African Masked Weaver Bird Nest Photography with @claudiaz

Category	birdnestphotos
Settings	f/7.1 1/400 sec ISO-100
Camera	Canon EOS 500D
Lens	Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm
Location	Amanzimtoti River KZN South Africa

Very common sight throughout South/Southern Africa the weaver birds are active normally around or near to water, building bird nests up in trees.

The male weaver will clear the branch selected of leaves, then knots a blade of grass or finely shredded palm leaves (as happens in our garden) to the branch to make an anchor, ensuring his next 5 days of building with his beak and feet is easier to manage.

Progress is when a sturdy hoop is linked to the thread, then start the knots and plait until the nest begins to looks like a neat oval bird nest. Young male birds practice on telephone wires, in trees just about anywhere, to attract a female later he really has to know his 'stuff' when it comes down to building nests.

More established older birds will proceed to make a good number of nests, these ladies are fussy, they will select a fresh sturdy nest only, before accepting his manly gestures, once she accepts she will literally "feather her own bed" finding soft lining for her home before laying eggs.

Oh by the way, these males also puff and preen their plumage with black faces appearing only on adult males, his singing and flapping around attracting females really needs to be outstanding! As mentioned these are exceptionally picky woman!

Photography has been resized for Steemit (to allow easier transfer on slow internet connection), no software manipulation on my photography, keep it true to what you see.

Thought for Today: You cannot stop planting cereals just because birds are going to feast on them. ~ African Proverb