Kalaharikind merel(y) lark(ing) about in 2021

[Kalaharikind]

@Kitsafari, the swee is indeed a lovely bird, and my EBC pic does not do them much justice.

 

It seems there are two Stony Points - the one much further south, and the one in South Africa. So no, our two penguins did not make an arduous trip to Australia, they are safe and sound in South Africa. 

 

Guinea fowls are drama queens indeeed, and yes, it's funny how we miss things that might be irritating at times!  

 

 

[Kitsafari]

49 minutes ago, Kalaharikind said:

@Kitsafari, the swee is indeed a lovely bird, and my EBC pic does not do them much justice.

 

It seems there are two Stony Points - the one much further south, and the one in South Africa. So no, our two penguins did not make an arduous trip to Australia, they are safe and sound in South Africa. 

 

Guinea fowls are drama queens indeeed, and yes, it's funny how we miss things that might be irritating at times!  

 

 

 

 

@Kalaharikind geeez, my error - i must be dreaming of Australia. For some unfathomable reason, I thought you were in Australia. 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

@Kitsafari, I think everybody on here has from time to time muddled up people's whereabouts, whether at home or traipsing around in the wild 

 

87) Little egret          Kleinwitreier          Egretta garzetta (and what a mellifluous scientific name!)

 

 

88) Cape Cormorant          Trekduiker          Phalacrocorax capensis

 

 

Juvenile in the centre, the adults in their breeding finery

 

89) White-breasted Cormorant          Witborsduiker          Phalacrocorax lucidus

 

 

90) Crowned Cormorant          Kuifkopduiker         Phalacrocorax coronatus 

flanked by Cape Cormorants

[Kalaharikind]

Weather update: it's freezing cold here in sunny Saffaland and there's snow on the mountains around us. Light sprinling of flour yesterday that the rain mostly washed away, but rather more this morning. I've asked that the fire be lit. Can spring be far behind? 

 

91) Black Oystercatcher          Swarttobie          Haematopus moquini

 

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

92) Kelp Gull          Kelpmeeu          Larus dominacanus

 

Sunning himself; I guess that today they must all be huddled together for some warmth...

 

 

[Kalaharikind]

93) White-fronted plover          Vaalstrandkiewiet          Charadrius marginatus

For your enjoyment only - a fail-better version of No 2

Edited July 18, 2021 by Kalaharikind

[PeterHG]

So good to see another batch of birds from your beautiful country. We did see the penguins, but on Boulder's beach. We've since learned that Betty's Bay may be a less crowded place to see them. Great shots of the black Oystercatcher, by the way!

[Kalaharikind]

@PeterHG Betty's Bay is probably quiter - and a lovely drive from CT - so keep in mind if/when you visit again. Glad you enjoyed the Black Oystercatcher pics!

[Peter Connan]

Beautiful!

[Kalaharikind]

This overexposed bird had me in my usual default mode -utterly confused - when trying to ID it. It's not supposed to occur here, but I guess birds don't always rely on distribution maps to see if they are where they're supposed to be. With all the wheat farms in the area, I suppose food is plentiful, which would explain their presence.

 

93) Red-billed Quelea          Rooibekkwelea          Quelea quelea

F, non-Br

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Kalaharikind

[Kalaharikind]

@Peter Connan Thank you!

[Kalaharikind]

The Product Improvement Edition

 

This Cape Wagtail is much nicer than the posted EBC Cape Wagtail

 

 

EG and chicks

 

 

 

TBC (I hope)

[Dave Williams]

Love the Black Oystercatcher, it's on my wish list!

 

TBC= To be confirmed or continued? As you have an Egyptian goose already I presume it's continue. You most certainly must!

 

Edited July 14, 2021 by Dave Williams

[Kalaharikind]

@Dave Williams As far as I know the Oystercatchers are still on the endangered list, but the ban on beach driving has made a difference in their numbers.

 

 

If I get better pics of my numerous EBCs, I'll definitely post them. Birds deserve better, not so?

[xelas]

If going the way of Betty's Bay then visiting HaroldPorter Botanical Gardens is a must!

 

@Kalaharikindcongratulations on excellent set of photos; it might be cold in your part of the workd but conditions are excellent for birding and photography.

[Kalaharikind]

@Xelas Thanks for your kind words. I'm not sure my photos always deserve compliments, but hey, I'll take them when I get them!

 

Harold Porter is a lovely place in to wander around in. Haven't been there in a while because of you-know-what, but I plan to be there asap.

 

Not sure if you're following the Tour, but your young fellow-countryman was a joy to watch yesterday, with his stage win in the maillot jaune!

[Kalaharikind]

It was a dark and stormy night in June....

and the lockdown escape that I had been looking forward to for quite a while was not much better. The fog was so thick that I could barely see from the one telephone pole to the next - and my plan was to drive along the Swartriver Road (Black River) to a small nature Reserve, called Rooisand (Red Sands) to see what birds (if any!) crossed my way. With the fog so thick, I drove slowly, hoping it would lift, and when I turned off on to the Swartrivier Road, it was mostly gone. I was on a dirt road, in farming country, with only a few farmers on tractors and complicated farm implements on the road.

 

Cattle, sheep, Spur-winged goose, Blue Crane - and lambs playing at being stones. 

 

94) Red-billed Teal          Rooibekeend          Anas erythrorhyncha

 

 

Those farm implements? I'm sure they had at one stage played a role in this scene.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2021 by Kalaharikind

[michael-ibk]

Good to see you back in the game, just a joy to see African birds. Not long until 100 now! 🙂

[Kalaharikind]

@michael-ibkIf only @Peter Connanwere participating this year... Birds in all their beauty.

 

Yes, the big  100 is coming up - I never thought I'd actually make it. New target: 150, and take it from there

[Kalaharikind]

Product Improvement Edition 

 

Perhaps 'Fail better' would be a better description . These were all photographed along the Swartrivier road

 

You last saw the Grass Pipit running away on a dirt road in the Bossieveld; this time it's posing prettily on rusted barbed wire

 

Having a bath on the Van der Stel Pass earlier, now (also) as a BoW: Cape Canary

 

 

Southern Red Robin: the LBJ version.  A far cry from the male in his breeding plumage at Augrabies NP. 

 

And before you start thinking that all of these Fail Better birds were glued on to farm fencing: Yellow-billed Ducks in flight. First posted as an EBC from the Bossieveld 

 

Years ago porcelain ducks-in-flight on a living room wall was the in-thing in interior decoration. Was it just a South African thing, or do you from other parts of the world also remember it?

 

 

[Galana]

Moving along nicely and showing some teasing reminders of some favourite haunts.

As to the Wall ducks. Some of us in British Isles will recall a set of ducks in the Coronation Street 'house' of one Hilda Ogden I am sure.

[Kalaharikind]

@GalanaRight, so the trend must have migrated  either from north to south or south to north.  I don't think we ever had CS on TV so what I know of the series is very superficial. For how long has it been on TV?

[Galana]

3 hours ago, Kalaharikind said:

For how long has it been on TV?

First episode on 9th December 1960. Call it 60 years.

Just for you.

 

[Kalaharikind]

@Galana Did you go and Google the date? Could have done that myself - I was hoping for the Galana-ism of 'since Moses was a baby'  But thanks for the trouble - and the pic. Saw it somewhere - Grauniad, perhaps?

 

[xelas]

On 7/15/2021 at 3:40 PM, Kalaharikind said:

Not sure if you're following the Tour, but your young fellow-countryman was a joy to watch yesterday, with his stage win in the maillot jaune!

 Everyone in Slovenia is following Tour! Who would say that cycling is such a thrilling sport?!