Snapshot Serengeti Talk

Egrets and buffalo

  • parsfan by parsfan

    In some of the earlier seasons (I think 2 and 3, but my memory is a bit hazy) it was quite rare to see a capture of a buffalo herd without egrets around their feet, and very often oxpeckers riding their backs. In season 5, and (I seem to recall) season 4, there were far fewer birds. Am I misremembering when the birds were around, or do they move elsewhere in certain seasons?

    Posted

  • davidbygott by davidbygott moderator in response to parsfan's comment.

    Interesting observation. I'm not aware of any such movements of these species. Were you seeing the more abundant birds when the grass was green, or brown? Anyone else have ideas?

    Posted

  • areinders by areinders moderator

    I also noticed the absence of egrets compared to season 4. I have not seen a single one this season but saw whole flocks in season 4. See this image from season 4: ASG000boo7

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan in response to areinders's comment.

    Exactly what I was used to seeing! I wondered if the storks were maybe migrating to Europe to breed, but I was really surprised to see the oxpeckers and egrets disappear.

    Posted

  • aliburchard by aliburchard scientist, translator

    Hmm, I don't know anything about the movements of the birds, but I will say that Season 4 ran from January - June 2012 (middle of wet season into the beginning of dry), and Season 5 ran June - December 2012 (beginning of dry into the early/middle of wet). So maybe it has to do with the seasons?

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan

    That makes sense, Ali. In response to David's query, I seem to remember the egrets in fairly lush grass; probably not worth following the buffalo when they are kicking up dust rather than churning up muddy ground and exposing delicious invertebrates...
    Still puzzled by the oxpeckers disappearing, though. Would ticks be seasonal?

    Posted

  • areinders by areinders moderator

    I've see quite a few oxpeckers this season and don't really remember seeing them last season, so that might be more by chance? There were some neat ones this season, for example a night pic of a giraffe with an oxpecker hanging from its leg.

    Posted

  • Rodderic_green by Rodderic_green

    My experience is that ticks are quite seasonal (keeping sheep in east africa); they spread in tall wet grass.

    Posted

  • Envirogirl667 by Envirogirl667

    Yes ticks are seasonal

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan

    Following on from this old discussion: Just to say that I am not observing oxpeckers (much) or egrets (at all) so far this season. I think most of the images I've noticed the date for are Jan/Feb/Mar. Anyone spotting these birds?

    Posted

  • tillydad by tillydad moderator

    Interesting, I have seen many oxpeckers this season but no egrets . The oxpeckers have been on buffalo ,eland, giraffe, wildebeest and zebra . Not sure why there have been no egrets to date .

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan

    Returning to this thread, just to say the egrets are still missing, as far as I can see. Almost all the #egret and #cattle-egret tags are from 4 years ago (possibly people have just stopped tagging them, of course) but the photos show both lush green and brown withered grass; so probably not a seasonal absence.
    I wonder if they are just moving away from the equator? Certainly they have become more common in the UK (even here in Scotland!) since 2012...

    Posted

  • tillydad by tillydad moderator in response to parsfan's comment.

    I have yet to see any egrets this season, but have seen oxpeckers . This is an intriguing situation - where have they gone ? Perhaps they have found richer pickings elsewhere in their ever expanding colonisation of various countries 😃

    Posted

  • maricksu by maricksu moderator

    Very interesting observation. Let's keep an eye on Cattle Egrets and post images to Talk, if we spot them. I have read about the successful and fast expansion of Cattle Egret's range to various countries in the world, because they adapt so well to humans and their cattle. I could imagine global warming also may have had/will have some role.

    Would be great to know about Cattle Egret's breeding habits in Serengeti. I have read that some populations (in general) are migratory and in one of my bird-books (Collins field guide Birds of Eastern Africa , Ber van Perlo) is said "African migrants". I mean, if they don't e.g. breed in Serengeti, where and when they do? So it would be easier to know the best time to spot them in our images.
    I saw a handful (not a flock) on my safari late November 2016 with big buffalo herd in Moru area, south of Snapshot Serengeti study area. 😃

    Cattle Egrets with Buffalo, Moru Serengeti

    Posted

  • maricksu by maricksu moderator

    I saw quite many images of Oxpeckers this season 10 (and also Wattled Starlings). But Cattle Egrets I saw only one time, ASG001x6t3 , ASG001xx6c ,captured in April 2015. Did someone see more images of Cattle Egrets? Images this season were from the end of November 2014 - mid-June 2015. Many great rain-images in e.g. April at some camera locations. Still mystery, where the Cattle Egrets are. Would be great to know, how much sightings of them in other parts of the Serengeti National Park and in areas right next to the Park. Will be also interesting, how much we see them next season in these camera locations in the middle of the Park 😃

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan

    Similar. I can only remember 2 or 3 egret in my classifications this season...we will see what season 11 brings! 😄

    Posted

  • parsfan by parsfan

    If the egrets are moving north, I have to ask: WHY?
    https://twitter.com/MontroseBasin/status/955418843601625089

    😉

    Posted

  • maricksu by maricksu moderator

    😃 Yeah, looks indeed quite challenging there, lovely video, thank you for posting! 😃

    Posted