Gliding Through Thermals

Woolly-necked Storks world of flight #featheredfriday with @melinda010100

On the ground the woolly-necked stork is graceful with long ballerina legs, standing approximately 85 cm tall.

_{On the beach}

Grand beak for prodding the river bed eating predominantly meat, carnivorous in diet of fish, frogs, snakes you guessed right it forages for tasty morsels that move.

_{Toti River Bank}

We do see them visiting between the homes where we live, I think it has to do with the flying ants coming out from termite hills, grand feast popping up for the birds. Perhaps lizards or gecko would attract them into the gardens.

_Gardening

Woolly-necked Stork ( Ciconia episcopus, family: Ciconiidae), we are privileged to have this magnificent (and near-endangered in South Africa) bird visiting, we do see them regularly on the rivers where most of my photography has been taken, we spotted them on beaches and up between suburban homes.

_{Testing the water}

_{Good eating grounds, recruit the whole family in}

Amazingly these elegant big birds live up to 20 years, with one partner sharing in nest building, roosting twenty meters above ground big trees will attract them.

Such a pity people move into a home then remove well established trees without a thought about damage they may cause to other inhabitants on earth.

_{Not sure if flying together or being chased, Harrier Hawk and Woolly-necked stork, the race is on!}

Once airborne, flying with it's neck outstretched, legs neatly wrapped behind gracefully utilizing hot thermals of air to keep them up high for longer not needing to expend more energy than is required, keep gliding.

_{Enjoying a day playing in the clouds}

Thinking back these birds have only appeared more locally over the last twenty years, they are not inclined to migrate, with numbers now growing year on year.

_{Video on YouTube - Gliding Through Thermals - Woolly-necked Stork - Taken from my garden.}

Large trees on river banks offer ideal housing opportunities where they are able to return during breeding season, do a little rearranging and use the same nest again.

_{Grey Heron and Woolly-necked Stork - 1 Legged standing competition, chilling out together on the beach}

So glad to share this regular big bird both on the ground and in flight, now permanent residents in our region, witnessing riding thermals I have not seen happen too often, sheer joy on the right day had them up high in the sky.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend in nature.

Thanks to @melinda010100 hosting #featheredfriday

Thought for Today: A severely under paid hungry teacher in a renovated, well-equipped classroom, can perform just as well as a bird without feathers can do in a hanging, decorated cage. ~ African Proverb.

@joanstewart