Bar-throated Apalis Male, 10 May 2017. Copyright 2017 Forgotten Fields. All rights reserved.

© 2017 Forgotten Fields
In 2017, as I began to take an interest in birdwatching, I photographed what at the time I believed to be a Cape Batis male for its black breast band. Today, I discovered by accident (whilst attempting to identify another bird) that it was, in fact, a Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica). I see now the magnitude of my error, but betwixt the African Stonechat (below, left1), the Cape Batis (below, right1) and the Bar-throated Apalis (below, centre), is it any wonder an amateur would be just a little confused!

African Stonechat, Bar-throated Apalis and Cape Batis, Copyright 1993, 1997, 2002, 2011, Variously Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd, Norman Arlott, F H Chamberlain Trading (Pty) Ltd

  1. Pairs: female left, male right.
Illustration: Sasol eBirds of Southern Africa Universal App., Copyright 1993, 1997, 2002, 2011: Variously Random House Struik (Pty) Ltd, Norman Arlott, F H Chamberlain Trading (Pty) Ltd

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