Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Birding in South Africa

While in SA recently, Grant and I did a last motorcycle trip to nearby Clarens in the Eastern Free State Highlands. On the way there, we stopped to drink coffee (we always pack a flask), enjoy the beautiful weather and for me to photograph the scenery. 

 Frequently along the way we spotted birds on the telephone wires and eventually Grant stopped so that I could get photos.

Amur Falcon sitting quietly on the wire looking out for a meal

Almost below the wire where the falcons were sitting, I zoomed in on a grasshopper on a Statice plant. Perhaps this is dinner for the patient birds above?

Dinner perhaps?

I'm linking my post to Wild Bird Wednesday which you can access by clicking here
at

7 comments:

  1. Betsy Banks Adams03 April, 2013 05:36

    Hi Jo, That falcon is gorgeous.... He looks like he was posing for you!!!!
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. Gaelyn03 April, 2013 08:23

    Glad you got some birding in along your ride. Saw a lot of static and Huge grasshoppers near Nieu Bethesda.

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  3. Gattina03 April, 2013 10:38

    The picture of the grasshopper is amazing ! That's something for Rosie ! She would jump behind, lol !

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  4. Fred Alton03 April, 2013 16:01

    Hi, Jo! I love, love, love your new header. Very attractive. I've recently had the opportunity to fly down to Dar for a "turn-around" trip but just did not feel I should try that much adventure. Our Missions department needed an escort for a young couple who had never traveled outside the USA. It would have been fun ... but I just didn't feel quite ready yet. Maybe one day soon.

    Love the pictures here. SA has a lovely country-side.

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  5. Pat03 April, 2013 18:50

    These are wonderful falcon and grasshopper close-ups! That would be a tasty meal for the falcon.

    I saw on the news that Israel was having a plague of locusts in the Sinai Desert recently.

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  6. Stewart M04 April, 2013 01:17

    Hi there - I wonder what these birds did back in the days when there were no wires!

    Cheers and thanks for (trying to) link to WBW- Stewart M - Melbourne

    PS: I think you may be on my other blog. Try here for the linky:

    http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/wild-bird-wednesday-38-masked-lapwing.html

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  7. SAPhotographs (Joan)04 April, 2013 16:31

    Sorry I took so long to get to this Jo.

    Hard to tell from the angle the picture it has been taken from but it looks like it might be a Green Milkweed Locust. :)

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Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo