|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 12, 2014 17:39:15 GMT
Oh -- I thought it was a canary!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2014 1:33:39 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Feb 18, 2014 6:18:23 GMT
It is -- just wonderful!
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Feb 18, 2014 20:27:23 GMT
That is very clever.
|
|
|
Post by questa on Feb 18, 2014 22:10:26 GMT
My cat is looking across the room at the monitor with a puzzled expression and my dog is running around the house looking for these strange birds she has not heard before.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2014 17:33:39 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2014 18:55:45 GMT
Time to start making nests!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2014 21:01:25 GMT
Yes, nest-time is right. Oh my, on Whidbey Island yesterday the robins were getting it on. I've never heard such aggression and bickering in robins. I moved my delightful little wine cork birdhouse yesterday in the hope that this year it would have a tenant. Last year the only takers were squirrels who used the roof as a feeding platform and gnawed on the champagne cork chimney.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Jan 23, 2015 7:27:05 GMT
6am this morning I opened the curtains to find 4 storks waiting for some kind of food item! We have always had 2 storks arrive in the garden every day at sunset for a few bits of chicken. One of the storks was 'clacking' continuously and puffing up it's chest. Was this the baby or the mother....? I wish I had got them all together but these temperamental film stars do as they please!
Here is what we think was the baby...
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2015 12:12:43 GMT
You mean you hadn't set the table for them yet? They look impatient.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Jan 25, 2015 14:36:01 GMT
Filmed through the bedroom door, unfortunately gave no sound of the baby squawking madly. Pity. It was pecking at the handful of dog pellets that had been thrown it's way. About the table....the little swines come and perch on the chairs around the patio table - and leave their calling cards everywhere
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 2, 2015 10:32:06 GMT
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 4, 2015 17:48:02 GMT
Our latest stork baby ...did you ever see such a big child! Notice his spikey head feathers. I remember the last baby having them too and was the only way we could tell at a glance that he was the infant terrible!
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Feb 4, 2015 20:52:27 GMT
He's beautiful, Tod!
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2015 22:31:00 GMT
I wonder what he thinks of your pool -- "nice" or "weird and unnatural".
|
|
|
Post by htmb on Feb 23, 2015 22:46:32 GMT
Can't be too picky, can he!!!!
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Mar 3, 2015 14:58:10 GMT
I have consulted my bird book and have identified this bird that took off just as we stopped the car - it was feeding on the ground in the horse paddock. That goes along with what Palustris said about the Buzzard's feeding habits. This is a visitor to South Africa - The STEPPE BUZZARD. Ring recoveries show that Steppe Buzzards migrating to southern Africa breed in Eurasia between Finland and the Black Sea eastwards towards Siberia.
|
|
|
Post by Kimby on May 7, 2015 16:58:18 GMT
Our latest stork baby ...did you ever see such a big child! Notice his spikey head feathers. I remember the last baby having them too and was the only way we could tell at a glance that he was the infant terrible! Are stork babies delivered by humans? ;-)
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 7, 2015 17:03:31 GMT
Well partly....we fee them up a great deal so they can migrate to warmer climate in April/May/June/July....we see the adults very rarely now. Think they are around but have found a better feeding ground.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 7, 2015 17:09:06 GMT
I saw a Franco-Belgian-South African movie today (not very good) in which an African fish eagle had a major role. It is a lovely bird. They are very good at picking up fish.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 7, 2015 17:11:36 GMT
I love those Fish Eagles and am entertained when they call another bird. The head thrown backwards and then projected forward several times. Fascinating. What was the name of the movie Kerouac, if you don't mind?
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 7, 2015 17:57:35 GMT
It is called Ladygrey. The trailer makes it look much better than it is. And of course the cinematography is wonderful, but I'm sure you already are well aware of how photogenic South Africa is.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on May 8, 2015 15:06:05 GMT
Mmmmm....could be interesting for those of us who live here. It seems to have an element of violence - man on animals and man on man.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Apr 25, 2016 14:55:18 GMT
I did not really know where to put one of my two new nesting logs so in desperation got Cylvias to cable-tie it onto one of the tennis court poles. To my utter delight this was the log a Black-collared Barbet decided she wanted! Another surprise came when the bird started pecking away at a new position further down the sisal log and not at the top where we had made the start of a hole. I saw the barbet with white stuff in its beak just like in the video!
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Apr 25, 2016 15:38:48 GMT
Fascinating, Tod!
Are those logs man-made? Also, what kinds of birds are usually attracted to them? Have you put the other nesting log up yet?
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Apr 25, 2016 16:54:16 GMT
Bixa - They are called Sisal Logs and are completely natural. I have put them up for many years. They last maybe 2 years if you are lucky. The are very fibrous and are painted with some kind of water repellent on the top and bottom. I have another new one attached to a tree palm/fern. No takers yet.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 28, 2016 20:52:17 GMT
That is pretty amazing. So strange that so many birds build nests and others nest in holes. And I remember the swallows in California building huge nests of mud.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 28, 2017 6:41:52 GMT
|
|
|
Post by mossie on Feb 28, 2017 14:31:40 GMT
Tod you have some very colourful birds.
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Feb 28, 2017 15:07:43 GMT
|
|