This year has got off to a flying start with me noting 46 different species either visiting my garden or flying over it. Although I have been unable to locate the secreted nest of the Olive Thrushes, I am pleased to have noted at least one youngster hopping about in the undergrowth and later on being brave enough to actually visiting the feeding tray on its own. We regard these thrushes as iconic birds of our garden and love having them about.
Southern Masked Weavers arrived in large numbers at the beginning of the month before their visits tapered off. Strangely enough, I have seen no evidence of weaver nests in our garden so far this summer.
The Red-winged Starlings have been feasting on the fig tree next door and occasionally take a break from that to see what my feeding table has to offer. Their mellifluous sounds are a joy to listen to – as are those of the pair of Red-Eyed Doves that must be nesting somewhere in our garden. I see and hear them daily. African Darters have begun flying across the garden fairly regularly, especially during the late afternoons – possibly heading for wherever they have decided to spend the night. Mrs Amethyst Sunbird has been collecting fine feathers to line her well-hidden nest, and the distinctive calls of a Bar-throated Apalis can be heard daily, although it seldom emerges from the thick bush. Naturally, when it does, I don’t have my camera at hand!
I did though when a Burchell’s Coucal appeared in the branches of a tree outside my study window. We have been blessed with several sightings of this shy bird, dubbed the Rain Bird in many parts of the country.
A Lanner Falcon flew low over me late one afternoon, giving me a wonderful view of it – against the backdrop of absolute silence in the garden until it had disappeared! Delightful newcomers this month have been the regular visits of a pair of Yellow-fronted Canaries.
I have frequently featured photographs of Spotty, the ringed Common Fiscal, who seems to be in a permanent state of collecting food to take back to the nest. I have watched Spotty feed its youngster, bringing it ever closer to the feeding tray. As the offspring has matured, it ventures out on its own – the father being far too busy feeding the next generation. The down side of this is that Spotty Junior is feeling quite comfortable here and so there have been clashes between these two birds for some time as Spotty tries to maintain what he regards as his territory. I don’t know his age, but have been photographing him since at least 2015. I hope he wins the battle. You might like seeing what this rather cheeky youngster looks like. Note the brownish patch on its head as well as the flecks on its wings.
The last bird to ‘greet’ you this month is a Black-eyed Bulbul paying a fleeting visit to see what is available in the pantry.
My bird list for this month:
African Darter
African Green Pigeon
African Hoopoe
Amethyst Sunbird
Barthroated Apalis
Black-collared Barbet
Black-eyed (Dark-capped) Bulbul
Black-headed Oriole
Bronze Manikin
Burchell’s Coucal
Cape Crow
Cape Robin-Chat
Cape Turtle Dove
Cape Weaver
Cape White-eye
Cardinal Woodpecker
Cattle Egret
Common Fiscal
Diederik Cuckoo
Fork-tailed Drongo
Greater Double-collared Sunbird
Green Woodhoopoe
Grey-headed Sparrow
Hadeda Ibis
Klaas’s Cuckoo
Knysna Turaco
Lanner Falcon
Laughing Dove
Lesser-striped Swallow
Olive Thrush
Paradise Flycatcher
Pied Crow
Red-eyed Dove
Red-necked Spurfowl
Red-throated Wryneck
Red-winged Starling
Sacred Ibis
Southern Masked Weaver
Speckled Mousebird
Speckled Pigeon
Spectacled Weaver
Streaky-headed Seedeater
Village Weaver
White-rumped Swift
Yellow-fronted Canary
Yellow Weaver
Something Over Tea 