Water Thick-Knee - Burhinus vermiculatus
Strange name for a bird. A cousin of the Eurasion Stone-curlew. Told apart by this grey wing panel with a black and white striped border. This was photgraphed before 6 am on a small bridge across a stream in the Serengeti. I was having trouble taking a picture in the low light and switched to flash.
We drove on over the bridge and a Jackal was running down the track between the tall grass just ahead of us. Trying to keep his feet dry from the dew fall on the savanah grass. It lightened - and the air was cool and crisp and still and the rolling Serengeti materialised out of the gloom.
We stopped to watch a small group of Topi - with their blue/black patches of tattoo they are an interesting antelope - long featured. These and Hartebeeste are some of my favourites. I am sure they are a dime a dozen. You see less of them though than many of the larger antelope. They seemed quiet shy to me and a little bit special.
You can see some mist hanging in the small valley. They have survived another night and remain viglient. In this tall grass though. A lion could be anywhere. A beautiful way to see in a new day.
Water Thick-knee, Burhinus vermiculatus
Tanzania, Olakira camp, Northern Serengetti near Mara river
July 2012
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