With the recent good rains we have had there has been an influx of water birds to exploit the conditions. Here a Lesser Moorhen has arrived at one of our small dams. This is a lifer record for me as well as a new record for the Reserve so very exciting indeed A pair of Pied Kingfishers was also seen fishing at one of our dams. Another new species tick for my Reserve list Here one hover hunts over the water A Brown Snake-Eagle gives me the stare late one evening A male Red-crested Korhaan seen being vocal at its call patch. It also gave me a spectacular display flight which caught me by surprise so I was unfortunately too slow to record the tumbling plunge out of the sky Wahlberg's Eagle A juvenile Fork-tailed Drongo complete with flecked feathers and fleshy gape A male Long-tailed Paradise-Whydah making use of the fence as a perch. This Polygynous species is host specific, parasitising the Green-winged Pytilia Striped Kingfisher Yellow-billed Kite Woodland Kingfisher calling at first light African Hoopoe Lilac-breasted Roller. Probably a juvenile bird as the lilac breast is not showing well. It was successfully hawking insects on the ground from this perch. Note the extended crop.My first Roller of the Summer
32 Comments
Siesta time,which is most of the time! Open wide One of our male Lions in need of a good feed A nervous Cheetah crouching low in the cover of the long grass Fresh on the ground The Impala lambs have been dropping for the last few weeks. One of these Rhino was socially distancing at the waterhole A very relaxed bull at the wallow The reintroduced Jackals have settled in nicely. This one was seen patiently waiting its opportunity at the recent lion kill I came across this very relaxed Jackal on an evening drive The calf is growing up
We often hear these owls calling to each other soon after dark when we are sitting out on our deck having sundowners in the evening. This time they were very obliging and sat close together on a branch under the canopy of the Weeping Boer-bean tree in front of our house. My wife Jen operated the spotlight whilst I captured the images Owl 1 Owl 2 Pair of Owls. (Camera settings: f/4, 1/1600 sec, ISO 51200) Pair of Owls.(Camera settings: f/4, 1/400 sec. ISO 51200)
Male Comb Duck showing off his colours beautifully in the sunlight There is a proliferation of Foam-nest Tree Frog nests wherever there is surface water after the recent soaking rains Yellow-billed Stork One of a pair of juvenile Wahlberg's Eagles seen flying in the vicinity of their nest on the Reserve African Grey Hornbill. Not as the common as its Red-billed and Yellow Billed cousins. Occuring here close to the southern edge of its S.A. range A male non-breeding Palearctic migrant Red-backed Shrike I visited the Crested Barbet nest again and was able to get this passable image of it on approach as it brought back a tasty caterpillar Birdy num-nums
One of my favourites.Their distinctive 3 note whistle is one of the first calls I could imitate when I was a youngster growing up in Zimbabwe and spending holidays on Sable Park Estates, my Uncle and Aunts farm These highly nomadic ducks prefer inland water bodies with extensive shallows and emergent vegetation. After the recent rain we have had conditions are ideal, as we can see here Splish Splash! Having a bath Followed by a wing stretch Cruise mode
The other evening I was fortunate to connect with a herd of sixteen Waterbuck on the edge of one of the bigger dams on the Reserve. They are normally seen in this area but to have them all out in the open at the waters edge was a special sighting. To add to the experience two of the three males present engaged in a bout of sparing.The light conditions were not ideal but despite this I managed freeze a bit of the action Male 1 Portrait male 1 Male 2 Portrait male 2
A pair of Spoonbills were visiting one of our dams. It allowed me to sit and watch them as they went about their business Resting up at the waters edge After a quick power nap a bit of a stretch Patrolling in the shallow water sweeping its bill from side to side in search of prey items Once an item is caught it is thrown up into the air with a backward flip of its head, caught in its throat and swallowed Late in the evening they flew off to what I presume was an overnight roost site nearby
I was called onto this pair of Red-billed Teals the other day. I was on a lion sighting but left immediately to connect with them as this would be a new tick for my Reserve list and an opportunity not to be missed. When I reached the Pan I quietly took up position in the hide and was able to observe as they moved back and forth feeding in the shallow water Eventually some Wildebeest arrived to drink which spooked them. Luckily I was able to get a couple of B.I.F. images I love it when a plan comes together
I found the lions on a Giraffe kill early the other morning and spent many hours observing them as the day unfolded Tucking in Tug of War Full for now The other two having another go One feeds on Note how most of the entrails have been buried under some sand Resting up in the shade with full bellies Anybody got some spare Gaviscon Tablets
Dark Chanting Goshawk in early morning light Juvenile Hooded Vulture seen at a recent lion kill Juvenile White-backed Vulture Tagged White-backed Vulture also seen at the carcass. I have previously seen and photographed A275 on another kill here on the 09/10/2019. It was tagged by Andre Botha of the EWT on 28/09/2017 at the Hoedspruit Airforce Base Male Red-crested Korhaan. Striped Kingfisher An LBJ of note. I think this one is a Rattling Cisticola A somewhat untidy Yellow-billed Kite seen late one evening My highlight of the week, a White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, which is a new record for my list here, bringing my RGR count to 209 The Red-backed Shrikes have arrived in numbers and are being seen all over the place. Here a male bird rests up in the shade The Woodland Kingfishers are very vocal at the moment. Here one is in full cry early one morning
|
Archives
April 2024
|