Saturday, December 28, 2013

December 28, 2013: Take Off!

365 Project, Day 147
Here is my day 147 submission to my 365Project:

Today I fly home from Angola and I managed to squeeze in a photo session around Camp Malongo before I had to leave for the long journey home. I had a great time photographing the wildlife around the camp including many different bird species, bats and monkeys. I especially enjoyed photographing the cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis) nesting in the trees around the camp and was pretty happy with the series of shots I took of these entertaining birds and their chicks. 

Here's a shot I took of one of the egrets taking off from a tree. I loved the motion in the wings, the look on its face and its gangly feet dangling as it took flight.


Take Off!


Fun fact of the day:
Cattle egrets are very social birds. They gather in large colonies of cattle egrets and other species.

Read more about cattle egrets at this Nature Works webpage.

Here are some more shots from our wanderings around camp today:

Trees around the camp

Looking for birds :)

Helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) in flight

White-fronted bee eater (Merops bullockoides)

White-fronted bee eater (Merops bullockoides)

Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash) in flight

African pied hornbill (Tockus fasciatus)

African pied hornbill (Tockus fasciatus)

African pied hornbill (Tockus fasciatus)

African pied hornbill (Tockus fasciatus)

Northern Grey-headed sparrows (Passer griseus)

Pied crows (Corvus albus)

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) juvenile begging for food 

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree - rejected!

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree - feeling a little awkward :D

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - take off!

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - take off!



Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - take off!

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - Off and away :)

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) - Off and away :)

Straw-coloured fruit bat (Eidolon helvum)

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) in nesting tree

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.) - What's going on up there?

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.) - scratching that itch

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.) - juvenile male

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.)

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.) - baby male!

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sp.) - baby male!

Weaver (Ploceidae sp.) in a web! 

Better watch the speed limit!

Juvenile little bee-eater (Merops pusillus)

Little bee-eater (Merops pusillus)

Banded martin (Riparia cincta) - can you see the insects it's looking at?

Banded martin (Riparia cincta)

Purple banded sunbird (Cinnyris bifasciatus)

Yep, want to be sure you don't stink in the gym!

Things to think about at Camp Malongo...medical, security, SNAKES (!), help desk :)