The Story: This is another bird I saw while trying out a new coffee shop (click here to see all the birds I’ve filmed while visiting coffee shops). It was a treat to get such a clear view of a Knysna Loerie (aka Knysna Turaco) in its natural habitat. It was the first time I…Read More
Tag: South Africa
Black Shouldered Kite on Birding Planet
Black-Shouldered Kite Bird (HD Video)
I filmed this Black-Shouldered Kite at Addo Elephant Park in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. It’s a small raptor which enjoys wide open spaces. It has striking red eyes, and black shoulder patches which make it easily identifiable. The Black-Shouldered Kite likes to eat small rodents. They are often found alone, or in pairs,…Read More
Southern Red Bishop
Southern Red Bishop on Birding Planet (HD Video)
The Story: I filmed this Red Bishop at an outdoor coffee shop which overlooked a pond (not the same place where I filmed the Red-knobbed Coot). There were two or three male Red Bishops flitting in and out of the reeds of the pond, which is a tell-tale sign that it was breeding season as…Read More
Amazing Photos of Young Bird Impaled on Stick
Heidi Wilson sent in these fascinating photos to Birding Planet, of a young bird which had been impaled on a stick in her garden. She theorizes that a Fiscal Shrike (see details and video of Fiscal Shrikes here) raided a nearby nest with a new chick, perhaps a Cuckoo, and then impaled it on the…Read More
Red Knobbed Coot
Red-Knobbed Coot (nesting with her eggs) Video
The Story: I filmed this Red-Knobbed Coot (sometimes called the Crested Coot) while sitting in restaurant which overlooked a large pond. There were some rocks and reeds which made for some decent nesting spots. There was also an island in the middle of the pond, with some trees on it, where dozens of weavers had…Read More
Red Billed Wood-Hoopoe (HD Video) (aka Green WoodHoopoe)
I filmed these Red-Billed Woodhoopoes in a garden in East London, South Africa. It is also sometimes known as the Green Wood-Hoopoe. Click play to watch the video of the Red-Bill Wood-Hoopoes It has a long, curved red bill, red legs and white wingbars. The long tail has white bars in the outer feathers.…Read More
Cape White-Eye on Birding Planet
Cape White-Eye Video
The Story: I’ve often found this bird a difficult one to film, for two reasons: 1) they are small and very quick, flitting from branch to another, hardly ever sitting still and 2) they seem very shy and prefer to go deep into a bush than sit out in the open. Having said that I…Read More
Brown-Hooded Kingfisher on Birding Planet
Black Bird Walk
This morning I woke up early and went for a quick birding walk in my neighbourhood. It turned out to be a black bird morning as I saw Black-Collared Barbets Black Sunbirds Black-eyed Bulbuls Black-headed Orioles As well as Hadedas, Cape Turtle Doves, Cape Weavers, Red Winged Starlings and… this Brown-Hooded Kingfisher: (click on image…Read More
Black Oystercatcher on the rocks in South Africa's Eastern Cape
African Black Oystercatcher
The Story: This bird is an all-black wader with unmistakable pink legs and an orange bill. I filmed this bird at the beaches of South Africa’s Wild Cost (The Indian Ocean). I spent two days looking for, and filming, them. There were quite a few and I was fortunate enough to see them prying a…Read More
Black Headed Oriole on Birding Planet
Black Headed Oriole Video
The Story: South Africa has four types of Orioles, but only this one has a black head. The head, throat and breast are all black. It has an olive-green tail and an orange beak. I filmed this bird at two different locations; in the video the first Oriole (close-up) was filmed in East London, while…Read More
Southern Red Bishop on Birding Planet
Southern Red Bishop – Male
I photographed this Southern Red Bishop yesterday on a dam in the Eastern Cape. The male is a brilliant red colour. They are related to the Weavers and often found with them in reeds and near water.
Common Fiscal Shrike on BirdingPlanet.com
Common Fiscal Shrike Birding Video
The Common Fiscal Shrike, also known as Jackie Hangman or the Butcher bird because of its tendency to catch prey and hang it on wire fences as a storehouse. This was another bird I filmed on the outskirts of Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Size The Fiscal Shrike is 21-23cm long and…Read More
Streaky-Headed Seedeater
I photographed this Streaky-Headed Seedeater recently while in Chinsta, in the Eastern Cape. Part of the Canary family, this bird has a distinct streaky crown. It is often found near Aloes.
Pygmy Falcon (from birdquest-tours.com)
Interesting Bird Fact – Pygmy Falcon – The Tiny Killer
The Pygmy Falcon is the smallest Bird of Prey. It weighs only 60-70g and is only about 150mm from the beak to the tip of the tail. They mainly eat insect and small lizards.
