And he even posed for me for a while, until a crowd arrived.
We were driving on a narrow single lane road, and thankfully my wife saw him, as he sat on a tree at the car's passenger side.
So, I slammed on brakes and pulled the car hurriedly as far as I could to the side of the road.
But what is this? The famous Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus), and over the past few months, I could only get him on camera high up in the sky. So, it is rare to get them so close on a high tree trunk top. This was a very big tree, but if you look at the center of the trunk where it was cut off, then you will see that the core is rotten, due to a beetle infestation. I presume that at some time the entire tree will be removed, but at this stage the tree stump was still high up.
The photo below will show you how high up he was.
The cut trunk was higher than the tops of the surrounding trees, and the bird had an excellent spot to search for rodents, snakes or anything else that moved.
A pair of eyes sunk into caverns that will be the last that any little animal will see during the bird's attack.
I was wondering what he was looking at, as I was so intent on getting the bird on camera, that I didn't look around me. People on bicycles and some cars had arrived and everyone was staring at the bird that I was taking photos of. I saw that I was standing in the road, and I moved out of the way, but they didn't move on, as everyone was oohing and aahing.
You can see below that the bird gave me an angry look for disturbing his peace, and I knew that that he was going to take off.
Yep, I was right, as there he went.
I followed his flight and he settled far down in another tree down the road. Thankfully my zoom was on his case.
Yep, he gave me a last look, and then we had to depart as the people in the cars could not get past us.
Finally, buzzards are hunters on the lower mountain slopes, and the surrounding areas.
One guy on a bicycle asked what kind of bird it was, and I told him that it was a jackal buzzard, so he went to tell his friends. People are amazing in this place, as everyone, or almost everyone has a deep love for nature, and they were kind enough to wait until the bird left. I was happy to get the bird and also happy that I can share it with you now.
If you want to know more about the buzzards, then you can visit a Wikipedia link HERE
I love the big birds of prey and they are elegant in flight.
Hope that you have enjoyed my find.
Photos by Zac Smith -All Rights Reserved.
Camera: Canon PowershotSX70HS Bridge camera.
Thank you kindly for supporting this post.
Nice one there. I really like the pics. they are so beautiful and lovely.
Thank you for the appreciation!
Oh wow, what a lucky day for you! I can imagine the joy as you slammed the brakes realising what was waiting for you. The closest that I have come to these were at sanctuaries where they help the birds of prey that got hurt. Such a lucky moment and I am glad that it waited for you to press the camera button to get the photograph!
Ever rushed out of a driver's seat slowly in order not to scare something? I slipped out there like a ghost. !LOL
Our eyes are always on the treetops and imagine how happy I was when I got an African Fish Eagle on a telephone pole. Every time I am just at the right place at the right time. We visited one of those sanctuaries once, but never returned as it is too heartsore.
It is really a heartsore. Will share some posts in the coming weeks about our visit to one. Makes for stunning photography but for the most sad and awful reasons.
So true! I know those moves. I am really jealous of the lens of yours though! The zoom on that one is unheard of and no wonder you get all of the best shots!
Yep, we came away very heartsore, and it was the same at the cheetah rehab centre. Now we don't visit there anymore. You can tag me in the posts.
It all started with my longing for a cheaper camera to get clear and big photos of the moon. I had a small PowershotSX450 and the zoom was just too short to get a bigger moon. So, when I saw the pictures that the bigger zoom of the PowershotSX650 take, I simply got one. Since then, I have upgraded to the SX70, which is smaller in bulk, but with the same zoom. I don't know if a SX75 will be made, as the talk is that Canon will stop the manufacture of the Powershots.
There is a Nikon with a similar zoom on the market, but way too expensive for me to get.
!BEER
It is incredible what they can do these days with cameras. I seriously need to upgrade someday, but for now, I am waiting a bit, checking things out. With new technology, my father always told me, to wait a bit until they sort the bugs out and then buy the newer versions with fewer problems! Soon, I will leap and make the investment.
Well, they are in a fight with the new cell phones, except for the zoom reach, as only a good camera has a good zoom. Canons and Nikes call the tune in the zoom department, unless you have millions to pay for cameras with ultra long lenses that cost more than a car !LOLZ
That is the problem right, some of these cameras and lenses cost more than a car! Or the deposit of a home. It is crazy that they can get so expensive, and the thing is we hobby photographers will never use all the fancy features that cost so much. Buying things we will never need.
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So close pictures... You had lucky day...
Thank you, and it was indeed a good day.
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Wow! Wow! I just lack what to say. I just feel like saying Wow, Wow. I love the snapshots. thanks for sharing the beauty of nature and creation.
Thank you and I like to share the Creator's wonders in nature.
👏 Keep Up the good work on Hive ♦️ 👏
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Some very good shots of an incredible bird. Really handsome one.
Thank you for your appreciation, and yeah, that buzzard is surely a handsome one.
!BEER
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What luck! You made great photos.
Thank you and it's my pleasure to share it.
!LOLZ
I sometimes overlook the beauty of nature around us, but your story and photos remind me how important it is to appreciate these moments.
You are not alone, as we see so many simply ignoring nature. But, as you saw in my photos, we regularly have many precious moments out there, and you can certainly do the same, as nature is a great healer, especially to release one's stresses.
!PIZZA