Quota OBS

Since I’m away, and hopefully working hard, I’ve lined a few posts to tide you over while I’m gone.

That’s not to say that I’ll not post stuff if I get chance. It’s just that I likely won’t get chance, so I’ll pop some posts up just in case.

For example, here’s a quota photo of an Orange-breasted Sunbird (Anthobaphes violacea) at Kirstenbosch, earlier this year:

As autumn closes in (although not here), it’s a lovely reminder of those vivid summer colours.

And an easy way to preserve my post-a-day record.

On the way back in

After yesterday’s… [thinks carefully]… “interestingday out by train up to Elgin – including ploughing through right next to the active fireline in Grabouw – it’s been a quieter, cooler day today, with a nice gentle walk up the mountain.

And with the football about to start, I need a quick QP to pop up here. So here’s one from on the way back into Cape Town’s fetid industrial dockland area yesterday evening.

The AQI was into the 170s, but it made for some wonderful light across Table Bay and over towards Signal Hill. Also, really bad for asthmatics.

There are a load more images to process from the weekend, but I don’t have time right now, so please look out for them in a future edition.

Just another Flycatcher (thank goodness)

Birthday breakfast at Kirstenbosch and then a quick wander around the gardens before it got too hot.

Crickets, Agamae(?), Agamas(?), Agamasses(?) eish…
An Agama – and then another one – and some pretty flowers (obviously), but not too many birds on show. We did get what we could, though.

I do really like the detail on this sunbird shot

And it even stands the zoom test:

…but the shadows really ruin the image.

And thus we were about to leave disappointed (as far as ‘togging birds went, at least), but then our old friend the inquisitive African Dusky Flycatcher (Muscicapa adusta) popped by.

Absolute bread and butter stuff, but such a willing and dependable subject: and just so cute.

More celebrations planned for this lunchtime, so I’ll have to love you and leave you for the moment, but the great news (T&Cs apply) is that there will almost certainly be more here tomorrow.

Quick sunset shot

Busy morning, and we’re off to Stellies for some wine tasting this afternoon, so herewith a very quick denoised sunset shot from the weekend in Agulhas.

I’ve been doing some rudimentary calculations, and I’ve worked out that the image above isn’t going to win any awards. What is is going to do is serve as a quota photo for today’s blog post – just in case things get messy later.

Which, given the amount of wine involved, they may well do.