PENNANT-WINGED NIGHTJAR

November 1, 2024, Punda Maria "As sunset painted the sky, our eager group embarked on an evening drive, hearts racing with anticipation. The mission? To spot the enchanting Pennant-winged Nightjar. At 6 pm, guide Eric expertly navigated us to yesterday's sighting spot. The atmosphere was electric! 18:12 - Suddenly, wings fluttered above! Our majestic quarry graced us with its presence. Capturing sharp shots in fading light pushed my photography skills to the limit! The ISO automatic sometimes went up to 16000 so that the shutter speed of s1250 to s1600 was possible. I reduced the image noise later in Photoshop." We booked this evening trip months in advance to have the opportunity to see the jewel in the crown for SA birders. It was a miracle that everything worked out that evening so that I was able to photograph this night bird in this quality - in which the male only has long feathers for a few weeks a year during the courtship display. The response on Facebook was huge, with numerous comments such as: ‘WOW! Probably the best photos of this kind I've ever seen,’ but there were also funy comments such as: ‘This bird does not exist, it was made with artificial intelligence.’ A once-in-a-lifetime experience.