The Kingfisher Family of Intaka Island, Cape Town
The resident Malachite Kingfishers recently added a pair of juvenile kingfishers to their family. It is no secret that most birders frequent Intaka Island, a bird sanctuary nestled amongst the concrete edifices of Century City to get a glimpse of the malachite kingfishers. A visit to Intaka island without spotting the malachite kingfishers is fraught with disappointment even if the numerous other birds residing or making an appearance there satisfies one's birding addiction. Here then are the newly arrived pair:
Like any other parents the babies were duly introduced to the world, taught to fly, feed and fend for themselves. I visited the island a month after these photos were taken and can report that the babies are growing steadily into fully fledged malachites who are able to fend for themselves. I am most intrigued at how they have grown in such a short period of time.
The parents, or more specifically the mother kingfisher duly caught fish and fed the babies. The body and beak language of the mother kingfisher suggests that she not only saw to their feeding, but also chided them occasionally as some of the photos would suggest. I am certainly not going to attempt to glorify the lives of the malachite kingfishers. So, I shall say nothing further and let you enjoy the photographs.
These kingfishers have given me immense pleasure and satisfaction in photographing them. I often regret that the photos do not come out as nice as they appear to the eye. The final shot is a single opportunity shot when three of them, the adult and the two juveniles perched on the dead tree trunk.
Please respect the copyright protection of the photos and materials contained in this blog. Do leave a message in the comments box, if you so desire.
Like any other parents the babies were duly introduced to the world, taught to fly, feed and fend for themselves. I visited the island a month after these photos were taken and can report that the babies are growing steadily into fully fledged malachites who are able to fend for themselves. I am most intrigued at how they have grown in such a short period of time.
The parents, or more specifically the mother kingfisher duly caught fish and fed the babies. The body and beak language of the mother kingfisher suggests that she not only saw to their feeding, but also chided them occasionally as some of the photos would suggest. I am certainly not going to attempt to glorify the lives of the malachite kingfishers. So, I shall say nothing further and let you enjoy the photographs.
These kingfishers have given me immense pleasure and satisfaction in photographing them. I often regret that the photos do not come out as nice as they appear to the eye. The final shot is a single opportunity shot when three of them, the adult and the two juveniles perched on the dead tree trunk.
Please respect the copyright protection of the photos and materials contained in this blog. Do leave a message in the comments box, if you so desire.
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