Burchell’s Coucal
Thanks once again to the very helpful and knowledgeable folk in the BirdLife South Africa Facebook Group, who within seconds of my posting let me know that this gorgeous bird is a Burchell’s Coucal. I can assure you, on my own, I’d never have figured it out.
Tom at speed
Tom was fascinated by the camera, and came at me full tilt, trying to grab it.
Tom
A grandparent with a camera has one overriding mission as a photographer – to photograph the grandchildren. But what do you do when you have, from just one visit, a bucket-full of photos? You dip in, as if you are fishing for little silver fish in a child’s bucket at the seaside, and you get hold of just one, and give it the treatment. And then, when you have time, you go back and snag a few more, one batch at a time, until you have found and brought into the light the very shiniest and prettiest of them. Here […]
Maboneng Precinct – Street Sculpture
From birds in the wild, to iron sculpture in the urban jungle: after spending Easter Friday in the Marievale Bird Sanctuary, your intrepid photographer ventured recently to the Maboneng Precinct in down-town Johannesburg – a bit of urban renewal in a still edgy area – and stumbled upon these marvellous iron sculptures in a narrow alley. With trusty Leica in hand, he stole these images….
Squacco Heron, Marievale
Once again, I had to call upon the distributed knowledge that resides in the heads of the many birders and photographers who are part of the SA Birdlife FaceBook page for help with identifying this Squacco Heron, spotted in the reeds beside the road at the Marievale Bird Sanctuary this Easter Friday. Hopefully, in time, I will improve my own knowledge and become less of a nuisance to others…. Nikon D500, Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5/5.6 G ED VR, processed in Lightroom and Colour Efex Pro.
Coot crossing
Why does a coot cross the road? To demonstrate its flair? Marievale, Nikon D500. Nikon 70-300mm. Processed in Lightroom and Colour Efex Pro
Spotted thick-knee, Marievale
We saw this Spotted thick-knee, otherwise known as a Dikkop, standing behind the car park at the Visitors Centre at Marievale around 10am on Easter Friday; it was still there, but lying down this time, when we left several hours later.
Sharp in tooth and sharp in claw – Marievale Otter
We were standing on the side of the road that bridges the vlei, looking up and looking out – not down – at the birdlife when someone standing nearby on the back of his bakkie called out, ‘have you seen the otter?’ We hadn’t, but we did, and here are pictures to prove it.
Amur Falcon Female
You knew at once, didn’t you, that this was a female Amur falcon? Of course you did. Well, I didn’t, and though I paged up and down and sideways through Roberts and the SASOL guide I couldn’t figure it out. Until, of course, I posted the image on the SA Birdlife Facebook Group page, with a cry for help, and with minutes had my answer, from some far more knowledgeable soul who took pity on my ignorance. It is, as above, a falcon, female, which I spotted on the fence just past the Visitor’s Centre, as we entered the Marievale […]
