The African savannah not only supports the largest mammal on Earth, the Elephant. It also hosts the largest bird on Earth — the tall and heavy flightless bird, the Common Ostrich, standing up to 2.5 meters tall and weighing up to 130 kg.
The male ostrich displays black and white plumage, while the female is unmistakable in her subtle grey feathers.
Reviewing my Safari photos, I found nine bird species that I have not yet shared on the blog. Today, I will share three small birds we observed, the White Headed Buffalo Weaver, the Crowned Plover and the Woodland Kingfisher.
The high resolution of the Sony a7rV camera paired with the Sony lens (100-400mm) enabled me to capture these images from a comfortable distance that did not disturb the birds. I steadied the camera and lens with a bean bag rest on the jeep roof.
Next up: three African eagles…
On Safari in Tanzania, we spotted two large fowl roaming the same grounds as the lions, elephants and zebras. One is the Egyptian goose (size 60cm), seen here near a pond. Note the grey-buff body, black wings and dark patch around the orange eye.
We also spotted a little flock of Guinea Fowl, foraging along the ground for seeds, roots and insects including grasshoppers and termites. The male and female look similar, and they roost above the ground in the trees. Size is about 52 cm. (Source: Wildlife of East Africa by Withers and Hoskins.)
More African birds are coming up in this photography blog: we saw two types of eagles, kingfishers, flamingos, spoonbills, ibis and more.
A young child near me asked, “What are they doing?” Without taking my eye away from the camera, or my finger off the shutter button, I replied, “Making new Great Blue Herons.” I cannot not tell you how lucky I felt in that moment, to photograph this very special scene.
This photographer was ready at the right place, the right time feeling very grateful to make my favorite photograph of the season in Southwest Florida. If you are interested in owning a print, please contact Cathy Kelly at cathykellyphotography@gmail.com.
It’s fun to spot the Purple Gallinule tiptoeing through the freshwater stream, pecking around for food. When it steps into the sunlight, its brilliant colors delight the birdwatcher.
The Cornell School of Ornithology describes the Purple Gallinule’s behavior:
Purple Gallinules forage near the water’s edge, where they walk nimbly on muddy margins, or on aquatic vegetation. They hunt a bit like domestic chickens, walking slowly and investigating the vegetation with outstretched neck, or pecking at fruits or tubers. Like most rails, Purple Gallinules swim well, and they sometimes perch high in bushes and trees, where their long toes make them agile climbers.
Oh the beauty of the Great Blue Heron in flight: I see strength and grace, silent purpose, and independence.
If you are up to a full day bike hike through the hot, sunny Everglades, you will observe birds and alligators in abundance and a tremendous variety of photo opportunities.
I should be more precise: the Red Shouldered Hawk is the ONLY hawk I like. I think it’s such a handsome bird. It’s classy, quiet and artfully patterned. What do you think?
I like this pose in which the hawk tilts its head while looking at possible prey.
I first spotted this silent hawk directly above me. At this angle, its torso is foreshortened, but the morning light illuminates its habitat. You don’t need binoculars to observe this large hawk.
Welcome back, American White Pelicans! Every winter it is delightful to see the return of the true snowbird, this beautiful and enormous bird that migrates to Florida from the Great Lakes region. I usually find large flocks on them on Sanibel Island in the Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge and further south in “Ten Thousand Islands.”
In this close up photograph, the closely packed White Pelicans made an artistic arrangement. I see the composition as a white Christmas tree. I share the image with you as I send best wishes to you for a wonderful Christmas holiday filled with peace, joy and love.
Please share my blog post but not the photograph by itself. Prints are available upon request: cathykellyphotography@gmail.com.
The start of every wildlife photography outing is overshadowed by doubt. Will I see anything today? Will the wildlife come to me? There is a great deal of luck involved in success: while we plan for weather, the angle of the sun and the tides, we don’t control the wildlife. We just pray for it.
The other half of the success equation is preparedness. How often do we go out there? I tell myself that I won’t see anything staying home or sleeping in! How good is your equipment? How well do you use it?
On my last trip to Sanibel Island, Mother Nature gave me a gift. The sought after Roseate Spoonbills were feeding at low tide in the shadows of the mangroves. I was there with my Sony mirrorless camera, a 600mm lens and a tripod. All the pieces came together.
I delight in the pink hues of the Roseate Spoonbill’s plumage. In this photo the splash of pink contrasts the dark shadows of the surrounding mangrove and water.
I’m taking the liberty of calling this photo “My Eastern Bluebird,” because I was just complaining to a friend that I have never taken a satisfactory photo of an Eastern Bluebird. I just love the coloring of this elusive bird, which always seems a step ahead of me. In the past, by the time I focus the lens, he is gone.
I knew that I had captured a photo of an Eastern Bluebird, but the small bird was so far away from me, that I wasn’t sure how successful the photo would be. In fact, the background of the sky was just a bright, amorphous glare. Yuk.
As I processed the photo and liked the focus and coloring of the bird, with thanks to my Sony 200-600mm lens, fully extended at 600mm and mounted on a tripod, I went in search of a better sky to create a more harmonious image, and voila…
Blog: Cathy Kelly Photography 