Carpmaster97's Weblog

Tree Agama (Acanthocerus atricollis)

carpmaster97 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 07:03:21 +0000

The Tree Agama is a very large Agama. The one in these pictures is a juvenile. When fully grown they have brilliant blue heads and when threatened they bob their heads and show their bright yellow mouths.

This specimen is over ten inches long.
The Tree Agama lays its eggs in a hole in the ground.

It feeds on insects.

Ground Agama (Agama aculeata)

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:41:39 +0000

This Agama is very shy. It is solitary and feeds off ants. The Agama has a brown spotted body.

The female lays 12-18 eggs in a hole in summer.

The ground Agama is widespread in savanna and arid areas.

grey heron

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:32:15 +0000

The Grey heron is a large heron with white head and neck. The black eye-stripe has a black plume of feathers. The long bill is yellow.
The Grey Heron is found throughout South Africa in both fresh and saltwater areas

Knobbilled Duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos)

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:30:10 +0000

The Knobbilled Duck is a large sized duck that is found from south of the Sahara to the central areas of South Africa. The Knobbilled Duck is also found in Asia and South America.

The male Knobbilled Duck has a black flat knob on the top of his bill. The female does not have this knob.

This duck likes floodplains, farm dams, marshes, specially where surface vegetation is abundant.

Feed consists mainly of grass seeds and grains as well as insects and young plant shoots.

Normally found in groups when not breeding. When breeding, males sometimes have more than one female.

The nest is usually in a hole in a tree. This can be quite far from water. The nest is lined with feathers and an average of 8-10 eggs are laid. The young birds jump out of the nest when they are ready to go to water. Only the mother bird watches over the young.

Lizard Buzzard (Kaupifalco monogrammicus)

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:27:34 +0000

Smallish bird found in most of Africa, south of the Sahara. In South Africa confined to the North.

Usually solitary. Perches on high branches looking for prey. Feeds mostly on insects, small mammals, birds, lizards and snakes.

Nests in the fork of a tree. The compact nest is made of twigs, lined with softer materials such as grass and leaves.

kori bustard

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:24:49 +0000

Weighing in at 18kg and reaching up to 50″ (128 cm) in length this truly is a big bustard! The fact this it is not flightless may come as a surprise to some people (it certainly did to us!). In fact the Kori Bustard is just about the heaviest flying bird there is

Blackeyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus barbatus)

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:21:30 +0000

This Bulbul is a very very common resident and is found from Arabia to the Cape. Fond of gardens, bulbuls readily come to feed tables. Feeds on fruit, insects and nectar. Very vocal, the bulbul gives loud alarm calls when danger is present. Nest is a neat cup made of twigs and grass lined with hair or soft materials.

black eagle

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:19:34 +0000

The Black Eagle lives near cliffs and mountains and is fairly widspread in South Africa. Black eagles eat prey such as Dassies , rabbits and small buck. When seen from below the black eagle has windows (clear patches) near the ends of its wings.
Black eagles are often seen flying in pairs, the one slightly below the other.

Whitefronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)

carpmaster97 — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:09:10 +0000

A medium sized bird distributed from Kenya and Gabon, in the north to the Orange Free State province of South Africa, in the south. It is a very common resident.
Habitat: Woodland especially near water.
Usually found in small groups. When feeding it swoops from its perch to catch insects in the air.
Nests in an inclined burrow made in a bank, from September to October.

The Whitefronted Bee-eater in the bottom picture is sunning itself.

Crested Barbet (Trachyphonus vaillantii)

carpmaster97 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 19:50:16 +0000

The Crested Barbet is a medium to large sized bird. Common in the northern half of South Africa. Likes gardens, thornveld, riverine bushveld and woodlands.
Usually solitary. Likes to come to feed trays.
Feeds on insects, fruit and worms.

The Crested Barbet nests in a hole in the branch of a tree.