See Raptors in Action – Drakensberg – South Africa

Pictures below

Friends of ours have just visited Falcon Ridge, a bird of prey center in the Champagne Valley that includes raptors rehabilitated from injury, They saw these magnificent birds in action above the majestic Drakensberg Mountains. They also saw breathtaking displays of the raptors in action. Below are some wonderful pictures taken during their visit. Thank you for the great pictures Please scroll down. Eight photos. Enjoy.

Thank you again for the wonderful pictures.

Even more great pictures of lion, buffalo and elephant in Addo on 26 February 2023

Photographer: A Hannington Nikon P900

Note the warthog kill to the right of some of the pictures of the lions. Notice the buffalo herd guarding the young buffalo (young buffalo with gold/brown coat and short horns). And what about the young elephant reaching for the water. Then, shiver when you look at the buffalo bull? Scary close.

Going to Addo is a great experience. How lucky we are to have Addo so close to Port Elizabeth

15 pictures

More Addo Magic 26 February 2023

Photographer A Hannington with Nikon P900

Don’t disturb me!
I know you are taking a picture of me but I won’t bother looking at you!
About to have a shuteye?
Don’t you believe it! I am fully awake.
Snoozing in the shade!
An afternoon snack with mom.
Is that a delicious root I see?
Don’t disturb me. I am thinking.

Addo – Another Interesting Visit 26 February 2023

Don’t mess with me!
Here comes trouble!
About 3 m from the car window. Phew! Don’t get out of the car! What a game park! Fantastic
Here comes trouble!
Both on guard and watching me!
Enjoying grazing together
Having a drink with Mom
Hard work for a dung beetle!
Clever Finch
Warthog brood

Bird Pictures photographed by AH in his Port Elizabeth garden February 2023

Southern masked Weaver
Black sunbird
Black sunbird
Black sunbird
Black sunbird
White eye

Intro

Weaver
Weaver
Sparrow
Weaver

Black sunbird
Weaver

The Owl and the Rabbits: Fast vs Slow*

Once upon a time, in a forest, there was a wise old owl named Mary. All the animals in the forest would come to her for advice and guidance.

One day, a group of young bunnies came to Mary and asked her to tell them a story. Mary thought for a moment. She remembered a story a wise man called Aesop told her. Mary began to speak.

“Once upon a time, there was a rabbit named Speedy and a turtle named Slowpoke,” she said. “Speedy was very fast and loved to brag about how fast he could run. Slowpoke, on the other hand, was slow but steady.

One day, Speedy decided to challenge Slowpoke to a race. He laughed and said, ‘There’s no way you can win, you’re too slow!’ But Slowpoke accepted the challenge.

The day of the race arrived and Speedy took off quickly, leaving Slowpoke behind. But Speedy got too confident and took a nap during the race. When he woke up, he saw Slowpoke crossing the finish line first.

The moral of the story is that slow and steady wins the race. Don’t be like Speedy and brag all the time. Instead, be like Slowpoke and work hard and you will be successful in the end.”

The young bunnies were very impressed and thanked Mary for the story. From that day on, they remembered the story of Speedy and Slowpoke and worked hard to achieve their goals.

*Story created using AI with iteration

The Owl and the Rabbits: Comparing with Others*

Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in a big park called Richmond Park in London. One day, there was a big snowstorm and it was hard for all the animals to find food and stay warm. Mary knew that everyone had to work together to survive.

The foxes knew how to find food in the snow and they taught the rabbits. The rabbits knew how to make shelters to stay warm and they taught the foxes. Together, they were able to survive the storm.

Mary saw that some of the rabbits were feeling bad because they weren’t as good at hunting as the foxes. So, she taught the rabbits that everyone has different talents and it’s important to focus on what you’re good at and not compare yourself to others.

She also said that comparing yourself to others is not a good idea because everyone has their own struggles and it’s not fair to compare yourself based on what you see on the outside. She taught them to focus on their own progress and growth and to be proud of themselves for their own accomplishments no matter how small.

The rabbits listened to Mary and they stopped comparing themselves to the foxes and others. They focused on being the best version of themselves and being helpful to others. From that day on, all the animals in Richmond Park, London worked together and were happy. And Mary the wise owl was always there to guide them and remind them to treat themselves and others with kindness and respect.

*Story generated using AI

The Owl and the Rabbits*

The Owl and the Rabbits of Richmond Park in London

Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in Richmond Park. She had lived there for many years and had seen many things come and go. One day, she noticed that the rabbit family who lived nearby were having trouble finding food. The rabbits were small and not very fast, so they couldn’t catch their own food like the bigger animals could.

Mary, the wise owl, knew she had to help the rabbit family, so she went to speak with them. When they first met, Mary told the rabbits that the most important rule in life was to treat other animals just like they would like to be treated. She called it the golden rule.

She taught the rabbits how to better use their ears to listen for the sound of the plants growing underground. This way, they could find the freshest and most nutritious plants to eat. She also taught them how to better use their noses to smell for predators, so they could stay safe.

The rabbits followed Mary’s advice, and soon they were thriving. They had plenty of food and were able to live in peace and safety in Richmond Park.

But one day, a sly fox frightened the rabbits as he was hunting them, the rabbits were not aware of the fox’s presence and were caught off guard. The fox was almost able to catch a few of the young rabbits before they could run away. Mary, seeing the commotion, flew down to the scene and chased the fox away.

Mary then gathered the shivering rabbits and reminded them of the importance of staying alert and being aware of their surroundings at all times, especially when predators are around. She also reminded them of the golden rule, that they must always treat other animals just as they would like to be treated and to look out for one another. Little did they realise how important that rule would turn out to be.

One day, while the rabbits were out foraging, they stumbled upon a trap set by a hunter. Inside the trap was the fox who had been hunting them before. The rabbits were afraid and wanted to leave the fox there to suffer, but one of the young rabbits, named Flopsy, remembered Mary’s golden rule and decided to help the fox.

Flopsy carefully freed the fox from the trap, and the fox, surprised and grateful, thanked Flopsy. The fox said his name was Lightning and explained that he had been caught in the trap while hunting for food for his family, and that he had never intended to harm the rabbits. The two animals realized that they were not so different after all, and they became friends.

The fox and the rabbit family then worked together to find food and protect each other from danger in Richmond Park. Mary was happy to see that her advice had been taken to heart and that even the unlikeliest of friendships could form. They all lived happily ever after, always looking out for each other and Mary the wise owl was always there to protect them, always reminding them of the golden rule to treat others just as they would like to be treated.

A few months later there was a massive rain storm. The wind howled. The trees shook. It was icy cold. The rabbit family huddled together in their den.

Yet on that cold and windy night, at the height of the storm, they met someone who would become their friend for ever. He would become known as the Hero of the Winter Storm. He was a young dog named Wally.

But what happened?

That is another story ………………….

*******************************

*This story was generated by AI and a process of focused iteration plus actual amendment.

Photo by Aswathy – Thank you