A great day marred by football

Up properly early – lobbed some bacon in some baps for the car – and off to De Mond Nature Reserve up along the coast. Away so early that the sun wasn’t up and the owls were still hunting from the poles along the Suiderstrand road.

Deliciously cool and with some lovely light, I was actually a bit disappointed with some of the photos I got. Seemed like they should have been better, but I wasn’t on my A-game today. Still, loads to see on our 6km walk, including three new birds for me. I’m no prolific birder, but I’ve seen a lot in the Western Cape, so three new species in a single morning is pretty good going.

And then, after yesterday’s Secretary Birds, a Denham’s Bustard (var Stanleyi) (obviously, down here!!) on the way home. Nice, albeit at a bit of a distance.

The early start permitted a phat afternoon nap, which was duly accepted, and while the playoff semi-final first leg didn’t go too well, the fire is lit, the braai is on the go and with loadshedding at 8, we’re hunkering down for an evening of atmosphere, brandy and battery-powered LED lighting.

It’s been a (generally) good day.

Bird

Loving this “new” camera.
And I like my photo of a bird that I took in Suiderstrand yesterday.
I’m not really an expert on birds, but I think that this one is a juvenile Rock Kestrel – that’s Falco [tinnunculus] rupicolis to you (or Carl Linnaeus). See how it doesn’t yet have the grey head of the adult Rock Kestrel? But equally, lacks the paler underside of the Lesser Kestrel  (Falco naumanni)?
Yeah, this one has got juvenile Rock Kestrel written all over it*.

Fortunately, I have plenty of bird experts on hand who will be happy to put me right, should I have misidentified this feathery thing.

This little guy was ever so obliging, hanging around on a window ledge for ages and ages while I pointed and shot. This sort of photogenicity is rare in wild birds of prey – they’re usually really standoffish – and is to be applauded.

 

* note to self – patent labelling system to better differentiate birds of similar appearance.

Brandfontein colours

You were warned that this week would be photo heavy, and so it has proven to be. Today are no exception.

No trip through to Black Oystercatcher would be complete without several stops to see buzzards, flamingusses and these wholly unadulterated colours at Brandfontein.

And then, at the end of it all, there’s some superb food and wine to be had. And a swimming pool for the kids, which is good because it was 40 degrees celsius in the shade today. Hawt.

We had a lovely time and the Flickr album has been updated once again.