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Curve

Yellow-Billed Hornbills are a distinctive bird that is widespread in South Africa, including in Kruger National Park. They are also called ‘flying bananas’ because of their huge bills that are yellow and look just like bananas! They are distinguished by their very large, downward curved yellow beaks. They feed mainly on the ground, foraging for seeds, insects, spiders and even scorpions. They may catch snakes, which they kill by bashing them on against a hard surface. They swallow their prey whole, letting indigestible parts pass through their digestive system. Yellow-Billed Hornbills are known to forage cooperatively with Dwarf Mongooses, catching prey items that the mongooses scratch up from the ground. In return, the hornbills alert the mongooses to danger from overhead raptors.

18 December 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Kaleidoscope

Rollers get their name from their impressive courtship flight, a fast, shallow dive from considerable elevation with a rolling or fast rocking motion, accompanied by loud raucous calls. All rollers appear to be monogamous and highly territorial. The Lilac Breasted Roller will perch on a dead tree, surveying the area for prey. One typical aspect of its behaviour is that it also preys on animals fleeing from bushfires. It is a swift flier, indulging in acrobatics during the breeding season. They actually breed ‘on the wing’. They live in pairs or small groups but are often seen alone. Their call is a loud harsh squawk, ‘zaaak’. They are partly migratory, but in some areas they are sedentary. To feed they swoop down from an elevated perch next to their prey and eat it on the ground or return to a perch where they batter it before swallowing it whole. They are territorial, also defending temporarily small feeding territories; hence individuals are regularly spaced along roads. They drive off many species from near their nest hole, even after breeding.

14 December 2018Picture of the day, Wildlife

Backdrop

The Umhlanga Coast is a magnificent stretch of the South African shoreline. It shows off the splendour and wonder of this country in a tranquil display that remains extremely powerful. This is part of KwaZulu-Natal and is very close to the city centre of Durban, which is the province’s main city and one of South Africa’s major metropolises. However, the Umhlanga Coast whisks you away from the bustle of city living and to the peaceful prettiness of the Indian Ocean as it lazily dances onto the sand. The Umhlanga Coast is characterised by long stretches of sandy beaches that promise stunning backdrops against which to swim, surf or sunbathe. The Indian Ocean has particularly warm waters, averaging 24 to 26 degrees during the summer. There are a number of beaches along the Umhlanga Coast, spread through the areas of Umhlanga itself, La Lucia, Mount Edgecombe and Umdloti.

29 November 2018Landscape, Picture of the day, Travel