Overcast weather makes for the best photographs in my opinion. Especially in areas where the sun is too bright, overcast weather provides the perfect conditions for photographing. Normally when it rains, I always go into the garden just when the rain stops to take photographs. There is something to the "clean" and "wet" air that just makes for perfect photographic conditions. But this is a problem when you shoot bird photographs, as they are normally hiding when it is rainy! But overcast weather (with no rain) provides this perfect lighting.

I was lucky to photograph some Cape white-eyes and Southern double-collared sunbird feeding on the fruits or flowers of a flowering Cabbage tree (Cussonia spicata). I see these trees as big bird and wildlife feeders, thanks to a friendly comment in a previous post (see here the explanation and origin). Providing for the many wildlife in the area, these local trees are an integral part of the ecosystem. The number of insects and birds that feast on the pollen is immense. In less than an hour, I saw all of these birds, bees, other insects, butterflies, and carpenter bees. Please enjoy my usual musings and some artistic but fun photographs of these skittish little feathered friends.

The Cape white-eye; Southern double-collared sunbird; and Insects

Some Artistic Shots

We can only see what we want to see. That is, our minds can only comprehend that what we allow it to comprehend. Yes, there are geniuses out there that come up with fantastic mathematical theories, but we are what we feed our minds. We, therefore, are all capable of seeing the world as being more complex, more than simple resources we can use to make more capital. Everything is running on an infinitely delicate balancing scale.

Lonesome, this screams lonesome. Are we not sometimes alone in our view of the complex world? People are so entrenched in viewing the world as "resource" rich, available for "exploitation". We need radically new thoughts, radically new metaphors we see the world through.

Some Acrobatic Shots

Upside down! No need for the rules of gravity when you are that small.

Hanging with one foot in the air, upside down, this little friend could not care less about our political and financial struggles. But those struggles are what either keep the ground as natural ground or what turns it into a concrete jungle. How have we come to this reasoning that nature is under our control when we do not even know anything really?

Our mental games are acrobatic of nature. Power struggles, aren't we all just hungry for doing nothing?

The Rest of the Shots

Perched he or she sits. The world is so small, the world is so big. It depends on what you want from it. But it also depends on your socio-political-economic environment. Why does no one ask this question? You can only philosophize with a full stomach.

When the sun starts to shine after a long day of overcast, your thoughts might begin to make sense. But only if you want them to make sense. Blissful ignorance sounds so blissful! Can we just stay ignorant of all the politics that surround us?

Some Other Visitors

Thank you so much for reading my strange philosophical musings. I give the birdy birds and nature the credit. All of the photographs were taken with my old Nikon D300 camera. She is on her last legs! But she still works so well. Time to scout for a new camera. Let us hope with the "chip shortage" I can find a good camera. Until then, I am stuck with the trusty D300. Happy birding, stay safe!