Michael Lund Markussen

@mlmarkussen.bsky.social

1557 Followers 790 Following

Traveller of East Africa, birder, amateur photographer, conservationist, coin collector, bookwyrm, local politician. All my pictures are my own.

Fischer’s Lovebird (Agapornis fischeri) 🦜💚 Native to East Africa, especially northern Tanzania, Fischer’s lovebirds are known for their strong pair bonds and lively personalities. They’re often seen sitting close together, preening one another, and moving as a pair — true to the name lovebird. ✨ Facts: Bright green body with a yellow–orange face Red beak and a distinctive blue rump Highly social, active, and vocal Live in flocks in the wild Lifespan of 10–15 years (often longer in good care) In the wild they inhabit savannas, open woodlands, and farmland, feeding on seeds, grasses, berries, and fruit. Fun detail: males and females look alike — you can’t tell them apart just by appearance! Small bird. Big personality. 💛
Green Wood Hoopoe Purpurskovhærfugl Phoeniculus purpureus
Hildebrandt's Starling Masaiglansstær Lamprotornis hildebrandti One of East Africa’s most striking birds. Its metallic blue-purple head, rich chestnut belly, and intense red eye make it truly unforgettable. Found mainly in Kenya and Tanzania, Hildebrandt’s Starling inhabits open woodland and savanna, often seen calmly foraging on the ground or perched low in the shade. A reminder that nature doesn’t need exaggeration — just good light and patience.
Ashy Starling Ensfarvert Glansstær Lamprotornis unicolor Endemic to a small corner of northern Tanzania, the Ashy Starling is one of Tarangire’s true local specialties. Unlike most starlings, it lacks iridescent colors. Instead, it wears a subtle ash-grey plumage that blends perfectly into the acacia savanna — understated, elegant, and easy to overlook. Often seen in lively flocks, these birds forage on the ground for insects, seeds, and fallen fruit, their bright yellow eyes standing out against the muted tones of the landscape. A reminder that not all beauty is loud — some of it belongs only to one place, and only to those who take the time to notice.
Grasshopper Buzzard Græshoppevåge Butastur rufipennis Ever seen a raptor with golden eyes like this? 👀🦅 Meet the African Grasshopper Buzzard — a master hunter of the savanna, standing tall and scanning the land for its next meal. Nature never stops amazing me.
Black-winged Kite Blå Glente Elanus caeruleus Perched calmly in Tsavo, Kenya — this small raptor may look delicate, but it’s a razor-sharp hunter, famous for its hovering flight and lightning-fast dives on rodents. Often seen at dawn and dusk, it’s one of Africa’s most graceful birds of prey.
Eastern Chanting Goshawk Somalisanghøg Melierax poliopterus A sentinel of the African bush. Perched high and fully exposed, the Eastern Chanting Goshawk surveys its territory with calm authority. Unlike many raptors that prefer cover, this species is often seen out in the open—watching, waiting, and occasionally announcing its presence with its distinctive, melodious call that gives it its name. With its ash-grey plumage, barred underparts, and striking yellow legs and cere, it is both elegant and unmistakably predatory. From such vantage points it scans for lizards, small mammals, and birds, dropping down with sudden speed when the moment is right. A true embodiment of patience and precision in the African landscape.
Wahlberg's Eagle Savanneørn Hieraaetus wahlbergi A quiet sentinel of the African skies. Wahlberg’s Eagle is one of Kenya’s elegant migrants — arriving with the rains, perching silently in woodland and savanna, often overlooked because of its calm, unobtrusive nature. Uniform dark brown plumage, a keen eye, and a patient posture mark a hunter that relies more on precision than power. It may not shout for attention, but it commands respect — a reminder that true presence doesn’t need noise.
Lilac-breasted Roller Lillabrystet Ellekrage Coracias caudatus One of Africa’s most iconic birds — and for good reason. The lilac-breasted roller is a living palette of turquoise, violet, emerald and chestnut, perfectly at home on an open perch where it scans for insects before launching into swift, acrobatic flights. Often called the most colourful bird in Africa, it is also Kenya’s national bird — a symbol of wild beauty and freedom.
Olive Bee-eater Madagaskar-biæder Merops superciliosus Two Olive Bee-eaters sharing a quiet perch—elegant, alert, and always ready to launch after passing insects. Their subtle green tones, sharp bills, and graceful posture make them easy to overlook, but once noticed, they’re hard to forget. A beautiful reminder that even the understated birds add richness to Africa’s skies. 🐦✨
Craig died this morning. Beloved by many people but particularly by the local community with whom he shared his range, Craig was born in January 1972 to Cassandra of the CB family. We were never certain but we suspected that he had a twin sister, Cerise, who is the matriarch of the CB family today. Craig had just turned 54 years old. He led a long life and no doubt fathered many calves. Thanks to his many protectors he died peacefully of natural causes. Craig represented all that is wondrous about the Amboseli elephants.
White-browed Coucal Hvidbrynet Sporegøg Centropus superciliosus A striking and often overlooked bird of African scrub and woodland. Unlike most cuckoos, the White-browed Coucal prefers to move slowly through dense vegetation, hunting insects, small reptiles, and frogs. That deep chestnut wing and bold white eyebrow make it unmistakable once you spot it. Nature rewards patience. 🪶🌿
Peregrine Falcon Vandrefalk Falco peregrinus Spotted at Ngutuni, Voi, Kenya — perched calmly, but always ready. This legendary raptor is the fastest animal on Earth, capable of reaching over 300 km/h in a hunting dive. From city skyscrapers to African savannahs, the peregrine is a master of adaptation and aerial dominance. A moment of stillness from a bird built for motion.
Spotted Thick-knee Plettet triel Burhinus capensis
Village Indigobird Atlasfinke Vidua chalybeata ✨ A small bird with a big story ✨ This is the Village Indigobird (Vidua chalybeata), photographed on the red soils of Tsavo, Kenya 🇰🇪 With its glossy, almost metallic black plumage, it may look modest at first glance—but this species is one of nature’s most clever tricksters, famous for letting other birds raise its chicks. African birdlife never fails to surprise 🐦 📍 Tsavo, Kenya 👍 Like & share if you love discovering the hidden stories behind wildlife!
Water Thick-knee / Vandtriel Burhinus vermiculatus A master of camouflage on the African riverbanks. With its huge yellow eyes and long, slender legs, the Water Thick-knee often freezes in place, trusting its mottled plumage to blend perfectly into sand and stone. Mostly active at dusk and night, it’s a bird you’re more likely to notice before you truly see it. One of those quiet, watchful species that rewards patience—and a reminder of how subtle and beautiful wildlife can be when it chooses stillness over spectacle.
Eastern Paradise-Whydah Paradisenke Vidua paradisaea
Black-headed Weaver Sorthovedet Væver Ploceus melanocephalus
Northern Red-billed Hornbill Rødnæbbet Toko Tockus erythrorhynchus
Red-and-yellow Barbet Pragtperleskægfugl Trachyphonus erythrocephalus
White Stork Hvid Stork Ciconia ciconia
Isabelline Wheatear Isabellastenpikker Oenanthe isabellina
Long-crested Eagle Topørn Lophaetus occipitalis
Red-naped Bushshrike Sodbrun Busktornskade Laniarius ruficeps
European Roller Ellekrage Coracias garrulus
Augur Buzzard Augurvåge Buteo augur
African Woolly-necked Stork Afrikansk uldhalsstork Ciconia microscelis
Common buttonquail Europæisk løbehøne Turnix sylvaticus
Eurppean roller Ellekrage Coracias garrulus
Golden pipit Guldpiber Tmetothylacus tenellus
African Harrier-Hawk Afrikansk Klatrehøg Polyboroides typus
Broad-billed Roller Brednæbbet Ellekrage Eurystomus glaucurus
Woodland Kingfisher Skovisfugl Halcyon senegalensis
Little Bee-eater Dværgbiæder Merops pusillus
Malachite Kingfisher Malakitisfugl Corythornis cristatus
Sacred Ibis Hellig Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus
Lilac-breasted Roller Lillabrystet Ellekrage Coracias caudatus
Lilac-breasted Roller Lillabrystet Ellekrage Coracias caudatus
Hunter's Cisticola Kilimanjarocisticola Cisticola hunteri
White-eyed Slaty-Flycatcher Brillefluesnapper Melaenornis fischeri
Hunter's Cisticola Kilimanjarocisticola Cisticola hunteri
Pygmy Falcon Afrikansk Pygmæfalk Polihierax semitorquatus
Golden-winged Sunbird Gyldenvinget Solfugl Drepanorhynchus reichenowi
Cape Robin-chat Kapdrosselsanger Cossypha caffra
Lilac-breasted Roller Lillabrystet Ellekrage Coracias caudatus
African Woolly-necked Stork Afrikansk uldhalsstork Ciconia microscelis
Helmeted Guineafowl Perlehøne Numida meleagris
Curly-crested Helmetshrike Krøltoppet Hjelmtornskade Prionops cristatu
Black-bellied Sunbird Langhalet Savannesolfugl Cinnyris nectarinioides
African Paradise-Flycatcher Male White morph Afrikansk Paradismonark han (hvid variant) Terpsiphone viridis
African Wood-Owl Afrikansk Natugle Strix woodfordii
Pygmy Falcon Afrikansk Pygmæfalk Polihierax semitorquatus
Black-shouldered Kite Blå Glente Elanus caeruleus
Northern Crombec Okkercrombec Sylvietta brachyura
Red-cheeked Cordonbleu Sommerfuglefinke Uraeginthus bengalus
Grey-headed Kingfisher Gråhovedet Isfugl Halcyon leucocephala
Long-crested Eagle Topørn Lophaetus occipitalis