We all love the Paradise flowers and today I will show a different side of the flowers because the wild residents of nature also love the flowers. So, this is not an ordinary flower post as you will see below.
Look carefully at the picture, and what do you see?
The flowers have sweet nectar that draws some beautiful visitors for a drink.
Whenever we go out there, I simply allow nature to play with my mind. No expectations, or entitlements, only an open mind and a come what may attitude. Therefore, I cannot be disappointed or downhearted if I don't get anything worthwhile to share. It's just my own way of doing things and it works for me. So, I walk around with my camera ready and thus far I have not had anything to moan about.
Ah! The Malachite sunbird was playing hide and seek with me. He was hiding behind the first leaf of the flower above.
Then I saw the little black spots on this flower below and I was worried that they might be pests.
Thankfully the spots were only ants collecting nectar and it was great to see how they worked in teams.
Another shot of the Malachite sunbird below, on a different flower.
Missus malachite also came in for a drink.
My eyes were tired from searching the paradise flowers and it was so easy to get this little "Sixy" in one of the dry trees. Its formal name is a Pintailed Whydah and the reason for calling it a "Sixy" is that the male normally has 6 wives.
Here below we have a Southern Double-collared sunbird that also came in for a nectar drink.
I was a bit surprised to see a little Cape White-eye on a paradise flower.
Finally, we have large Strelitzia bushes here and it takes time to inspect every flower for a visitor.
Amazing what a stroll along the strelitzia bushes can deliver. In this case the bushes were planted along the verge of a large parking area at a distance of about 50 meters and so it is not a very long walk. One also has to be very unobtrusive, as the birds can take off at the slightest abnormal movements near them. Unfortunately, mankind is responsible for most of the abnormal movements. One thing that I seriously dislike is when I focus my camera on something special and then people walk, or come and stand right in front of me, trying to see what I am aiming my camera at.
But such is life and I just carry on.
I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures and the story.
And That's All Friends.
Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.
