Blue-footed Booby

BirdLife South Africa is not only doing a fair bit to improve the conservation plight of birds, and especially seabirds, but they are now giving away a Canon 5dII + 100-400 L IS USM Lens (link at end of post) for the best photo of any flying, crawling or swimming ocean beasties. That's R42,000 of very nice kit, and not even an entry fee required.

Sadly I don't think I have competition winning pics. But while despondently scratching through some 2002 slides from Ecuador I did come across these rather delightful Blue-footed Booby photos from Isla de la Plata in Ecuador - not doing anything interesting enough to win me a prize, but hey, they've got blue feet. They were nesting, some right next to walking trails, so it was possible to get some great portraits. Note the very pretty ragged pupils.

my mate Smokey

He came to us one drunken night only a few weeks ago when Onno's housesitter gave his bird away. Rosie says I'm obsessed — I say I'm just trying to be a half decent substitute for a flock of social birds. Who would have thought that 100g of flying lizard could have so much personality? Or shed so much down?

OK, so I know it is really not cool to have a cockatiel at all, nevermind to have him on your head for half the day. But c'mon, he is cute.

Looks like clouds of dusty feathers and the occasional splot of birdshit are here to stay.