Loving Birds

Whilst the "jury is out" on who reaches the finals of the Beauty Contest (SEE: last blog entries), here is some "food for thought": southern African birds revealing endearingly loving attitudes.

Rock pigeons - smooching

Laughing doves - flirting

Laughing doves - in ecstasy?

Blackeyed bulbuls - cuddling up

Motherly love - a Moorhen & chicks

The Aftermath - Ground hornbills

Arrowmarked babblers - preening

More preening - Wood hoopoes

Feeding time - a Crested barbet & youngster

"I smaak you" (SA slang for: I adore you)
African penguins

Revealing interest - 'madame' & 'monsieur'
Greater flamingo

Aren't they all cute?

Beauty Contest - Cat. 10

Thought the Beauty Contest was over & done with?

Well the last entry (a Rockhopper Penguin) in Cat.9 'introduced' an exotic "flavour" so here goes - some Exotic Birds:


This otherwise quite large bird, a peacock, looks rather small once its magnificent feathers are 'spread wide'.







And this?

A peacock's rear-end!

[No hidden message included]








A Scarlet ibis - only found in some bird parks in SA, because it hails from the northern parts of South AMERICA.








This Sulphur Crested cockatoo has its 'home' in Indonesia.











The Carolina Wood duck is a native of North America or Cuba.







As its name, Mandarin duck, indicates, this bird is at home in Eastern Asia (as far as southern China).






With its multi-coloured plumage, this Royal (or Golden) Breasted starling - from East Africa - certainly deserves to 'proclaim' royalty!









Doesn't this Buffoni Green touraco - from West Africa - look a lot like our Knysna OR Livingstone's lourie (= touraco)?






And to really (= finally) introduce THE END of this Beauty Contest - an irradiant Solomon Eclectus parrot with its 'home-base' in New Guinea + the Solomon Islands.

Beauty Contest - Cat.9

Since this is the final category in the Beauty Contest (for southern African birds) today's entries represent quite a "potpourri" of birds.


This Laughing dove is 'designated' to represent the entire dove family in this contest, because the pigeons are vying for more 'space'!






Although it's a common bird in southern Africa, a Rock pigeon is a handsome specimen + therefore deserves a place in this contest.







A less common resident (= only found in certain parts of the country) is the Green pigeon - often difficult to locate because of its habit to remain still amongst the foliage + therefore concealed by its cryptic colouring.



A Rameron pigeon is similarly 'constrained' to specific regions + is best found on treetops in the late afternoon, where they go to roost early + to sun themselves.


Like the Laughing dove, this Yellowbilled hornbill is also the sole representative of the entire hornbill family (To view e.g. the impressive Ground hornbill, SEE 2 of my previous blog-entries: "While on Tour", posted Sat. 26 July 2008 OR "Exemplary Birds", posted Tues. 22 April 2008).


A Grey Lourie (lately classified as one-of-a-kind) might be rather 'drab' to enter a Beauty Contest, but so what - who dares to stop it when IT CAN?






According to the latest bird classifications this is no longer called a Knysna lourie; instead it's classified as a touraco - 1 of many respectively handsome birds in this family.








Last but not least an African penguin - previously called a Jackass penguin because of its donkey-like braying. It's the only penguin permanently frequenting the southern African coastline.






What do we have here?

A vagrant!

This Rockhopper penguin occasionally comes ashore on the Cape coast, but tends 'to live' on Bouvet, Marion & Prince Edward islands.


So this is it! The end of the Beauty contest. Who deserves to win?

You be the judge.

Mother's Day

When I opened Google this morning I immediately noticed that the logo is all pink and 'flowery' today - how sweet! In the same trend I'm "interrupting" my Beauty Contest (SEE: previous entries) and present today with what I recently had some fun (= I played around). I chose some of my photos + then "allowed" Nero Photosnap Essentials to do the rest. [Just click on each photo to enlarge]

I hope you enjoy the result: a few Kaleidoscopes to 'enhance' your day - Happy Mother's Day to all those who 'qualify'!

King Protea

Fish Eagle circling

Acacia tree

A Rainbow

The Sun

Greater Flamingoes

A Flower-stem

A Sunset

The Moon

Enjoy your day!

Beauty Contest - Cat.8

Category 8 = Raptors, Vultures, Owls & Francolins


To encounter a raptor like this Greater kestrel at close range is always a pleasure - just sad when it 'represents' only its back instead of a side-on or frontal view!




At least this magnificent-looking Martial eagle wasn't 'shy' to present itself "full on" - unfortunately and is often the case (SEE repeated argument = previous blog-entry) the sun was partly shining from the 'wrong' angle when this photo was taken.





Distinguishing between a Whitebacked vulture & a Cape vulture (SEE: next entry/contestant) can be a "complicated affair" unless the white back is visible - as obviously is not the case in this photo, BUT at close range it's a matter, then, of the eyes!

A matter of the eyes? Yes, because in contrast to the dark eyes of a Whitebacked vulture, a Cape vulture has honey-coloured eyes (other than also having a more pronounced, whiter 'hood' than the previous contestant).


This particularly cute Scops owl is a "permanent resident" at the Afsaal camp in the Kruger National Park. Anybody visiting this world-famous game reserve can admire this generally small owl - the camp attendants at Afsaal even display a 'marker' if this owl is 'stationary' in one of the acacia trees there.






Although not a permanent resident, this Grass owl (OR is it a Barn owl?) was also 'snapped' at the Afsaal camp - would an expert on birds (owls) please 'settle' the matter of which of the 2 closely similar owl species this is?








This owl represents a similar (identification) problem, especially because it was photographed nowhere near its customary habitat. It appears to be a Marsh owl (rather than a Whitefaced owl)?





The quite large family of francolins is certainly well-presented by this handsome + rather uncommon Shelley's francolin.








In contrast to the vultures, where identification is a 'matter' of the eyes, amongst some francolins, identification is 'based on' the colour of the legs = a Swainson's francolin is the only red-necked francolin with black (> red) legs!



Which 'representative' deserves to win in this category?

You be the judge!

Beauty Contest - Cat 7

Category 7 comprises: Ducks, Geese & Wading birds (= Group B of Inland Water birds).


This photo of a Whitefaced duck is proof of how important the 'right' illumination (= the angle of the sun outdoors) is to accomplish the 'best' results.




Accordingly - had the sun illuminated this Yellowbilled duck from a different angle, the otherwise irradiant bluish colour on the wing would have been more pronounced (= enhanced).



Similarly "more" sunshine would have enhanced the plumage of this multi-cultured Egyptian goose. Nonetheless a clear photo + as 'worthy' as the previous 2 contestants to "place a stake" as a possible winner.




The 'right' illumination continues to be a topic today - what a shame that some shade is 'covering' this Moorhen.






The first response to this photo of a Blackwinged stilt is: "cute". In contrast to harping about the 'right' illumination, the case here is that a more 'powerful' camera would have done this sighting more justice.








This Common sandpiper represents the entire sandpiper family in this contest - because unfortunately + so far, only 1 other member (= a Wood sandpiper) features in this photographers "archive".



This Threebanded plover is a member of a 'large' family, although (in comparison) a rather small bird. 'Better' illumination is also missing.




As has been argued, the 'right' illumination enhances the look, as is evident on this photo of a Crowned plover - the winner in this category?





What do we have here? A group of Wattled plovers? However interesting these birds are (+ posing from 'different' angles) this entry creates a dilemma - because 1 individual/entry is the criteria! Therefore the verdict is: disqualified!!

Who 'deserves' to win in this category?

You be the judge!