Amethyst Sunbird

Dear Blogger friends, once again I'm playing catch-up. Oh dear.

Thank you for your kind wishes and all the comments. I had a great two days with Aunt Gill and very successful Weigh-Less meetings in the two days in the city. The travel was a great challenge but I made it. And I feel I will be able to go again some time soon.

Two weeks ago at Parkrun, I managed to snap a sunbird busy on the red-hot pokers. These photos were taken from my vantage point as Parkrun Volunteer. I have just had my 50th stint as Volunteer. 

Amethyst Sunbird male 

While I was in the city, I manage to buy a charger ( I bought two) for a birding pen and book. This pen and the bird book had been given to me by a good friend, Rudi, who has since passed on. During 2015, I blogged regularly about Rudi's visits to our home in Marquard. 

A really nifty gadget which has awakened my desire to listen for bird calls in and around home

Many months ago, Ronnie asked if I knew where to get a charger for her pen which is identical to mine. You can imagine how thrilled she was when I brought her one home. You point the pen onto the image, and it delivers the exact call of that particular bird. 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL ! 

Fallen giant, little critter and White-faced Duck

 Hello dear Blogger friends. I trust you are all safe and keeping healthy. 

Here in South Africa the summer heat continues as do the summer rains. Right now we await the backlash as Cyclone Eloise hits landfall in Mozambique on the East Coast of South Africa. Today has been hot and sunny but as from Sunday heavy rains are forecast 

Two weeks ago we had strong winds followed by a downpour ; the roof of my office was damaged and water poured in down the walls. A tree in the top paddock, which provided shade for the cows,  that John, the 75 year-old-farmer remembers all his life, was buffeted by these winds, cracked and fell over. 

Majestic old giant felled in one swoop

These days Skabby and I go out early in the morning.  I wear an apron over my shorts as protection to keep me clean for work later on.

Skabby jumps into the water with great gusto every time ! 

Early morning sun over the dam

The flock of duck on the dam were  quite unperturbed  by Skabby cavorting in the water 

White-faced Whistling duck on the dam 

Very distinctive white face, overall dark color and barred flanks 

The mountains were particularly beautiful today  

Back home I photographed a praying mantis before going outside and removing it to the safety of a shrub in the garden

I'm linking to Saturday Critters here

WISHING YOU A HAPPY SATURDAY

Early morning walk

 Good (Sunday) morning dear Blogger friends. It's been a bit busy these days. Holiday season is upon us and I have had back-to-back guests. Thandi and I feel we can clean, sanitize and prepare for next guests in our sleep. I am very grateful for the business. And after three years, we do seem to have it off pat! I now offer breakfast which is a challenge as I live 20km from my holiday unit. But I worked around it...

My  Inhouse Self-Service Two-Day Continental Breakfast

Back to this post: Skabby and I walked very early today. We've had several days of good rains which makes our going very muddy! 

While Skabby ran ahead and sniffed at interesting trails, I stopped to photograph these LBJ's. I imagine they are female and juvenule Pin-tail Whydahs. When I downloaded the photos, I found that the birds had interesting expressions on their faces, causing me to make a little story about them! 

I'll just ignore the fidgeting next to me 

Ergh, let's get to that itch!

Do you have an itchy toe now? 

At last: peace!

Uh-oh! What's that? Who has an itch NOW? 

Mr Skabby is 100% after his recent illness and vet visits

His coat is still quite short, but the last grooming session takes place here tomorrow. So off we go for a summer clip

A pair of White-faced duck were on the dam, when Skabby jumped in for his daily dip 

Then with great noise and honking, a Spurwing landed on the water 

I'm sure it has a nest nearby as it made a big fuss until the other duck and Skabby left the water! 

White-fronted Bee-eater are prolific in my garden and all over the farm

The cows at the milking shed 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here 

HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Blooms and edibles; bales and a thrush

Notwithstanding another busy week with Weigh-Less groups, farm office work and guests visiting my accommodation, Skabby and I still managed to get out onto the farm road at least once a day. 

The days are beautiful and of course, the view of the mountain peaks are as spectacular as ever! 

An artistic take of the farm lands with Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peaks in the background 

Skabby was delighted when I permitted him to follow me into a paddock which he'd not yet explored! 

Back home, once I'd unleashed Skabby, I stopped to photograph the progress of the blooms on my garden shrubs. 

Tecomaria capensis (Cape Honeysuckle)

The Sunbirds, white-eyes and several other birds love this shrub. The cats also sleep under this bush catching the afternoon sunrays. 

Budddleja salvofolia (Sagewood) 

I've spotted several butterflies on this bush but haven't managed to photograph any yet. 

This is a macro image of a teeny bloom on a weed in my lawn! 

Another beautiful weed bloom!

Bulbine fruitescens (Stalked bulbine) My garden assistant watches as I take photos! 

The last of my cauliflower harvest. We had a hot wind earlier this  month and before I picked this head, it was almost spoiled, Tasted good all the same! 

My kale crop is still going strong

The beetroot is taking longer than I imagined to bulb...

Earlier this week I heard a different bird call in the garden. I grabbed my camera and dashed outside. There was a beautifully marked bird on my lawn. Skabby bounded across the lawn and scared this bird into flying up into the tree in my neighbor's yard. 

Groundscraper Thrush

The Groundscraper Thrush  has a mixture of harsh, loud calls ending with a grating sound 

Back indoors I was just about to replace my camera in its bag, when I noticed an unusual looking spider above the display cabinet.  

I  didn't want to stress this poor critter, so didn't get too close. 

Hence the blurry image !

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here.

We are going to Level 1 on Sunday at midnight. Six months of Lockdown so far! 

I trust you're all well and and safe.

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL ! 

Two, four and eight-legged critters

 Good afternoon Blogger friends. This week in South Africa has been freezing cold - 0 degrees Celsius to minus 5 and 6. That's cold for us warm blooded critters here in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Today the weather has been peachy and sunny. As always Skabby and I had our walk. In fact he's been spoiled. On two occasions this week he and I have walked up to the farm turnoff to meet guests. Yes, we are up and open at the Bunker again and business is brisk. Thank goodness. 

Back to our walk and the critters we encountered. I heard it before I saw it: a Blacksmith Plover. The name speaks for itself. 

Blacksmith plover

Its open bill - even in the reflection - issuing metallic, pinging sounds

As always, Skabby has a swim 

Walking back, I was on the lookout for good photos of the beautiful mountain peaks in the distance. And heard another bird call. I stopped to scan the paddock next to the road and zoomed in on this beauty...

 African Stonechat

After downloading the photos I realized it was very indistinct - the distance was too far that day. I have been watching for this little bird ever since, but it has disappeared! Apologies for the poor quality of the photo but I had to share it. 

Closer by that day, I snapped a White-fronted Bee-eater

Back home, I rescued this critter from the wall above my bed...

...and tipped it out in the garden 

And with further apologies to Sandra; on Friday as I closed the bathroom door, I saw this beauty on the wall. I opened the door for its protection. I'm not sure of Thandiwe's take on spiders. 

Y'all know mine! **

Rain spider female hopefully announcing spring showers next month  

**With my right hand place a drinking glass carefully over the spider. Using a  piece of paper in left hand, I slide it between the glass and wall and with it covered, I have the glass in my hand, the spider generally at the bottom of the glass. As always I like to take a photo (as you see above) and then to avoid causing the spider any more stress, I tip it into the garden where it scuttles away to safety. 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

May you all have a wonderful weekend - keeping safe at the same time.

Birds down memory lane

Good afternoon dear Blogger friends. Last week the Internet was very erratic. Then my monthend was upon me and I was busy with my virtual Weigh-Less groups from Tuesday morning  until Thursday evening. 

However, somehow the Internet has played ball since 3am today and I'm making hay while the sun shines.

Not to put too fine a point on it: I am STILL tied to my bed with a vacuum pump attached to my leg. The good news is that the wound has healed completely. Yay. The sister will apply a conventional dressing on Monday morning and go home with the pump in her big black doctor's bag. She visits me again on Thursday and I think that should be that. From Monday I will return to the farm office next door and earn my keep again! 

Having more time, while browsing through my archives, I came across several bird photos which I'm sharing here below.

Amethyst Sunbird (Drakensberg circa summer 2016)

Fork-tailed Drongo (Marquard Summer 2015) 

Jackal Buzzard (Drakensberg 2019)

Malachite Sunbird - Male (Marquard late summer 2015)

Village Indigobird - non-breeding male or female  (Marquard - 2015) 

Southern Red Bishop - breeding male (Marquard  2015) 

Southern Double-collared Sunbird Male (Drakensberg - summer 2016) 

Village Indigobird - non-breeding male or female - Bokeh effect (Marquard 2015) 

I don't know about you, but I'm still trying to get to grips with the different "look' of Blogger now. I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen, here 

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL