Reed Cormorant & Wattled Lapwing.

Got lucky Saturday afternoon late,  and managed to photograph a Reed Cormorant. These birds are usually very skittish and fly away as soon as they see you. Took these photos on maximum zoom.


Click on photos to enlarge and see detail.

Reed Cormorant, (Phalacrocorax africanus). Head cocked to one side and keeping a beady eye on me.

Note how the webbed feet are adapted for holding on to branches. Egyptian geese have the same ability and love sitting in trees near water.

The African Wattled Lapwings have started to get used to the dogs and I, and let us get to within 40 meters to take these photos, rather than the usual almost 200 meters. Here the wattles can be clearly seen.

The birds feathers are all ruffled as there was a chilly east wind blowing.

Bokmakierie.

Saw all the usual birds on my walk this afternoon, plus two that I have not photographed before. The bird in the first three photos is called a Bokmakierie, this is as a result of it's call, a duet, bok-bok-bok, with a, trrreee, responce.

Bokmakierie, (Telephorus zeylonus) This is a Shrike like bird, that lives of insects, small reptiles, birds, and sometimes fruit.

This bird, a male, seems to be clarring at me for intruding on it's privacy. There was a female but she kept well out of sight in foliage of the thorn tree.

Turned it's back on me to show it's disdain. 

The African Wattled Lapwings let me get much closer this afternoon and I got this very clear photo. Click on photo to enlarge.

Last but not least, two female Southern Red Bishop weaver birds, two very demure ladies. The females always fly away at my arrival at the dam, while the males stay protectively at the nests. This afternoon I spotted where these two landed and took this photo. Compare with the male below.

African Wattled Lapwing

Decided to take a look at a different part of the farm this afternoon, a small piece of wetland, and came across a small flock of African Wattled Lapwings. 

  
African Wattled Lapwing, (Vanellus senegalus) The yellow wattle, hanging from the base of the beak, (mandible) is obscured by the stem of a plant in this picture.

The wattle can be seen in this photo. Even though I was very far from them these birds were very wary of me and the dogs.

Here the white crown and the red stripe between the crown and the yellow beak with a black tip, can be seen. The wattle is also visible in this photo.


These photos were taken at extreme range, I found it hard to see the birds with the naked eye and difficult to pick them up in the camera view finder.


This new camera of mine is worth every penny I paid for it.