This is where I spent several days recently. A purpose-built photographic hide at Antares Bush Camp that had all the bells and whistles.
What to do while awaiting the arrival of the bigger species? Photograph EVERYTHING that is in front of you.
This Bumble bee kept me entertained while I sat and waited for something large to fill my viewfinder.
However, if you look closely there is a whole micro-biodiversity that this flower is supporting. It is these moments that make time in a photographic hide special.
Like the silence between the notes of a piano concerto, so these opportunities make me away of all that nature offers.
Antares is a self-catering lodge, and this Giant Kingfisher took that at face value when it caught this fish for breakfast.
No hanging about waiting for staff to serve a full English, but it did take more than one attempt to get this.
Fork-tailed Drongo coming into land.
This bird species is a great mimic and can do other bird species as well as the alarm call of smaller mammals!
They feed on insects that they catch in flight or on the ground. They are accomplished mimics and have a variety of alarm calls, to which other birds and animals often respond. They are known to utter hoax alarm calls that scare other animals off food, which the drongo then claims.
A male Green-winged Pytilia enjoying some ‘alone’ time. These tiny birds were active on the far side of the water hole and given the fact that the hide is situated and ground level, it enables visitors, in situations like this, to get a birds-eye perspective of what is going on.
And then he was joined by a female Green-winged Pytilia and he no longer looks to be too happy.
Time for reflection? This was a first for me, a Golden Breasted Bunting.
Three little birds all in a row…one flew off and then there were two little birds sitting in a row…
“Did I do that”? is what this Spotted Flycatcher seems to be thinking.
Blue Waxbills are some of my favourite smaller species found at waterholes and even bird baths situated at a lodge.
This particular Heron sat on the same branch every morning that I was in the hide.
It would wait patiently for the sun to warm it before taking off.
When I was in camp, these were the final days of the European Bee-eaters before they took off for their migration back to Europe.
In between the Bee-eaters is a dove that is stretching its wings in preparation for taking off in search of a morsel for breakfast.
Yellow-billed Hornbill, also known as the Banana bird, for obvious reasons or, thanks to Disney, as Zazu.
Terrapin and not a bird I know, but it kept passing in front of the hide as if wanting to be included.
A view of the hide from the deck of the main building.
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