Tanzania - 2020 - Part 10 - Assorted images from Tanzania - Feb. 2020

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Pin-tailed Whydah
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/1600 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

The pin-tailed whydah (Vidua macroura) is a small songbird found in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is normally about 12 cm in length, but in breeding season the male's tail grows an additional 20 cm. The species is a brood parasite which lays its eggs in the nests of other birds, especially waxbills. It does not destroy the host's eggs, but merely adds 2-4 eggs to those already present. The nestling whydahs mimic the gape pattern of the fledglings of the host species. Link to an interesting article with photos illustrating the gape pattern - LINK

Von der Decken's Hornbill with grub
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens
1/1000 sec at f/4, ISO 160

Just for fun. The remainder of the bird was obscured by the tree. The only shots I got of the entire bird were taken when the bird was very far away. This is a male. Male Von der Decken hornbills have a red and cream colored bill, while females will have a solid black bill.

Red Bishop
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 2x teleconverter
1/3200 sec at f/8, ISO 1600

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix nigrifrons) are Sparrow-sized birds that measure between 3.9 - 5.9 inches in length (including the tail). They have a thick, conical bill. The plumage of breeding males is a combination of bright red/orange and black. The head is red, except for the black forehead, face and throat. See a previous post for more images of this beautiful bird. LINK

Blacksmith Plover
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/4000 sec at f/5.6, ISO 800

The Blacksmith Plover (Vanellus armatus) is named for its alarm call which resembles the sound of someone hammering a piece of metal.

Dik Dik
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
300mm f/4 IS Pro Lens + 1.4x teleconverter
1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 2500

Wikipedia: “A dik-dik is the name for any of four species of small antelope in the genus Madoqua that live in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa.” If you go to the MentalFloss article “9 Fun Facts About the Dik-Dik” (LINK), you will learn, among other things, that they get their name from their alarm call and that the Italian pop group Dik Dik whose cover of “California Dreamin” was a big hit is no relation. LINK to their cover of “California Dreamin”

Lion in early morning light
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
40-150mm f/2.8 Lens at 115mm
1/640 sec at f/8, ISO 500

Heading back to the camp after another wonderful day in Tanzania
Olympus OM-D E-M1X camera
40-150mm f/2.8 Lens at 40mm
1/400 sec at f/5, ISO 4000

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David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.