Waxing moon, rising sun and an unexpected visitor

 Good afternoon to all my Blogger friends out there. Once again, life got in the way and three weeks elapsed. However, like the proverbial bad penny, here I am again. 

On Sunday 10th September, I popped out onto the veranda at 4.11am. I wanted to capture the waxing moon. I took umpteen photos but only one is worth posting.

Waxing moon, 10 September 2023 4.54am

The next morning as I went outdoors, I was greeted by the most spectacular sunrise this year.

Rising over the farm shed roof

A few days before this, I heard a strange (to this area) bird call. When we lived in the Eastern Free State, this bird was a common sight; or more to the point, a common sound: the Crested Barbet. Here on the farm, I always hear the Black-Collared Barbet which renders a duet with its mate. The Crested Barbet has a much more strident call which sounds like an alarm clock. The male calls a sustained trrrrrrr while the female answers with puka puka. 

Going onto the veranda, it was Georgie who alerted me to where the bird was perched. He was staring across the lawn, into the undergrowth of the Tecamaria shrub in my garden. I dashed back indoors for my  camera. As I walked outside again, the bird flew over the fence and perched on a post in the neighbor's garden. I managed a quick click on the bird from the back and then fortunately it lifted its head and I managed another photo before it flew off across their garden.

Crested Barbet

I'm linking to Eileen's Saturday Critters here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!