Beauty Of The African Purple Swamphen
The African Purple Swamphen (previously Purple Gallinule) is such an amazing bird and to me one of the most beautiful yet curious birds. Sort of a cross between some prehistoric bird and a peacock with its huge beak and rainbow colours.
The Swamphen is really a shy and very skittish bird and it has taken me many visits to get some photos of it even remotely in the open. I love the colour range from the turquoise in the face to deep purple on the body and neck to the green back feathers.
Swamphens mostly feed on reeds which they rip out with that strong beak, they then peel off the outer layer to get to the soft white core of the reed which it holds in feet the size of gigantic spiders, ending in vampire-like claws.
This African Purple Swamphen seems to have made this particular pond his home for now and I have to admit that I hope it makes this pond a permanent home.
A Burst Of Colour On A Dreary Cape Morning
This Iris put a real smile on my face when I saw it in the garden, it is the first one to flower so far and because it is a grey, rainy day in Cape Town today, I picked it and put it on my kitchen window.
It has lifted my spirits completely, now it can carry on raining all day. I have a rainbow on my windowsill.
White Daisies At Springtime
Love the spring flowers that are carpeting the West Coast National Park right now. Spectacular colours and you need to get down to ground level to see the real gems, tiny orchid like blossoms and many more.
Got to go back before the end of September, before the Postberg part of the park closes again. Want to get some more pics of the baby zebra and the baby bontebok.
Wonderful Flowers Blooming in Kirstenbosch Gardens
June is winter in Cape Town and we have some amazing flowers blooming right now. Ericas, Aloes, Succulents and Strelizia.
Don’t you think this is the cutest, perfect couple?
I love these little Cape Sparrows that are normally called "common". I question how anyone could call these, cute and beautiful birds, "common".
A Reminder That After Winter Comes Spring
Postberg spring flowers last year.
A Great Weekend Breakfast
An egg, gruyere (or cheese of your choice)and Pancetta breakfast bread. Enough to get you running to the kitchen to make this tasty treat, in fact, why only for breakfast, anytime will do. Oh Yum!
Go here for the recipe: http://bit.ly/10WsuM8
Cormorant Playing Pick Up Sticks
Saw this White-breasted Cormorant diving with this stick then throwing it in the air catching it and diving with it again for about ten minutes. I really love the intense colour of his eye.
The Bumblebee and the Sea Rose
Captured this Bumblebee looking for something sweet.
Malachite Kingfishers getting aggressive with each other
Two Malachite Kingfishers were getting really aggressive with each other, showing off their aggressive poses. Captured this one in his threatening pose, a beautiful bird threatening or not.