THE BIRDS AND THE BEES

Our game vehicle stopped for a mid morning coffee break by the Nwanedzi River in the east of the Kruger National Park,after a morning observing a pride of lions. As I stretched my legs, I noticed that the purple water lilies in the river were fully open and a couple of African Jacanas, also known as lily-trotters, busy walking on water foraging for insects. I grabbed my camera and knelt down at the water's edge to get as low as possible to capture the colourful scene of a jacana near a purple lily and their reflections. When I reviewed my image I was surprised to see the bonus addition of two bees hovering over the lily. The African Jacana is a widespread tropical bird that appears to walk on water. Known for their elongated toes and claws, these allow them to spread their weight while foraging on aquatic vegetation and insects.

Kruger National Park, South Africa