This summer, charismatic Cape sugarbirds (Promerops cafer) have been regular visitors to our garden. Named sugarbirds as they are largely nectar feeders, they are closely associated with proteas for food and shelter. Cape sugarbirds occur only in the fynbos regions of the Western Cape and into parts of the Eastern Cape.
Continue reading “Cape sugarbird: Summer visitors to our garden”
A few weeks ago, in the late afternoon after very heavy rains and high winds, we found a bedraggled little dove in the garden. It had found a safe enough place to shelter in our back garden, which is enclosed and safe from our dogs and cats.
Continue reading “Shelter from the storm: Two fledgling doves survive soaking rains”
An unexpected encounter with a juvenile diderick (formerly diederik) cuckoo in our garden prompted me to find out a bit more about brood parasites and diderick cuckoos in particular.
Continue reading “A Cape sparrow feeding a juvenile diderick cuckoo”
It is somewhat trite to say that change is a constant – be it good or bad or even when we try to be indifferent. Moving house, especially when moving further afield, certainly foregrounds change. And even when the change is chosen, adapting can be demanding and nostalgia can become one’s go-to space.
Continue reading “Ch-ch-ch-changes”
Well, I had hoped to post during February after our move, but here we are half-way through March! All is well, and I am pleased to report we are settling in.
Continue reading “Settling in and some incidental bird watching”
On mini walking safaris around our suburban garden here in KwaZulu-Natal I often take my camera with me as invariably I find something worth a second look. Here are some pics of a few of our visitors taken during the months of autumn into winter
Continue reading “Suburban wildlife in the autumn-winter garden”
Recently a bird I had not noticed in the garden before caught my eye. With all that barring on its underside could it be a cuckoo I wondered? It sat for a fair amount of time in a small tree not far from one of the birdbaths, quietly watching.
Continue reading “Black cuckooshrike – named for the unicoloured male, this is the female”
I am back and logging on again after some absence from the blogosphere. My husband became ill very suddenly and had to be hospitalized.
Continue reading “Logging on again”
In our dry winters, visiting birds make the most of the birdbaths in our garden. In this winter solstice week I decided to spend time photographing some of our mid-winter avian visitors.
Continue reading “Winter solstice birds in the garden”