If you don’t rush and drive slowly, you’ll see some lovely little spots in Kruger National Park.
This is the road we took:
You will see the photo is the same as the one I’ve been using all along as my Kruger icon image above!
A quiet spot to enjoy:
At one point alongside the road we saw this quiet unobtrusive scene and stopped to observe it more closely.
The park was mostly dry that time of year, but in this spot it was a little greener. I suppose the spot been greener is what attracted us to it.
The greenness was due I think, to the little tiny stream running through it and causing a peaceful marshland environment.
My husband loves bird watching. So out came his binoculars and sure as nuts, there was birds foraging there. They were unconcerned with our car parked so close.
Funny birds:
These two birds are called Hadeda ibises. Pronounced hardy-dars.
You can see one is doing his thing, digging away with its long thin beck, looking perhaps for a tiny morsel. I often wonder what it must be like to have a long thin nose to look past to see my food. And heavy too!
While the other, has ruffled up its feathers. You can’t see its long narrow beck because its head is turned away from us.
These Hadedas are quite common in South Africa. And often you’ll find them in your city garden, peacefully digging their funny long becks into soft ground, searching here and there…perhaps for grubs!
We think them quite droll, because of their noisy raucous ‘Ha! Ha-a-a… ha-ha-a-a…’ call. I love to call them Laardi-dars. But there isn’t anything fancy about them!
They are big brown birds (about 76cm in height) and roost high in tall trees. They love to hang out somewhere close to water if they can… softer soil there. So I don’t suppose they live in dry desert regions.
Then we came across a helmeted Guinea fowl:
These birds are also common in South Africa, but usually move about in flocks and found in grassland (bushveld) and farmland areas.
They are seed eaters and just like domestic fowls they will run after a moth or small cricket and eat it too. Towards evening they make their way to where there is water, to drink their full after a hot dry day.
The guinea fowl is quite a shy bird. So it was lucky I got a photo of it. If they are found out in the open, they scurry away as fast as the can, for cover in thick tall grass or dense undergrowth.
The guinea fowl charm:
The way they first fuss and dither when you come upon them, then dart, scurry and fly off in a hurry. It can be annoying because you wanted to check them out, but that silly dodging antics of theirs has a somewhat comical charm.
At one time it was a craze to have a Guinea fowl painting in your house. I presume the reason being because of their stark decorative appearance, of white spotted blue-black bodies and their bright red and blue unusual-shaped heads, that so appeals to people.
Next week’s Kruger blog:
An oil painting of the Sabie River, where hippos usually wallow in.
Everyone need this kind of place
I have a quite place like that at my home, under a tree where Hededas often come to dig their becks in between my flowers.
Wow. Awesome place. Nice photography.
The two birds Hadeda ibises. Pronounced hardy-dars are superb amd beautiful.
The hardy-dars are so quite and serene in the way they go about their digging.
That greeny place looks to peaceful to watch, this is kinda place one can watch for hours n hours.
It was like a little hidden green haven. We only saw it once we had passed some trees and that we were moving slowly with the car and specially looking for something interesting to look at.
Guineafowl; Actually, many people known as original fowl or pet speckled hen.
They looks really amazing!
I've never seen a tame pet guinea fowl. Only ones I've seen that don't seem to mind you been near are at the zoo. But there you look down into their bird sanitary enclosure, where there are also other birds mingling around too.
Wow that's a great place ..
Really amazing this place.. thanks for sharing the details@artguru
It was a pleasure to share it with you. And we had such a lovely time just sitting there and watching for a while before moving on.
Traveling is my always favourite act..When I get any kind of opportunities then I enjoy my life by travel..
I think your travel is so interesting and enjoyable..You always travel in different places..
Best of luck..I hope you always enjoy your life..
I'm so lucky to be able to travel. I travel a lot because my children live all over the place. And sometimes I go with them when they travel. It's fun doing it together.
Yes !!! You say right I appreciate this place..
Actually mind blowing this is..
Thanks for sharing..
Things only become mind blowing when one thinks more carefully about what they see or hear. The more emotion you put into the moment, the more you remember why it was so special.
Wow what incredible birds! One looks like a hawk, and the guinea fowl is beautiful:)
Kruger looks like a dream of nature on earth! The road you took looks amazing , I would love to bike there but it might not be the safest...
Yip... the lions , cheetahs or hyenas could eat you! ;)
Incredible place just looking very interesting and carry on your activities @artguru
If one stops and looks more carefully and deeply at Nature, you are pleasantly surprised.
Wow!!This is really so amazing and beautiful place for traveling..I think Traveling is your best passion..
So, Thanks a lot for sharing your enjoyable moment..
I think I'm so lucky to be able to travel, that I absorb everything with a passion. Never take things for granted is my motto.
Yes this is secret place and I agree with you..
Your birds photography so very amazing and this in park to look very nice . thanks for sharing this beautiful park situation..
It's the little things in life that are so special, don't you think?!
Wonderful post.thanks for sharing this post.
Pleasure. Glad you enjoyed it.
wow.Awesome pleace. nice photogrephy. thank you for sharing it.
Glad you liked it.
Park is same like of beauty house and some birds have in house ..
Really love it @artgur
I don't quite catch your meaning?
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Not such pretty birds, but because they go about quietly and serenely, I'm fascinated by them.