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.
LOL Wendy, can't claim to have been there, we were in Tanzania !!
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Regards, Hazel
Hi JK have been off here for a while and I come back and one of the first things I see is your post. I am going out to S Africa at the beginning of May and you have so wetted my appetite and got me really excited. Can I ask what kit you were using as I'm worried what to take with me to get some decent photographys
Shelley
Wow, what a fantastic set of photographs. I did have to smile at a couple of the names though, such as the Gray go- away bird. Thank you so much for showing them
Hi swampdonkey.
Gosh that's flattering - nobody ever asked me about my kit before.
It's nothing fancy - I have a Panasonic Lumix FZ45. It has a 24x zoom lens. Works well for a technical moron like me - but definitely not top of the range. Most of these photos were taken in places which get a lot of people visiting - e.g. Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, Cape Point, Kirstenbosch - maybe the wildlife is used to people so I was able to get reasonably close. The hornbill was actually feeding off scraps from someone's picnic and the weaverbird was part of a colony that was neting in a tree right outside the entrance to the local supermarket! Wish there was a UK equivalent nesting outside my local Sainsbury's. Have a fantstic trip and please share your shots when you get back.
NB Don't want to damp your enthusiasm for a country I love but South Africa has a crime problem - make sure you keep a close eye on your valuables.
Brenda - apparently it makes a call that sounds like "go-away" hence the name.
Thanks for replying so quickly, yes I have been warned about the crime problem so I am under no illusions and really the only thing valuable I will be taking is my camera and lenses, which never really leave my side. We start at Kruger then to Swaziland, Ezulwini, St Lucia, Isimangaliso, Knysna, Mossel Bay finishing off with a few days in Cape Town. If i get any shots as good as yours, you can be sure I will be sharing with anyone who draws breath. XXXXX
Look forward to your pics SD & then we can show you what you miss here - fair exchange??!!
2013 photos & vids here
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Your unidentified potential Thick-knee does indeed look like a Water Thick-knee.
It really is an amazing place for bird watching. I have loads of nice pictures from a trip to South Africa last august. I could make my own thread if there is interest.
Stunning set of shots!! What a memorable holiday that was!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Hi JK sorry I've just caught up with this post there, your photos are absolutely stunning! I've never seen any of those birds before, they are so colourful and beautiful :-) Brilliant, thanks so much for sharing, hope you had a wonderful time! :-)