November 30, 2011

A last over-the-shoulder glance at November before we plunge into December!
A Red-winged Starling male proudly showing off his beautiful colours.
The female has a grey head and neck.

November 29, 2011

A Laughing Dove enjoys the green grass after all the lovely rain that we have had.
The many stray cats seem to have moved on and the birds are quite relaxed now.
This photo was taken through the lounge window.
I am pleasantly surprised that there are no reflections against the glass

November 28, 2011

Peek-a-boo!
I will be hunting the rest of this shy spider down over the days few days!
It was quite large and colourful for a Jumping Spider - but the eyes are a dead give-away.
Spiders tend to get used to the camera once they see that you mean no harm.

November 27, 2011

Not feeling on top form so this photo was taken from the front porch. The Prickly Pear grows against the fence - I have never measured the distance between the front fence and the house - my guess is that it is probably about 1,5 to 2 meters away.  I had the camera set up on the tripod and zoomed in to take a photo of the Beetles,  when a Bee decided to pop in to complete the picture!
My Canon Powershot SX130 has proved to be "Nifty" indeed! I was so surprised at the detail - right down to the texture of the petals, stamens and even the pollen grains.
(How I wish I could take the credit for the settings!)

To all the followers of this Blog:
I appreciate your visits and am thrilled to have had over 700 page views this month - the best month so far!
Thanks for being part of it - it really makes it all worth while!
(I might even consider a 3rd year of daily photos!)

November 26, 2011

Paradise Fly Catcher
My friend Pat and I have been trying to get a photo of this bird for weeks!
It is a rather flighty little chap and always seems to be partly obscured when perched.
Today it settled briefly in the umKhuhlu tree at the end of my garden - I only had time for one shot.
Zoomed to the max, with the focus on the bird not as good as what I would have liked it,
but a pretty picture nonetheless.  It feels like a trophy - can't wait to show Pat!

November 25, 2011

Make hay while the sun shines!
We had a slightly drier day today - for the first time this week!
It is said that due to La Nina, we can expect a very wet holiday season ...

November 24, 2011

It is still raining here, so I opted for a photo on the front porch.
The African Violet is always in bloom - the little flowers are so delicate and textured

November 23, 2011

Rain, rain and more rain.
Crab Spiders are magnificent creatures - the middle set of eyes could just as well have been nostrils!

November 22, 2011

Hats off to Nifty (my Canon SX130is) for this photo!
It was a cold and cloudy day with very little photo opportunities.
Hoping for a bird to perch on the Guava branches in the foreground,
 I set up the camera on the porch and waited....
This Lilac Breasted Roller appeared and seemed to have a lot to say to the floodlights on the other end of the tennis courts below my house. While it circled and investigated every nook and cranny,
it gave me the opportunity to zoom in and for a few shots.
A pity about the Guava branches in the foreground - but it somehow gives a lot of depth to the photo.
I just love the splash of colour in the distance!

November 21, 2011

A strange hairy little beetle paid us a visit at school today. (not a very keen model though!)
Late this afternoon we had thunder and lightning and then 15mm of rain paired with heavy wind.
It is still windy but the rain has stopped. More rain is forecast for this week.

November 18 - 20, 2011

Catching up after 3 days away.
We travelled South on Friday to help pack up the contents of Aunty Kay's house.
It poured with rain ALL weekend. 

The persistant rain and being busy certainly did not supply many photo opportunities

My cousin has exactly the same camera as mine. She complained that she can't take macro shots & we compared settings. After I had adjusted the settings and gave her a few pointers, she took this photo of her ring and was very pleased with the result. We realised later that it was actually my camera that she had used!  That still makes it "at maggiez lenz", right???   

An early morning shot of a young bird on an old wall.
It was still pouring with rain and this photo was taken through the window from within the house. 

Not a word of truth on Lynette's cute t-shirt!
 She cooked a scrumptious family meal - enjoyed by all!

November 17, 2011

A cute little baby on the Yellow Lantana!
Is it my imagination or is it very windy for this time of the year?

November 16, 2011

Another day with no photograph taken. I would like to share this one on here, though!
It was taken after the photo that I posted yesterday.
The Oxpecker was trying to get into the Giraffe's ear and it was amazing to see it shake the bird off.
These birds have very sharp nails and actually dig into the host's skin to hang on while it feeds

November 15, 2011

This is part of a photo taken in the game reserve last week -I have not touched a camera today!

November 14, 2011

"Pretty Ugly"
It is extremely windy here today and this fly held on for dear life - allowing me to get very close.
At first I thought it was the same type of fly as the one that I photographed on 8 November.
Although the colouring is the same, the head is quite different. 

November 13, 2011

"OK Kids, this is how you cross the road: first you look to your left....
and then you just keep on walking, because the cars are guaranteed stop for photos, anyway!"
A number of Warthogs have a safe haven at the Memorial Gate of the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve
The next photo shows how they are not fazed by a man sitting on the bench -  they actually passed right in front of him. 

Lesson #2:   "THIS is how you pose for the camera"

Two Mothers and eight babies  - could they be called Wartlets? ;-)
The little ones followed the mothers randomly.
I have a sneaky suspicion that the younger female might be the daughter of the old girl with the longer tusks - perhaps she is helping her daughter, just like human Grannies do? 
Perhaps they both had a litter?   If so, I bet they can't tell which Wartlet IS whose?
If you click on the first photo, all four  photos will open in a slide show
I captured the grunting and squeaking on video and was brave enough to attempt my first upload to Youtube. You can see it by clicking on the link below:

http://youtu.be/D_ZJKuuGViI

November 12, 2011

"Mmmm - those look good - getting rather tired of venison!"
The Leopard looked dreamily at the cattle across the fence and then departed.  

Although I did not see him again, this was certainly the highlight of my day.
The Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve is looking beautiful - so green in places that it looks unnatural.
We are very thankful for the rains we have had.

November 11, 2011

Celebrating her 11th birthday today!
(We had a photography appointment at 11 minutes past 11)
Happy birthday Piwo - thank you for being such a sport!

November 10, 2011

I had no time for a photo today - this one was taken yesterday.
This tiny Jumping Spider was quite cheeky and seemed to challenge the camera.
The object to the left is binding wire on the fence post - showing by comparison the size of the Spider.

November 9, 2011

This docile Lynx Spider arrived on my desk in a container this morning.
It had shed its exoskeleton during the night and is probably 'in recovery'
where it has settled on the rim of a pot of Violets.
Below is an extreme close-up of the exoskeleton showing the frightening fangs!

My thanks go the "Leafies" for this beautiful specimen!

November 8, 2011

Please don't shoot?
A perfect 'hands up' from a fly that was cleaning his eyes.

November 7, 2011

Happy 14th birthday, Muffin!
Thank you for all the love and smiles you have provided over the years.
I am also thankful that you are enjoying Buddy's company - should keep you fighting fit!!
I forgive you for not wanting to pose for a photo today......
(Fortunately I was able to cheat by posting part of a previous photo)

November 6, 2011

Over the last two years I have photographed many bugs. This one is new to me.
Judging by the way it took off, I suspect that it might be of the Leaf-hopper family.
The abdomen is also bright red and ends in a sharp point-
it probably has a sting in its tail!

November 5, 2011

A Red-billed Oxpecker "combing" the neck of a Giraffe for ticks. 
I wish I could have had a photo of the Yellow-billed Kite that hit me on the back of the head with his wing and stole
my sandwich out of my hand - just as I was having a bite!
It nicked my finger with a talon - thankfully it did not grab me in the face...
We unsuspectingly stopped at the picnic spot at Hilltop Camp to have our breakfast.
Quite a frightening experience, but a good tale to tell one day while sitting
in a rocking chair on the porch of an old age home!

November 4, 2011

The lacy texture and shape of these tiny little flowers caught my eye
The even smaller spider was a rather unexpected bonus

November 3, 2011

Survival
A moth laying eggs as it is being killed by a Crab Spider!

November 2, 2011

November has had a 'Royal' start!
Yesterday a 'King'fisher and today a 'Prince'
I wonder if it has anything to do with the Royal visitors to our country?
This Tree Frog was hiding inside a new leaf of a plant at the fish pond.
I tried to take a macro shot to show the lovely texture of its skin.

November 1, 2011

Every year the Kingfishers breed in the bank below the house.
I was on the porch when I spotted this one sitting on the fence right outside my bedroom window!
Luckily I had not yet opened the curtains & managed to 'steal' this photo by putting
only the lens through a slight opening between curtains.
The Kingfisher was instantly aware of the movement and did not give me a chance for a second shot.
   I am thankful for clean windows!!