Yellow-collared Lovebird - Agapornis personatus
I had a recent go at describing the larger "Psittaciformes" family relatively recently here when chalking up my first parrot. All a question of size so we are down at the smaller end with another lovebird. Last year in the North of Tanzania we bumped into the lovely Fischer's Lovebird nesting under our chalet roof at a budget lodge near to the Ngorogoro Crater.
These Yellow-collared Lovebirds were not nearly so obliging. They were extremely shy and had a very real habit of flying to the side of the vehicle from where the sun was shining as soon as you got within even ten metres. They are no more than 6 inches long so these are a small target.
They look out of place don't they. We are so conditioned to expect this sort of bird to live in a cage its whole life. I can tell you that every atom of their being is resistant to that ! They do not hang around when they see people !
One thing I love about parrot forms is the dexterity with their feet and tongue in particular. They can crack open a seed or nut and very gently ease out the soft tasty parts with their muscular tongues. We spent a few minutes watching one flock working itself through some long grass and bushes where they were feeding.
Most of the time the time this was my view - if I was lucky ! At the top of a Baobab tree and on this occasion not silohetted by the sun.
I will leave you with two views that sum up Ruaha for me this morning. One of a Baobab - incredible "trees" from the dawn of time that can live for thousands of years. Lorenzo, our Italian guide would comment how these trees were here when Christ walked the earth. Very Italian and passionate. You can buy the seeds flavoured in different ways in plastic tubs in African towns - they taste weird - slightly sour - the seeds melt in your mouth and have a cotton wool/raw potato texture that it is hard to describe !
A second tree an Umbrella Thorn or Acacia with its "stylists" - A giraffe and foal. I love this picture because its one of the first I took understanding that you can put the whole scene in focus with a steady rest and a large F number. Camera magic for me - I really didn't have a clue until relatively recently. As ever you can click on these pictures to get a better view - they are all taken with the new canon body and the last two with a few million pixels.
29 degrees in Dubai this morning at 7 am so really no excuse not to pack the camera bag, a packet of shortbread (top birding fare) and a can of bitter lemon - heaven knows if I got the bag packed on Friday I could be out of the door at 7 am on Saturday. I am seeing reports of the world's birds on the move - Red Necked Phalaropes in Al Ain, White Storks in Fujeriah, Caspian Plovers up at the Pivot Fields. It would be good to go through 300 with a local picture. That's half a plan.
Yellow-collared Lovebird, Agapornis personatus
Tanzania, Ruaha National Park
July 2013
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