First of all, thank you to everyone who left encouraging comments and useful advice as well as offers of assistance when I lamented that the media storage on my free version of WordPress was 100% full and this wouldn’t allow me to feature any more photographs. After mulling over and considering the cost of changing to WordPress Pro (the only plan offered) against my enjoyment of blogging, I opened my dashboard with a degree of reluctance this morning to start that expensive process … only to find that WP has acknowledged that I actually still have plenty of space, which means I can continue for free for a while longer! So, back to business and my monthly round-up of garden birds:
This is the first month ever since I received my first digital camera years ago that I do not have a single photograph of a garden bird in my folder. It is not from lack of trying as I have taken my camera outside several times … it is an indication of the impact of having the three cats from next door using my garden as their hunting ground! My list below shows there have been birds: most of them have paid fleeting visits or have hidden higher up in the foliage, not daring to spend much time either on the ground or at the feeders. Forgive me then for trawling my archives to illustrate this month’s review of garden birds.
Red-winged Starlings have started appearing in greater numbers once more. I mostly see them in the Natal Fig in the front garden or in the tall Erythrina caffra in the back garden. This is a female starling photographed in 2016.
It is always a delight to hear the distinctive calls of a Bokmakierie for they do not often visit this side of town. I have seldom seen them actually visit the bird feeders; they catch caterpillars and other insects all over the garden and so are probably not particularly perturbed by the presence of the cats. This one was photographed in the Addo Elephant National Park in 2015.
The Southern Boubou are naturally shy birds that often skulk about in the undergrowth – leaving them vulnerable to cats. I have heard them a few times and have really only had one confirmed sighting this month. Nonetheless, this one was photographed in the Addo Elephant National Park in 2018.
The duets of Black-collared Barbets echo throughout the garden during the particularly warm days. They are generally cautious about approaching the feeding tray anyway, but have been particularly wary of late. This one was photographed in 2015.
The Cape White-eyes can be seen flitting through the foliage and visiting the nectar feeder daily. The ones below were, however, photographed in Cape Town in 2014.
Lastly, from 2016, is a photograph of the very pretty Grey-headed Bush Shrike. One has made several appearances in our garden this month but has been almost impossible to pin down to photograph as it moves very quickly through the leaves of our many trees.
My bird list for this month:
African Green Pigeon
Black-collared Barbet
Black-headed Oriole
Bokmakierie
Bronze Manikin
Cape Crow
Cape Robin-Chat
Cape White-eye
Cattle Egret
Common Fiscal
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Greater Double-collared Sunbird
Green Woodhoopoe
Greyheaded Bush Shrike
Grey-headed Sparrow
Hadeda Ibis
Knysna Turaco
Laughing Dove
Olive Thrush
Pied Crow
Red-eyed Dove
Red-winged Starling
Sacred Ibis
Southern Boubou
Southern Masked Weaver
Speckled Pigeon
White-rumped Swift
Yellowfronted Canary
Firstly – good news that you can continue as you are for now at least. WordPress does seem to be seriously user unfriendly!
You have lovely colourful birds visiting your garden – all strange to me but interestiung to see what lives in other places on the globe. I have 3 cats of my own so do not put bird feeders out in case I lure a bird to its death.
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Until a few years ago we had a cat at home and accepted the odd bird falling prey to it. Having three cats hunting in our garden is proving to be disappointing for me as bird watching has been a great joy to me since I retired. One of the problems is the garden they come from has very little in the way of vegetation and so mine is probably more appealing to them anyway.
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Unfortunately cats cannot be trained or kept close to home.
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You are right 🙂
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Pingback: MARCH 2022 GARDEN BIRDS — Something Over Tea – ° BLOG ° Gabriele Romano
How wonderful to have such glorious birds. But I suppose we get used to the ones we have. A visiting American girl once said to me ‘You have such exotic birds.’
I thought, ‘Exotic? Really?’
But then I thought of the glossy black plumage and golden bill of the blackbird, the striking black and white plumage of the magpie, the wonderful blues and pinks of the jay, the irridescent gleam of the starling in the sun etc.
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You are right about us being used to the birds around us – I think this is one of the joys of bird watching whilst travelling: seeing birds at home in other parts of the country and in other countries. Thank you for popping in to see my local birds.
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I am glad Word Press was honest with you and you don’t have to pay to post.
I would be angry with 3 cats in my garden. People just don’t think about the devastation a cat can do in a garden.
Your pictures are good no matter when they were taken. I always enjoy seeing them and the list you keep of your garden birds.
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Thank you very much, Lisa.
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I, too, am glad the problem was resolved. Such a colorful collection of birds. Unlike anything I would see here, but that is one of the joys of blogging—to see plants, animals, and landscapes that are very different from one’s own.
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I am always pleased that you enjoy seeing birds from my garden, Laurie 🙂
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So enjoy seeing them!
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I am using the free version for years and never had any trouble with the given space. WordPress is not good enough to expect getting paid and, lets face it, the plaster a lot of advertisement in each one of my blog posts, so they should give me all the space I need. 🙂
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It must have been a technical glitch. However, I am glad it was resolved before I went onto a paid platform 🙂
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Good news about the temporary reprieve, it gives you time to downsize to make more room. A good reminder for me, too, to clear out old posts.
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I was greatly relieved after having stared at the bright red cross and willing it away. I feel a lot happier.
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The cats seem to be a real problem, both for you and everywhere world-wide. I saw a statistic once that they were the leading cause of premature demise of songbirds. Perhaps your neighbor can rein them in. In the meantime, it’s a relief to me and your followers that you will continue your excellent blog.
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Stephen, you are very kind indeed. Thank you.
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That’s terrific news, Anne!
A handsome collection and an impressive list. Too bad something can’t be done about those cats 😏
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Thank you, Belinda. I hope that the cats will tire of being chased every time I see them crouching in readiness to pounce.
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Such interesting looking birds and so different from the ones that we see in the Northeast U.S. Thanks for sharing – I especially like the Southern Boubou as this one reminds me of some little birds that come to our feeder.
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Thank you for commenting on the birds seen in my garden. We are fortunate to have a wide variety of species in this country.
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That’s great. I’ve only recently begun to pay more attention to birds. Mostly because during Covid we got a bird feeder for the deck and it’s been fun identifying the birds!
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I’m glad you got your storage sorted, I’ve often wondered what I’ll do if I come to the end of mine! An impressive list, even if they did visit briefly.
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Yes, it was a great relief to me. Thank you very much.
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En soos altyd inspireer jy my om dop te hou watter voëlsoorte in ons tuin gaan opdaag.
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Una, ek raai jou aan om ‘n lys te begin maak van die voëlsoorte wat jy ken. Koop vir jou ‘n voëlgids en jy sal verbaas wees hoe gou jy die name sal leer 🙂
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Ons voëlboeke het almal saamgekom, maar die voëltjies is vir my verbasend min.
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Very glad you got your WordPress issues solved. It is great to see your birds….are they as noisy as ours? Just listening to a couple of very noisy tuis as I type!
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Not all the birds are noisy – except for the crows and hadedas. The latter have started their raucous morning calls shortly before sunrise and I have been enjoying the pretty calls of the Cape White-eyes outside my window for a while before that.
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I am glad that you still have plenty of space as it will let us enjoy your excellent pictures for a while yet.
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Thank you very much – I appreciate your comment.
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That’s great to hear Anne, but kind of strange too? We don’t even have that plan offered here, the next step up from the one I have Premium ($10/month best for freelancers), is Business $33/month and E-commerce $59/month, both too expensive. I suppose they set their rates and plans depending on the country and currency.
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We used to have three options … I am relieved I can continue for free for the time being.
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What a collection of beauties! Excellent captures as usual Anne.
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Dear Cindy, thank you very much.
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Sorry about the cats scaring the birds away. That’s sad, but the way of things, I suppose. I do think though, if you just love that feeling of a soft fluffy cat curled up on your lap, it’s purr rumbling through your body like some unique ‘sound therapy’ session, then some would have the cat over an array of birds enjoying the garden. I haven’t had a cat in years and I do so miss them. I wonder if it is not possible , in some way, to enjoy garden birds AND a household feline?! 🤣
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I too love cats – we have always had a cat until reaching a decision a few years ago not to replace the last one. I trust the situation will settle down in time.
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Yes I hope so. ONE cat would probably be alright, but three…..
Yes we also chose not to get another cat at this stage of our lives, with uncertain plans as they are.
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nice one, Anne! another month over then…
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Yep, I am glad you like the reminder 🙂 🙂
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Reblogged this on Wolf's Birding and Bonsai Blog.
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Thank you 🙂
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Good news on storage space; not so good about the cats. That must have been hard work in the archives – well done
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Thank you, Derrick.
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The Southern Boubou is a beautiful bird!
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I feel privileged to see them in our garden 🙂
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You are indeed 😀
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You have a nice collection of birds here … well great that you got a reprieve on biting the bullet and going with the pay version.
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Thank you Linda.
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Do you reduce the size of your photos before posting, Anne? I am sure you do, just checking.
Lovely photos as usual 🙂
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Thank you, Shail. I do reduce the size of my photos – it is good advice 🙂
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Sorry about the kitties. Hopefully they will get the hint that hunting birds is not cool! We get the neighbourhood cats in our garden too but they run the second they see us.
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I’m hoping that our marauders will too in time.
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