One problem we all have to confront when shooting digital is the number of photos it's possible to shoot in a few seconds - and then there's the time required to sort your way through the hundreds of files saved to disc. Since returning to Sydney I have spent days picking my way through thousands of images. Here are a few of our best bird shots - selected from over 30 game drives in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
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Perhaps the most iconic of all Africa's birds of prey, the African Fish Eagle can be found around the wetlands and rivers of the inland. It's the national bird of Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Most of these birds were photographed along the Chobe River in N.W. Botswana and in the Khwai Leadwood concession in the Okavango Delta (again in Botswana).
I was pleased at having seen so many new species on this trip - partly because the rangers we had were so knowledgable and quick to spot what is often just a flash of colour in the bush. This is obviously not my best shot - but it's the only one I have of an African Wattled Lapwing.
In Southern Africa, the BirdLife South Africa List Committee meets to discus the proper names for birds. It's this group of ornithologists and birders that quite often choose to re-ordering specific avian taxonomy - thus requiring all bird publications to be updated. A cynic might take this as little more than a commercial decision - in this example, African Lapwings used to be called Plovers - and many still call them just that, but that's the reason you might get confused when looking for the real name for some specific birds.
For Australians this is a very familiar-looking bird - the Sacred Ibis, though endemic to Africa, is very similar in appearance and physical size to the Australian White Ibis (also known as the bin chicken because of its ability to adapt to urban encroachment and scavenge, usually around rubbish bins).
While on the subject of the Ibis, this is another member of the its family, the Hadeda Ibis, featuring somewhat more interesting plumage than the Sacred Ibis (some would say). However this bird's claim to fame is that it's one of the loudest birds in Africa, announcing is daily departure (and return) from its roosting spot with a very raucous call that most people find infuriating.
Another favourite bird of mine is the Hammerkop - an Africaans word meaning 'hammerhead', as you can clearly see in the picture below. Not only does it have a wonderfully feathered head but it also has a solid-looking beak. It's closely related to the pelican family and the Shoebill Stork (which also has a similarly shaped beak, hence its name). As far as I know it bears no relation to the song "Hammerhead" sung by James Reyne the original vocalist for 70s band, Australian Crawl. Backing vocals on this song featured Olivier Newton John.
One aspect of this trip has been a growing interest in how evolution has shaped the appearance and behaviour of the wildlife, and especially the bird life that we saw in Africa. For example, the African Openbill Stork looks as though its beak is deformed in some way - most other birds have a beak that can close but the Openbill's beak appears twisted so it can't shut. As it happens this feature enables it to catch and handle its preferred food, freshwater snails, without dropping them. This might be especially important if, as is often the case, they might be being shadowed by a land predator or perhaps a bird of prey. So the question arises, did the beak originally develop from a deformity, or did it develop as such because there was a plentiful supply of snails?
Three images of the Arrow Marked Babbler, a somewhat innocuous-looking bird, until you look closer. It has a stunningly red eye and, as the name suggests, a very sharp-looking arrow pattern across the head and chest area that's reminiscent of old prison uniforms.
Here are three birds that you can easily spot throughout Southern Africa, especially around riverine, marsh, coastal and wetland areas. From left, the Blacksmith Lapwing, the Black-winged Stilt and the Crowned Lapwing. Following my previous comments about name changing, 'lapwing' has replaced its older name, the 'plover' although most of the rangers we spoke to admitted that 'plover' was still their go-to name.
A magnificent Blue Crane photographed in a recently made nature reserve only 30 mins drive from Cape Town. This place has a good range of plains animals and birds, including several Blue Cranes. The reserve is owned and run by Villiera Wines so, after your two hour game drive, you can spend some time tasting their excellent products!
The Blue Crane is also sometimes called the Stanley Crane or the Paradise Crane. It's the national bird of South Africa and unfortunately is described to be 'vulnerable'. Interestingly the Blue Crane is revered by the Xhosa and the Zulu - it is associated with bravery and is used as a decoration by warriors that have performed some great action of bravery. The Isitwalandwe Medal was created to honour anyone who had distinguished themselves in the fight against apartheid. Isitwalandwe means "the one who wears the plumes of the rare bird or blue crane".
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