Lily The Pink

Flamingo, originally uploaded by http://andrewskelton.net.

They’re odd looking birds, Flamingo’s aren’t the? They have odd mannerisms to add to their odd looks as well, standing erect and moving their heads from left to right through ninety degrees. As if pose and postulations aren’t enough to get them noticed, then they have to eat a crustacean that produces that characteristic vivid pink plumage. This close-up detail is of a Lesser Flamingo, the most prevalent of the five species of Flamingoes in the world, and was one of the types I saw and photographed whilst in Kenya last year. Despite their large numbers, these birds are considered under threat as their numbers have severely declined over recent years; unlike many creatures which are in decline due to loss of habitat, these birds whilst still suffering at the hands of man are more affected by the after effects of human activity – pollution.

These birds nest in only a couple of spots throughout Africa and as man’s exploitation of the planet spreads, unmetered effluent has affected these waterholes – if we’re not pushing them out of their habitat, we’re poisoning it. When will we learn?

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