The Cape White-eye is another of my favourite garden birds that is no less special for being a familiar presence in suburban gardens. Cape White-eyes forage busily in small groups and they are enthusiastic visitors to the bird baths where, after drinking, they bathe with much exuberance. Continue reading “Small and gregarious charmers: Cape White-eyes”
At the end of each year, many people comment on how fast the year went by: “where did the time go?” So a sluggish start has much to recommend it. Early one cool and damp morning, two African banana slugs in a large fern outside the bedroom window showed me the way. Continue reading “A sluggish start to the New Year”
A Natal Green Snake ascends the grapevine, keeping an eye on me as I photograph it through the window. Continue reading “I saw it on the grapevine”
Nest building in the fever trees in our garden has been feverish. After what seemed like some practice runs building nests next to the palm tree used for nesting material, the Village Weavers (Ploceus cucullatus) abandoned these first efforts. They then congregated noisily each day to build nests and engage in flamboyant displays high up in the branches of the fever trees. Continue reading “Village Weavers: Summertime when the living is busy”
The invitation in the Weekly Photo Challenge is to show us something cheeky … “go find a little irreverence in your world”. Continue reading “But is it art?”
I spotted this mantis on an Arum lily plant only by chance. I had been photographing small beetles that were pollinating the flower when I glanced down and saw this interesting little creature. Usually, we only see the green African Mantis around, so it was special to see this small mantis, commonly called a leaf mantis or a ghost mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa). Continue reading “Getting acquainted with a leaf mantis”
This gaudy grasshopper is spectacular enough on its own, but peeking over the petals of an agapanthus flower it made quite a show. Continue reading “Peek performance”
Plucky and petite, Southern Black Flycatchers are one of the most engaging of the uniformly black birds that visit our garden. Continue reading “Favourite garden birds: Southern Black Flycatcher”
I am sure I am not the only one to wonder why these barbets have been named for the black collar and not for their distinctive and bright red head – surely a little perverse? Continue reading “Black-collared Barbets: Duets and warfare in the garden”
