Mini 2 African Safari-set 2 Birds

Dale D · Oct 3, 2021

As I work my way through thousands of images, I find that I am doing more sorting than editing. Here is a grouping of African birds, all taken with the Nikon 600mm f/4 prime lens. I am building my assets folder so that I can eventually produce a video to publish here and elsewhere, using drone footage as well as other photography as I usually do (e.g.: timelapse, drone, OM4, Osmo Action, etc.).

Double click on image for full screen.

db4476 · Oct 3, 2021

Dale D said:
As I work my way through thousands of images, I find that I am doing more sorting than editing. Here is a grouping of African birds, all taken with the Nikon 600mm f/4 prime lens. I am building my assets folder so that I can eventually produce a video to publish here and elsewhere, using drone footage as well as other photography as I usually do (e.g.: timelapse, drone, OM4, Osmo Action, etc.).

Double click on image for full screen.
View attachment 135689 View attachment 135691

Nicely done! I especially enjoyed the Vultures photo

Mavic Maxwell · Oct 4, 2021

Absolutely beautiful Dale...even though I am somewhat colourblind.
The vultures shot portends trouble. I think the ten vultures may be 11 (2 birds at 1 o'clock ...number 11 looks like a wing until you blow it up, or is that number 10 just about to preen itself?) ...anyway, lovely work from a patient man in the field and in the studio it seems ....cheers from Down Under.

Dale D · Oct 4, 2021

Mavic Maxwell said:
Absolutely beautiful Dale...even though I am somewhat colourblind.
The vultures shot portends trouble. I think the ten vultures may be 11 (2 birds at 1 o'clock ...number 11 looks like a wing until you blow it up, or is that number 10 just about to preen itself?) ...anyway, lovely work from a patient man in the field and in the studio it seems ....cheers from Down Under.

Thanks for correcting the count! Nothing goes to waste in Tanzania or Kenya ! eventually I will get around to the images of the migration crossing of the Mara River where we saw no less than 5 dead wildebeests in the water. On the top of each dead animal floating in the river there was at least one vulture, and on one wildebeest, a crocodile gnawing away at the rear end. Between all of these scavengers (crocs, vultures, hyenas, wild dogs, jackles, etc.)you rarely ever see the remains of an animal. Even the bones are food for the hyenas who relish them for the calcium content.

Sharky05 · Oct 4, 2021

Dale D said:
Thanks for correcting the count! Nothing goes to waste in Tanzania or Kenya ! eventually I will get around to the images of the migration crossing of the Mara River where we saw no less than 5 dead wildebeests in the water. On the top of each dead animal floating in the river there was at least one vulture, and on one wildebeest, a crocodile gnawing away at the rear end. Between all of these scavengers (crocs, vultures, hyenas, wild dogs, jackles, etc.)you rarely ever see the remains of an animal. Even the bones are food for the hyenas who relish them for the calcium content.

Used to live there most of my life Dale until about 16 years ago when I moved to NZ. Wildlife in various parts of the country is amazing. Problem for me was as a young man back then had no idea or proper camera to take photos with, still don't really have lol but getting there. Very nice photos mate love them all so far well done. As for the hyenas there bite force is much stronger than that of the lions and leopards so they can bite through thicker bones than lions and also digest them better than the lions. They're amazing animals to follow and yet very misunderstood. As for all predators it seems like they don't like one another very much and annoy each other when it comes to feeding time yet they all have a purpose in cleaning up the paddocks even the dung beatles

Dale D · Oct 4, 2021

Sharky05 said:
Used to live there most of my life Dale until about 16 years ago when I moved to NZ. Wildlife in various parts of the country is amazing. Problem for me was as a young man back then had no idea or proper camera to take photos with, still don't really have lol but getting there. Very nice photos mate love them all so far well done. As for the hyenas there bite force is much stronger than that of the lions and leopards so they can bite through thicker bones than lions and also digest them better than the lions. They're amazing animals to follow and yet very misunderstood. As for all predators it seems like they don't like one another very much and annoy each other when it comes to feeding time yet they all have a purpose in cleaning up the paddocks even the dung beatles

Your note was fascinating. Where did you live exactly? In Tanzania or Kenya? At a game park? This trip was our 13th safari to various countries. We've done them all at least once. Africa keeps drawing us back. A travel agent once told us, if you only have two countries to see the rest of your life, choose Africa, and Africa.

Yes, we saw very few skeletons, and each time, the guide mentioned that the hyenas would be coming back for the bones for their calcium.

I have now, just completed sorting and editing day 6 of 14. Hundreds of images, and videos and even a few drone shots of the camps for the documentation. I didn't dare fly on the game drives. Once I complete my folder of "ASSETS" I will begin to start creating the Premiere Pro video.

We did do a driving trip to the north and the South Islands of New Zealand. Gorgeous place. You are lucky to live there. We particularly liked the thermal areas of Rotorua, and in the south, Queenstown, and Franz Josef, ana Fox Glaciers, and Te Anu.

Dale
Miami

Sharky05 · Oct 4, 2021

Dale D said:
Your note was fascinating. Where did you live exactly? In Tanzania or Kenya? At a game park? This trip was our 13th safari to various countries. We've done them all at least once. Africa keeps drawing us back. A travel agent once told us, if you only have two countries to see the rest of your life, choose Africa, and Africa.

Yes, we saw very few skeletons, and each time, the guide mentioned that the hyenas would be coming back for the bones for their calcium.

I have now, just completed sorting and editing day 6 of 14. Hundreds of images, and videos and even a few drone shots of the camps for the documentation. I didn't dare fly on the game drives. Once I complete my folder of "ASSETS" I will begin to start creating the Premiere Pro video.

We did do a driving trip to the north and the South Islands of New Zealand. Gorgeous place. You are lucky to live there. We particularly liked the thermal areas of Rotorua, and in the south, Queenstown, and Franz Josef, ana Fox Glaciers, and Te Anu.

Dale
Miami

I was born and raised in South Africa and we visited the Kruger national park on many occasions during my lifetime with all the game you saw in the Massai Mara and Kenya. I would have loved to go and see the migration in the Maara but we were never in a position to do that as growing up back then money was tight with dad working as a police officer back then. But the Kruger park made up for a lot of the things you got to enjoy there. Elephants up close alongside the hyenas, lions wild dogs leopards and a huge variety of birds snakes beatles and all sorts of other insects like different kinds of spiders like the baboon spiders, nice big and of course when you're a child a bit scary when they chase you while you walking around the farm only to get into your shade lol, but what do you know when you're small. Was a lot of fun though. I miss the good times we had as a family back then. As for NZ you're right there's a lot of beautiful places to see and explore around here too. When my folks were still alive we did a tour of the most of NZ starting on one side of the top part of the north island working our way down to the south island and across then came back the other side of the islands to where I live in Whangarei. 2 weeks and over 5and a half thousand kilometers later with lots of photos and memories later. What a awesome time that was. Yet didn't get to see everything then. You can be living in a country and never see everything there is to see, as life always finds a way of throwing a spanner in the works.

beninsummer · Oct 4, 2021

Beautiful bird

Dale D · Oct 4, 2021

Sharky05 said:
I was born and raised in South Africa and we visited the Kruger national park on many occasions during my lifetime with all the game you saw in the Massai Mara and Kenya. I would have loved to go and see the migration in the Maara but we were never in a position to do that as growing up back then money was tight with dad working as a police officer back then. But the Kruger park made up for a lot of the things you got to enjoy there. Elephants up close alongside the hyenas, lions wild dogs leopards and a huge variety of birds snakes beatles and all sorts of other insects like different kinds of spiders like the baboon spiders, nice big and of course when you're a child a bit scary when they chase you while you walking around the farm only to get into your shade lol, but what do you know when you're small. Was a lot of fun though. I miss the good times we had as a family back then. As for NZ you're right there's a lot of beautiful places to see and explore around here too. When my folks were still alive we did a tour of the most of NZ starting on one side of the top part of the north island working our way down to the south island and across then came back the other side of the islands to where I live in Whangarei. 2 weeks and over 5and a half thousand kilometers later with lots of photos and memories later. What a awesome time that was. Yet didn't get to see everything then. You can be living in a country and never see everything there is to see, as life always finds a way of throwing a spanner in the works.

I understand your story. The history of South Africa is so turbulent, with all of the apartheid stories and films over the years, I imagine that was the reason you moved away. South Africa was a pariah country for its policies. For my part, we have enjoyed Mala Mala Camp twice, and other great South African camps over the years ( Royal Malewane, Singita Ebony, etc). We have stayed in Hermanus and done white shark cage diving, Franschoeck, and other wine country towns. I have driven from Cape Town to the Cape and back on both sides. Have seen Table Mountain, Robbin Island, taken the tour there, and sat on Mandela's cot. South Africa is a beautiful place, but their politics leadership
leaves a lot to be desired.

Deleted member 51434 · Oct 4, 2021

Dale D said:
As I work my way through thousands of images, I find that I am doing more sorting than editing. Here is a grouping of African birds, all taken with the Nikon 600mm f/4 prime lens. I am building my assets folder so that I can eventually produce a video to publish here and elsewhere, using drone footage as well as other photography as I usually do (e.g.: timelapse, drone, OM4, Osmo Action, etc.).

Double click on image for full screen.
View attachment 135689 View attachment 135691

Deleted member 51434 · Oct 4, 2021

Very Nice!

Prop Wash · Oct 4, 2021

You have a good eye for pictures Dale - Very Nice! Beautiful birds

Gagey52 · Oct 4, 2021

As always great shots Dale D, the standout for me was the kingfisher (?) silhouette on the branch, thanks for sharing.
Regards

JfromMichigan · Oct 4, 2021

That look... from the Vulture at the top of the tree?
- Im pretty sure I know that look.
It says "do you know how badly I want to KILL you?!?"

lol

Dale D · Oct 4, 2021

JfromMichigan said:
That look... from the Vulture at the top of the tree?
- Im pretty sure I know that look.
It says "do you know how badly I want to KILL you?!?"

lol

More like "eat you." They usually don't do the killing. They wait for the leftovers.

Dale D · Oct 4, 2021

Gagey52 said:
As always great shots Dale D, the standout for me was the kingfisher (?) silhouette on the branch, thanks for sharing.
Regards

thanks for that!

Dale

Sharky05 · Oct 5, 2021

Dale D said:
I understand your story. The history of South Africa is so turbulent, with all of the apartheid stories and films over the years, I imagine that was the reason you moved away. South Africa was a pariah country for its policies. For my part, we have enjoyed Mala Mala Camp twice, and other great South African camps over the years ( Royal Malewane, Singita Ebony, etc). We have stayed in Hermanus and done white shark cage diving, Franschoeck, and other wine country towns. I have driven from Cape Town to the Cape and back on both sides. Have seen Table Mountain, Robbin Island, taken the tour there, and sat on Mandela's cot. South Africa is a beautiful place, but their politics leadership
leaves a lot to be desired.

You don't want to go there now mate it's all gone to shite now. It used to be a beautiful place to go or live in. With all the riots and looting and lawlessness going on at the moment you really need hair everywhere not just on your chest.

Mavic Maxwell · Oct 5, 2021

Dale D said:
More like "eat you." They usually don't do the killing. They wait for the leftovers.

Hi Dale ...saw a doco about endangered vultures, but unable to find the exact one.
This link highlights the problem which was poisoning. Was there any issue where you visited?
Sad and a serious issue for the knock on effect.