| On safari-- wildlife and nature photos |
 | Selinda's birds |
Point to the small images for captions, then click to enlarge the pictures
Selinda and the Okavango Delta are a birder's paradise. My choice to lead this page: the beautiful lilac-breasted roller, widespread in Africa and Botswana's national bird. It's beautiful at rest, even more so in flight with its shades of electric blue
My second subject is the white-backed vulture, in total contrast. That's Africa!
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Next is the African fish eagle, whose haunting call is one of the sounds of Africa. Then, the big martial eagle, the tawny eagle, and the bateleur-- so named because its very short tail causes it to fly as if balancing like an acrobat or juggler. Next, the long-legged terrestrial raptor, the secretary bird-- usually seen in pairs either on the ground or on the top of low trees, where they nest
Other large birds seen frequently or exclusively on the ground: firstly, a fairly rare sight, a southern ground hornbill in flight; then a ground hornbill with a lizard catch; the kori bustard, the world's heaviest flying bird; another bustard, the red-crested korhaan; the hooded vulture, usually in a minority with the white-backed vulture; the marabou stork, which feeds on carrion and is often seen with vultures; and of course, the flightless ostrich
There are plenty of small birds, too
And nocturnal birds, large and small
The grey lourie is a favourite of mine, called the 'go away bird' because of its call, "guh-waaaaay". I always ignore its advice. Then there are the similar-looking hornbills one encounters at every turn: the yellow-billed ('flying banana'), the red-billed ('chilli pepper'), and the orange-billed Bradfield's hornbill; the cattle egret which accompany buffalo, large antelope and other ungulates watching for food stirred up by their hooves; the yellow-billed and red-billed oxpeckers which search the same animals for parasites; the Senegal coucal which inhabits dry bushland but is seen here on the edge of Zibalianja lagoon; and the red-billed and other francolin which, like domestic fowls, forage in safari camps and run frantically ahead of safari vehicles as if their lives depend on it but never think to just step to one side
Last but not least, the many species of waterbirds, or birds attracted to the permanent water
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 | Cameras, lenses and film used at Selinda: Canon EOS1n and EOS5, with Canon 400/2.8 and 300/2.8 lenses, 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, 100-400 IS zoom lens, Sigma 17-35/2.8-4 lens, Canon 540EZ and 580EX flash; Fuji Sensia 100, Velvia (50 & 100 ISO), Provia 100F, and Agfa RSX II 200. Yvonne used a Canon EOS 1D Mark II with 100-400 IS lens. The Maplink on the left takes you to a detailed map of the Selinda safari area. You'll need to click on the map to enlarge it and scroll to view it fully. Go to the links below for more photographs from Africa and from Australia |
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