August 30, 2005
The Variety of Birds
I wish I remembered what kind of bird this is. I'm still in shock that I got a photo this amazing.
There is a small colony of penguins that live in False Bay, which is just east of the Cape of Good Hope.
This beautiful little guy is called a Lilac Breasted Roller. They've got so many colors because they attract their prey (insects) by imitating flowers.
And yes, I took all of these photos.
Great photos! What an incredible trip - knitting, babies, Africa. The mystery bird looks like a night heron, which lives on both sides of the Atlantic. I have no idea about the name, around here (New Jersey) they aren't nocturnal.
Posted by: Ina at August 30, 2005 12:53 PMHey Jon! I think the first bird is a great blue heron. But forget that one (there all over here in VA) the last one the Roller is AWESOME!!! WOW! So cool. So is your whole blog! VERY COOL! I just started knitting again. When I was little my mother would make me knit as punishment. Hum! And she says, to this day that my love of men isn't her fault LOL wHaTeVer! Nah anyway cool blog, cool baby blanket you must have nerves of steel. I will be back. Thanks Jonathan
Posted by: Jonathan L. at August 30, 2005 01:21 PMI'm a bit of a bird geek, and I have to go with some variety of Kingfisher on that bird. Whatever it is, the photo is gorgeous!
Posted by: Carriellen at August 30, 2005 02:49 PMSuper awesome photos! I thought about some kind of comment like "Did you get these photos from the encyclopedia?" but you nixed that one. Really cool!
Posted by: Laura at August 30, 2005 04:48 PMMy off-the-top-of-my-head-without-checking guess was Night Heron too. Great photos!
Posted by: Joan in Reno at August 30, 2005 05:43 PMWow, the Roller is beautiful!
Hooray for penguins!
I forgot; we were supposed to go for martinis, weren't we? Next time.
Posted by: Em at August 30, 2005 09:13 PMWow, what a wonderful trip that must have been--and what great photos. Based on the length of the top bird's legs and wings, it looks like the great blue herons we have here. Could it be a grey heron?
Posted by: Becca at August 30, 2005 10:38 PMThe photos are great. I love that the LB Roller gets its prey by pretending to be a flower!
Posted by: Cordelia at August 31, 2005 12:15 PM