Natural Bouquets

At this time of the year nature is at its most extravagant in the southern hemisphere - as this magnificent floral arrangement of 1 of many pincushion protea displays . . .

. . . or these pelargornium with their array of colour . . .

. . . as well as these erica highlighted by the afternoon sun.

Adding a "neutral" colour are these sewe-jaartjies (immortelles = daisy family if looking like dried flowers) presently blooming amongst many other fynbos (the Cape Floral Kingdom).

As is often the case with regard to the ENORMOUS range of indigenous plants found in South Africa, I haven't been able so far to identify this interesting "bouquet", which looks like another species of immortelle I discovered growing amongst the sewe-jaartjies (see above) in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

I'm not even sure if this is an indigenous flower (found it growing in the Storms River bridge area), but I believe it "deserves" to be included as another example of how nature "creates" its own bouquets.

Last but not least - another species of the pincushion protea family presently on natural display in the Cape Floral region.

Fine Plumage

Although the weather was disappointingly "somber" during the last tour through our beautiful country, it didn't stop the birds from "coming out to play" & to reveal their fine plumage - like this Giant kingfisher . . .

. . . or this Burchell's coucal also known as the 'rainbird' because of its typically mellow hooting voice during or after rain.

A special treat was this preening Black-bellied korhaan . . .

. . . as was spotting this Orange-throated longclaw.

Always a favourite in the plumage "department" is this Greater Double-Collard sunbird . . .

. . . whereas the larger sized Helmeted guineafowl usually occur in flocks.

Although an Olive thrush is quite a common resident amongst the South African Birds, its plumage generally tends to be more dull than this specimen . . .

. . . and whereas the plumage of a Hartlaub's gull isn't as colourful as those of the ones above, this bird nonetheless is posing quite impressively.