Posts in Category: Africa
Uganda Edition: African Openbill (Stork)
African Openbill Stork: Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — This bird is generally just called the African Openbill, or even Openbill, but it is obviously a Stork and some references add the Stork to the name. We can on this one in a wet field still on our way to our lodge at Lake Mburo, posing nicely on its termite nest. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Plains Zebra
Burchelle’s Zebra (Plains Zebra), Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Lake Mburo, always our last stop before the airport at the end of our Uganda safari, is also our last chance for the larger wildlife of Africa…and our only chance for Zebra (they also have Zebra in the Kidepo Valley National Park, in the northeast corner of Uganda right up against Kenya, but we don’t get up there). Zebras have never been domesticated…their spines are not strong enough to carry weight or to pull weight…it could also have to do with their temperament, but we won’t go there. They are certainly beautiful animals to see in the wild. Lake Mburo has numbers…but not the big herds of Kenya or Tanzania. Sony Rx10iv at 229mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Editon: Lilac-breasted Roller
Lilac-breasted Roller: On the road from Kabale to Lake Mburo, Uganda, August 2022 — It was Stan’s first trip to Africa and all his daughter wanted from him was a photo of a Lilac-breasted Roller. And, though I had seen them in South Africa and Kenya, I had missed seeing one in Uganda in 2019, so I really wanted one on this trip. We watched the wires on the drive from Kabale to Lake Mburo very carefully, and Stan had the honor of calling this one out! We stopped (of course) and took photos. And, of course, once the ice was broken, we saw many more in Lake Mburo National Park…but this one, though totally backlit, was special! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th. Plus 1.3EV.
Uganda Edition: Black-headed Heron
Uganda Edition: Black-headed Herons, on the grounds of Bird’s Nest Lodge on Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda, August 2022 — The nest was in the tree overhanging the veranda, and clearly the birds were not bothered by the constant observation of the guests. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Slender-billed Weaver
Slender-billed Weaver: Bird’s Nest Lodge, Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda, August 2022 — Bird’s Nest Lodge on Lake Bunyonyi is a luxurious rest stop after Gorilla or Golden Monkey trekking in the mountains. A place to clean off the mud, take a hot shower, and enjoy the views out over “the lake of many little birds” (which I think is the translation of the name). There are always birds on the grounds as well. These Slender-billed Weavers were nesting over the veranda above the lake. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Eastern Mountain Greenbul
Eastern Mountain Greenbul: Kisaro-Kabale Road, Uganda, August 2022 — One last bird from the roadside on our way to Birds Nest Lodge on Lake Bunyonyi. The typical Greenbul of high elevations in East Africa, this apparently was just the Mountain Greenbul, lumped with the Western Mountain Greenbul of west Africa, until recently. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Eastern Mountain Greenbul
Eastern Mountain Greenbul: Kisaro-Kabale Road, Uganda, August 2022 — One last bird from the roadside on our way to Birds Nest Lodge on Lake Bunyonyi. The typical Greenbul of high elevations in East Africa, this apparently was just the Mountain Greenbul, lumped with the Western Mountain Greenbul of west Africa, until recently. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Three birds in a bush…
Baglafecht Weaver, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Black-faced Apalis: Kisaro-Kabale Road, Uganda, August 2022 — When we left Mgahinga National Park for. the drive to Lake Bunyonyi and the Bird’s Nest lodge we stopped at the edge of the highlands for a mixed feeding flock working the road edge. This is three birds for the price of one! The Baglafecht Weaver (yellow bird) is common throughout East Africa at certain elevations. It is highly variable and used, in fact, to be 4 separate species, now lumped into one. It still has 5 named races. The White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher (grey bird) is the Albertine variety, without the bold white eye ring common further east, and the Black-faced Apalis is an actual Albertine Rift endemic, which we also encountered in Bwindi. So, not only three birds for the price of one, but three geographically special birds. Sony Rx10iv at 567mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Black Cuckoo-shrike
Black Cuckoo-shrike: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — The Cuckoo-shrikes of East Africa are one of those species where the male and female look like two different species, they are so no alike! This is the female of the Black Cuckoo-shrike from the slopes of Mgahinga above the ranger station. Sony Rx10iv at 541mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5.6 @ 1/1000th
Uganda Edition: Red-faced Woodland Warbler
Red-faced Woodland Warbler: Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Another Albertine Rift endemic. This small Woodland Warbler is common in the mid-canopy at in the highlands of western Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. This one was foraging much lower…or it came down for its photo, one or the other. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 541mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. I have never seen a photography of this bird, or an illustration for that matter, where the face actually looks “red” but then I have only ever seen this one bird.