Lone Ranger

What I enjoy about Darling is the fact that it is still so close to nature. I mean yes, obviously I work outside in the field and vineyards, but I doubt there are a lot of vineyards where there are so much bucks, birds, mammals and reptiles. Here are just a few. Saw this guy last week. He is the "Lone Ranger". The only wild Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) I've seen around. He is a little camera shy though.

The next model is what we call in Afrikaans a "Skurwejantjie". As far as I know he is called the "Cape girdled lizard" in English. But anyway, it is of the genus Cordylus. Brilliant little fellow. When you approach him he hardly blinks. My camera lens almost touches him when I photograph him.




Next we have the Secratarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius). I only see them in winter. They are always in a pair. Very secretive birds and very alert. Well, wouldn't expect anything else from a bird of prey. They are very difficult to photograph, unless you have a massive zoom lens.



And finally, the Blue Crane (Anthropoides paradisia), South Africa's national bird. Also usually found in pairs, but I have photographed them in flocks of more than fifty. I might do a post about them someday.



And to end this post just a nice picture I took last year.