Magpie Shrike

“Mopane Magic” ~ A Magpie Shrike perches in a glorious Mopane Woodland on the Klopperfontein Road in the northern Kruger National Park, South Africa.

The Mopane tree, which can take the form of a tall tree or small shrub, is found in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia and is immediately recognizable by its butterfly shaped leaves and kidney-like pods. The leaves are bright green when they first arrive on the scene but soon turn into an incredible kaleidoscope of autumn colours.  From a photographic perspective this burst of colours provides magical scenes and sensational backgrounds. The trick, however, is to find birds in this colourful landscape, as Mopane is not known for its volume and density of bird or mammal sightings.

In pursuit of a quintessential “habitat shot”, I discovered great birds and great habitats but to get the two together and achieve a pleasing composition was not for the faint-hearted. The below image; the result of spending many weeks persevering in testing conditions, captures some of the woodland’s magnificence; with its many shades of yellow, orange and red. I also have to thank this black-and-white Magpie Shrike for being such an excellent model; framing himself in the scene and providing a wonderful contrast to his surrounds!

This limited edition image is part of a series called “Iconic African Birdscapes”; focused on showing iconic African landscapes and the birds that call them home.

PAPER TYPE

Fine Art Paper
Ilford Galerie Prestige Fine Art Textured Silk 270gsm offers a 25% cotton and 75% cellulose alternative capable of delivering stunning contrast and sharpness with a large color gamut. Ideal for framed prints.

Canvas
Pandora Canvas 380gsm offers a 100% cotton and matte finished canvas. Ideal for mounted and framed prints.