I decided to work through the last of the sunbird photos I had flagged off, so that I could start on something new in the coming week. Hopefully 4 posts in a row dedicated to just one bird type isn’t too boring. I had hoped that I could include the white fronted sunbird I captured as well, but those photos were taken from the hide and the bird was in a tree quite far away. Sadly, they are completely lacking.
1/320sec, f5.6, ISO 140It looks like this sunbird has a streak of pollen on his chest. 1/320sec, f5.6, ISO 180I include this photo only because I absolutely love the shape her wings have created. It looks like she is drawing a cloak around herself. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO 500After all that editing of sunbirds in aloe plants, I wanted to try something a bit different. This photo was taken with the house in the background, giving a stark white backdrop. I quite like the black and white treatment. Thoughts? 1/1600sec, f5.6, ISO 400A male scarlet chested sunbird caught with an open mouth, and covered in pollen. 1/100sec, f5.6, ISO 800A male scarlet chested sunbird stretches for an aloe flower. 1/1000sec, f5.6, ISO 8001/800 sec, f5.6, ISO 800
While at Zimanga Game Reserve with Wildlife Act, our group was fortunate enough to have two sessions in their fantastic bird hides. The first was an afternoon session in the Bhejane birdbath hide, and the second, where these photos were taken, were from a morning session at the Mkhombe birdbath hide. The morning session provided over 900 photos, and not just of birds; warthogs and the vervet monkeys came from a drink as well.
While the vervet monkeys can be incredibly cheeky around a lodge or camp, snatching food and wrecking havoc should they decide to go inside, I find them fascinating to watch and love seeing their antics. Around the birdbath, they were more concerned with each member getting a drink than getting into any mischief (although there was one snacking on the scattered birdseed). I especially loved to see the moms with the tiny babies clinging to their stomachs, and I believe there were either two or three babies in the troop.
Mom inspects the water while the baby peeks out between her arms. 1/1600sec, f7.1, ISO1600The little one on the right was close to falling into his drink! 1/1600sec, f9.0, ISO1600Careful Mom! The baby’s head is dangerously close to the rocks as she leans in to drink. 1/1600sec, f9.0, ISO1600Everyone likes to make silly faces at babies! 1/1600sec, f9.0, ISO1600A vervet monkey leans in for a drink at the Mkhombe birdbath hide. 1/1600sec, f7.1, ISO1250It’s always nice to have a drink with a friend. 1/1600sec, f7.1, ISO1250
