa. The male has a distinctive face pattern, black-and-white breast bands, and a black belly with a pale vent. The female has a broad white breast band and her wing patterns are more dense than that of the male. 

I'm linking to Wild Bird Wednesday which you can visit by clicking here