Day 39 Yellow-billed Stork At The Sunset Dam
The dam had quite a few of these Yellow-billed Storks visiting. So tall and stately and quite beautiful with their pink feathers, yellow beak and red face. On a later visit to the dam we saw them catching fish.
Day 36 Lilac-breasted Roller
The lilac-breasted Roller must be one of the most colourful birds in the Kruger National Park, strangely enough we didn't see to many of them on this trip. The colours when flying are simply stunning.
Day 28 Yellow-Billed Duck
The stunning colours of the blue wing and the yellow beak are too beautiful.
Day 24 A Purple Heron In The Flowers
A Purple Heron out scouting for food among the flowers.
Day 17 Steppe Buzzards Visit The Cape Again
Steppe Buzzards migrate to the Cape each year from the Russian climes, they are magnificent raptors with colour ranging from near white to the darkest chocolate brown and every mix of colours in between.
They are of the most beautiful raptors to be seen.
Day 11 Secretary Bird In The Wild, What A Surprise!
On a trip up the West Coast, we were amazed to sight a Secretary Bird alongside the Road. We screeched to a halt, reversed and there it was, busy trying to catch something in the grass. It was so thrilling to see as this is the very first time we have ever seen one in the wild, we watched it until it flew off way back onto the farmlands.
So happy to know they are still surviving here in the Cape. We sighted this bird just a few kilometres before Velddriff on the West Coast of the Cape.
Day 5 Little Chick Lost
Kittlitz's Plover chick all alone on the big pond. Looking so vulnerable and fragile in this new wide world. Hopefully it will grow to adulthood and bring forth many more.
What A Name For Such A Cute Bird
A Levaillant's Cisticola, so pretty and cute but it has been given a really heavy name for such a tiny little bird.
For All The Nature Lovers
Roger Tory Peterson was a naturalist. He had a long career beginning with nature study in the seventh grade in Jamestown, New York, he observed, recorded and published for lay audiences the incredible beauty and diversity of plants and animals from North America and around the world.
The Roger Tory Peterson Institute has a mission which is to honor and continue the work of Roger Tory Peterson to foster understanding, appreciation and protection of the natural world. Their motto is "Learn it, love it, protect it".
This quote from Roger Tory Peterson inspired me to put this photo of mine together with his quote. Hope you enjoy it.
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.