SATURDAY CRITTERS- South African Birds Pigeon

Once again, I photographed this Speckled Dove on my friends’ garage at their home in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2014. 

Speckled Dove

30–34 cm

A large, grey pigeon with a dull brick-red neck, back and inner wing coverts, bare red skin around eyes, red legs and dark grey bill with a whitish cere. Derives its name from its white-spotted wing coverts. Tail broadly tipped blackish with a paler grey subterminal band.

Smaller and paler than African Olive Pigeon, with red (not yellow) eye patches and legs, and black (not yellow) bill. Occasionally hybridises with Rock Dove (Feral Pigeon). Juv. browner, with grey-brown facial skin. 

Voice: Deep, booming ‘hooo-hooo-hooo'; softer ‘coocoo-coocoo'.

Common resident, favouring rocky areas, coastal cliffs and cities, ranging into croplands and grassland to feed. Males clap their wings when taking off on display flights.

I am linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS.

Thanks for your visit and also to all those who  leave me comments.

WEEKEND REFLECTIONS and FRIDAY'S HUNT

I was very fortunate that my friends in Johannesburg, South Africa had a lovely swimming  pool that I could cool off in and of course for safety it was fenced and also had a reflection in the water.

Now for the word prompts for Friday's Hunt.  

They are F, Week's Favourite and Negative Space.

The first one is easy, it is the FENCE above.  Well I thought that was too easy so here is another F- FRANGIPANI Tree.

I was sitting on this terrace at a friends home in Zomba, Malawi this year and hear Annika my granddaughter calling me. Can you see her?  

Well here she is in the top of this Frangipani Tree.  
You can just see her in the shot above when you know where to look!  

I will have to say this is my FAVOURITE photo this week.

Negative Space.

This is Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth.

I am linking this post with WEEKEND REFLECTIONS and FRIDAY'S HUNT

Thanks for your visit and also to all those who  leave me comments.

GOOD FENCES - Hadeda in Johannesburg, South Africa

Once again, these are birds that I photographed I my friends’ garden in Johannesburg, South Africa.  This bird is the Hadeda Ibis.

Hadeda Ibis

76–85 cm

A large, stout, grey-brown ibis with glossy bronze-green wing coverts. Grey face has whitish stripe running from bill to below and behind eye. Shortish, deep bill is dark grey with a red ridge on the upper mandible. In flight, wings broad; neck and legs short compared to Glossy Ibis. Juv. has duller, shorter bill. 

Voice: 

Noisy; gives a raucous ‘ha-da' or ‘ha-ha-da-da' call in flight and when flushed. 

Common resident and nomad in forest clearings, woodland, savanna, grassland, farmland and suburbia. Range has expanded westward in recent years, apparently in response to human habitat modification, especially irrigation. 

Usually found in small parties; roosts and breeds in trees.

I am linking this post with GOOD FENCES.

Thanks for your visit and also to all those who  leave me comments.

Birds in My Friends' Garden in Johannesburg, South Africa

These are more birds that I photographed from my friends' garden in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2014.

Laughing Dove

22–24 cm

A fairly small, pinkish-buff dove with no collar. Black mottling on rich rufous upper breast, coupled with blue-grey greater and median coverts and rump are diagnostic.  In flight, cinnamon-coloured back contrasts with blue-grey forewings; outer-tail tips white. Female paler. Juv. has pale feather fringes and poorly marked breast. Voice: Rising and falling ‘uh hu hu huu hu', rather like a subdued laugh, hence the common name.  Abundant resident and nomad in a wide range of habitats, including urban areas; avoids forests. Males have a high, towering display flight.

Karoo Thrush

22-24 cm

A woodland thrush, very similar to Olive Thrush but typically found in drier habitats; told by duller underparts, yellow (not dark) eye-ring and richer orange bill that lacks a dark saddle around the nares.  Locally common resident, mostly in riparian woodland in semi-arid Karoo and introduced woodland on the highveld; common garden bird. Occurs singly or in pairs, but semi-gregarious

Village Weaver

22 cm

A large, heavy-billed, masked weaver with a mottled black-and-yellow back; eyes dark red. Extent of black on br. male's head varies: crown mostly yellow. Back dull, mottled, greyish; eyes redbrown.   

                  Voice: Buzzy, swizzling song; throaty ‘chuck-chuck' call. 

         Common resident in savanna, fields and gardens; often in large flocks.

      Breeds in large, marge multiple-male colonies in reeds or in tall trees; 
    builds a large, coarsely-woven nest with short entrance tube; polygynous.

 Female Village Weaver and non-br. male have prominent yellow supercilium, throat and breast, and whitish belly. 

Thanks you for visiting and also to all those who leave comments.

WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY - Go Away Grey Loire, South Africa

These birds that were in my friends garden in Johannesburg, South Africa though they were not very cooperative in being photographed and preferred to behind the foliage in the trees.

Length 48–50 cm; Weight -210–300 g

An ash-grey Turaco with a long tail and loose, pointed crest, similar to that of a mousebird. Juv. paler, more buffy grey, with a shorter crest. 

Voice: Harsh, nasal ‘waaaay' or ‘kay-waaaay' (rendered ‘go-away', 

hence its common name). 

Common resident of acacia savanna and dry, open woodland; also gardens. 

Vocal and conspicuous.

Small groups often perch on top of acacia trees. 

I hope you enjoyed seeing this bird and I thank you for visiting.  
I will show you more birds tomorrow.

I am linking this post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY. 

Many thanks to all who leave comments.

THROUGH MY LENS and PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT

These are very random photographs I selected before I left for Costa Rica to schedule in for you.  I hope you enjoy the selection I made and I would be interested to know if there is a particular one you like and why.

Mandarin Duck in Spain

Sunset in Innisfail, Queensland

Puffin on Great Saltee Island, Ireland

Reservoir outside Belfast

Gannet on Great Saltee Island, Ireland

Lagan Weir in Belfast

Black Guillemot in Bangor, Co Down(my town)

Reflections under the Queens Bridge of the River Lagan in Belfast

Grey Heron

Child in Paraguay

Photographed along the Broad Water Towpath at Moira, Co Antrim

Rhododendron at Rowallane National Trust Gardens, Co.Down

I am linking with THROUGH MY LENS and PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT.

Do you have a favourtie?  I hope so.

Thanks for visiting and thanks to all you leave their choice or comment.