Giant Kingfisher....
We drove out to Barkley West, a little town on the Vaal river, in the northern Cape, just to see what it looked like. It was pretty muggy day, not great for pics and not great if you combine it with my point and shoot! But you should get some idea!
another pic...this is a male.
Malachite Kingfisher...oh, how I wished for a bit of sun to show of this beauty!
Immature Malachite kingfisher
This is such a bad pic, but its a first...Short-toed rock thrush...a beauty for it's blue head and rusty underparts....
Pair of African black ducks, second for me, first for DW!
This little guy is the Familiar Chat...
another side-on pic
Kalahari Robin...another first...yeeehaaa!
Some idea of the area on the Vaal
old farmhouse dating back to 1800's and glacial pavings in front dating back 250 million years...later the san bushman used these for their rock drawings..
a birds nest with the backdrop of northern cape....no big trees here...
another shot, see the rock drawing in front and the little water pan at the back...where we found various ducks and lesser flamingo's
Wonderful shots Little! The Kingfisher is gorgeous!
Yeah, just a shame that I am always at the end of optical and digital focus....and in the veld walking...but at least you guys can see them and get a feel of the places..
The Malachite is beautiful! Nice pictures Little_things thanks for sharing those.
Neat birds Little_Things. Thanks for the history lesson, too. Beautiful rock drawings. Do you think they were protected at one time? What a shame to lose them to weathering.
Iron rock...they are currently "protected" in the sense that it's been looked after by their descendants, but not protected against weather and such. They are as they have been for a few hundred years. Here's another, an elephant, which also seemed to be here at that time.
Hope their artists are still making some new ones to replace the ones that fade away!
Resin
Resin...the people that made these lived a few hundred years ago...they are "carved" into the rock.
Thanks so very much for sharing your walk around the Vaal with us. The birds, scenery and ancient history of the area are so interesting.
Resin...the people that made these lived a few hundred years ago...they are "carved" into the rock.
oh now I understand, Resin..you know what, I wonder if they still do? I think this is a part of their history, although there is still some communities living the old ways, most do not. I got a real traditional bow and arrows made by san people, as something to remind me in future of them, and I think the older people do "tourist" stuff to get income, which is great but also sad at the same time. (maybe just me). The bushman will always have a special place in my heart, beautifull people in all senses of the word.
Your pictures are wonderful. That imm. Kingfisher is adorable! That rock is very interesting too!
