Bird life at KwaFubesi Tented Camp. Limpopo Province

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One of my favourite birds, the Lilac Breasted Roller.
This was the National bird of Botswana until 2017.
The unofficial National bird, (awaiting confirmation), is the Kori Bustard.
This is just one of several Roller species
 that can be found in various reserves in parts of South Africa.
A first for me…
An African Green Pigeon.
And although this might be “just a pigeon”.
it is a very attractive one at that.
A Reed Cormorant, doing a delicate balancing act.
I momentarily thought that this was a Darter,
until I took a closer look at the neck and the colouration.

 

Clear skies…
This Burchell’s Coucal was NOT living up to its reputation as the Rain Bird.
These stunning birds can often be found in suburban gardens.
Larger than expected, they are often mistaken for a pet
 when in the undergrowth.

 

Black birds are usually very difficult to photograph.
Luckily the late afternoon light was in my favour
as I was able to capture this image of a Forked Tailed Drongo

 

Another almost all black bird…
But once again the lighting played along,
and lit this Magpie Shrike beautifully
A Swainson’s Spurfowl perched on a dead branch.
Not seen here often during the day…
They can usually before scurrying around for food.

 

This bird used to be known as the Grey Loerie.
Then for some reason, the ornithologists decided to change that name to…
the Grey Go-Away Bird.
What a negative name it now has…
even though their call does sound like “Go away”.
I wonder if the species was offered therapy
to get over the name change.

 

The Lion King made this Southern Yellow billed Hornbill (Zazu in the movie)
almost as famous as Pumba the Warthog.
These birds can be very cheeky and will often be found
on buffet tables looking for a free meal.
A Pied Kingfisher patiently waiting for a meal to swim into range.

 

The most iconic bird in the African bush…
The African Fish Eagle…
And one of the easiest of the raptors to identify.
Because of its white breast feathers,
it often stands out when on a dark background.

 

And finally…
A different Lilac Breasted Roller.
This one all puffed up in the fading afternoon light.
Damian was my ranger for the duration of my stay.
And NO, this was not his hat…
It had fallen off another vehicle and we were returning it.
The guests on our vehicle dared him to put it on.
And he accepted the challenge!
He is a very knowledgeable young man,
 who takes pleasure in sharing information with his guests.
To find out more about this camp and what they offer,
visit:
 
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