These are arrow marked babblers, and they gave me the run around, I can tell you. They hang around in groups of five or ten, sometimes on the floor, or in the lower branches of shrubs.
They move about quickly, always in the shadows where the camera can’t focus. Just when I’m about to press the shutter, they fly off to another, nearby tree and laugh at me. I swear they do. Look at this one run (above.)
And that red, beady eye??? They often puff out their chests when calling, showing the arrow marks…
Strangely, this one sat on this branch watching me. I was on the window sill, but scared to move too fast. I just nudged the camera ever so slowly upwards to get the branches out of the way. That’s how I got such sore arms – even a tiny camera can get pretty heavy…also try to get YOUR eyeballs to look around corners!
My what red eyes they have.
They do.Did you know that? I must say, when I put the photographs on the laptop, I couldn’t believe how beady they were! You know, I opened a cute little hidiehole in the shrubbery and the light blighters saw me, came and sat directly above…and then laughed when I couldn’t take the photos! They seriously remind me of my family – noisy, gregarious and all – birds! (I have four sisters!) Thanks for the visit and comment
No worries and no I didn’t.
I hope you are entering them on some Birds of Zimbabwe site somewhere…
No – I don’t think they are good enough yet