Waiting again for the Flamingos to arrive.

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We went down to the lake and as I thought, the lake was full of water. Last year at this time it was only about half full and this year a nice surprise is waiting for the flamingos.
This is a Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) in some reeds at the lake.
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I think that we can expect even more flamingos to arrive this year to add to the hundreds of regulars.

Let me tell you that in early summer this lake comes alive with birdlife and many other species of wildlife. The lake is popular as it is wide open and any predators can be spotted from far away. My challenge this year is to get a whole cloud of flamingos when they fly up in unison from the water. I have seen it once and just imagine what an image hundreds of flamingos in the air must look like.
But for now, let me show you what the lake looks like at this early stage.

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Last year this below was all dry clay that we could walk on.
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I saw a light beam on the water originating from the reflection on the opposite hill.
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So, I waited to get a bird swimming onto the light beam.
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Now what is this noisy little one below?
A new bird that I got and I will show it to you in another post.
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My wife picked up the body of a little Cape Dwarf Chameleon.
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The sun greeted us from behind the top palm tree as we were leaving.
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And just a final look at the landscape.
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The lake is far too big to get the entire lake on camera from close up, but over time on our walks around the lake, we found life in every section of it. Cattle, horses, reptiles and even wild bucks. So, it's always a pleasure to visit here, but one thing to remember is that during peak summer, this place becomes like a hot oven. One dares not go here without adequate sun protection and big sun hats. But then again, we see some athletes running around the lake in T-shirts and shorts.
The flamingos are like a magnet that draws us to this lake, and I hope to show you great photos when they arrive.

I hope that you have enjoyed the pictures.

And That's All Friends.

Photos by Zac Smith-All Rights Reserved.

Camera: Canon Powershot SX70HS Bridge camera.

Thank you kindly for supporting this post.

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44 comments
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I hope that they might arrive before I fly off again! When do they normally arrive? I have actually also never been to the lake, even though driving past it so many times. I need to do more things in our beautiful area whilst I still have the time to do so! Thank you for sharing the beauty!

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They arrive early summer when it is hot, and that's why I want to get them in flight coming in. At times they are more than 100 in the air.
You will enjoy the walk at that lake, if you walk right around it, as in many parts there are different types of wildlife to be seen.
A pity that you squashed for time now, but just be happy to do what you can do.
!BEER

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So true. I want to take @urban.scout there, but she prefers the harder hikes where we need to climb the mountains! But I will get her there, as it is very close to the brewery where we drink beer (if I am thinking about the same place now!). That must be an amazing sight! I am really jealous.

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There is a craft beer brewery in one of the old buildings on the Denel grounds, and that is behind the lake on a different road. I don't know if that's the brewery that you are referring to.
Yeah, the flamingos make a great sight in flight.
!BEER

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Awhhh nooooo.. The Chameleon 😢😢that's saddening 😢.

I wonder what took it. The other day at work there was a dead lizard on the workspace in the yard... Quite a big one and he's been around for some time now.... But I think the stray cats got a hold of him.

!LUV

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It has no bite marks on it, and maybe the wind blew it out of a tree and smacked it against the ground. It is sad.
Oh no, we have also had many hassles with the cats and the dwarf chameleons that we had at our previous house. Eventually the chameleons all just disappeared out of the tree. We hope that they went to stay somewhere safer, as I have never seen them again.
Sorry about your lizard.
!PIZZA

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(Edited)

PIZZA!

$PIZZA slices delivered:
@papilloncharity(5/15) tipped @joanstewart (x3)
papilloncharity tipped technicalside
papilloncharity tipped nelinoeva (x2)
joanstewart tipped papilloncharity

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Funny names some birds have, like this Red Bishop. And why not, since there is Red Cardinal? 😉
I love that shot with the light beam on the water and the bird crossing it.

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Yeah and true, we also have the Yellow Bishop and some other birds whose name starts with their colors.
I think the Bishop name has something to do with the way that they protect their villages in the reeds. But I will do some research to find the origin of their names.

Thank you and a pity that the morning light was so sharp, but it was the best that I could do to get the beam. It was also my favorite and to think that a reflection of a house window on a far away hill can travel so far across to show up in the lake.
I also have some other photos of the sun's reflections off glass buildings, such as this one.

!PIZZA and !LUV

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This is another incredible shot of such reflection. I love it. Makes me wonder if I can find such spot too.

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Thank you and I am sure that if I can find a spot, then so can you.
!PIZZA

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Red Bishop is such a handsome chap with his special colours that are vibrant in the reeds, will be building nests now for the season ahead.

Lovely when you have a quiet piece of water to enjoy the arrival of the other birds now.

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Always difficult to get the deep red in bright light and I agree, as they are really lovely. The village of nests will soon appear.

Sheer serenity at that lake and we are so glad that the birds, especially the flamingos have a safe haven for their breeding purposes.
!PIZZA

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Last place I noticed pelicans and flamingo in large numbers was up in St Lucia, not sure if the water conditions up there have attracted them back.

The red head is in most reed areas along our river banks always busy at this time of year.

!LUV
!LOLZ

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St Lucia is a very special place and there are abundant birdlife up on the north coast. If the water is good then they will be sure to be up there.
We had a terrible storm up here in Gordon's Bay this afternoon and some of the videos sent to our phone shows how angry the wind and the sea can get here.

I suppose that you guys also have the yellow bishop in the reeds?

!LOLZ
!LUV

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Massive Spring Tide swept up the coast I could hear the sea cracking along our shoreline early hours of the morning. Saw some very damaged places along the Eastern Cape where it appears people did not heed the warnings going out yesterday.

We have more orange or red bishop birds in the reeds, have yet to see the yellow.

Happy Sunday with !LUV to Marian and yourself.
!PIZZA

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Oh yes, X (Twitter) is full of videos about the damages created by this crazy spring tide. Shame, apparently a 95 year old lady died when she was swept off her feet by the water.

A yellow bishop taken today.

Thank you and I hope that you guys also had a good Sunday.
All strength for the new week.
!PIZZA and !LUV

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Thanks for the yellow bishop, no I know I have never seen one before.

Old folks should know better than to be out in raging weather like that, what an age to be swept away perhaps that was her plan.

Spring tides like this happen every so often, best kept secret, it redesigns everything along the coast.

!LUV
!WINEX

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My pleasure and I am glad that I could show you one.

It was totally unexpected as the waves have never reached so far into that area. Poor lady.

Yeah, wonderful to see and we have seen a smaller one before, but nothing like this one.

!LUV
!WINEX

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Bird is very colourful vibrant two-tone.

Old lady of 93 out in windy weather is sad, there was plenty warning from SAWS about Spring Tides days before it happened.

We had massive sand dunes washed away in one such tide. Vox News today.

https://www.facebook.com/VoxWeather/videos/1363736901166258/

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Yes, they look better in flight and I will get one to show you.

I only saw the headline in a video and don't know why she was out there.

I will look at the link tomorrow and thank you for it.

Blessings and !PIZZA

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Have a great day, storm damage will take awhile to repair some coastal towns hit pretty hard.

Little bishop will be stunning in flight. !LUV

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You are so right as we saw an article that featured a bulldozer at work in Gordon's Bay. I will go and have a look when we get back home.

Yep! lovely to see the contrasting effect of the yellow on the black.

!LUV

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