Alphabetical list

Observing sunbirds in South Africa, due to the similarities in behavior and coloration, there are associations with the hummingbirds in the New World. But in terms of taking pictures there is quite different situation. When photographing the hummingbirds in Costa Rica or Argentina (of course in the special places where they were fed) the problem was only when the photographer was not quick enough. While in South Africa we managed to watch several species of sunbirds, but as it was case in South Africa, taking pictures was a problem, and it was quite a big problem.

Mallards can be found in almost every water reservoir in our country, from large lakes to little urban channels, water ponds. In ponds in urban areas, especially in winter, they come near you keeping themselves just at your fingertips, when being fed. Speaking of feeding water birds, it ought to be remembered that birds shouldn't be given leftover bread or rolls, etc. That’s for several reasons. Firstly, for the fact that such food is harmful for them. The ingredients contained in our bakery products destroy birds’ livers and are not their natural food.

On the rocky meadows, covered with sparse vegetation they were ubiquitous. Of course they were quite fast and initially it was difficult to capture them, especially with short lenses, and these were the lenses that I had at hand. However as I was approaching them very slowly I managed to take a few pictures presented here.

The mandarin duck does not belong to the group of our native species. Taking so many photos of this colorful bird in our country is perhaps possible only in the Royal Lazienki Gardens in Warsaw. Although they are fed in winter, and the hosts of the park do not let water freeze, the ducks are free and half-wild. An interesting thing is that the mandarin duck is an arboreal duck. This means that it nests in tree hollows, sometimes at the height of a dozen plus meters.