South Africa

Just got back from sunny South Africa for family New Year with friends. In between being sociable and entertaining children managed to get my binoculars out. What a birding paradise this country is!

I'm going to have to go back for longer, preferably after saving up enough money for a longer lens than I presently possess (and gaining more biridng/photography experience). In the meantime the following birds were good enough to stay still for long enough for me to have a stab at photographing them. (Saw other breeds too but failed to get shots). They're all fairly common out there but they  looked pretty exotic to a  London based beginner birder. (Incidentally these are my amateur identifications -if anyone knows better fell free to correct me):

From Kruger area:

Gray go-away bird

Laughing dove

Blackeyed bulbul?

Blacksmith lapwing

Ibis

Lesser striped swallow

Red-billed hornbill

I'm open to suggestions - Thickknee?

Lesser masked weaver bird

From Cape Town area:

Even I can confidently identify African (Jackass) penguins on Boulders Beach!

Cape Cormorant

Cape sugarbird

Rock kestrel

Bully canary

Glossy ibis

Sacred ibis

Cape Rock thrush - female

Cape rock thrush -male

Orange breasted sunbird - male

orange breasted sunbird? -female

Lesser double-collared sunbird?

And of course it's not just birds. ..

And my children thought the rock dassies were sweet...

So if an amateur like me can spot all that in just a short time what bounties await those of you who know what they're doing. If you haven't been already  get out there and happy birdng.