The Yellow Billed Stork dined on catfish tonite.
The poor catfish was given no say in the matter.
The stork’s eyes seemed bigger than his beak,
and the meal was almost more than he could swallow.
The Purple Herons,
were busy Hippo surfing.
But even they thought the stork caught more than he could swallow!
Cheers to you from Sunset Dam & Lake Panic Bird Hide Kruger National Park~
Love this! Sharing on FB.
So glad you do & cheers too!
Fascinating – excellent captured… 🙂
The hippos seemed pretty laid back didn’t they!
Great pictures!
Well thank you kindly!
Always the top photos Cindy. Good thing he ate that catfish head first.
Laughing, tail first would be a prickly endeavor!
This has got to be the best blog post I’ve seen all week, and I’ve seen some pretty nice ones! “Hippo surfing”…LOL!
Well, that makes my night! Thank you so much…..gotta love the laid back hippo surfboards too! 😉
Beautiful and amazing photos!
The animals were quite nice to set up the tableau for me weren’t they! 😉
Hi Cindy. Very very nice photos. Hugs 🙂 Wanda
Hugs & thanks back to you my friend!
Beautiful images! The details are just incredible, Cindy! I haven’t seen your recent posts via my Reader. 😕
Yes the reader unfollows me from people too and I don’t know about it unless they tell me. Frustrating!
I’ve lost quite a few… I just assumed you were too busy to post while traveling.
Well I was out of wifi range for two weeks. Now it is improving…….
Breathtaking, thanks 🙂
Awwww, thank you more!
No words do justice to your captures be they hummingbirds, storks and all the other creatures you encounter. Always amazing!!!
Awwwww Gary, so kind and so encouraging! Thank you my friend~
Great!
Grazi!
Beautiful birds.
Aren’t they gorgeous creatures!
Nice photographs,Cindy. 🙂
Wonderful to hear from you as always my friend~
Hippo surfing….hmmm…I could really get into that!
As long as the hippos are sleeping. They can get cranky when awakened abruptly, but then, so can I!
Wow.:)
Love that word! <3
What patient hippos they are or should the saying “skin as thick as a rhino” be changed to that of a hippo perhaps? Wonderful captures – safe travels! 🙂
Hippos are remarkable and I have a lot to post about them. They funnily enough have super sensitive skin and so do rhinos, prone to sunburn. Hippos sleep in water during the day and graze on land at night. We came upon a baby hippo separated from it’s hysterical mother on a night drive. It was quite affecting as lions reportedly take advantage of these situations. There is no where like Africa. I bet, but do not know, that the herons pick bugs off the hippos back??????? Or then again, maybe the hippos were just snoozing and unconcerned with such flightly matters! 😉
How bizarre that saying when rhinos and hippos skins are so sensitive! Makes sense now then they keep themselves covered with water or mud as a type of protection. After seeing the heron devour that catfish I can’t imagine a bug on a hippos back would even come up on it’s radar, lol. The sound the mother hippo must have been making, poor thing. No matter the species, human included, a mother separated from her youngin’ when there are predators around, is a harrowing time. Look forward to seeing more of the hippos. Stay safe and don’t let the mosquitoes bite! 🙂
Scene of nature, terrible and beautiful -with these bright colours…. and this hungry eye !! thank you –
Do have a nice evening – France Fougere
What a beautiful comment. Thank you~
Excellent!
Thank you Mintu.
Wow, great captures, Cindy! Love the pink and green feathers on the stork. There was a video on accuweather.com today of herons hippo surfing… is this a coincidence???
Yes, I wish I I could see it. It was a new concept and sight to me, although my husband and I were just discussing that it is common to see birds on all sorts of African animals, every rhino has a bird or two, crocs with open mouths often do, lots of antelopes have birdie riders. The birdies rid the critters of parasites and get to eat too. South Africans must see this all the time. But for me the hippo riding storks were quite a surprise
Wow Cindy, you got great images!
Such nice animals to provide them!
Cindy, you are the real photo-hunter! Pictures are as usual amazing!
Awwww, so encouraging and so appreciated!
Fantastic. At least I got to see a picture of a bird catching a fish. A couple of days ago, a Great Blue Heron was hunting at the lake. I watched him stretch his neck out farther and farther. I stood with my telephoto lens and my camera at the ready until I thought my arms would fall off. When he went for the fish — I got so excited — I didn’t get any of the heron in the shot at all — and the heron didn’t capture the fish. 😀 Great fun thanks for sharing.
This comment is better than any photo because it captures so perfectly the joy and defeat of taking photos. Makes me smile and shudder in empathy at the same time! It is also such a great testament to you as a person, your humor and humility. You rock~
😀 Thanks. We could probably do a whole blog about the photos we’ve missed. I especially like when I haven’t seen a bird because I’m focused on another shot and the bird makes a ruckus to let me know they are there and then as soon as I try to snap their picture they take off. This week it happened with an osprey, Northern Oriole and a hummingbird who was a wee bit aggressive flying right up to my camera lens. <3 Happy journeys.
Amazing photos Cindy and fun to see the hippo so relaxed 😀
Hippos are the mellowest creatures around…….until they’re not! 😉
Yes and take good care of yourself, their reputation are not too good 😉
Spectacular captures, Cindy!
Awwww, so motivating!
Amazing timing!..Better than a pro… !
What a thoughtful commendation! Thank you~
I have not seen so colorful birds. Great caputure of the birds!
Thanks much my friend and hope you are well!
These are amazingly gorgeous photos! Bravo!
Ahhhhhh, so kind and so motivating!
What great photos.
You have to admit the subjects gave me an unfair advantage, but thank you kindly!
yw
Amazing!!!!
So glad you think so! 🙂
The stork photos are exquisite. Thanks for sharing your vacation. I look forward to seeing more.
And I was just at your blog last night, thinking much the same thing!
I am always just blown away by your amazing photographs. Unbelievable!!!!!
Grateful for your thoughtfulness my friend and cheers to you~
Think nature loves to put on special shows just for you.. beautiful pictures!
Laughing, I wish that were true!!! <3
That’s a spectacular looking stork! Hippo surfing is a very popular sport among African birds for sure 🙂
Who knew???? Certainly not me. It was a hilarious surprise and I was most impressed with the accomodating hippos (read sleeping) hippos! 😉
Oh those close-up photos are breathtaking! Until now, I haven’t seen any photos that are this close-up that I could see just how brightly colored storks’ plumes can be. That green is such a surprise! These deserve to be in something like National Geographic… seriously!
Glad to hear you’re having a great time out there and am equally glad for the quick little catch-up with you Cindy! <3 ~Lynn
It is always a treat to converse with you Lynne and of course we share a commo bond and understanding of our feathered friends, so we are usually in accord. Great to hear from you and be well my friend.
Great shots, Cindi. Actually I am always amazed had how much seabirds can get down. I caught catfish by hand as a kid, though, and their front fins carry a heck of a wallop. Not sure I’d want one swimming around in my stomach. 🙂 –Curt
The spines are formidable, but African critters are tough creatures and think how old these birds are genetically. They’ve had lots of time for fine tuning! Cheers to you and be well Curt~
Wow! Amazing! 😀
I know I didn’t mention this, Cindy, but I love your gravatar! The adventures you capture on film are simply amazing!
Well how nice of you Robin and how very thoughtful too. Thank you my friend and be well!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you more for appreciating them!
Herons are among my favorite birds. We have many blue herons in our area, which surprised me about the desert at first. My very favorite is to watch green herons fish at coastal peers. So cool!
They are like dino-birds. They freeze forever makiing great reflections in the water, then move in slo-mo as they begin stalk in the water, when they strike it is like lightening almost too fast to see! Love em too~
What a great adventure (for you…not the catfish!)
Too true, this was not a good day for the poor catfish. I always feel sorry for caught fish.
awesome pictures <3
So happy you enjoyed them & cheers~
Fabulous again Cindy. The yellow-billed stork is gorgeous!
Alison
So funny, I think so too, but my mom just emailed me and said she thought he was ugly. Different people, different perceptions. I’m glad you see the beauty my friend!
wonderful captures. this could easily be hosted in National Geographic!
Thank you and most appreciated! Cheers to you too~
The stork’s feathers and change of colour are like a very fancy costume. Brilliant Cindy!
Remember when women used to wear stork feathers on hats and dresses! Almost decimated the stork populations, but women wanted to look like storks! 😉
Splendid! \(♥︣‿♥︣)/
So pleased you enjoyed it my friend and cheers back at you!
Love the colours of the stork. And hippo surfing looks very genteel.
They are rather more dignified than most of the surfers I’ve known, of course that is probably just the crowd I gravitated towards! 😉
LOL!
What a striking and gorgeous image. It’s photos like these that will go a long way to helping wildlife.
Have a lovely weekend.
annmarie
That makes me happy indeed and I hope it does work!
That’s impressive. They must be very accomplished at fishing and I’m impressed he swallowed it whole!
So was I, though it took him quite awhile to accomplish it! 😉
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Cindy Knoke has 1000s of amazing images on her blog and wildlife and scenery are amongst the best. Go and browse but take a picnic and pitch your tent as you will be there for a time!
Oh, so humbled and grateful. You are a very kind person~
A great story and beautifully illustrated.
Merci beaucoup & cheers to you~
Fantastic pics, again, Cindy! You have quite a knack for capturing birds. What lens did you use for the storck? With my zoom lens, it would be difficult to have both the body and the head in sharp focus like you did.
Yes, I find it quite difficult to get all parts of a bird in reasonable focus with full zoom. I used a Sony 400X with 1200 mm zoom. I am finding the camera to be a little too sensitive to the rough travel and dust in the bush though. Not meant for such intense use/conditions.
Despite the challenges, you did a wonderful job!
Awwwww <3
Well captured, Cindy. I have friends in the park on a tour and I dare say, their pictures won’t compare. 😊
Oh that is such a generous comment and so encouraging. Chees to you Lynne~
Fantastic photos, thanks for sharing
Thank you for appreciating my friend~
Fantastic as always, Cindy. I remember seeing a pelican trying to swallow a flounder once and it was too wide to get down its neck. It was quite hilarious to watch like your stork.Wish I could carry your suitcases! xx Rowena
A flounder and a pelican!! Wow, I wish I could see this, and we could share a braii in the bush! <3
Most annoying. Didn’t have my camera with me at the time. Damn!
🙂
What an amazing bird – almost looks like it is wearing a quilt. Love seeing the elephants – good travels Cindy!!
Ladies used to deck themselves out in these feathers. Took a horrible toll on the species. And the elephants, well no words……
Oh Cindy these photos are fabulous! Those glorious stork photos wrestling with the catfish, and then I gasped when I saw the herons on the hippo. I am SO glad you are enjoying your African adventure my friend…. 😀
I am so glad to have you virtually along with me, and I thought your elk shot was a classic!
HaHa, great story and photos, Cindy!
Yay!! <3
I love, love, love the closeups because of the fine details I can examine at my leisure. Every single feather. Your photos are such a treat. Thanks so much for sharing. <3 <3 <3
So grateful and pleased that you enjoy looking at the details we can’t see with our eyes only. I am always surprised what the camera sees. Thank you so much for appreciating & visiting! <3 <3 <3
Your first photo of the yellow billed stork has to be the best bird picture I have ever seen. While I felt sorry for the catfish, I couldn’t help thinking it would be delicious served cajun style!
Oh, laughng about the cajun catfish! It’s true too, but sadly the stork may prefer it unseasoned…….hard to swallow, I know. 🙂
Thank so much you for the very encouraging feedback~ <3
¡Qué interesante secuencia! El triste final del pez gato muestra la crudeza de la vida misma. El posado de las garzas sobre su isla-hipopótamo hace sonreir. Y eso que los hipopótamos, según se dice, no son muy amigables 😉 Sigo disfrutando de su visita al Parque Nacional Kruger desde mi sillón. Gracias <3
Si, es la vida y la muerte en África. Natural pero dura. Muchas gracias por sus amables comentarios y hermosa blog! <3 <3
Looks like you live in a beautiful place, love your blog and photos! Melody
Thank you!
Amazing photos. Cindy. 😃
Grazi my friend and hope you sleep on your flight~
these are some great shots, I’m going to put them in with the best 25! Have an awesome weekend my dear.
Wow, thank you Antionette. You are so much fun to travel with! <3 <3
Beautiful pics. They are birds with such big personalities.
They are indeed, like feathered dinos!
Exquisite photography ! Have I mentioned how much I love watching the world through your eyes? Your posts never fail to mesmerize 🙂
It is your eyes that find the good in them. Thank you for being eager to see!
Our guide had a vast knowledge of birds and amazing vision to find them. We stood by Sunset Dam for some time watching more birds than I can remember (we picked up one of the animals/bird list books at the first gift shop and checked off about 135 birds by the end of our trip). No storks they day we were there (We traveled in their Spring, so the migration patterns were at a different time of the year). Enjoy our wildlife spotting…. and good luck finding internet service!
Oscar
Yes, we were at Sunset on our first trip too. No guide just us turkeys! Lots of kingfishers, a green boomslang, the second greenboomslang on this trip, fishing eagles, balateurs, tawny eagles. We have lost count of the number of species on this trip, but did keep a list last time. Although I am keeping track of each new species seen. Got photos of a leopard. Saw a lot of ostrich a few days ago. Seeing some very rare birds and uncommon species, genets, civets, caracal, lots of amazing creatures. We tend to drive down dirt roads to water holes for hours at a time and are frequently quite alone. Thrilled to know you have been Oscar! You know what the experience is like~
The heron perching on the hippo was such a good shot Cindy.
So pleased you enjoyed him, as did I, not sure about the hippo though!
The look on the hippos face, with eyes shut, he looked to be enjoying the scratchy massage.
Laughing, hippos sleep in the day and leave the water to graze at night. I got a hilarious shot of a hippo rolling over in his pond with his muddy hooves in the air, so comical!
Wonderful photos
Mil grazi Marko~
Hello Cindy
I invite you to see new photos on my blog.
Have a nice weekend.
BEAUTIFUL! There’s so much beauty on earth!
Yes, and we all get to experience it for a brief time. Hugs to you Resa~ <3
Excellent sequence !
Happy you enjoyed it!
Oh dear! Poor Catfish!! Those storks suddenly look rather fearsome! lol 😉
Definitely does from the perspective of a catfish! 😉
Fantastic post! I wish I could be there to witness this, phenomena, first hand, but your photos really take me there, and are truly amazing! 🙂
So encouraging and so kind! Thanks & cheers to you~
Stunning photos, Cindy!
Awwww, thanks much & cheers to you Cynthia! <3
Woooowwww Beautiful Pictures, thank you very much Cindy….💗💗💗
Thank you more for the wonderful appreciation my friend!
Your sense of humor adds so much to your gorgeous photographs, Cindy.
Takes one with humor to appreciate humor Robin. <3 <3
You ARE in Africa!!!! OMG!
Such an amazing place. The animals just make my heartbeat right. Be well my friend~
I once had such a great sum in aquarium
Super shot
Thanks much & cheers~
🙂
Fantastic set of photos. I saw these after you posted them, but didn’t get time to comment.
Well thanks so much for coming back Timothy! I was just enjoying your photos~
I love giraffes, they are so interesting animals !
They are! Elegant and sorty of gangly at the same time~
Amazing pictures 🙂 I’ve tweeted it!
Awwwww, so grateful!
These are great shots!
Well visa versa 2 U X 2! I’ve just been admiring your pairings~
Aw, you really outdo me every time!
Ha! I wish~ <3
It’s been a while since I’ve visited your blog, but I am delighted to be catching up today. Your photography, and sense of fun, are stunning! Thank you for sharing them.
What a lovely comment. I am honored. Thank you & cheers too~
It’s really my pleasure. Your experiences sounds amazing. I don’t think I’d have the courage to be a wildlife photographer, but it was always one of my childhood dreams.
Great catch for you & the stork!
LOL on the hippo surfing. 😆
It was pretty hilarious, pleased it laugh!
Woooooow dis is amazing capture ♡
So happy you enjoyed and thank you!
♡ Pleasure is all mine dear 🙂
<3
🙂
Great colour in these stork shots, and beautiful plumage detail.
I’m surprised that the hippos — being that they’re so extremely territorial, don’t freak out on the herons being so close.
The herons pick bugs off their backs and hippos have sensitive skin. Hippos are mostly peaceful grazers, but you definitely do not want to make one mad!