Fun at the Bird Bath Hide

The afternoon of day 2 is spent at a hide officially called Bhejane, but in practice known to everyone as "The Bird Bath", because it attracts a wide variety of small birds who come to both eat the bird seed, and bathe.

However it’s not without its larger visitors. As we arrive we notice a much a full sized bull elephant loitering behind the hide. We get a couple of shots on the way in, and he does eventually wander past the hide window, but doesn’t stop to drink or pause long enough for photos.

Later in the afternoon we’re visited by a small group of warthogs, who do stop for a quick drink.

The real attraction, however, is dozens of small birds, of numerous colorful species, feeding, drinking and bathing. They are endlessly entertaining, and very photogenic.

About halfway through our session the available bird seed starts to run dry, so Lee thinks it would be a good idea to spread some more. However he manages to overdo it, so the ground looks suspiciously like it has severe dandruff, and some emergency gardening is called for. Fortunately no-one records this embarrassing event. Oh wait, I did!

Back to the birds… I’ve found a brilliant little app called Merlin Bird ID. You simply select a picture of a bird with approximate location, and it tells you the species and some supporting info. Just in case you thought I had magically become an ornithologist!