Sunday, November 29, 2009

Springbrook garden update

I have enjoyed watching and listening to a pair of Paradise Flycatcher as they flit around the Erythrina Tree in my garden, his long Chestnut tail feathers following him around like ribbons as he flits about collecting building material. Hopefully I'll get a clearer photo soon.





Next door to this Erythrina a pair of Southern Black Tit are nesting in a hole in a stone wall, I've been trying to get a photo of them, but wow they are fast the little things, I have many photos of the stone wall nest site!!

Fork-tailed Drongo are building just down the branch from the Paradise Flycatcher, their nest is a very flimsy hammock between two branches. Every now and again the Paradise Flycatcher feel a little intimidated by the FTD and chase them off.

Spoonbill Mom and Teaspoon her kid




Teaspoon the Juv. Spoonbill has fledged, here is a photo of him being fed my his mom. I have learnt so much about Spoonbills since he/she hatched, the amazing patience of his mom, the commitment to look after her youngster while the rest of the flock moved off, even Teaspoon's dad moved off with the group, just Teaspoon and his mom stayed on in the 'Far away Tree' a huge Tulip Poplar in my garden.
Teaspoons mom is an amazing mom, she stood over him with her wings opened to shelter him from the boiling hot sun, the pouring rain and brought him lots of food. She made strange little "seagull X frog croaks" announcing her arrival in the big tree where teaspoon lived.
I watched her as she started coaxing Teaspoon out of the safety zone of his nest, she did not land in the nest with his food, she landed at the end of the branch, eventually after some hysterical begging calls Teaspoon realised that if he wanted some food he had to go to his mom, so he ventured out along the branch, flapping his right wing as he moved out of his comfort zone. As soon as he finished feeding he scurried back to the nest, flapping his wings wildly as he made his way along the branch.
Soon after that first adventure, I watched him, his mom was away getting food, being an adventurous kid he took a little flight from the nest to the end of the branch, where he waited until mom arrived with food. Then all too soon, he was following mom around the garden, she landed in a tree on the other side of the garden and let him know by her very strange croaks that she was around, he took off and found her, had his fill and flew back to his nest. Today he has been flying around, down to the dam, around the garden and even ventured into the pastures with the Hadeda Ibis.
I wish you well Teaspoon.....

Monday, November 2, 2009

Discovering Eshowe and Imfolozi


These lovely people here are my folks, John and Marie Tyson, I had the privilege of taking them to Eshowe and Imfolozi during October, we had an amazing holiday together. Seen above on the Dlinza Boardwalk, at the top of the tower, and dad on a very rainy day, 'flying' his model airplane simulator on my laptop!!! At the bright age of 78 learning to fly and use a computer all in one day!! Dung beegles very busy at work, a large pile of dung is soon collected into little balls, rolled away from the scene of the large dung pile, then it is buried, very soon there is no sign of the original dung pile.

Could I tell you a secret? Or would would you prefer me to pluck your eyebrows?

Red-billed Oxpecker doing what they do best, cleaning little critters off bigger critters.

Wire-tailed Swallow

Trip to Aliwal North

Trip to Aliwal North
Stunning sandstone formations between Elliot and Barkley East

Kramberg Mountain Aliwal North

Kramberg Mountain Aliwal North
Wow the rock formations on Kramberg are amazing