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Saturday, March 12, 2016

Summer critters

I'm enjoying the glorious summer days and critters and birds the season yields. 

Every single day that I'm home, Skabenga, Eddy and I go to the golf course, mostly before the sun has risen. 
Steppe Buzzard

The Steppe Buzzard has a thickset appearance and an upright stance; the habit of hunting from the top of telephone or electrical poles (as this one above), or exposed outer tree branches, helps aid identification. This bird is a common Palearctic migrant ; most arrive late October/November and depart February - April (so I'm pleased I still saw one during the second week of March!). Its habitat is open grassland (this was the paddock next to the golf course), woodland and agricultural areas. Its food is mainly insects, also rodents, reptiles and occasionally birds. I asked my SIL Shelley if the bird above was holding its prey in the right foot. She replied in the negative. The bird would've been eating it - they often sit on one leg like this.  Its call is mostly silent in Africa.

As always, I go down low to get nature images sprinkled with morning dew! 
While I'm on my haunches taking photos, the dogs cavort across the course. Here I swung around and photographed Skabenga in full flight chasing after Eddy who's almost off the picture
And back they come! 

The greens are in immaculate condition
A brown-veined white 
Exquisite! 
A delicate pink wildflower
This is a tiny bloom which I captured on camera by go down low!
I loved the textures in this image
A blurry Eddy is visible in the bottom left corner of this photo. She is quite nervous of the cattle and the lone horse. Not so Skabenga. Here he seems to be exchanging morning niceties with the beautiful horse
Early on Monday 7th March, I opened the dining room window and saw the moon. Waning Crescent, 4%; 28 days old

I'm linking my post to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

Here's wishing you all a wonderful weekend.







7 comments:

  1. Sweet pups, and great outdoor shots. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  2. your pups are happy there. lovely butterfly, too.

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  3. Love the buzzard photos. You have an interesting morning walk.

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  4. Hello Jo, congrats on your raptor sighting. It is beautiful. I love the flowers, dew and the butterfly. Skangenga and Eddy are cute furbabies. Great walk and photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy weekend!

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  5. PS, I love the moon shot too. Awesome capture!

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  6. i think it is amazing that the cows and horses love Skabenga and they are not afraid of each other. so much beauty in your morning walk, love the little flowers... i can tell by the hooked beak that food would be easy to rip for that bird.

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  7. It musst be lovely to walk the dogs for a walk so early in the mornning and you always bring us lovely shotss from your walk.

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Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo