Birds – Page 24 – Jennifer Sawicky Photography

November 6, 2014

One week done already – Zimanga Game Reserve with Wildlife ACT

Here is a selection from some of the hundreds of photos I have taken over the past couple days at Zimanga Game Reserve with Wildlife ACT. I’ve seen quite a bit of Kalahari, the beautiful cheetah over the last couple days. He will definitely need a few posts dedicated just to him! But right now, I must dash as time to head out and find the wild dogs!

My first afternoon spent with the cheetah called Kalahari. He's such a beautiful creature, and so photogenic! — My first afternoon spent with the cheetah called Kalahari. He’s such a beautiful creature, and so photogenic!

A mountain reedbuck coming in to land just outside the fence at the volunteer house at Zimanga.

I took a morning boat trip on the Jozini Dam and was lucky enough to see a breeding herd of elephants :) Happy happy Jen!!! — I took a morning boat trip on the Jozini Dam and was lucky enough to see a breeding herd of elephants 🙂 Happy happy Jen!!!

The yard at the volunteer house at Zimanga Game Reserve is filled with birds :) This yellow fronted canary was in the tall grasses outside the kitchen window. — The yard at the volunteer house at Zimanga Game Reserve is filled with birds 🙂 This yellow fronted canary was in the tall grasses outside the kitchen window.

zimanga.com

wildlifeact.com

October 31, 2014

Zimanga Game Reserve with Wildlife ACT

Since Monday I have been at Zimanga Private Game Reserve as a photographic volunteer with Wildlife ACT. The primary focus on this reserve is monitoring and tracking wild dog and cheetah. While the cheetah has remained elusive thus far, I have had the opportunity to spend some time with the pack of six wild dogs. I’m having a brilliant time. As it is very soon time for the afternoon monitoring session, this post will be brief; I wanted the chance though to share a few photos from the past days, as a hint of what is to come.

A bull elephant heading straight towards us on the road, while we drove in reverse! He was completely cool with our presence, but was also on a mission along that road, so we had to get out of his way. 1/320sec, f8.0, ISO 200 — A bull elephant heading straight towards us on the road, while we drove in reverse! He was completely cool with our presence, but was also on a mission along that road, so we had to get out of his way.
1/320sec, f8.0, ISO 200

A juvenile brown snake eagle. 1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO 200 — A juvenile brown snake eagle.
1/1000sec, f6.3, ISO 200

A member of the wild dog pack eyes us; we woke them from their afternoon nap. 1/160sec, f9.0, ISO 200 — A member of the wild dog pack eyes us; we woke them from their afternoon nap.
1/160sec, f9.0, ISO 200

A pair of waterbuck, moments before they bolted for safety away from our gaze. 1/500sec, f8.0, ISO 1000 — A pair of waterbuck, moments before they bolted for safety away from our gaze.
1/500sec, f8.0, ISO 1000

A giraffe in front of a jacaranda tree. 1/640sec, f10, ISO 400 — A giraffe in front of a jacaranda tree.
1/640sec, f10, ISO 400

http://zimanga.com

http://wildlifeact.com

October 6, 2014

Bushtit

All summer I saw groups of tiny grey birds on the dikes near my work, but never had a camera with me to capture a photo so I could look up what they were. A few days ago, while working on the computer at home, I heard loads of chirping through the open window, and when I went outside, there was a group of the tiny grey birds in the bushes alongside my building. Luckily, I managed to grab my camera and capture a single decent photo, and figure out what I had been seeing were Bushtits. I had never seen them at home before, and who knows if I will ever see them flying around my neighbourhood again, but I certainly am happy to have a few months of wondering “what do I call these?” finally over.

September 30, 2014

Surveying murky water

I’m sure the purpose of the orange floating plastic is to prevent debris from entering the pumping station (which is to the left just out of the shot), but this time of year, the only purpose seems to be separating murky water from even murkier water. The herons seem to find it a great place to spend the mornings, as it has been a rare walk the few months when I haven’t seen a heron in or around this location.

I was lucky as I was able to get quite close to the heron to take the photo below. Spencer stayed calm and quiet and I think we got within about 15 feet before the heron started looking a bit uncomfortable, so we backed off to allow it to get back to searching for some breakfast.

September 23, 2014

Belted Kingfisher

A couple of weekends ago, I was out for my usual morning walk with Spencer when I finally had the chance to get some photos of the kingfisher that I have been seeing intermittently for the last year. The kingfisher was out along the river where I normally see the herons and ospreys, so I wasn’t able to get the crisp, clear shots I have been hoping for all this time. But, I had a great sighting, which is all that really matters to me!

While we were on our return along the dikes, the kingfisher was flying from one wooden post to the next, in the same direction we were headed. I tried a few shots each time she stopped at a different location, but the distance was the always just about the same, so there wasn’t much difference in the shots. Right near the end of the dike, I stopped to take one more shot, and managed to catch a sequence of the kingfisher diving, catching a small fish, dropping it, and then flying away.

August 30, 2014

Cooper's Hawk

Today was a great day for bird watching out along the dikes while on my morning walk. I arrived a bit later than usual and ended up heading in a different direction to avoid following another walker with dogs that had arrived just before me (Spencer would not have been pleased with that scenario). The change in scenery worked out well though, as I saw heron, an eagle, a northern flicker and I was lucky enough to see a cooper’s hawk for the first time in many months. I managed a few shots while it hunted along the grassy edge of the river.