Critters en route

This week has been hectic, to say the least. Thanks to everyone who wished my MIL Godspeed for her cataract laser surgery. She's come through well and has to take care for the next week until we take her back to the city for her last check-up. More about it later. 

Of course, every trip and happening is a photo opportunity and I didn't waste it. 

Pigeons on top of the toll-gate administration building

Swallows' nest under a bridge over the N1 National Freeway between Johannesburg and Cape Town

These could be Lesser-striped or Greater-Striped Swallows building nests here. I've never stopped to check! 

There seemed to be a bit of military activity when we neared Bloemfontein. Grant pointed out a helicopter flying over the small mountain to our right; a Super Frelon

We also overtook a military truck transporting a boat from the SA Navy

Returning home, near to Marquard we had to slow down for a herd of cattle grazing on the side of the road. This is a normal occurrence! 

Earlier this week, Rina called me to photograph a moth in our entertainment area. It was sitting on the cord which opens and shuts the window blinds

On the golf course on Tuesday I snapped a pair of Indian Mynas strutting their stuff 

Comical birds

On Wednesday I posted about a White-backed Mousebird and its young spotted in our garden. Last Sunday I spent ages photographing another juvenile Mousebird; this time a Speckled Mousebird.

Speckled Mousebird juvenile

The Speckled Mousebird has an overall brown appearance, black face and black and white bill. This characteristic separates it from the other two mousebirds in the region. 

The Speckled Mousebird Juvenile is easily identified as it has a pale greenish white upper mandible and black lower mandible

The above image clearly shows the pale upper bill with a black lower bill

I'm linking my post to Saturday Critters with Eileen here