Tag: kirstenbosch gardens

Sugar

Posted on

A disappointingly unproductive morning at Kirstenbosch, with many of the local birds rather uninterested in being in front of any lenses. But on the plus side, there are certainly worse places to be while getting frustrated about the lack of feathered photographic subjects.

This Cape Sugarbird (Promerops cafer) was one of the few residents that was willing to have a quick shot taken today, whilst feeding – as expected – on one of the local Proteacae. But they are omnivorous and will also eat spiders and insects.
And if they get hungry… I’m sorry… they’ll what?!?

Dear God.

Let’s just hope that there is enough food around for the local Sugarbird population this year. Otherwise photography at Kirstenbosch is going to be even more difficult in the future.

More Cape Town “tourism”

Posted on

The quotation marks are because Kirstenbosch is somewhere we go fairly often anyway. Not like yesterday’s trip out.

Anyway, I was there this morning with my dad and my camera, and I managed to get a couple of images despite a somewhat quiet morning on the wildlife front.

I don’t profess to be an expert in these sort of things, but I’m fairly confident in saying that what we have here is a bird, and a frog.

I’m aware that it’s possible to be far more specific with classifying birds and frogs, but basically, as I understand it, the further you go down that road, the more likely you are to be incorrect. And so I’m sticking with my original identifications, and leaving things at a much more general – but also accurate – level.

A bird and a frog, then. In that order.

Amietia fuscigula & Cinnyris chalybeus for the curious and the taxonomists out there.

Day 728 – Sunbird on an Erica

Posted on

Wondering about that post above? You might want to look here.

Right, back to business. Sunbird on an Erica:

I know, I know, it’s serious.

Many early mornings at the moment seem to be being spent in Kirstenbosch Gardens, which is no bad thing at all. Always good to drag the last moments of summer out as long as possible, and our membership there means that we can sneak in long before the hoi polloi get their grubby feet all over the paths and lawns.

It’s also a lot quieter, meaning that the birds are less skittish and more willing to hang around the heathers and fynbos exhibits. As you can see above.

Day 586 – I know what I said

Posted on

I know what I said, but look at this little guy…

JUST LOOK AT HIM!

This was taken at Kirstenbosch this morning. Lovely wander (bit knackering up the hills, but needs must), obliging subject, decent light. Beeg lens: 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary 015

Tomorrow: election post mortem. (See, you’d rather have bird pics, wouldn’t you?)

Day 451 – Sunbirds in the wind at Kirstenbosch

Posted on

Father’s Day, and after some lovely gifts and a nice coffee in bed, I was lucky enough to be taken out (not in a Mafia way, no) for a picnic brunch at Kirstenbosch.

A few things that are relevant or of interest at this point:

It’s midwinter’s day tomorrow, but today is 28 degrees with a strong, gusting gale force, Bergwind blowing. (You’ll note that that link is illustrated with a photo from Kirstenbosch, almost as proof that it can happen there. Because it does.) It’s hot, dry and very breezy. Not bad for June, great to be out and about, but not great for watching the birds, as their perches were waving about all over the place and the feathery things themselves were very skittish.
Kirstenbosch was empty. Like, park right outside the gate empty. On a sunny Sunday morning (and Father’s Day, nogal) at 10am.
Why is this? Where is everybody? I don’t understand. Still: fantastic for social distancing.
Also, Kirstenbosch needs a bit of TLC. I’ve never had to say that before. Yes, of course it’s still utterly magnificent, but the lawns need a mow and the beds need weeding. Basic stuff that makes a lot of difference to the general appearance and the overall impression. I don’t know if this is a money thing or a Covid thing or a environmental decision, but it looks a bit tatty at the moment.

Anyway, after a very pleasant brunch and an international Zoom call to partially fulfill my own filial duties, I tried to find a few more sheltered places to get some quick shots. The pincushions were bright and cheerful, and the sunbirds were out and about. It was frustrating stuff with the birds flitting at the slightest movement and the flowers being buffeted by the wind from all angles, but I did manage to get a few decent images. You can see them on Flickr here.

I feel that in better conditions, I could have done better, and so I’m determined to pop back “soon” (it is just up the road and we are BotSoc members, after all) and see if I can improve on what I got today.

So… look out for that then, I guess.