Cape glossy starling perched on the rails of a cattle kraal. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa (2024). A fairly large, short-tailed, uniformly glossy starling. Green head, with bright orange-yellow eyes but without darker ear coverts. Reddish-bronze shoulder patch, and glossy green belly and flanks. Larger than the arboreal black-bellied starling (Notopholia… Continue reading Cape glossy starling (Lamprotornis nitens)
Tag: bird
Fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)
African drongo hanging on a tree branch, close to the farm house. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Black body with a blue-green iridescence in specific regions. Underside and belly uniformly black, contrasting with the glossy black-blue upper body. Robust black beak. Red eyes. Deeply forked lengthy tail. Males and females alike, with… Continue reading Fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)
Réunion Stonechat (Saxicoles tectes)
Curious 'tec-tec' hanging onto a branch. Maïdo, Saint-Paul, La Réunion (2025). A short and round little bird, very familiar, curious and not so shy. Male is mostly black - head, back and wings - with white brows and mirrors on the wings, white throat and belly with a rufous chest patch. But males displays a… Continue reading Réunion Stonechat (Saxicoles tectes)
African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Dead specimen of jackass penguin washed up on the beach. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also called the jackass penguin. The only species of penguins that breeds in southern Africa. Adults are jet black, with diagnostic striped head and sides. Some have a double breast band as in the Magellanic penguin, but with a narrower… Continue reading African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Cape gannet (Morus capensis)
Dead Cape gannet washed ashore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). The largest gannet in the Sulidae family. Adult white with golden head, black stripe across the eyes and long black gular stripe down the throat, black tail and flight feathers. Some have 1 - 4 white outer-tail feathers. Pale blue bill pointed with fine serrations… Continue reading Cape gannet (Morus capensis)
Cape weaver (Ploceus capensis)
Male Cape weaver working on a brand new nest. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape, South Africa (2024). A large weaver with a long, pointed bill. Breeding male is less yellow above than 'golden' weavers, with a chestnut wash on the face and throat, but lacks the well-defined bib of the Southern brown-throated weaver… Continue reading Cape weaver (Ploceus capensis)
Fiscal flycatcher (Sigelus silens)
Male fiscal flycatcher on top of a scrawny dead tree. Baviaanskloof, Eastearn Cape (2020). A striking, pied flycatcher with white panels in otherwise black wings and tail. Resembles the Southern fiscal in broad colour pattern, but bill more slender, tail shorter, legs longer and white in wings confined to secondaries (not wing coverts) and white… Continue reading Fiscal flycatcher (Sigelus silens)
Cardinal woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)
Male cardinal woodpecker pecking up a tree. Grahamstown, Eastern Cape (2020). A small woodpecker with a streaked breast and belly. Back is boldly barred in the South, while becoming plainer in the North-East. Both sexes have a plain, whitish face with a bold, black moustachial stripe. Slightly smaller than the green-backed woodpecker. Both sexes are… Continue reading Cardinal woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)
Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra)
Adult Cape robin-chat in a picnic area. Baviaanskloopf, Eastern Cape (2020). A dark-backed robin-chat with a fairly short, white supercilium and pale orange throat, upper breast, vent and rump, the remainder of the underparts being pale grey. Juvenile is browner above, with buff spotting, dull buffy-brown underparts and mottled darker brown shade on the breast.… Continue reading Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra)
Greater double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris afer)
Male greater double-collared sunbird posing in a tree by the house. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Larger than the Southern double-collared sunbird, with a long, heavier bill. Male has a broader, red breast band bordered above by a violet-blue band, with yellow pectoral tufts. Female grey-brown above, paler below. Immature male has… Continue reading Greater double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris afer)
F*CK FISH 