Tag: red

Beady

The Crowned Lapwing prefers dry, open habitats, either with or without scattered trees. It has benefited from the habitat impacts of both affluent and poor communities; golf courses, sports fields and airports, on one hand, and overgrazing on the other. In some areas, the presence of Crowned Plovers is an indicator of mismanagement of ranchlands. In South Africa, Crowned Plovers move locally in response to changing conditions. Crowned Plovers, like many of the wader species breeding in South Africa, have a long breeding season, often starting in August and ending in May. In addition, a pair may have more than one successful breeding attempt. If nests or chicks are lost, further attempts to breed may occur. They lay two eggs in a scrape in the sand, lined with vegetation or small pebbles. The eggs take about a month to hatch and the chicks between four and five weeks to fledge.
Info source: http://www.adu.uct.ac.za/adu/projects/shorebirds/crowned-plover
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The photo was taken during December 2017 at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.

Beady

Picture of the day, Wildlife

Scarlet

The Southern Red Bishop is a common and widespread resident and local nomad in marshy grassland, savanna and fields, usually associated with water. They favour breeding in reed beds, and sometimes also in crops. They are highly gregarious and sedentary, and feeds, roosts and breed in flocks. Their distribution is from Angola, Uganda and Kenya, south to the whole of Southern Africa; mainly near perennial water and less common in the dry west. Locally common to abundant, the females outnumber males at a ratio of 3 to 2. Longevity is 12 years. Their general habitat is open grassland, marshes and cultivated areas, typically with close access to perennial water. They are gregarious year-round, form large flocks during the non-breeding season, often with other granivores, and roost in reed beds. It regularly drinks water by sipping, then tips the bill to swallow.

Scarlet

Nature, Picture of the day

Old-timer

Clarens is a small town situated in the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the Free State province of South Africa and nicknamed the “Jewel of the Eastern Free State”. It was established in 1912 and named after the town of Clarens in Switzerland where exiled Paul Kruger spent his last days. Clarens is an artists’ haven with many well-known artists either living in or frequenting the village, with many art galleries scattered around the village square and the town. The tranquil village ambience combined with scenic views and a mild climate has made Clarens a popular getaway for city dwellers from Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Durban, among other places. Clarens is known for its spectacular sandstone mountains and wonderful climate; it is one of the most picturesque spots in South Africa and has recently been acclaimed as the best Trout Fishing waters in South Africa. There are various establishments offering accommodation, including bed & breakfasts, self-catering, lodges, backpackers and farm guest houses in the surrounding area.

Old-timer

Picture of the day, Travel