memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Saturday, May 27, 2017

A mix of critters

Last week as Grant and I drove off the farm where we drop our garbage to be recycled, we came across an adult Swainson's Spurfowl and two youngsters. I've posted quite a few times about this bird; in fact we have them roosting (resting) in the grass near our rondawel and as I walk the dogs along the servitude, they often flush one or a pair up into the air. So they have become "quite common" to us since living here. 

We had stopped on the main gravel road where people come around at a terrible speed so I didn't have a lot of time to take the photos. I have cropped and edited them slightly and hope you can see the juveniles with their parent. 





Swainsons Spurfowl and two juveniles

People ask me if I don't have a problem with cats, dogs and guinea pigs on the same yard. Well, I never let the guinea pigs out without the dogs and cats being closed up. But when I feed the Guinea Pigs and the dogs or cats are outside the cages, it's obvious that neither (especially not the carnivores) actually take any notice of the other. 

Ulgar Pulgar and Hurricane look out at the dogs who aren't even looking towards the Guinea Pig cage!  
 Ulgar Pulgar looks straight at the camera 



While photographing the Greater Double-collared Sunbirds earlier this week, I noticed that one of the Leonotus leonurus shrubs had a white flower. All the others are all orange.  Obviously this one is an albino. I Googled this and came up with a shrub with all white flowers here but nothing with orange flowers and ONE white bloom. I'll have to keep an eye on this plant and do some more research. 


Note the orange blooms and one white bloom 
Close-up of the bloom shows there will be another white bloom shortly
I never realized how hairy these blooms actually are! 

On the way down from our strenuous hike on Tuesday, I noticed a Thrush on a fallen log in the forest. I stopped to photograph it but was shaking so badly from exertion, that I had to delete most of the photos. I was left with one and I'm still not 100% sure which thrush it is.  
Kurrichane Thrush (TBC) 

Back at the hotel, we all stopped to admire two beautiful birds in a cage on the veranda. I took several photos and as I moved off, the one bird screeched so loudly in protest,  that we all jumped a few feet into the air! 
 Parrot
Macau and Parrot 

Then my piece de resistance...

Photographed on the kitchen window against the blue sky, is a Tachinid Fly. Ant has given me a book called Good Bug, Bad Bug and according to this Insect Identification Guide, the fly on my window is a GOOD BUG. With the cool winter weather we don't have flies so this is definitely what we laymen call a Brownfly but and now we know it's a Tachinid Fly! 



I was thrilled with the photos...

Mmm, I'm wondering what my blogger friend, Sandra would do with this image ! 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 


11 comments:

  1. Now that is an amazing fly series...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've been meaning to ask if the guinea pigs are pets for the children or if they are being raised for sale down the line?

    I think all the animals are so well fed that the dogs aren't at all interested in the guinea pigs most of the time anyway.

    Your photos of the fly are spectacular. They look very much like the common house fly which I abhor. It's good to know the Tachnid fly is so beneficial to the gardens.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Marvellous post full of all kinds of critters but the fly for me is the best shot Jo.

    ReplyDelete
  4. please do not give me any ideas on NEW things to do, like snagging your awesome fly photo and playing with it.... coming soon to a blog near you..... that white flower is really odd and really pretty.. the plant might be a grafted plant. somewhere in its history someone grafted a white and orange together. we have an orange hisbicus bush, that has triple flowers on one side and single on the other, we knew it had been messed with by humans when we bought it. cute little baby birds or maybe teenage birds with their momma...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello, Jo! Your guinea pigs are adorable. I love the pretty flowers, they are hairy! The fly photos are awesome, well done. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! You have put a lot into this post. I love to see baby birds with their parents. The Guinea Pig is so cute! Wonderful colorful parrots! And the fly - great image!
    Have a wonderful week-end!

    ReplyDelete
  7. All very good photos and loved seeing the Swainsons. Have never seen one of those before. Also what a sweet guinea pig!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Jo! What a great post with such lovely critters especially Ulgar Pulgar!! Such a cutie!
    The albino flower is really amazing! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Some interesting shots here but the fly is very special Well done. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  10. That is wild to see the white bloom. Superb shot of the fly. Would make Joan proud.

    ReplyDelete
  11. hi Jo, I enjoyed this post very much! that white flower is really fascinating... maybe some kind of mutation.. have a beautiful week.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo