Francois Rademeyer photography and art

Barred owlet

What an absolute privelage to come across this 3 day old white rhino calf. What makes it even more special is that she was born from a linage of orphanage rhinos, which have been rewilded.

Long overdue visit to Kruger

Fantastic discovery!! Nightjars are a very common sight, and night sound, in most of Africa, but to find a nest, or scrape, is a very rare treat. If you notice one just sitting on the ground when you approach, or flying off a few meters to land again, you might be in luck. This one actually didn't even fly up, she just sat next to the scrape, as it was a hot afternoon. This is no mistake, nightjars do lay eggs on the bare ground, usually amongst stones or rough gravel, affording perfect camouflage as seen in this image. Now the camouflage is the most fascinating aspect of this find for me. They achieve this by means of a pigment gland situated in the o***y. As the shell hardens, it is rotated, and "dotted" by the pigment gland. The colour and shade thereof varies, and in some ground nesting birds it even creates undulating stripes as well. Each egg a piece of meticulous art, instinctively created by nature. Nightjars are extremely difficult to ID when perched, but I think this is an European nightjar. It was in December and they are breeding migrants.

Incredible find by Bernard in our garden this morning. Death head Hawk moth caterpillar