Waxing gibbous moon

I captured these images of the waxing gibbous moon on Wednesday 23 September

This phase is when the moon is more than 50% illuminated but not yet a Full Moon

The phase lasts around seven days with the moon becoming more illuminated each day until the Full Moon. On Wednesday night it is 72% illuminated

The word Gibbous first appeared in the 14th century and has it’s roots in the Latin word "gibbosus" meaning humpbacked

I'm linking my post to Skywatch Friday here

Good fences, great house

In March 1994, we moved from the diamond mines to Marquard. We took possession of a house we'd bought the year before and which the owner occupied until we arrived. It was a very large house: seven bedrooms, a huge dining room, a pillared arch separating it from the lounge;  a mammoth kitchen and pantry leading off. A wrap-around veranda which was closed in and a long passage running through the interior of the house. The Oregon pine floors, pressed steel ceilings and an elbow-height dado rails running along the papered walls were classic. The house was set on a double sized corner property in the middle of town and there was a erf / tract of land next door of the same size, which came with the house! At the bottom of the yard, were six garages and two outhouses. The property had business rights and Grant ran a motor repair workshop from here.  We lived in this house for six years until in July 2000, I sold it. I subsequently bought our present house in a quieter part of town while Grant was away in West Africa. 

Our first home in Marquard. The image doesn't do justice on the size of the house. Note that 21 years ago there was no need for high fences and electric gates around your property!  A four-foot fence and small gate was all that was needed - primarily to keep your pets from wandering into the street

Shortly after I sold this house, the owner died leaving his young family penniless. The young widow sold the house to a wealthy businessman in town and he razed it to the ground. Last week Rina and I stopped outside the property and I took photos. 

Only the fence and a pile of rubble remains of our first Marquard home

The front gate [posts] which led down a short garden path onto my front veranda

I'm linking my post to Good Fences Thursday here

More birds from Kwa-Zulu Natal

I've dug back a week or two and am now posting more of the beautiful birding trip I enjoyed with my SIL Shelley and birder friend, Don. Please click here if you missed my post. 

Hottentot Teal

The Hottentot Teal is the smallest duck in the region. The blue-grey bill, dark crown and small size is diagnostic. The female (although similar to the male) has a slightly lighter/browner crown and in flight, trailing edges to secondaries are white. The bird above is a male.

African Sacred Ibis (Juvenile)

The juvenile African Sacred Ibis has a bare head and a spares feathered neck. I managed to snap this bird several times from a great distance. When I downloaded the photos I chose this one to share. I hope you can see it clearly enough!

At least when it lifted its head, I was able to snap it almost completely

Southern Pochard (Female)

The Southern Pochard male has a dark brown head and upper parts, with a red eye and pale blue-grey bill (with black nail). However, today I'm posting the Southern Pochard female which plumage is overall paler with a whitish crescent extending behind the eye. She has a brown bill and brown eye. Next week I'll post the male and the pair together.

A closer image of the Southern Pochard (female)

Close below the bird hide we photographed several small waders who feed on the shores. I was thrilled to see the Three-banded Plover.  

Three-banded Plover

This is the only plover in the region with a double black breast band. It's a common resident, mostly sedentary but undergoes large scale movements in response to water levels. 

I hadn't had one of these in my viewfinder since Mwadui days. (*sigh* how I miss Africa!)

I hope you've enjoyed my bird post today. I certainly enjoyed posting the photos and writing about the birds. For more beautiful bird images please join Stewart Monkton's Wild Bird Wednesday Meme here