Image of the Week

African Darter (Anhinga rufa) arriving at its nest.

Fancourt, George, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

 Canon EOS R5 Mark II with a Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM lens with Extender RF 1.4x. Handheld.

ISO 800.  1/3200 sec @ f/6.3.  Exposure set manually.

African darter’s chicks grow at an incredibly rapid rate. Nestlings can reach the same size as their parents in as little as four weeks.  Both parents work tirelessly to feed the chicks, often regurgitating highly nutritious, partially digested fish multiple times a day.  This darter was coming back to its nest, presumably to feed the juvenile that is still in the nest. The juvenile is already nearly the same size as the adult but it can’t yet fly.