📷 A - Z Bird Photography Isimangaliso Wetlands Park

Animal Sunday Photography My Contibution @homeartpictures

2013, 2014 and 2016 visits up to the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park, enjoy the A - Z of birds I have managed to photograph in the region.

All photography is my own (please ask permission before you use any of my photography) Photography taken with either Canon PowerShot A530 or Canon EOS 500D

African fish eagle comes up first on the list, the song of Africa that gives you goose bumps when you hear them high up calling as they ride the thermals.

African hawk-eagle taken at a distance, perched up high surveying what lies below. Grey skies did not make for a great picture, any bird of prey is worth trying a capture.

African jacana Stilted long legs wading the swampy ground finding nourishment amongst the plants. Light enough to walk on the plants leaves focusing on food beneath.

Collared-sunbird The brilliance of color on these little birds is stunning, darting in and out collecting nectar from the flowers in the trees.

Grey-headed gull Pretty little face, being in an area where everything is protected they actually allow you to come up quite close. One photo on the beach and the next is at Lake St Lucia - Charters Creek.

Kysna turaco Eden Igwalagwala forest trail is where many of the birds were seen, I have two photo's and not sure if the second is Livingstone's turaco they blend into the vegetation so well, with shadows in deep undergrowth it is hard to tell. They may both be the Kynsna turaco, photo's were taken years 2 apart.

Red-billed hornbill Hanging around enjoying the sun another relatively large bird in the area.

Red-capped robin-chat A flutter across the lawn while enjoying breakfast this little bird came looking for his breakfast too.

Southern-banded snake-eagle A rare sighting indeed, driving along at about 20 km I sighted this bird and shrilled in excitement that my husband reverse so that I could get out of the car to get a better look (did not know what I was looking at).

On stopping, other vehicles stopped (everyone stops to see what you have seen, it is a very South African 'thing') a tour guide stopped with his passengers and told me what I was looking at, said it was my lucky day (and his), he had never seen one before, local birders in the area are aware the bird is around, it is not seen very often.

Trumpeter hornbill A morning of sunshine and glorious weather being enjoyed by the birds, plenty of berries and fruits in the area for these medium sized birds.

White-collared sunbird Moving swiftly through the trees collecting nectar. Six different sunbirds are found in this region.

White-browed scrub-robin Moving very quietly through the undergrowth I don't think we would be spotted this little bird, it sat patiently to see whether we were friend or foe before taking hops deep into the undergrowth.