PeterHG's fifth attempt

[PeterHG]

177 (SA 165). Wattled Starling. Kruger, February. This may have been the only time we saw them.

 

[PeterHG]

178 (SA 166) Brown-headed Parrot. Kruger, February. Seen few times in the northern regions of the park.

 

[PeterHG]

179 (SA 167). Brown-hooded Kingfisher. Kruger, February. We did not see it very often and it was far less common than the Woodland or the Pied Kingfisher.

 

[PeterHG]

180 (SA 168) Lizard Buzzard. Kruger, February. Actually just outside the park near Elephant River

 

[Peter Connan]

More lovely shots! I am amazed at how you seem to be able to get so close so often!

[Zim Girl]

More really beautiful birds from South Africa - enjoyed catching up.

[Dave Williams]

More quality shots added Peter, great stuff. 

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Peter Connan and @Zim Girl

 

4 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

I am amazed at how you seem to be able to get so close so often!

I have a deceivingly harmless look  and I do crop quite a lot.

[PeterHG]

Thank you @Dave Williams. 

181 (SA 169). Wire-tailed Swallow. Kruger, February.

 

[PeterHG]

182 (SA 170) African Hawk Eagle. Kruger, February. We only saw it twice on the trip. Both times close to the Sable Dam, near Phalaborwa.

 

[PeterHG]

183 (SA 171). African Pied Wagtail. Kruger, February. I do need to add 'African' here, as last week I also saw the European Pied Wagtail, an uncommon sighting here. I'll add this later on.

 

[PeterHG]

184 (SA 172) Red-billed Buffalo Weaver. Kruger, February

 

[PeterHG]

185 (SA 173) Purple Roller. Kruger, February. While we saw many LBRs and also quite a few European Rollers, we only got one, rather distant, view of the Purple Roller.

 

[PeterHG]

186 (SA 174). Red-winged Starling. Kruger, February. This one was taken during a lunch break in Letaba restcamp.

 

[PeterHG]

187 (SA 175). Crested Barbet. Kruger, February. The same bench as the previous photo.

 

[Soukous]

On 4/21/2020 at 4:07 PM, PeterHG said:

I have a deceivingly harmless look  and I do crop quite a lot.

 

and a very long lens

[PeterHG]

188 (SA 176). Cape Glossy Starling. Kruger, February. Same bench again. We were enjoying lunch and a cappuccino at a table some 10 metres from the bench. A bird photographer's life can be really hard sometimes 

 

[PeterHG]

189 (SA 177). Speckled Mousebird. Kruger, February.

 

[PeterHG]

190 (SA 178). Woolly-necked Stork. Kruger, February. Seen only once.

 

[TonyQ]

More excellent photos. The Barbet is a very striking bird.

It is good to hear that you are prepared to suffer to bring us these pictures 

I hope the coffee wasn’t too hot....

[PeterHG]

Thank you @TonyQ. The lunch was better than the cappuccino, but we survived

 

191 (SA 179). Red-billed Firefinch. Kruger, February

[PeterHG]

192 (SA 180). Water Thick-knee. Kruger, February.

 

[PeterHG]

193 (SA 181). Collared Sunbird. Kruger, February. We saw very few sunbirds on this trip and only 2 species. This one was near Phalaborwa.

 

[PeterHG]

194 (SA 182). Great Spotted Cuckoo. Kruger, February. Seen twice, once in Mopani Restcamp and this one was near Sable Dam.

 

[PeterHG]

195 (SA 183) Coqui Francolin. Dinokeng Game Reserve, February. A lifer for me. We had decided to spend the last three days not too far from Johannesburg and ended up in this reserve, which has only been open since 2011. Many local landowners joined in this venture to create a new big-five reserve and took down their fences. The owners of the lodge we stayed at were quite passionate about the whole project and proud of what they had accomplished so far. Rightly so, I should add.