birds

I am always glad when I see African Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini) on the beach or next to an estuary. This oystercatcher is a protected bird with a population of less than 5,000 adults. They are noisy plover-like birds with completely black plumage, red legs and a strong broad red bill used for smashing or prying open mollusks such as mussels.The oystercatcher is unmistakable in flight with its all-dark plumage. The call is a distinctive loud piping. The nest is…

Only a mother can love a face like this

The Spotted Dikkop (Burhinus capensis) must be one of my favorite birds. I was surprised to find this pair and their chick (picture below) at the bottom of the Donkin Reserve. The Dikkop is a fairly big bird with a height of 34-43cm. The are normally found in pairs and prefer walking over flying. When they do fly is usually during dusk when they are in search of water. They are also a lot more noisy in the dark than…

Recently on a early morning walk while visiting in the Karoo, I found this Greater Striped Swallow sitting on the barbed wire farm fence while his kin was sweeping all over the show chasing insects. The Greater Striped Swallow, like all the other swallows you get around here, are summer visitors to our part of the world. They are fairly widespread throughout South Africa and can usually be seen perched on trees and fences or gliding over open, rocky or…