Tag: Frank Kihn

Little Rush-Warbler Aerial Display.

Published on by Paul BarthoLeave a comment

Little Rush-Warbler Aerial Display.

Report and Photos by Frank Kihn of Le Domaine.

The following photos are of a Little Rush-Warbler doing his “helicopter” impression! Flying up 2 or 3 feet and down again. He must have done this at least 30 times, rising almost vertically and hovering for a second or so before landing and then repeating this every 10 seconds or so. He seemed totally relaxed about me standing quite close to him.

My Roberts’ states “ song sometimes followed by brief prrrr.prrrr wing-rattling flight display above sedges lasting 2-3 seconds.”

I will be interested in your comments about this behaviour.

I could not resist putting out the following 2 photos (also taken by Frank) of a Reed Cormorant and its chicks. Especially seeing the colour of the chicks’ heads.

Diedrick’s Cuckoo (juvenile) & Amethyst Sunbird.

Published on by Paul BarthoLeave a comment

Diedrick’s Cuckoo (juvenile) & Amethyst Sunbird by Paul Bartho.

The following is a series of excellent photos taken by Frank Kihn in LeDomaine.

As you will see the Diedrick’s Cuckoo juvenile is being fed by a female Southern Red Bishop. In one photo the cuckoo’s eye’s are closed as it is being fed. Frank asked if that was a sign of pure bliss.

The other photo below is of an Amethyst Sunbird chick which was found straying on the road in LeDomaine. Its nest had fallen out of the tree. Some residents returned it to its nest and put the nest up against the tree trunk and informed us.

On investigation, Sally and I noticed that the little bird was covered in ants. Painstakingly the ants were removed from its body. The nest too was infested in ants so Sally retrieved one of her woolly sox and sewed it on to a nearby Aloe. The chick was placed inside and happily cheeped away until the parents returned to feed it. Five days later we presume it left the nest.

Amethyst Sunbird chick in its ant infested nest.
Amethyst Sunbird chick in its ant infested nest.