With shopping sorted ( yay..I could see again ) and a delicious lunch at the Blue Olive in Wilderness we headed back to camp. This was my last chance to get some birding done. I headed off to the Half-collared Kingfisher Trail armed with my raincoat and a waterproof bag for my camera. This trail runs along the opposite bank to the North Camp. No sooner had I started walking when the rain started as well. I persevered but there was neither sight nor sound of any feathered creatures whatsoever. The only creature that I found to photographed was this jumpy thing sitting on the railing along the pathway. I almost put my hand on it…I don’t do these jumpy things at all….so you can imagine the language ….I noticed that it was missing a back leg so I guessed it was no longer a jumpy thing but more of a crawly thing now. I very bravely walked past it. it was rather pretty though.
The rain was really pouring down by now but the trees provided some shelter. I decided I was really wasting my time so I packed my camera away and headed back to camp. Sometimes one just has to admit defeat and drink a cup of tea. About an hour later there was a break in the clouds so I rushed out but again I didn’t get much further than reception when the heavens really opened. I did manage to get the following though.
Streaky-headed Seedeater
Red-faced Mousebird
And finally a Lifer – Black-bellied Starling.
By the time we got to 16h00 it was really miserable and the rain looked like it was there to stay . In the meantime the other folk had arrived and we wondering how we were going to have a braai in the rain. We decided to wait until 18h00 before deciding whether to braai or to go into Wilderness for supper. The weather cleared and we were able to braai after all . That did irk me somewhat. The weather cleared for Doug to braai but misbehaved when I wanted to go birding. Oh well….
Doug doing what he does best…
We managed to get the braai done before the heavens opened again. The following day’s plans had been made….we would be leaving Wilderness at 9h30 to meet everybody at the George Classic Car Show . Providing I could get myself out of bed early enough I had one more opportunity to get some birding done.
The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Route
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- nan
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
what a nice green Grasshopper
and you got a Black-bellied Starling
Doug... and everybody
and you got a Black-bellied Starling
Doug... and everybody
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
Not bad for a rainy day, Michele. The Turaco is fantastic and the Blacl-bellied starling is also not easy to find. Great birding
The shiny crawler hopper is a Green Milkweed Locust nymph Phymateus leprosus
The shiny crawler hopper is a Green Milkweed Locust nymph Phymateus leprosus
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
The bird that I prefer is Doug braiing
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
all but one would be lifers for me. Great pictures again
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
Thanks all that are reading and commenting...:) I am off to the Walker Bay Bird fair this weekend so I guess I'll be a tad quiet over the next few days.
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
Lisbeth wrote:The bird that I prefer is Doug braiing
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
nan wrote:what a nice green Grasshopper
and you got a Black-bellied Starling
Doug... and everybody
Nan
a grasshopper may be green Nan but it is not nice....
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
Thx Toko..so it is not a jumpy thing after all...a crawly thing like the foam locusts one gets in Namaqua. Still a frightening creature.....Toko wrote:Not bad for a rainy day, Michele. The Turaco is fantastic and the Blacl-bellied starling is also not easy to find. Great birding
The shiny crawler hopper is a Green Milkweed Locust nymph Phymateus leprosus
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Re: The Rain Queen Strikes Again–a wet weekend in the G. Rou
Just catching up Michele. Despite the rain you managed to find some lovely birds and a lifer!