Aloes, Aloes everywhere!

25 May 2024 - The Aloe Farm

I had heard about the opportunities to photograph Sunbirds at The Aloe Farm, so when my good friend Glynn Harrington invited me to join him one crisp winter's morning, I jumped at the chance.

It was an hour's drive from Midrand and I met Glynn at the entrance just on opening time, along with a few other photographers. There were flowering Aloe's inside and outside the nursery, so it was tough to choose where to start in amongst the riot of orange, red and yellow flowers.

The majority of Sunbird's present were Amethyst, but they were very active in the cold early morning temperatures, so patience and staying one area was the strategy. Here is a selection of male Amethyst's in different plumage's.

Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

A few females

Female Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

and a juvenile

Juvenile Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

White-bellied Sunbirds were the next numerous, but were often chased off by the more aggressive or territorial Amethyst's - here a few images of the male

Male White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

and female

Female White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

I was disappointed not to find any Marico Sunbirds, but in between the Sunbirds, there were other distractions - Blue Waxbill

Blue Waxbill (Uraeginthus angolensis)

Along with Cape Weaver's which also enjoy feeding on Aloes

Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis)

In the gardens, I found Southern Boubou

Southern Boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus)

And White-throated Robin-Chat which is always good to see

White-throated Robin-Chat (Dessonornis humeralis)

Later in the year, White-fronted Bee-eaters have a small breeding colony in one of the sandbanks on the nursery - I managed to find two on the overhead lines

White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)

Looking up, Cape Vultures from the nearby Magaliesberg colony were seen cruising by overhead

Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)

It was a great morning out with many photographic and creative opportunities and I will be sure to visit again, especially if other Sunbird species occur more regularly.