Uploads from willievs, tagged southafrica

Lesser Grey Shrike

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:13:41 -0700

willievs posted a photo:

Lanius Minor (Gryslaksman)

Kruger National Park, South Africa

The cat of cats!

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 05:16:40 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

For us that is - the "cat of cats" issue. For us, the sighting of as leopard is the ultimate reward for long hours spent driving around in a national park! We spotted this sub-adult while it was chasing birds in a tree. It is just amazing how fast and agile they are in a tree! Luckily this one realized that we were desperate for a decent shot, and posed for a few seconds!

Fork-tailed Drongo in flight

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 04:26:16 -0700

willievs posted a photo:

Mikstertbyevanger
Dicrurus adsimilis
Kruger National Park, South Africa

Fork-tailed Drongo coming in for the landing

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 04:40:09 -0700

willievs posted a photo:

Mikstertbyevanger
Dicrurus adsimilis
Kruger National Park, South Africa

Lilac-breasted roller in flight

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:45:12 -0700

willievs posted a photo:

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Extreme overbite

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:07:57 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Quite an exceptional overbite, I think! It seems as if there might be numerous causes for this kind of disorder, but I could not find a logical explanation for this one as yet.

African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus)
Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Pretoria, South Africa

European Bee-eater taking off

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:52:11 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

The Merops apiaster feeds exclusively on insects, eating mainly bees, wasps, flying ants and termites. It mainly hunts aerially, catching insects from a perch, regularly returning to kill and feed on the caught prey item, and as such, the photographer's dream! You have to be quick though (and very lucky), as they take off without too much warning - my aplogies, that goes without saying!

Europese byvreter
Kruger National Park, South Africa

E: #401 - 2012-02-04

Scariest fly ever?

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:27:02 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Bromophila caffra
Red-headed Fly
Rooikopvlieg

I sure do not think the face of this guy is very attractive, scary rather, but I just had to capture it, although in the rain and handheld with a 100-400mm lens. (Wish I had the macro lens close-by, but that is just the way it is!) I have never seen something like this before. Just look at that face!! It was about 2cm in length.

Lower-Sabie, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Diderick Cuckoo

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:35:19 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Lake Panic, Kruger National Park, South Africa

The Diderick cuckoo is common in large areas of southern Africa, and lives in wide variety of habitats. It feeds exclusively on invertebrates, especially caterpillars. It is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in other birds nests, about 1 per nest but 22-24 can be laid in the whole breeding season. It destroys any eggs that the host has laid before laying its own, after which it leaves and is often mobbed by the host. Within the first three days of hatching, the cuckoo chick eats any the other eggs or chicks that weren't in the nest at the time of laying. It stays in the nest for about 19-22 days, and out of the nest, the chick remains with its adopted parents for about 21 more days.

Information Credit: biodiversityexplorer

The race is on...

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:31:26 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Impala rams taking off. As a result of what? No-one will ever know. They are skittish by default.

Red-backed Shrike (male)

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:27:12 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Rooiruglaksman
Lanius collurio

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Etiquette 101: Never put your head under someone else's toes

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:35:55 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

African Jacanas
Lake Panic, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Giant Kingfisher

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 21:38:19 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Reusevisvanger
Megaceryle maxima

Kruger National Park, South Africa

African Jacana

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:25:10 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

African Jacana
Actophilornis africana
Grootlangtoon

Lake Panic, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Yellow-billed Stork's beak with catch

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 22:40:19 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

..or maybe the title should be "the fish caught by a Yellow-billed Stork"!

Having photographed these birds quite a few times previously while they were presumably fishing, this was actually the first time that we have seen them actually catching something!

Sunset Dam, Kruger National Park, South Africa

Martial Eagle

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 20:15:41 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Polemaetus bellicosus
Breëkoparend

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Cub in the rain

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:51:38 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

If you look closely you might spot two long rain drops to the right of the cub.

Satara, Kruger National Park, South Africa

E: #310 - 2011-12-14

Bateleur (2)

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:31:41 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

After posting this bateleur two days ago, I found this image and think the tongue here is more dramatic.

Kruger National Park, South Africa

E: #180 - 2011-12-01

The rainmaker

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:27:53 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Lion marking his territory!

(No crop at all.)

Kruger National Park, South Africa

Two Red-breasted Swallows taking off in tandem

nobody@flickr.com (willievs) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:48:35 -0800

willievs posted a photo:

Hirundo semirufa
Rooiborsswael

Kruger National Park, South Africa