PC's fifth attempt

[Peter Connan]

164) Violet-eared Waxbill

 

Koningblousysie

Granatina granatina

 

 

 

 

Never really got close enough, and the light was very poor by the time I found these guys, but I was very excited none the less!

 

29 March, Southern Botswana

[elefromoz]

@Peter Connan, the African Openbill, what an odd looking Bird was my first thought, seeing it with the snail, and your explanation, and it all made sense. The Green Backed Heron amongst the water- lilies is such a pretty photo..

[PeterHG]

That first Violet-eared Waxbill is a beauty, Peter, is spite of the poor light. Perhaps a little noise reduction on the background might enhance it even further. I did see the waxbill in Namibia this year, but did not manage a photo that came even close to what you got!

[Galana]

Love the Violet -eared Waxbill.

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @elefromoz, @PeterHG and @Galana

[Peter Connan]

165) Little Bee-eater

 

Kleinbyevreter

Merops pusillus

 

The highlight of the Makoro trip was being able to get really rather close to a few of these little beauties.

 

6 April, Seronga

 

On the 9th of June I was visiting Siyaya bush lodge in Dinokeng and had another very nice sighting. It was really early in the morning and pretty cold (they are one of just two species of bee-eater that are resident here, rather than summer visitors). I left the vehicle and approached on foot, to within 10 yards. I was really hoping one or two would take off, but they all remained glued to their perches. Of course, the moment I turned around, they all flew off...

 

 

 

 

A word on technique: Very few if any cameras' AF systems react fast enough to track a bird as it takes off and flies towards you. They are designed to track movement, and since there is none, that is what they track.

 

This is where back-button focus comes into play. The primary advantage of BBF is that it allows you to stop focusing at will. In a situation where a perched bird is likely to take off and fly towards you, you focus on the bird, and just tweak the lens's focus ring to bring the focus point slightly closer to you.

 

When the bird takes off, and assuming it does in fact fly towards you, it will then pass through the focus plane, and all you need to do is keep it in the frame and take a burst of photos. You keep your thumb of the AF button and don't need to keep the active AF points on the bird either.

 

Of course, it helps to have a camera with a high frame rate, and since for these shots I was using the old D7000 and 300mm f4, I didn't really.

 

This technique is still quite difficult, as you have to be patient and yet react like lightning when the bird does eventually take off, and has a low keeper rate at the best of times, but is the only way that has worked for me...

 

Edited July 3, 2018 by Peter Connan

[Peter Connan]

There was one more bird I got a reasonably decent photo of in Botswana, but before I was able to export it, both my portable hard drives failed in quick succession.

 

If the data is recovered, I will post it, but until then, this concludes the birds of Botswana. Just 23, many of which I have also since then photographed in SA.

[Galana]

Good luck with the recovery of photos. 75% or so can be recovered so fingers crossed. Odd that both HDs failed together.

[PeterHG]

Not so good about the hard drives, but a truly beautiful set of the Bee-eaters! Yes, BBF has definite advantages in situations like you describe. Still quite difficult to pull it off, so well done!

[xelas]

Great bee-eaters photos, and great info on BIF. 

[TonyQ]

A reat selection of shots of the Bee-eaters - the inflight one is amazing, and I particularly like the group photo huddled together.

That is really bad luck to have 2 external drives go at the same time, I hope you manage to recover your photos.

[Soukous]

super additions Peter.  The Bee Eaters are lovely but I like the Violet Eared Waxbill. Still waiting for a decent shot myself. 

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @Galana, @PeterHG, @xelas, @TonyQ and @Soukous

[Peter Connan]

166) Red-headed Finch

 

Rooikopvink

Amadina erythrocephala

 

I had only ever seen these in the Kalahari, until this pair took over a disused Masked Weaver's nest in my garden. In the middle of winter.

Unfortunately, I never did find much time to spend with them.

 

Female:

 

Male:

 

Interestingly, the male was always the one feeding the chicks, while the female remained outside, making a lot of noise. Then they would both fly away, to return more than an hour later (much longer than the Weavers took who built the nest).

 

26 May, Kempton Park.

[xelas]

3 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

the male was always the one feeding the chicks, while the female remained outside, making a lot of noise

 

Careful here, Peter, someone could misread your words ... . As for the birds, isn't it great when you do not need to crop the hell out of a photo?!

[Peter Connan]

Thanks @xelas. It is nice indeed!

[Peter Connan]

167) Spotted Thick-knee

 

Gewone Dikkop

Burhinus capensis

 

 

 

27th May, Rietvlei

[Galana]

Only one word to describe those...."Superb".   I have never ever seen one fly let alone photo it.

Lovely focus on the portrait.

[offshorebirder]

Red-headed Finch (especially the male) is a handsome bird @Peter Connan.   It reminded me of Cut-throat Finch and I looked them up and they are close cousins.

 

[Peter Connan]

Thank you very much @Galana and @offshorebirder.

 

Nate, the cut-throat is very high on my wish list. I have seen lots of photos, but never the actual bird!

[xelas]

@Peter Connan, do I see a photographer in the Thick-knee retina ?!

[Peter Connan]

No @xelas, that is a small tree.

 

I was lying flat on the ground!

 

[offshorebirder]

3 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Nate, the cut-throat is very high on my wish list. I have seen lots of photos, but never the actual bird!

 

I am surprised Cut-throat Finch is a nemesis bird for you @Peter Connan - my Sasol app says they occur around Joburg and Pretoria.   I guess they are localized and tricky to find?

 

 

[TonyQ]

The Thick knee portrait is a stunning photo.

 

[Peter Connan]

Indeed @offshorebirder, although the SABAP maps show them only on the very northern edge of Gauteng. But I have certainly been to places where they should be as common as they get.

 

Thank you very much @TonyQ