Swainson’s Francolin at dawn

By Charlie • May 25, 2008 • 6 comments

A couple of days ago I posted a short trip report on a visit I made to one of my favourite spots on earth - Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve in South Africa. Writing the post reminded me of just how many birds I’ve seen at this one small site, and I thought I might put a gallery of favourite photos together. Looking back through all the photos I’ve taken I came across a series of pictures I took a few years ago and meant to publish at some point…

The pictures show a Swainson’s Francolin, a common bird in the highveld, greeting the rising sun from a fence post and are completely untouched (cropped, but not coloured or altered otherwise). Swainson’s often call from a post in the morning, and I just happened upon this one as I drove towards the Reserve around dawn. I edged the car towards it thinking I may get a silhouette shot if I was lucky, and then realised that if I manouevred the car into the right position - and if the bird remained on the post without anyone else coming along and disturbing it - I may get a photo of the sun coming up right by the bird. Luck was with me: the bird stayed on the post for about thirty minutes, the cloudless sky turned the most luscious orange, and I ended up with a series of photos that I really like. Hopefully you’ll like them too…

swainson's francolin

• Tags: feature, features, photography, south-africa, suikerbosrand

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About the Author

Charlie

Charlie works for an airline and has birded all over the world for twenty years. He wants to be a writer, and thinks no-one would believe his life could be so charmed if he didn't take photos of as many of the birds he sees as possible. Blogging with 10,000 Birds fits his aims, needs, and insecurities perfectly. Really - do birders get much more fortunate than this?

6 Responses to “Swainson’s Francolin at dawn”

Mike May 25th, 2008 at 7:54 am

Awesome pics, Charlie.
Wes May 25th, 2008 at 9:00 am

Spectacular shots thanks for sharing
Wes
Clare May 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am

Yeah, what Mike said.
Corey May 25th, 2008 at 10:49 am

I like how even barbed wire looks good at dawn.
Jochen May 26th, 2008 at 2:55 am

Nah, Charlie, I don’t like them … NOT

Okay, being an old faithful Charliesbirdblogger, I already knew one of them, but it’s very good indeed to see it (and the others) again after you shifted to 10,000 birds!
You see, that’s one of the classic and thus pretty boring Africa scenes: orange sky, black silhouette of giraffe (elephant/lion/buffalo/…take your pick) against the setting/rising sun.
But the fact that you have carried that African theme to the birds is very unique, amazing to look at and just really well made!!
10,000 Birds Month in Review: May 2008 May 31st, 2008 at 11:59 pm

[...] Charlie continued to make everyone green with envy as he passed the 850 species mark on his Big Year. He birded South Africa, Chicago, South Africa, Bangalore, and did I mention South Africa? In between birding excursions Charlie kept up with the steady stream of 10,000 Birds Clinic questions, rounding up a week’s worth of questions here, here, and here. He also celebrated World Migratory Bird Day, wrote a review, did a 60 Second Sell, and saw a cool bug. Not only that, but he took time to smell (ok, see and photograph) a Swainson’s Francolin at dawn. [...]