Angelika's World in Photos

Flood Damage

2012-02-08T00:12:00.001-08:00

Although we were lucky & able to enter the Kruger National Park during the last tour without much "hazzle", the damage caused by the recent floods (Jan 2012) was particularly "frightening" when crossing the high-level bridge across the Sabie River near the Skukuza camp . . .

. . . on closer inspection - the metal of the railing was badly damaged/bent . . .

. . . obviously by the force of the water "rushing" over the bridge - a very "sobering" thought.

Other than taking a photo of the damage left in the wake of the floods, I also snapped this scene to use as a "comparrison" . . .

. . . between a "before & after" scenario - although before I thought of this scene as serene & beautiful & certainly didn't think of "including" the bridge-railing in a photo - check out the "new" water-course on the photo above.

Yet another look at more or less the same "spot" from the bridge - the only "constant" in all 3 photos is the large wild fig tree on the right side of the river.

The most damage caused by floods in parts of the Kruger National Park probably was in February 2000, whilst this is what the Sabie River looked like at the bridge near the Lower Sabie camp on the 25th of Jan last year (in contrast to the above flood-damage-photos taken on 29 Jan this year) . . .

. . . or similar floods at this time of the year at the same bridge IF in the opposite direction (= travelling away from Lower Sabie) - this photo was also taken at more or less the same time (= beginning of the year) 2009, 4 February.

Flower Power

2012-01-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

Before I leave on my first tour (as a South African tourist guide) this (new) year & hopefully return with some "magic" photos, I want to share some exotic (NOT indigenous) flower-power. First up: an Azalea . . .

. . . & what I call a Potato creeper - I'm not sure if that is this plant's name!??

Luckily I have no problem identifying this large Sun flower . . .

. . . whilst (colour-wise) these are not very common red Amaryllis . . .

. . . a lily-white Water lily . . .

. . . & last but not least a nice pink Rose - probably the most easily recognised flower in the world??

Thickbilled Weavers

2012-01-15T02:31:00.000-08:00

Again & again I returned to a pond filled with Bulrush (reeds) during our recent vacation at Hole-In-The-Wall [SEE: blog-entry below = 15 Dec 2011] because I had discovered that it was inhabited by a relatively large flock of Thickbilled weavers. Built solely by the male, the nest of a Thickbilled weaver is usually suspended between at least 2 upright stems of Bulrush (or other reeds).

In contrast to the nests of most "true" weavers (of mainly yellow plumage) with their "bottom" entrances, the nest of a Thickbilled weaver has a larger, "side-top" entrance & looks like a domed cup.

With amusement I watched this weaver chick appearing to be as curious as I was fascinated by its existence. 2-4 eggs in a Thickbilled weaver nest are incubated only by the female between 14-16 days.

A chick leaves the nest after 19-22 days, but at first is still fed by the female. I snapped a series of photos of this tiny Thickbilled weaver appearing barely able to "hang on" after obviously having just left its nest for the very first time . . .

. . . whilst 2 somewhat older chicks looked on/appeared amazed by the tiny one's "antics". Whilst this happened in a relatively silent manner . . .

. . . other chicks - precariously balancing on the bulrush - chirped loudly from hunger & to catch their mother's attention.

Occassionally a female Thickbilled weaver - similar in appearance to the youngsters - "made an appearance" . . .

. . . which seemed to appease the chicks, even if they weren't fed. After all the "excitement" the youngsters appeared to tire easily, so the chirping stopped for a while - only to resume the moment they sensed a female's pressence.

With a magnificent specimen (= male) on display, the following came to mind ("pronounced" by 1 of the chicks): When I grow up . . .

Camouflage or Illusion

2012-01-05T10:15:00.021-08:00

I guess that from a human perspective these zebras are not really "blending in with their surroundings" (= camouflaged) but apparently predators - i.e. lions - are completely "confused" once zebras "bunch together". Like all cats, lions have a poor eyesight, especially during the day - so in this case, all a lion would see is stripes!

On the other hand these 2 Black-bellied korhaan are blending in with the environment & therefore are well-camouflaged.

Is this lioness well-camouflaged, i.e. blending in with the environment - or is it more a matter of colour-coordination?

A cheetah - simply well-hidden by long grass or well-camouflaged?

In the case of this small antelope - a duiker - colour functions as concealment = to deceive an enemy.

In contrast to all of the above, this is more a matter of illusion instead of concealment/ camouflage to escape detection - doesn't it appear as if the giraffe (on the right) is bending closer/kissing/licking the group of vultures "parked" at this watering hole?

To end this as it started = another look at a group of zebras "bunching" together/"displaying" a lot of stripes ☺

Season Greetings

2011-12-25T00:59:00.001-08:00

[The Xmas-cookies were baked by my Austrian-born husband]

Wishing you a HAPPY FESTIVE Season & a PROSPEROUS 2012

Hole-In-The-Wall

2011-12-15T23:51:00.001-08:00

My Facebook friends already know that we recently spent a few days at the Hole-In-The-Wall resort along the Wild Coast (near Coffee Bay in the Eastern Cape Province) because they saw the photos I "posted" in an album - so the photos in this blog-entry are more an extension than a repeat of what I've shared in FB.

The Wild Coast - once called the Trankei (homeland) - with its well over 200km coastline, is generally inaccessible (other than going hiking or traversing on horseback), virtually uninhabited (bar by a few rural Xhosa people) & instead is known for its untamed wilderness of graggy cliff faces, desolate beaches, secluded bays, green rolling hills & deep river valleys. This unspoilt land also includes the birthplace of Nelson Mandela.

Forested areas along the Wild Coast include prehistoric cycads, sneezewood & yellowwood trees, which we admired during our walk to photograph THE HOLE early before sunrise one morning. A first glimpse of this impressive landmark along the South African coastline "reveals" a cliff consisting of dark-blue shales, as well as mud- & sandstones (of the Ecca Group - dating back to some 260 million years).

The rocks were eventually "intruded" by dolerite, and THE HOLE was created over millions of years by buffeting waves, which eroded away the softer rocks underneath a "sheet" of dolerite - to form an arch. A similar process also seperated the cliff from the mainland.

Whilst happily snapping away, "recording" the fascinating interplay between enormous & crashing waves to relatively calm waters, the sun started rising, "lending" a golden glow to the magnificent scenery.

After recording a great variety of sweeping waves through THE HOLE, a last look back "reveales" the huge detached cliff - a ship-look-alike - at the mouth of the Mpako River. Hole-In-The-Wall was named in 1823 by Captain Vidal, sent by the British Admirality to survey the coastline between the Keiskamma River & Lourenco Marques (now called: Maputo - in Mozambique).

We returned one afternoon during "perfect" weather conditions to now record the magic-looking cliff & its hole through the centre during sunset. The local (Bomvana/Xhosa) people call the formation iziKhaleni = the Place of Thunder (or Sound).

According to a local legend, the river running through THE HOLE once formed a landlocked lagoon with its access to the sea blocked by the cliff. A beautiful girl, who lived in a village near the lagoon, was seen by the sea people (= semi-deities). They were overwhelmed by the girl's beauty and tried to woo her, but her father forbade her to respond. During high tide one night, the sea people "enlisted" the help of a huge fish, which rammed a hole through the centre of the cliff.

As the sea people swam into the lagoon, they shouted and sang, causing the villagers to hide in fear, but the beautiful girl was lured away by a lover amongst the sea people. Together they disappeared into the sea. However at certain times of the year, it is said that the music and singing of the sea people can be heard.

Xhosa legend also states that THE HOLE is the gateway to the world of the ancestors, who they worship.

Close Encounter

2011-12-08T23:18:00.001-08:00

I recently had a close encounter with a Water leguan - not in the sense that I felt threatened, even if this reptile should be "treated" with caution, but really because I got a clear visual/photo of its "flipping" tongue [Also SEE: my blog-entry = A Reptile Story - Friday, 28 Oct 2011]

A more "threating" encounter happened in the Addo Park - a more than just "interested" elephant bull got closer to our open safari vehicle than anticipated.

Although Addo is a "sanctuary" for the (coastal) African elephants, one doesn't always encounter as many elephants as we did in one (half) day during my last tour for this year (as tourist guide).

"He ain't heavy, he's my brother" . . . came to my mind as I snapped this "leaning" elephants.

Some of the male elephants appeared to be fighting/testing their strength . . .

. . . when in reality they were "cuddling" . . .

. . . ditto . . .

. . . ditto . . .

. . . ditto.

Tour Specials

2011-11-19T22:24:00.000-08:00

During the last tour we visited the National Mountain Zebra Park (near Cradock in the Eastern Cape Province) "dedicated" to conservation of this rather rare zebra species.

However we saw many mountain zebras . . .

. . . of which some appeared to be "smooching" - although that can also represent aggression!??

By way of a comparison: these are Burchell's zebra, which we "met" in the Addo Elephant Park - they are slightly larger than the mountain species, the stripes also "cover" the stomach area (> white on the mountain zebra) & the Burchell's zebra also "sports" (brown) shadow-stripes in-between the black ones.

Other than zebra we also watched this ostrich couple = the male chasing a female.

Along the road (& not inside 1 of the game reserves) we stopped to photograph this rather unusual (black) "version" of our National Animal = a springbok.

Not to be "out-done", we also encountered our National Bird = the Blue crane walking "regally" passed a Black wildebeest (in contrast to the more "common" Blue wildebeest).

Since during this tour we mainly travelled through the Karoo (South Africa's large semi-desert region) - other than along the southern coast (= mainly encorporating the Garden Route) - it's a "natural" phenomenon to see (Merino) sheep along the way.

More feathery Beauties

2011-11-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Amongst the "smaller" birds (in comparison to the larger ones featuring in my previous blog-entry) "tracking down" a rather uncommon Livingstone's lourie in the thick underbrush (in the Victoria Falls area) was quite a mission but a pleasurable excercise.

Finally! A clearer - if NOT closer - look of a Crimson boubou. Since I first saw this bird in the Etosha Park region (Namibia) about 5/6 years ago, I've "dreamed" of seeing again/photographing this bird.

Another first for me - like the Monteiro's hornbill [SEE: previous blog-entry] this localised (= rather rare) Collared Palm thrush is a new "addition" to my collection of birds photographed.

I've seen & photograped these Green pigeons before, but it was nice to detect 2 of them close together on a branch.

I believe this is yet another first for me, if I'm correct & it's a Swamp boubou - because its underparts are all white & I was at the "right place" (= the region where this bird occurs).

A cute female Paradise flycatcher also "entered the picture" - although I would have prefered to "catch" a male (with its LONG tail) instead.

Then I noticed what I assume was a junior Golden-tailed woodpecker . . .

. . . because a female Golden-tailed woodpecker was nearby - checking if her youngster was safe?

A "flash" of purple flying by alerted me to this bird, which came to rest on a branch - a Plum-coloured starling, which unfortunately only "presented" its back to me, instead of a side-view, so its contrasting white underparts aren't visible.

Birds in Abundance

2011-11-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

When touring through 5 southern African countries (Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe & Zambia) it's "part of the deal" to come across a great diversity of birdlife - like this Secretary bird. Although this large & long-legged bird is listed as occuring commonly all over this region, one usually only sights it in drier, semi-desert areas.

A Kori bustard frequents a similar habitat like the previous bird, although mostly in the drier, western regions of southern Africa. Because this is the heaviest of the "flying birds" (in contrast to e.g. the non-flying ostrich), it's "logical" that it's reluctant to fly and instead tends to walk slowly & habitually, with measured strides.

Although similarly large as the 2 previous birds, the (Southern) Ground hornbill is listed as a vulnerable bird & only occurs in the eastern regions of southern Africa. However, this appears to be "my" bird, because 9 out of 10 times when visiting the Kruger National Park, I'm priviledged to come across at least one of these birds (as some of my previous blog-entries "testify").

Smaller in size but also belonging to the same family as the previous bird, is a Trumpeter hornbill. Its habitat is also much "smaller" - occuring mostly in the (wetter) eastern regions. Although usually gregarious (= in flocks of up to 50 birds, which can be very noisy), this "specimen" was all alone when I snapped it at the Chobe River (Botswana).

This Redbilled hornbill certainly is a much more abundantly "found" bird, even if it only occurs in the northern & eastern parts of South Africa. I'm including it today mainly because it "posed" so prettily but also . . .

. . . by way of a comparison with this family-member: a Monteiro's hornbill, because this bird is only found in the arid, rocky & hilly areas (with savanna woodland) of north-west Namibia. It also was a "FIRST" for me - I've never seen nor snapped this bird in nature before!

Moving on to another bird species, a Brownhooded kingfisher usually occurs only in the eastern regions but including the Caprivi-strip area of Namibia - where this bird was in abundance during the last tour, especially around the Victoria Falls area.

The habitat of a Darter includes almost any inland water areas, & this one was snapped (whilst prettily but habitually spreading its wings) at the edge of the Chobe River. When in water, this bird swims "low", with usually only its head & neck showing - hence its other name = snakebird.

Like most of the previous couple of birds, a Spottedbacked weaver occurs in the (wetter) eastern & northern regions = usually near water. Since this is the mating season, many of these males were building nests & "performing" noisily to attract females to their newly constructed nests.

A Reptile Story

2011-10-28T02:34:00.001-07:00

It started quite innocently - the head of a Water leguan (Monitor/Lizard family) appeared at the water's edge . . .

. . . but the next moment it spun around & a lot of slashing & spinning about ensued.

On closer inspection this strangely dinosaur-look-alike appeared to have caught a fish.

As if to "prove a point", the leguan protectively hovered over its unexpected prey - feeling threatened by my pressence?

Well, its flipping tongue certainly made this reptile appear aggressive - trying to intimidate me?

When this didn't work, the leguan turned around, although it continued to "eye" me suspiciously.

Still not at ease, the leguan "took possession" again of its prey . . .

. . . and finally started to feed - which looked more like nibbling, though.

Since this "took place" at the Chobe River (in Botswana), other reptiles are also in abundance - like a (Nile) crocodile.

Revealing aggression appeared to be the "order of the day", & in contrast to the leguan, a large crocodile opening its mouth & revealing its "killer" teeth, certainly has an intimidating effect!

Last but not least & to "round off" this reptile story - 2 tiny geckos eyeing each other ideally "round off" another story.

An Elephant Story

2011-10-25T02:46:00.001-07:00

Whilst cruising on the Chobe River during the last tour, a herd of elephant came into view. Once they moved apart . . .

. . . a tiny elephant came into view - & it was battling to cross a ditch.

Obviously noticing how the tiny youngster battled, other elephants moved closer - appearing really concerned & prepared to somehow assist.

The tiny elephant didn't appear to notice this & instead reached for sustenance = "comfort food". . . .

. . . whilst two elephants "demonstarted" how it could be done = how to cross an obstacle with a "little help from a friend".

The little one didn't appear impressed, though . . .

. . . and again reached high for comfort = sustenance - whilst its mother patiently waited for her youngster to "learn a trick or two".

Eventually her patience was rewarded & the little one did manage to cross the ridge of the ditch = "mission accomplished" . . . .

. . . but the youngster was obviously exhausted & again moved underneath the protective "shield" of its mother's large body = resting in the shade for a moment.

Eventually the elephants moved on - now that the tiny one had mastered the obstacle - but its mother still protectively assisted her youngster along.

Bravely now the little one demonstrated that it was able to follow in the footsteps of the larger "trailblazers" . . .

. . . whilst we had one last glimpse and sighed in relief that this story had a "perfect" ending.

Sun has set

2011-10-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

For me "the sun has set" on yet another tour - so I'm back home for a while & happy to share photos taken during the tour incorporating a visit to parts of Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia & Zimbabwe.

Towards the end of the tour we were privileged to experience this almost psychedelic sun set whilst cruising on the Zambesi River.

As one of the ladies in our group commended: if you would suddenly see this image (instead of proggressively watching the sun set), what would you think it represents? Perhaps a "lightened" dome of some kind?

Although I'm more interested in detecting "unusual" birds or other wild animals, to "face" a lion (= lioness) in the wild is always exciting - this one was still panting heavily after a chase or kill? [Click on photo to enlarge to see blood "covering" her mouth].

Accordingly I was excited to detect this rare & tiny antelope under a bush in the Etosha Game Reserve (Namibia) = a (Damara) dik-dik. It was difficult to "clearly" photograph in the underbrush . . .

. . . but the next day we had the opportunity to see this little antelope at "close quarters" at the (private) Mt Etjo Safari Lodge.

For me - a special moment when moments later, I could photograph this magnificent Roan antelope.

Towards the end of the tour & in the Chobe Game Reserve, we also saw this related Sable antelope - if far in the distance.

Back at Mt Etjo, where a great variety of often "unusual" wild animals roam the reserve, this Black wildebeest reminded me of a bull ready to fight (= in a bull-ring).

I did say: unusual - because seeing a white blesbok in the wild certainly is an unusual sight!

Well, at Mt Etjo finding a white blesbok isn't unusual at all, because there were quite a few of them around - like this white youngster. Also, we were told, these are white - & NOT albino!! - animals (because they don't have pink eyes!

October Flower

2011-10-04T07:18:00.000-07:00

Cosmos, according to "floriography" (= the Language of Flowers), is the flower for the month of October & is said to symbolise modesty. With that "message" - Happy Birthday to everybody born this month & au revoir until the 24th Oct (until then I'm guiding a tour again).

Camera - Action!

2011-10-02T04:45:00.001-07:00

I have just returned from another tour with very dear tourists, who got to know our country as actively "inhabited" by a great variety of wild life - so the resulting photos often "incorporated" more than only one animal species: in this case a Helmeted guineafowl next to a "lazy" crocodile.

Since eagles were mainly the "subject" during my 2 previous blog-entries, I was excited to see this one right in the road in the Kruger National Park, although we were deeply sorry to see that its victim was an indigenous Tree squirrel - but which eagle is it? According to its "colouring", perhaps a Snake or a Tawny eagle?

Only when it took off with its prey onto a nearby branch did we see white wing-feathers as well as what suddenly looked more black than brown plumage - certainly not "part" of the above-mentioned eagles.

As I've mentioned before (in another blog-entry) identifying juvenile eagles is rather difficult if an adult isn't close "at hand", because it sometimes takes a few years before juvenile eagles are "adorned" with adult plumage. So this one turned out to be a juvenile Bateleur!!

And as if "on command" we saw an adult Bateleur soon after :)

Life at the Sunset Dam (near the Lower Sabie camp in the Kruger Park) usually is profilic - and that was especially the case during our last visit - some hippos out of the water, many a crocodile & a heron to "round off" the wild-life scene.

Although the weather was cold & cloudy, the wild animals were also "out in great numbers" once we reached the Hluhluwe Game Reserve (in KwaZulu-Natal) - a herd of buffalo in the background, whilst a giraffe & some Burchell's zebra are also in "the frame".

Talking about profilic - so were the blommetjies (= flowers) in the (Little) Karoo - one didn't even have to drive all the way to Namaqualand (= usually the "place to go" to see the desert "coming alive" with flowers) to admire this magical event after optimal winter-rain.

The flowers were truly magnificent & we regularly stopped (with the tour bus) so everybody could have their "fill" of this great phenomena.

Even the Chinese lantern bushes looked "fuller" than I've ever seen them before!?

Going Away

2011-09-11T01:14:00.000-07:00

Previously known as the Grey lourie, this is now called the Go-Away bird - and "similarly" I'll be going away = on tour again until end of the month.

Cainism amongst Eagles

2011-09-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

Talking about eagles [SEE: previous blog entry] - some of these large raptors are prone to Cainism, also known as the Cain & Abel syndrome OR Siblicide, meaning that the older chick in a nest kills the younger within the first few days of hatching. So if you see a Black eagle circling, it has to be "a Cain"!

Like the Black eagle, a Tawny eagle chick also follows this pattern, as well as Crowned eagles, Augur buzzard chicks & sometimes, the older of 2 Jackal buzzard chicks may kill the younger, but not always.

So again, this Tawny eagle youngster can be called "Cain" - the oldest of 2 chicks, meaning that (usually) it hatched in a nest consisting of only 2 eggs. In theory, Cainism amongst large raptors is a taxonomically, avian phenomenon as a consequence of food stress. However it was observed that food supplements do not decrease sibling aggression.

Similarly it's being said that siblicide is also common amongst Ground hornbills, although I haven't "discovered" any proof of that. Instead it appears that only 1 egg in a Ground hornbill nest hatches!?

In contrast (or similar to the above) the clutch of a Martial eagle consists of only 1 egg - which is also the case amongst most of the other eagles that do not practise Canism.

A female Wahlberg eagle also tends to mostly lay only 1 egg, although it was observed that a small percentage of these clutches had 2 eggs.

The clutch of an (African) Fish eagle usually consists of 2 eggs, although both of these eagle youngsters do not always survive. Differently to most of the other eagle species, a male Fish eagle also "shares nest duties" with the female - the couple virtually take turns incubating the eggs.

However once 1 or 2 chicks hatched, the male Fish eagle only assists feeding small nestlings. After that a Fish eagle youngster is fed mostly by the female.

The Eagle Landed

2011-09-02T01:45:00.000-07:00

A soaring Fish eagle is beautiful to behold & the experience is even more "magic" when this raptor calls out in flight - a sound typically associated with Africa.

Also called the African fish eagle, this bird tends to hunt from a perch, catching fish with its feet without checking its flight. Its prey/fish tend to weigh between 1 & 3kg.

Other than catching fish, this eagle also robs other fish-eating birds of their prey or raids other waterbirds of their young as well as their eggs. The African fish eagle is usually found in pairs.

Another magnificently soaring raptor is the Brown snake eagle - found mostly in the northern & eastern parts of our country, where it's status is mostly known as an uncommon resident.

The Brown snake eagle is usually solitary & tends to fly from one hunting perch to another. As its name indicates, this bird feeds mainly on snakes, which it kills & swallows whilst on the ground. As this photo "proves", this eagle is said to have an owl-like face.

In flight a Bateleur (eagle) is easy to identify by its mainly white underwings & up-swept wingtips, other than its characteristic, circling but seldom flapping, flight pattern, whilst it also looks almost tailless. This bird occurs mainly in the Lowveld part of our country, e.g. often soaring high in the Kruger National Park.

In contrast to other raptors, which are the most difficult birds to identify (especially when immature), an adult Bateleur can hardly be mistaken for another eagle, because it "sports" red legs/feet & a (mostly) red cere (= beak). Its food varies from insects, fish, reptiles, other birds, small mammals to carrion. It also tends to rob other eagles and vultures of food.

Starlings Galore

2011-08-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

Although this Golden-Breasted starling doesn't occur "naturally" in South Africa, it is a "resident" in some of our birdparks like e.g. in World of Birds near Plettenberg Bay. Its natural home is in East Africa.

This Redwinged (female) starling certainly is a common resident in mostly the more eastern & southern parts of SA.

In contrast but the similarly-looking Palewinged starlings are found in the drier, western parts of SA & in Namibia (where this photo "originated" at Twyfelfontein).

The European starling, occuring mostly along the southern, coastal parts of SA, is an "introduced" (instead of an indigenous) starling-species.

Likewise, the Indian Myna is an introduced starling-species (= as it name stipulates, this bird "arrived" from India) & is now classified as a very common/abundant resident mainly along the coastal areas of KwaZulu-Natal & around Johannesburg.

Amongst the glossy starlings, the Greater Blue-Eared glossy starling is an indigenous species occuring mostly in the northern & eastern part of our country, and is a very common resident in the Kruger National park.

Another member of the glossy starlings is what I think of as quite an impressive & colourful bird - the Burchell's glossy starling, which more or less shares the same habitat as the glossy starling (above).

The Plum-Coloured starling is only a fairly common resident during summer in the northern & eastern parts of our country.

The Wattled starling is a quite rare resident, although it can be found right across our country.

When I "met" this bird, a Pied starling, for the very first time, I mistakenly thought it was an Indian Myna (SEE: above), but once I "examined" it more closely, I realised it was this quite common resident in most parts (except in the "far north") of our country.

Similar to the first bird (SEE: above) this Superb starling is a resident in East Africa - or can be found in bird parks in our country.

Animal Boycott

2011-08-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

As usual Impalas were "out in numbers" during a visit to the Kruger National (during the last tour). Since one of these animals features as the main character in my story-with-photos book (= Impi the Impala), I tend to favour (photographing) these typical SA antelopes.

Although by now I'm accustomed to it, I'm still amazed how well-camouflaged many animals are in nature - especially in a "winter"-environment, like these kudus.

Seeing various animal species together (= a kudu female & Vervet monkeys) is also always a pleasure when visting a Game Reserve, BUT if one of them reveals how "invasive" humans are, it's a sad situation: check out the "human" article in the paws of the monkey (= at bottom of photo).

Then "along comes" the ideal photo-opportunity - a Red duiker "posing" instead of more customarily running "for cover". So this one didn't boycott a rather perfect photo-opportunity . . .

. . . and these Bushbabies (at the Bushlands Lodge, KwaZulu-Natal) also didn't boycott "their special" buffet whilst we were there.

This Striped mangoose also appeared more interested in what it saw than taking to its heels . . .

. . . but then there was this young elephant bull in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve (KwaZulu-Natal)! We were rounding a corner in an open safari-vehicle & I guess, the elephant felt threatened by our approach, because he came charging at us! The ranger hastily reversed, but still the elephant chased after us. Needless to say, we got away BUT not along the road we wanted to travel! Later, back at the lodge, we learned that this elephant had truly boycotted us, because just around the corner (= behind the vehicle in the photo) a leopard was sighted - and we just missed that special opportunity.

I guess in a sense this buffalo (& a whole herd!) also boycotted us in the sense that it/they appeared when it was already too dark to take "clear" photos.

But the "biggest" boycott can be "blamed" on the Southern Right whales, which frequent our coastline at this time of the year - this was the ONLY whale we saw (properly) in the time-frame of a whole week!

On the other hand, this whale really "performed" & therefore was a pleasure to watch AND, I guess, blaming the whales for not appearing isn't fair either - instead the weather was the actual "culprit" = windy/stormy.

Colourful August

2011-08-16T23:23:00.000-07:00

August in South Africa means spring is on its way - and whilst touring through the country we often saw many different species of aloes in bloom.

Another "type" of aloe growing "side-ways" instead of upright like candles.

Another promiment flower during the month of August is our National Flower = the King protea and we had the pleasure of "discovering" the first large blooms in the Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden (in Cape Town).

This is a King protea bud, of which there were many on display amongst the large (open) blooms.

Other than magnificent flowers we were privileged to also come across this colourful but tiny Little bee-eater sitting in the road in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve (= KwaZulu-Natal province).

Although many a colourful Crested barbet are "resident" in our garden at home in Johannesburg, I was happy to "snap" this one because it sat beautifully "framed" by twigs right next to our open safari vehicle in the Hluhluwe Game Reserve.

Even if Blackeyed bulbuls aren't very colourful birds, I was fascinated by the orange face of one of the bulbuls - the "result" of feeding on the pollen of some aloe flowers.

The Language of Flowers

2011-08-03T05:31:00.001-07:00

According to an article I read in one of our newspapers last weekend (Lifestyle - Sunday Times) Victorians used "floriography" (??) = the language of flowers - to communicate certain messages. So each month (of the year) is "marked" by certain "symbolic" flowers - for August: gladiolus, noted for moral integrity & sincerity . . .

. . . as well the poppy - the flower of magical dreams!

If your birthday falls in this month - enjoy these blooms :)

[WILL BE AWAY ON TOUR FOR 2 WEEKS]

Typical SA Trees

2011-08-01T01:07:00.001-07:00

The Mopane is a typical southern African tree with its distinctive butterfly-shaped leaves (= each leaf consists of 2 leaflets) - sometimes also said to resemble a camel's footprint. The mopane tree is also referred to as "ironwood" & is an important fodder tree for game (esp. elephants) - it's also fed upon by the so-called "mopane worm" (in actual fact a caterpillar = emperor moth) - a protein-rich 'relish' which is eaten fresh, roasted or dried.

The Mopane is a pod-bearing tree & the pods are flat & kidney-shaped. These seed-pots are nutrious & the seeds/kernels are sticky from the resin covering them, so they tend to "stick" to the feet/hooves of animals, which then "distribute" the seeds. The seeds inside the leathery pod are said to resemble tiny brains!?

A Yellowwood tree is a typical (indigenous) South African "giant" in nature - found in "rain" forests & mostly along the southern coast's Garden Route (= Tsitsikamma & Knysna forests), where some are "sign-posted" as 'Big Trees' - reaching heights of 60m & up to 800 yrs old. These are known as Outeniqua yellowwood, which is 1 of 4 local species = all 4 species are evergreen.

Yellowwood represented the chief source of timber for early colonists, who found a diversity of purposes for it. Because yellowwoods were over-exploited through the years, all species are now protected by law.

Yellowwoods are easily recognisable by what is known as "old man's beard" = lichen 'draped' over the branches of these trees.

Probably there's no other tree that embodies the spirit of Africa as a Baobab does & as legend has it, it's the tree that was planted 'upside-down' (= has that look esp. in winter, when leafless branches look like the tree's roots). In ancient times African leaders tended to meet under these trees - said not only to provide shelter but the spirit of these trees helped the leaders to make wise decisions. In actual fact these trees are succulents & consist of 80% moisture & can reach an age of a few thousand years!

Baobabs are also known as monkey-bread tree or bottle tree (resembling a "bottle" esp. when "young"). The baobab is deciduous & has large, waxy-white flowers, which only last for 24hrs, then fall to the ground, where they are food for various antelope species. It can be said that baobabs "swarm with life" = provide shelter & sustenance for various creatures - elephants browse on the leaves & bark; baboons feast on fruits; birds & bees nest in holes of the trunks (= most old trees are hollow inside); fruit bats & bush-babies pollinate the flowers.

Baobab fruit are highly nutritious (= contain lots of Vit C & calcium) & are used to produce cream of tartar = flesh of fruit contains potasium bitartrate & tartaric acid - very tasteful!

Happy Birthday

2011-07-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

I want to join thousands if not millions of people to wish South Africa's favourite "son", Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, a HAPPY 93rd BIRTHDAY today!!

To commemorate this special occasion I'd like to share what I think is a very "clever" cartoon created by Zapiro, which refers to the petrol-delivery problem we experience in our country at the moment, yet also depicts how we appreciate the influence Nelson Mandela has on our nation (as it appeared in the "Sunday Times" newspaper yesterday):

Trees in South Africa

2011-07-01T23:18:00.001-07:00

Today I'd like to continue where I left off - before I shared my photos of the magnificent Lunar Eclipse "in between" - by concentrating again on SA Flora but now on FLOWERING trees indigenous to South Africa. Leave-wise the Sickle Bush somewhat resembles the "typical" acacia & similarly is widespread throughout Africa (also a native to Asia & Australia). Other than drooping clusters of flowers, this tree has pods growing in distinctively curled clusters, which also are acacia-like.

The flowers of a Coral tree, also known as the "flame tree", usually appear at the end of winter/start of spring & before the season's new leaves, whilst the pods (= this tree's fruit) are slender and black. Locally the red-with-a-black-dot seeds are often used to make handsome-looking necklaces BUT the seeds are poisonous even if they are sometimes used to cure certain ailments in local, traditional medicine.

The flowers of 7 different species of coral tree found in South Africa are all bright-red to scarlet in colour. In my mind the "petals" of a Coral tree's "cluster-flower" look like the claws of a bird of prey!?

Other than that acacia trees are mostly associated with Africa, I think of the Sausage tree as similarly typical. Of course this tree takes its name from the sausage-like fruits that hang vertically down from its stems, and although a belief exists that these fruits can cure a wide range of ailments, they are said to be inedible - although I've observed baboons, bushbuck & elephants "nibble" on the fruit.

Sprays of Sausage tree flowers "excude" an unpleasant smell but have a pretty maroon colour with yellow markings (= stamen). The flowers customarily appear from August to October (= spring in the southern hemisphere).
An interesting fact about the Sausage tree: it is evergreen in regions with rainfall throughout the year but deciduous where long & dry seasons occur.

The Bauhinia (named after Swiss-French brothers, Bauhin) is known in South Africa as the Pride-of-de-Kaap (= referring to the valley of De Kaap north of Barberton in the Mpumalanga province, where this tree grows prolifically) & as the "orchid tree" in other parts of the world. This tree or bush is also a vigorous climber.

Raindrops on . . . no, not on roses - as the song goes :) - but instead on a typically dark-red Bauhinia flower & as photographed in our garden on the Highveld! whilst it occurs "naturally" in the Lowveld (= under more humid conditions).

Although "generally speaking" the Quiver tree (= 'Kokerboom' in Afrikaans) isn't a flowering tree as such, it's nontheless 1 of those trees that are typically associated with Africa - although it only grows naturally in desert or semi-desert regions, e.g. in the arid Northern Cape (= Richtersveld) & parts of Namibia. This (not very large) tree gets its name from the San (Bushman) practice of hollowing out the tubular branches to form quivers for their arrows (the indigenous San traditionally hunt with bows & arrows).

The Quiver tree's flowering time is mid- to late winter (= butter-yellow flowers) which are aloe-like because in effect this is a member of the aloe family. It also is a succulent (& therefore only "tree-like") = a plant that has adapted to life in areas of low rainfall & extreme temperatures.

Lunar Eclipse 15 June 2011

2011-06-21T03:58:00.000-07:00

Here is my version of how the (total) lunar eclipse developed over the Joburg (Johannesburg) sky in South Africa on 15 June 2011.

I took this photo of a "perfect" full moon at 19.40

From about 20.00 one could see that slowly from the "bottom up" the moon started to "cloud over".

This photo was taken at 20.19

By 20.53 only just more than half of the moon is still "lit up".

By now the eclipse of the moon is almost "complete" = at 21.13

Five minutes later (= 21.18) the first "signs" of what all moon-gazers that evening were waiting for - the moon started to "turn" red.

Seven more minutes later (= 21.25) & the moon is red whilst the previously moon-lit environment "turned" dark.

As the light fades my camera "battles" to focus - it was just too dark (= 21.42) to take more "close-up" photos.

This is an example of what I "managed to produce" at 22.41 - for the eye = a magnificent spectacle; camera-wise = a "botched" attempt.

This photo was taken at 23.12 = the end of the lunar eclipse = the moon becomes "visible" again from the bottom up.

It is said that this was the longest eclipse since 2000 BUT it's apparently the 1st of 2 such eclipses this year!! The next one: 10 Dec - hope that on that date, the night sky will be as clear as was the case on 15 June :)

More Indigenous SA Flora

2011-06-12T22:49:00.000-07:00

As I "go along" & share more of my photos on this blog, I'm amazed from what I'm also learning during my research on SA flora - how many flowering plants, by now known all over the world, actually are "natives" from our country South Africa! Other than what I've already posted [SEE: previous blog entries] a great variety of Watsonia species grow "naturally" in many parts of southern Africa. These flowers - like six-petalled stars - are either trumpet-shaped ot tubular & vary in colour from red, pink, white to darkish orange. Other than the 52 species of watsonia indigenous to southern Africa, there are now many hybrids.

Another SA indigenous flower is the Agapanthus, which grows in almost any soil, is also known in other parts of the world as "Lily of the Nile", although it's NOT a member of the lily family. Unfortunately these flowering plants are no longer common in their natural habitat, but instead are widely cultivated.

Agapanthus flower during summer-time and are either blue or white.

Plumbago plants in SA are originally "at home" in the coastal areas of the eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal, although they are also native to other warm temperate to tropical regions of the world. Also called (Cape) leadwort, this name might refer to this multi-branched climbing shrub's clusters of lead-blue colour of the flowers OR because it was once thought to be a cure for lead poisoning!?

The (Cape) Everlastings are also known as "paper daisies" and in Afrikaans are called sewejaartjies - which reflects its longevity = 7 years. These flowers were given their popular name because they also retain their colour long after being picked, and their colour is sometimes enhanced by dyeing. During the days of the first settlers at the Cape Peninsula, these dried flowers were exported to Europe for use in flower decorations but ALSO as stuffing for mattresses!
Did you know that a superstition existed with regard to sewejaartjies-stuffed mattrasses? It was said that those sleeping on such mattresses would be blessed with prosperity & fertility.

The Golden guinea everlasting might be pretty to look at but has become a noxious weed in parts of the Eastern Cape, where carpets of shimmering silver and gold virtually cover otherwise grazing lands.

And then there are the Ericas - also called heath or heather - of which world-wide about 860 species are known, whilst more than 600 of these are indigenous to southern Africa! Most ericas are small shrubs with mainly tubular or bell-shaped flowers & together with proteas [SEE: one of my previous blog entries] & restios (= reed or grass species) are part of the Cape Floral Kingdom also known as fynbos.

I've posted a picture of these flowers before & to this day haven't been able to identify - HELP!? I simply call them Fairy Bells - but perhaps someone can assist by "properly" naming them? Personally I love this photo - another reason to post it again (brag a little :). I also assume it's an indigenous SA plant!?

Similarly I've posted this photo of Cosmos before although this is NOT a SA indigenous plant! Instead it's a native of scrub & meadow lands in the southern USA, Central & South America from where it was "accidentally" imported to South Africa. How/Why? It's said that the seed of Cosmos arrived in SA in bales of fodder for the horses of the British army during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). These days the pink, white & lilac flowers "adorn" many road verges and fields on the Highveld during late summer and autumn - "heralding" Easter & some years ago (before the "date" changed), the last "preparations" for one of our most famous long-distance runs = The Comrades Marathon - at least that's what I remember our Comrades hero, Bruce Fordyce (= winner of 9 consecutive races) used to say about the "time" of the Cosmos.

Indigenous SA Flora

2011-06-03T22:54:00.000-07:00

It's rather unusual for me but for now, I'll continue to concentrate on indigenous South African Flora - because I also have a rather large collection of flora-photos & learn more about it "in the process" = when doing research on the "topic". Until I started this "project" I actually didn't know that ALL Strelitzia "originate" in South Africa = are native to this country.

The Strelitzia is also known as the "bird-of-paradise-flower" or in South Africa, we also refer to it as the Crane flower (because it reminds us of our national bird = the Blue Crane). This indigenous (& perennial) plant mainly grows "wild" along riverbanks & coastal bush of the Eastern Cape (province). In nature, the flowers are pollinated by sunbirds.

Mostly the coastal regions & especially in the sub-tropical parts of our country is "home" to the Wild banana or Giant Strelitzia (= Strelitzia nicolai). Because the flower isn't as colourful as its (smaller) cousins, it is often "overlooked" - yet it's the one Strelitzia that continues to grow "unhindered" in the wild.

As I "confessed" above, until recently I was under the impression that this Rush-leaved Strelitzia was the only indigenous strelitzia in South Africa. It has reed-like (= restio) instead of banana-plant-like leaves & appears to be the most frost-resistant of the Strelitzia genus.

And then we have a "cultivated" Strelitzia species that's very special & I think it's name says it all: Strelitzia Mandela, also called "Mandela's Gold". It is a pure yellow variety with long, sturdy stalks & was "created" at Kirstenbosch (= South Africa's National Botanic Garden in Cape Town) after 20 years of careful & selective hand-pollination. However it has an "enemy" . . .

. . . in the "form" of the Grey squirrel, which many years ago was introduced by Cecil John Rhodes to the Cape (= originally from North America, "imported" to the UK & from there to South Africa). This "non-native" naturalised itself through the years along the Cape Peninsula (including Kirstenbosch) & tends to consume nearly all of the crop of the rare Strelitzia Mandela.

To prevent the "total" destruction of this strelitzia at Kirstenbosch, the staff at the Botanic Garden "encloses" each fertilized flower in fine-mesh chicken wire (as many visitors to this garden have observed with "shock") - this isn't a pretty "picture" but the preventative measure manages to keep the squirrels out!

Proteas - King & Others

2011-05-25T05:21:00.000-07:00

The name 'Protea' was derived from the name of a Greek god, Proteus, who could change his appearance or shape at will, because proteas have such a variety of forms in plant & flower size, habit as well as colour. If I compare the photos I took so far of our National Flower, the King (or Giant) protea, the above "holds true" for this flower alone! [Compare other King protea-photos - SEE below]

Although protea blooms look like flowers they in fact are "flower-heads" that contain many small individual flowers - therefore what looks like petals are modified leaves! The King protea has flowerheads measuring up to 30cm across & the colour varies from near white to soft, silvery-pink to deep rose-pink or crimson.

Another look at a King protea & "bud" - apart from the wide variety, the leaves of these plants also differ: they are either leathery & mostly narrow, whilst others are needle-like. 92% of the protea species occurs "naturally" only in the Cape Floral Kingdom or fynbos (Afrikaans; literally meaning "fine bush") region of South Africa.

A King protea "bud" - the Proteaceae family (to which proteas belong) are considered as 1 of the oldest families of flowers on Earth. Its "ancestors" already grew on the Super-Continent of Gondwanaland - so there are "shared" subfamilies amongst the continents, which seperated from each other about 135 million years ago: e.g. Africa shares 1 genus of Proteaceae with Madacascar, whereas South America & Australia share many (common) genera = indicating that they seperated from Africa BEFORE they seperated from each other!

No - this isn't yet another photo of a King protea. Instead it's a Protea Caffra (or Highveld protea) - a hardy plant (bush/shrub/small tree) that survives in regions with sub-zero tempteratures (at night) & thrives in the summer rainfall region. Its name is derived from Caffraria = the 17th Century geographical name for the north-eastern regions of South Africa.

This is (what I assume?) a protea bud of the Sugarbush protea family - I'm certainly no flora-expert & only enjoy sharing my photos & (limited or research-acquired) knowledge in this field, because I saw that my previous blog-entry on South African flora "attracted" more new visitors than most of my other blog-entries. Proteas are said to be "social" plants - meaning they occur in close proximity of other species, therefore forming close-knit communities.

The Sugarbush is 1 of the most widely distributed proteas in the Cape (fynbos & Renosterveld) Region & is usually a bushy shrub. It got its common name (instead of scientific name, Protea repens) because these flowers are particularly rich in nectar.
Did you know that until 1976, the Protea repens (= the "true" sugarbush) was South Africa's National Flower? It also inspired the well-known S.A. song (by Fred Michel): "Suikerbossie ek wil jou he..."

The flowers (= flower heads) of the Pincushion protea are usually yellow, orange or red & are mostly visited by sugarbirds & sunbirds - birds which mainly pollinate proteas, other than beetles in some cases, whilst fire also often helps to distribute seeds.

"Budding twins" of the Pincushion variety of protea.

One of the "pollinators" = a female Cape Sugarbird on a Bearded Grey-leaf sugarbush protea.

Flora in South Africa

2011-05-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

Since most aloes flower during winter (or early spring) travellers through (or inhabitants of) certain parts of our country will be "accompanied" by magnificent displays of these drought-resistant group of succulents (= typically have fleshy leaves with a high moisture content). Aloes are indigenous to Africa (& parts of the Middle East) whilst some species are only found in South Africa.
Did you know that the name is derived from the Hebrew word allal - meaning "bitter" - just taste the juice of a member of the aloe family (e.g. Aloe ferox) & you'll surely agree!

The Wild iris (also called African iris) is another native of Southern Africa but instead of growing in the wild, you'll find them growing in many gardens these days. This relatively large flower with its white petals, markings of yellow & brown, as well as pale mauve centre segments, unfortunately only "lasts" a couple of days - therefore this isn't really a vase-flower.
Did you know that iris is the Greek word for "rainbow"?

Vygies (sometimes referred to as mesembryanthemums or daisies) are also colourful succulents - drought resistant plants found throughout South Africa, especially in desert (or semi-desert) regions. They are silky-textured flowers & the leaf surface appears to be covered with dew.
Did you know that the Afrikaans name vygie means "small fig"? This is derived from the fruiting capsule, which in fact resembles a small fig.

One of South Africa's great wonders "happens" after winter rainfalls, when the otherwise dry & dusty semi-arid areas "erupt" in a wonderland of colour during early spring. A "single" daisy flower really is a "group" of flowers - the centre being disc florets, which are surrounded by ray florets.
Did you know that daisies belong to the Compositae, which is the largest of the plant families & includes such plants as the sunflower, many ornamental flowers - as well as lettuce?

Amongst the daisies you'll "discover" the "real McCoy" = the endemic Namaqualand daisy. Also known as the African daisy, it bears flower heads of bright-orange petals with a narrow mauve ring around the orange centre near the base of the ray florets.
Did you know that Namaqualand daisies only open when the sunlight is bright (& that at night, they always close)?

The Cape daisy is distinguished by its white ray florets with a pale mauve "flush" below surrounding the central yellow disc florets, whilst another variety of this flower "sports" a very narrow band of deep purple around the central disc. The Cape daisy is also known as the rain daisy.

Amongst the 4 indigenous species of (fresh) water lilies found in South Africa, probably the best known is the Blue water lily. It has large, almost circular leaves, which float flat on the water's surface. These flowers also close at night and open during the day but without being "dependent" on bright sunlight (like e.g. the Namaqualand daisies).

In contrast to many lilies, the Madonna lily is a "true" lily & therefore correctly named as a lily. True lilies grow from bulbs & the flowers typically have 6 outer segments & 6 stamens (stalks) - which are the male reproductive parts bearing pollen-producing "structures". The Madonna lily - a trumpet-like flower - is sometimes also called the Berg lily in South Africa, where it's an indigenous plant mostly growing in mountainous areas, hence the Afrikaans "berg".

The Impala lily is a deciduous succulent shrub with star-shaped flowers. This plant flowers in winter & for most of the year, has no flowers or leaves. There are 5 species of the sweetly scented Impala lily, which also is known by a variety of names: Desert rose, Sabi star or Kudu lily (named after yet another southern African antelope??). This indigenous plant is mostly found in the frost free areas of e.g. the lowveld & eastern parts of southern Africa.

All species of the Arum lily are endemic to southern Africa, but they aren't "true" lilies. Arum lilies grow naturally in marshy areas & when growing profusely, this plant is even regarded as a weed. Arums are also known as "pig lilies", because pigs relish the juicy roots, or as "pig's ear" (= Vark-oor in Afrikaans) because of the resemblance. In fact the "flower" of this plant is really a "modified" leaf, whilst the actual flower is the finger-like spike it encloses.
Did you know that the common name for the Arum lily, calla, means "beautiful" in Greek?

Garden Birds

2011-05-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

"Gotsha!" Finally a Crested barbet couldn't resist inspecting at closer quarters what I sometimes "offer" as supplementary food during winter to the birds in our garden. [SEE: my previous blog entry when I called this bird shy & elusive]

Then the Crested barbet seemed to make a "statement" other than only posing "in all its glory" - as if it wanted to refute my previous observation & also provide ample proof that it's more handsome than its cousin!?

After having its fill of bits of fruit & before "departing", the Crested barbet also "demonstrated" how it got its name.

Not to be "outdone" by their more colourful cousin, not 1 but 2 Black-collared barbets approached - proving again that they are far less intimidated by a human on the prowl with a camera.

Feeding on bits of fruit, when available, has virtually become a habit for these birds - I often see them hovering/waiting on a branch on days I haven't put out food for them. I don't want to "spoil" them by providing food for them on a regular basis, because I believe they have to fend for themselves in the "wild" - instead of becoming "beggars" or even "thieves", as sometimes is the case in areas/parks, where humans feed wild animals (like baboons and monkeys).

Larger birds - like this Grey lourie - also love the bits of fruit sometimes on offer. As I explained above & however much I love to "snap" these pretty visitors to our garden "at close range", I've learned that Grey louries can be very "demanding" other than chasing away smaller birds - simply because in the world of birds, size counts!

Some of these smaller birds (mentioned) include this lovely "song-bird" - a Cape robin, who appears more interested in checking out what's "cooking" than actually feeding on what's on offer.

And a bird definitely with a taste for the berries of a bush instead of coming to feed on what I sometimes "provide", is the rather "scarce" Red-faced mousebird.

Similarly disinterested in the food I provide but nonetheless a regular visitor in our garden, is this tiny Cape White-eye.

In our Garden

2011-05-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

With a heading like mine above, I guess one would expect to see photos of plants; in my case it means birds, though = my favourite "targets". Since winter here "arrived" early, I've also started to occassionally feed the birds = seperately something for the seed & fruit "eaters". This Black-collared barbet is quick to feed on what's on offer.

This bird's "cousin", the Crested barbet, is more shy & although I sometimes "spy" one, it flies off the moment it detects me with my camera.

Although it's also a somewhat shy bird, this Olive thrush "posed nicely" on a mole-hill, before it flew off. I've mainly come to know this bird as feeding on insects & occasionally worms, but it certainly likes to also "snack" on the bits of fruit I "supply".

With my new camera (as I "explained" during a previous blog-entry) I can zoom in on my "targets" & now "clearly" photograph them as they either wait for me to supply them with some "treats" or already had their fill.

The seed-eaters in our garden are far less "shy" & quick to "partake" in the food on offer. I have hardly put out some garden-bird-mix for them & I can "snap away" to my heart's delight - amongst the most common "visitors" being a Laughing dove & Cape sparrows.

The Rameron pigeons, which usually only "visit" our garden at this time of the year (= autumn/ early winter), aren't interested, though, in the food I "provide". Instead they feast on the berries of bushes, which are now ripe & in plentiful supply in our garden. These birds also "like" to rest on our roof.

I often detect a Fiscal shrike amongst the branches of the tree under which I place my food "offerings" for birds, but it seems to ignore that, even if this bird species is known to "consume" seeds - other than insects, small rodents & birds, etc.

I often see "couples" of Black-eyed bulbuls "resting" next to each other on a branch - but with my new camera, I can now zoom-in on them - what a pleasure :)

Not such a common occurence is seeing a pair of Cape sparrows "copying" this sitting side-by-side - although they usually "arrive" in couples to feed on what I'm "offering" them.

My book for Youngsters

2011-05-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

The adventures of a young Impi in the African bush are accompanied by "real-life" photos (instead of more customary illustrations). To order = SEE: My Favourite Sites.

An 4A-coffee-table-sized book - to be enjoyed by younsters & adults alike. [Click on photo to enlarge = to read the synopsis on the back-page].

Crossing or in a Row

2011-04-30T05:47:00.001-07:00

Everybody is familiar with zebra crossing - even if it has (kind of?) a different meaning when being in the bush or having to obey road "rules" in town. But then - crossing something or other also has different "connotations", as in crossing equine species.

We all know that a cross between a male donkey & a mare (horse) is known as a mule, whereas a stallion & a female donkey produce a hiny. So what if a zebra (also a member of the equus family) enters the picture? Then a zebra-horse cross is known as a "zorse", & a zebra-donkey cross as a zonkey or zeedonk.

This crossed/mixed breed animal - which in a way also reminds me of what we know the extinct kwagga looked like - is "on display" at a private lodge just outside Joburg.

Since zebra are "part of the equation" today - there's "magic" in a group of zebras lining up in a row at a waterhole - I'm still waiting/hoping to one day be able to snap the "perfect" row of zebras.

Other animals like these springbok joining some zebra at a waterhole - simply wade in but in a disorderly fashion . . .

. . . or these impala too thirsty to "form" a perfect row . . .

. . . but then a day & the photo-oppotunity "arrives" when you get to "snap" the perfect row - not the hoped-for zebra, but this certainly was a magical moment/opportunity "in its own right".

This photo proves that springbok can line-up "nicely" . . .

. . . or waterbuck forming a nice "front" (or is that showing off their backsides?) . . .

. . . or otherwise graceful giraffes looking rather clumsy (& definitely are at their most vulnerable) when drinking - apart from that the 2 drinking giraffes "demonstrate" the 2 different ways in which giraffes (spread their legs when) drinking.

Kalahari Ferrari & Nguni

2011-04-22T00:09:00.000-07:00

Similar to my previous blog-entry [SEE: below], I'm again digressing from my more "customary" topics today by concentrating on "farm" instead of wild animals, etc. Also in stark contrast to a Ferrari, the Italian supercar, Kalahari Ferrari is the "nickname" for a donkey-cart in southern Africa - although in the 80's, a car, which wasn't "that great" was also called a Kalahari Ferrari, e.g. the "rust buckets" used by students as transport. Apparently it's also the "name" of a spider species found in India, although again, the name is said to have originated in the Kalahari-desert-part of southern Africa.

Seemingly content to apply themselves to sheer drudgery - "donkey-work" - these horse-related-mostly-draught-animals, when harnessed together in any number, represent the "driving force" of what is referred to as the Kalahari-Ferrari. Actually donkeys are highly intelligent beasts, and other "virtues" include strength, hardiness and a natural immunity to many diseases.

Also indigenous to southern Africa are the Nguni cattle, which were introduced by the pastrolist Nguni group of people (= Zulu, Xhosa, Swazi, Ndebele & Shangaan) on their southward migritation from north-eastern Africa a few centuries ago. Other than being bred for their meat, Nguni cattle were (also) originally draught animals.

Nguni cattle are characterised by their multicoloured & variously paterned hides, as well as a variety of horn shapes. They have long, productive lives & like donkeys, are immune to most diseases and parasites that often creates "havoc" amongst cattle breeders.

King Shaka (of the Zulus) bred Ngunis according to their colour patterns to produce skins that were used for the raw-hide shields by the different regiments of his army. Accordingly his elite personal guard was recognised by their attire of pure white shields from the cattle of the royal herd. To this day, white Nguni cattle are "allowed" to only be kept by the Zulu king.

I've included this (photo of a) horse for various reasons: 1) because it's related to donkeys & like donkeys, some horse breeds are draught animals; 2) it's multi-coloured like the Nguni cattle; & 3) the Ferrari logo (or trademark) is of a "prancing horse" - LOL

By way of a "comparison" - Friesland cattle have also found a home in southern Africa. Friesland are high-producing, black-and-white dairy cows, whilst the "name" is an adaption of the Holstein or Friesian cattle, which were originally bred in the Netherlands (in e.g. the province of Friesland).

From donkeys to catlle & horses - now sheep are "sharing" the environment with an ostrich = also a typical "phenomena" in southern Africa. Amongst the approx. 30 million sheep kept in South Africa, the greater proportion is merinos - a fine-wooled type - although merino farmers (mostly living in the arid parts of our country) are "battling" because the price of wool drastically fluctuated through the years & then reached an all-time low.

Sheep (like those in the photo above) are driven by herders when "on the move". But the "job" of herders also includes protecting the herd from "danger", e.g. (certainly in southern Africa) from predators on the prowl. However the baboon (on top of the water-tank) isn't out to catch a vulnerable lamb!!

Instead (or so it appears) the baboon is THE herder!!

I've "discussed this situation" before in a previous blog-entry, soon after taking this amazing series of photos during a family trip along the West Coast of our country. In the mean time I learned that other animals, like e.g. the imported (South) American alpaca, are also "employed" as herders on some farms in our country (as well as in other parts of the world), because they have an acute sense of danger lurking, warning their "wards", which respond by congregating into one big group - making it "rather difficult" for a predator to single out a vulnerable individual.

Tasty Boerbok

2011-04-17T00:08:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I read an interesting article in the Travel & Food supplement of the Sunday Times - which wasn't only informative but also reminded me that amongst my huge collection of photos, I had some photos of Boerbokke. Yes, the article was about this indigenous breed, i.e. a South African home-grown goat, yet it appears that the boerbok has become "famous" overseas instead of in its country of origin.

According to the newspaper article this selectively bred goat is causing a stir from London to Texas, New South Wales (Australia), New Zealand & in Norway, yet only some Indians & Zulus "buy them off the trucks" in this country - because they want to slaughter & eat it. It's the boerbok's low-cholesterol meat they all are after (!!) which apparently tastes similar to lamb, but has more flavour, even if the texture of the meat is slightly coarser [This, apparently, is incorrect = SEE: expert comment below]. Goat meat is said to contain less than a third of the fat of beef & fewer calories than chicken. In a similar category, (our) ostrich meat has become very popular all over the world - but how many South Africans regularly eat it/buy the meat?

The boerbok was "developed" over many years/decades/generations. The main aim, apart from good meat, was that these goats had to be white - so they could be seen on the mountains! Another deliberately "bred" feature is the boerbok's red (= chestnut-coloured) head - to protect its eyes & nose against the sun. As a conservationist "at heart", I am also fascinated by the fact that these goats feed "with gusto" on alien plants (in SA: e.g. the Port Jackson tree) - so raising boerbokke is an "environmentally sound" method to combat the invasive plant problem!

Once I "examined" my extensive collection for photos (to use above), I "stumbled upon" this pet-goat, which I had snapped at a touch-farm.

Similarly "stored" is this photo of 2 cute little goats "finding refuge" in their feeding-trough . . .

. . . or this bunny under a bush . . .

. . . as well as this family of ducks . . .

. . . also these "selectively bred" turkeys . . .

. . . which reminds me that once, turkeys were bred mainly for their meat, instead of as a "reminder" that a turkey still exists!

And last but not least, since I "digressed" from the main subject - I couldn't resist adding another cute photo of pet-pigs!

Different Faces

2011-04-07T05:51:00.001-07:00

After my "report back" about the last tour [SEE: my previous blog-entry] I thought of how nature has so many different faces: this is a photo of the "Three Rondawels" (= along the Panorama Route in the Mpumalanga Province) as "presented" to us during the last tour . . .

. . . and this is what these "triplet" peaks look like during "stark" sunlight . . .

. . . or when illuminated by the setting sun.

Similarly this is what part of the Bourke's Luck Potholes (also along the Panorama Route) looked like during the last tour & after the "masses" of rain we lately experienced . . .

. . . or during "calmer weather" periods - from more or less the same spot.

As a result of all the rain this summer season, the Hluhluwe Game Reserve is "decked" in green - with a paradise-like look about it . . .

. . . about a year ago, however, it was dry & a veld-brand (= fire) burned down large areas in the park . . .

. . . whilst a more common occurence is morning mist or "lazy" clouds covering the environment in this part of our country.

Talking about paradise - there's always a snake there somewhere, in this case a highly toxic Puffadder (found amongst the chalets we occupied!!) . . .

. . . which a "snake-handler" (= 1 of the rangers) treated as if it was a common pet!?

Back Online

2011-04-06T01:21:00.000-07:00

Just returned from the last tour for this season & here are some of the photographic "experiences" I shared with a wonderful group of German-speaking tourists - soon after entering the Kruger National Park in open safari vehicles, we had the privilege of "meeting" a pack of 5 young wild dogs. It had rained during the night & "customarily" they found "refuge" from the wet environment on a quicker-drying tar-road.

It's always a privilege to see these wild animals in the wilderness, because wild dogs are usually "on the move" (seldom sit down or stand still & are therefore difficult to photograph) other than being rather "scarce" (= the wild dog is an endangered species & was "just" saved from extinction).

Not only did the sun "come out" to illuminate this special sighting, but a few of the wild dogs "used" the opportunity to lie down - posing like tame dogs in contrast to being highly dangerous, deadly & relentless carnivores. The wild dogs' powerful jaws can tear exhausted victims apart with ease, whilst they rip pieces from the flesh from a panic-stricken prey still trying to flee!

A far more peaceful scene "greeted" us in the Hluhluwe Game reserve - 2 of the most "typical" savannah species, a giraffe & zebra (with youngster) "blocked" our way.

Did this female giraffe lick its lips - or was it sticking out its tongue at us?

This is 1 of those "unusual moments" seldom recorded: of 6 (actually it were 8 - I wasn't able to include 2 others in the same "frame" ) White rhinos grazing peacefully together. "Recording" this kind of scene is only "possible" in Hluhluwe, where the concentration of these wild animals is very high - otherwise the males would fiercely protect their territory & not "allow" others to simply "enter".

Oh yes - & then there was this "baby rhino" grazing all by itself!? Or so it was assumed until I pointed out that "unfortunately", it was a male warthog.

All of the above photos were taken with my "smaller" camera because my usually dependable Canon camera had "decided" to "pack up" - this photo of a hyena youngster was the "last shot" - I really missed out on a magnificent picture! So goodbye to my previously "trusted friend" . . .

. . . & hallo to the "new one" - I felt "forced" to "upgrade" (= bought a new camera in Cape Town) & this photo of a Grey squirrel (= an "introduced" species to South Africa) is 1 of the first I "snapped" with the upgraded camera.

Bird Highlights

2011-03-16T02:55:00.000-07:00

Other than wild animals in the Kruger National Park or Hluhluwe Game Reserve [SEE: previous blog-entry] we also encountered many birds during the last tour - amongst them this Pied kingfisher, which is usually found near rivers, lakes, dams, estuaries & coastal waters, where it hunts from a perch. Its food consists of fish weighing 1-15g, or crustaceans & insects.

Although classified as rare or as an uncommon bird, I feel privileged because I've regularly encountered the (Southern) Ground hornbill (in the Kruger National Park) - about the size of a turkey. But this time it wasn't only a case of 1 bird . . .

. . . or 2 Ground hornbills . . .

. . . or 3 Ground hornbills - no, the one flying up isn't the 3rd, because a juvenile has already joined the adults on the dry tree-stump, so there are 4 . . .

. . . as one can see more clearly in this photo. A Ground hornbill's pure white primary feathers (as seen above) are hidden from view when walking, whilst the otherwise vivid red patches of bare skin on an adult's face & throat are said to be yellow or greyish-blue in juvenile birds.

At the last count there were 5 Ground hornbills. A group of these birds usually consists of a dominant breeding pair with up to 9 "helpers" - usually adult males & juveniles from previous breeding seasons, which mostly provide food to the breeding female. However adult birds only raise 1 chick on average every 9 years, whilst they live till about 50 years of age.

We encountered a similar "numerical" scenario when visiting the bird-hide at Lake Panic (near Skukuza) in the Kruger Park, where we were arrested by a noisy bunch of birds - which at first I wasn't able to identify, because all we saw was fluttering wings.

When it all calmed down, I was surprised to identify a usually "silent" Greenbacked heron and 4 (!) chicks - also unusual because this bird's clutch customarily consists of 2-3 eggs [just click on photo to enlarge]. In contrast to most herons, the Greenbacked heron is short-necked & its status is uncommon to locally abundant.

Whilst many storks are migrant & rarely breed in southern Africa, the Woollynecked stork is one of the "exceptions", because it breeds (Aug - Nov) in the Kruger National Park, parts of KwaZulu-Natal & in Zimbabwe. Usually solitary or in pairs, these storks are often found at the edge of water - walking slowly or standing still for long periods.

We often saw vultures - in this case Cape vultures - sitting on trees or circling in the air, a clear indication that a carcass or carrion was in the vicinity. As the scavengers they are, vultures have a keen eyesight, whilst the head & neck of most vultures are bald - allowing them to "cleanly" reach inside a carcass.

Last but not least, we also "visited" the breeding colony of African penguins (formerly known as Jackass penguins) at Boulders Beach along the Cape Peninsula - 1 of only 2 colonies, which settled on the mainland (> penguins being island "residents").

Amongst many penguin chicks I detected one, which "fitted the image" of yet another main character in 1 of my books planned for the future: Penny the Penguin - as was the case with Impi the Impala, which I mentioned in my previous blog-entry (the book = already available). The penguins that day were panting, because it was pretty hot - especially the youngsters still "clad" in their protective fur-coats.

Animal Highlights

2011-03-12T23:05:00.001-08:00

I think of these images (of young Chacma baboons) from the last tour as:

"Every picture tells a story"

But in a world "shared by others", danger often lurks - here in the form of a (young) Nile crocodile.

In the same (reptile) category = a Rock agama - not a dangerous but instead an "interesting" animal.

When travelling in the wilderness (in this case the Kruger National Park) occassionally checking one's rear view mirror might reveal an "unexpected" image . . .

. . . an old & single elephant bull "appears" . . .

. . . whilst ahead & just around a corner, you've missed an elephant herd crossing the road - but you still feel lucky when you see the "stragglers" - an elephant cow & her tiny calf.

I'm feeling similarly lucky/happy when I spot a young impala antelope, which has the "look" = reminds me of the main character in my book "Impi the Impala" [SEE: blog-entry below].

And as the sun sets and you leave the park, images like these impala grazing peacefully before the night settles, "create" a lasting image.

A friendly Reminder

2011-02-20T09:56:00.001-08:00

Since I'll be away again for 3 weeks - just a friendly reminder about my book, Impi the Impala, which can be ordered via the internet or bought directly in various bookstores throughout South Africa OR "check it out" on 1 of my blogs: www.impi-impala.blogspot.com

Just click on the photo above (to enlarge) - to read the back "blurp" (= a synopsis)

With a little Help

2011-02-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

"With a little help from a friend" comes to mind when watching a Redbilled oxpecker "at work" - in this case checking an impala for ticks = this small bird's "dining-room table".

An oxpecker's principal food is ticks, which it pulls from the hides of wild game and domestic cattle with it's strong and heavy bill. Whilst "snacking", an oxpecker feeling "at home" on a wild animal can result in a comical-looking image.

However impalas are the only hoofed animals not only dependent on "outside" help to remove often life-threatening parasites, because impalas are "blessed with" canines and incisors specifically adapted to grooming. As a result one often sees these particular antelopes partaking in mutual grooming.

Strangely and erroneously, Cattle egrets are often referred to as "tick-birds" whilst instead, that term should be "reserved" only for oxpeckers - because Cattle egrets feed on insects, not ticks!

In the wild, Cattle egrets are often seen accompanying or "resting" on the back of a bovine or ox-look-alike buffalo - again giving the impression that like oxpeckers, they assist with the grooming process.

Another "error" occured when originally a "true" antelope was called a "Wildebeest" (direct translation of this Dutch/ Afrikaans name = "wild cattle", & NOT "wild beast") - although its head looks ox-like whilst its mane & tail appear horse-like. As is the case with cattle and buffalo, herds of wildebeest are also often accompanied by cattle egrets, because a grazing herd "flushes" up/out insects (an egret's principal food) from the grass.

When we talk about grooming we usually think that it's a primate "occupation" (in contrast to impalas = SEE above). Watching Vervet monkeys grooming each other is probably one of the most endearing moments one can experience when in the wild - whilst from a primate "perspective", grooming or the removal of ticks is "high on the list" of survival skills.

Mutual grooming amongst baboons (or other primates) doesn't only serve the obvious ourpose of keeping their fur clean, but also "promotes" harmony within a troop = "keeping the peace". Only 1 species of baboon is native to southern Africa, but these Chacma baboons are the largest baboon species world-wide.

Historic Date

2011-02-11T02:07:00.000-08:00

"Up, up & away" - I can't believe that officially, today's entry on this blog is the 200th!! It feels like yesterday when I "celebrated" the 100th entry :)

However of greater importance is that today is a historic date because 21 years ago, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was finally released from a cruel prison sentence, lasting 27 years!! After his recent health-scare, I also want to "add my voice" in wishing him many more hours, days, months & yes, also years, to enjoy his hard-won freedom amongst his beloved family & friends.

Last year - after 20 years of freedom - this monument of who South Africans fondly call Madiba, was erected at the entrance of the Groot Drakenstein (formerly known as Victor Verster) prison in the Franschhoek area, from where his "walk to freedom" started on 11 February 1990.

So: I feel honoured that in a way, I'm now "sharing" this historic date with Madiba.

Water related

2011-02-10T02:49:00.001-08:00

When I did some research on the title of today's blog entry, I came across a few quotes which "resound" with how I feel about nature when I e.g. look at this beautiful water-lily: "plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man (by Stewart Udall); OR: "we forgot that the water cycle and the life cycle are one" (by Jacques Cousteau); OR: "we live by the grace of water" (from the National Geographic Special Edition, 1993).

Water-related to me also means admiring the bird-life found close to water - like this hamerkop, with its "truly" Afrikaans name. This water bird is distantly related to herons & storks, but is quite distinctively in a family of its own & found near freshwater. However to some Africans, the hamerkop is the "ultimate" bird of ill omen.

As is the case with most storks, the Yellowbilled stork is known as a nonbreeding, intra-African migrant to South Africa. Although found all over Africa south of the Sahara & in Madagascar during various times of the year, it's mainly a breeding resident in Zimbabwe. Most stork species are silent or simply rattle their bills, but some can vocalise with guttural croaks & squeaks.

A water bird found in most parts of the world is the Blackcrowned Night heron found near fresh as well as salt-water (mangrove) wetlands. Its scientific name, Nycticorax, means "night raven" - referring to its nocturnal habits & harsh, crow-like calls.

During a recent visit to the World of Birds near Plettenbergbay with our daughter & son-in-law, we admired this pair of Whitefaced (Whistling) ducks & their ducklings. However our daughter soon pointed out that something was "amiss".

The tiny ducklings "represented" a mixed bunch! = they appeared to be 2 different species.

Since Whitefaced & Fulvous ducks often share the same habitat . . .

. . . I remembered taking this photo of a Fulvous duck & tiny ducklings at the same "venue" a couple of years ago. So voila - that was the answer! The above Whitefaced ducks were rearing their own as well as a few Fulvous ducklings.

Since we were visiting a Bird-park (= "controlled" conditions), not only did the Whitefaced ducks become "adoptive" parents, but many exotic birds are also on "display" - like this Caroline Wood duck (from the northern parts of America) . . .

. . . or this similarly beautiful & colourful Mandarin duck (from eastern Asia or migrant of southern China).

Beware Wild Animals

2011-02-07T03:26:00.000-08:00

Daily, many visitors - foreign or local - arrive at Cape Point (at the "tip" of the Cape Peninsula /Cape of Good Hope) mostly to enjoy the magnificent scenery. Although mainly known as a Nature Reserve, certain wild animals do move around freely in this park, including Chacma baboons - who appear tame, in stark contrast to what the warning sign proclaims!

When many visitors ignore such warnings, they "suffer" as a result - if they are lucky, they don't get hurt in the process, but often, their food gets stolen.

Through the years & after actually being "fed" by visitors, which these days is totally prohibited, the Cape-Peninsula-baboons have "learnt a trick or 2" - if they smell food, they "attack", meaning they have learned to become thieves - other than "remaining" dangerous. This is rather tragic, because it means that these wild animals have become dependent on food they steal from humans, instead of surviving "naturally" in the wild.

Not only did these baboons learn to steal, but also how to "outwit" human guards, who are specifically employed to keep the visitors safe = to chase away any "annoying" baboons. From a vantage-point, this female baboon, cuddling a youngster, has a good look around: where are the guards - or who could be her (next) unsuspecting victim?

About that trick or 2 the baboons have learned through the years: if the guards are elsewhere "occupied" or not enough visitors carrying food are around, there's another option - "raiding" a rubbish bin, actually designed for the sole purpose of preventing this! Now who would have thought that supposedly primitive primates can "work out" how such an otherwise clever design functions?

Unfortunately the Cape Peninsula isn't the only area, where baboons have learned to steal - this thief "posed innocently" in the Tsitsikamma National Park after raiding the grocery stock of visitors, who hadn't closed the door of their chalet.

However baboons (other than humans!!) aren't the only primates, who tend to steal food. This Vervet monkey managed to get hold of food from a table at an outside restaurant in Sun City (Northwest province).

And what about this Vervet monkey appearing to "adopt" the role of a waiter? In actual fact it's examining the contents of a table setting for "available" food at the Skukuza Camp in the Kruger National Park.

Looking rather innocent - even cute - this monkey's behaviour is part of a "learning process", which doesn't bode well for natural survival in the wilderness.

And what about this monkey youngster watching "procedures" - is it busy "memorising" how to become a thief in the near future?

Birds Bath

2011-02-05T22:15:00.000-08:00

There's a place at the Lower Sabie Camp in the Kruger National Park, where I could stand for hours watching colourful birds - like these weavers - enjoying a bath during hot summer days.

What fun! A Black-eyed bulbul has joined the weavers . . .

. . . but then is replaced by a Glossy starling . . .

. . . which similarly enjoys cooling off.

It's non-stop action as the birds "rotate" . . .

. . . while some birds really look funny when "shaking off" water.

Not all birds use a bird-bath when "feeling in need" of cooling off - any water will do!

Even water birds - like this Whitefaced Duck - don't just "glide" across the water but appear to also have fun doing so.

Or this Greater flamingo having a real good "dip".

Away for a while

2011-01-22T10:35:00.001-08:00

Before I leave on another tour again I'd like to add what I believe is the cutest of caterpillars = an "addition" to my previous posting about Butterflies & Moths - I wish I could "claim" this as 1 of my photos, but it's only part of my photo-collection & was photographed years ago in Namaqualand during a "desert-flower-explotion" by our son-in-law.

"See" you soon (in about 2 weeks).

Insects - Butterfly or Moth

2011-01-18T23:04:00.000-08:00

Butterflies & moths are closely related & belong to the same insect order (Lepidoptera), which is the 2nd largest after beetles [SEE: Beetles & Bugs on this blog, posted Sunday, 16 January 2011]. Distinguishing characteristics include: most butterflies fly by day, whilst most moths fly by night. A butterfly "drinks" nectar through its proboscis (= long, tube-like & hollow tongue) - whilst the nectar merely provides enough energy for flight (> only larva/caterpillar phase is the feeding stage of a butterfly's lifespan). When not "feeding", a butterfly's tongue is coiled up beneath its head. A sure way to also distinguish between the 2 species is their antennae - butterflies have club-tipped and thin antennae, whereas a moth's are feathery or finely pointed.

This (Common) Dotted Border butterfly (= same as above) is a frequent garden visitor all year round, with peaks in Oct & from late Feb-April. Other than getting its name from the black dots at the edges of its wings, it "poses" with its wings up (or the wings "meet" over the back) - in contrast to moths, whose wings usually are fanned out.

The underside of a butterfly's wings often is also markedly different from the "upper" wings, which is clearly "demonstrated" by this "swarm" of (Spotted) Joker Butterflies - the upper wings are deep orange, whereas the underside is paler (= the part that's usually "on view").

Taking an even closer look at this Garden Acraea butterfly's wings, it's interesting to note that the "dust" that rubs off easily from a captured butterfly is actually "scaly matter" from its wings - if rubbed off completely, only a transparent membrane with a network of veins is left. It's therefore the scales that provide the colour and patterns on a butterfly's wings!

The African Monarch butterfly is widespread in Africa as well as in Asia, where it's known as the Plain Tiger. The lifespanof an (adult) butterfly normally lasts several weeks, whilst the "full" life-cycle starts with the eggs (which an adult butterfly lies), from which caterpillars hatch (= this larva phase is the "proper" feeding stage), then the pupal stage follows (= non-eating phase) - lasting 2-3 weeks before a "perfect" adult insect emerges.

Did you know that a 3 500 year old Egyptian fresco in Luxor "features" the oldest illustration of a Monarch butterfly?

From a monarch to an emperor - with names like that, who can resist admiring these magnificent-looking insects? The "eyes" (= large spots) of an Emperor Moth are meant to deceive enemies or act as a warning to predators (like birds) - they instantly recoil at the sight of such large "glaring" eyes (also called the "startle effect"). In contrast to butterflies, (adult) moths do NOT feed (= they do not have mouth-parts > a butterfly's tongue) & therefore only have an average lifespan of approx. a week (= in the wild) - a moth's sole purpose is to mate & lay eggs, then die.

There's not only a variety of colour amongst Emperor moths, but some actually have "eyes" on the hindwings as well as on the forewings! So the "startle effect" is even greater when "meeting" a moth with 4 eyespots.

Did you know that an Emperor moth is more like a butterfly because it is brightly marked - & flies by day?

Although moths & butterflies are related, about 90% of this large insect order are moths. Accordingly it probably is easier to identify a butterfly than "coming to grips" with moths - as I certainly experience, because so far, I haven't been able to identify this moth. Moths like e.g. the silkworm, are "farmed" for the silk from their cocoons, whereas others, like the Mopane worm (= caterpillar) is a significant food resource in southern Africa.

In contrast to the interesting-looking moth above, I do know that this is a "typical" Looper moth. These species of moths (there are several) have broad wings & a narrow body, are mostly nocturnal, & when resting, spread their wings flat against the surface.

Did you know that someone, who watches moths as a pastime (= hobby > specialist) is called a mother? To distinguish this word from its usual meaning it's often written with a hyphen (= moth-er), even if in speech, it's pronounced differently.

Another look at a Looper moth - this one was photographed quite a while ago by our son-in-law, & to this day, I insist that it's the "prettiest" moth I've ever seen, because it appears to be "decked" with jewels (e.g. pearls)!? Also, what a great photo - thanks to Quinton, who doesn't mind "sharing" his photos with me.

However "pretty", many moths (& particularly caterpillars) are a major agricultural pest in many parts of the world. Some larvae also eat fabric, mostly with natural fibers such as wool or silk (> artificial fibers). To end: I'm not able to say for sure if this is also a Looper moth - it certainly has the characteristic look of a moth, also finely pointed antennae (= 1 of the distinguishing features of a moth - if not feathery antennae).

Insects - Ants or Termites

2011-01-17T01:33:00.000-08:00

Sometimes after a highveld-thunderstorm, I was amazed to see our house invaded by what until now, I assumed were flying ants. But after some "research" I reached the following conclusion: this "model specimen", which once landed on our bed, "proves" that it's a flying termite!

To determine if it's a flying ant or termite, the following are distinguishing, anatomical characteristics: although both kinds of insects "possess" 2 pairs of wings ONLY during the mating, reproducing & forming of new colonies, their wings are dissimilar. A termite's wings are equally "long", in contrast to an ant's, whose back wings are much shorter.

Also: an ant's body has 3 distinct segments - the head, thorax (= middle segment, which also "bears" the legs & wings) & abdomen. In contrast a termite has only 2 segments - a head & thorax, which also look more like 1 piece or as if this insect has a "fat waist".

Finally there's one more distinctive difference between flying ants & flying termites: their antennae. An ant's is curved/bend inwards & "topped" by a ball (also called a "club"). However a termite's antennae gently point outwards & are "beaded" [clearly visible on this photo if you click on it to enlage].

When before I posted photos of what I then incorrectly called a flying ant, I also mentioned that after mating, a male winged ant dies - whilst the female dispenses with her wings before creating a new colony. In contrast & amongst flying termites, the males & females travel together to another place/form a new colony. So why did this termite shed its wings after an amazing "performance"? Do flying termites sometimes "loose direction" & then die instead of becoming "kings" & "queens" (as well as parents) of a new colony?

This specimen on our bed certainly had the appearance of a "little old person" trudging off & feeling defeated. Unfortunately I never "recorded" what happened to it afterwards - at the time, I was only fascinated by the spectacular part of the performance. All I know for sure that like my "research-efforts" indicate, the wings of a termite are easily "knocked off" & then lie scattered around.

Termites build & live in amazing "termitaria" (= mounds - only "small", visible part above ground of a much larger "whole"), which are said to be the oldest, organised social communities on earth - "marvels" of engineering, housing millions of inhabitants in air-conditioned, humidified comfort.

Another termite mound BUT (more or less) at the same location & 6 years later - with the "twin" Omatako mountains (in central Namibia) in the background.

A termite or an ant nest? The "controversy" starts again = I'm not sure! Although the nest resembles a "dirt clod", I tend to photograph whatever "catches my eye", & I certainly do know that some ants are arboreal (= living in treetops) - but that could also be the case with termites. Ants & termites aren't related, & whilst termites exist in their present form long before more advanced insects such as ants & bees (as well as humans) "appeared on the scene", ants are the termites' worst enemy.

Like all insects, ants have 6 legs, & each leg has 3 joints. However ants are the most highly developed of all insects - like termites, they live in perfectly organised "states" & have evolved many forms of food collection. Also most unusual for animals is the fact that ants "indulge" in a form of slavery, military campaigns & animal husbandry.

Did you know that an ant brain has about 250 000 brain cells, in comparison to a human brain, which has 10 million brain cells? So a colony of 40 000 ants has collectively the same size brain as a human!

Is this a matter of moving nest (from cool or wet conditions to a warmer environment) OR raiding a nest? On the one hand ants can lift 20 times their own weight, so carrying their own eggs/larvae/pupae isn't a difficult job. On the other hand, Slave-Maker ants raid the nests of other ants & steal their pupae. When these ants hatch, they work as slaves within the colony.

Insects - Beetles & Bugs

2011-01-16T01:01:00.000-08:00

There are more species of beetles than any other order in the animal kingdom - constituting approx. 25% of all known life-forms. Taking this into account it's difficult to identify a beetle if you aren't an expert on the subject. Beetles have mouthparts similar to grasshoppers - e.g. mandibles, which appear as large pincers on the front of some beetles. The legs are multi-segmented & like many other insects, beetles bear claws at the end of each leg. The antennae of beetles are primarily organs of smell - other than to "feel out" the environment.

Did you know that 'beetle' is derived from the Old English word bitan - meaning to bite (= chewing & biting, instead of sucking)?

The largest taxonomic family of beetles are the weevils (or snout beetles). Now weevils are generally "better known" as occuring in dry foods (including nuts & seeds, as well as cereal & grain products) & most likely can be observed in flour - "indicated" by the granules sticking together in strings, as if caught in a cobweb. Those are the "primitive" weevils, usually small (less than 6mm). In contrast a "true" weevil is a beetle - still commonly regarded as a pest - which has an exeptionally hard elytra (eleytron = 1 of 2 wing-cases of a beetle) & therefore, it's difficult to destroy.

Another look at another weevil with a longer "rostrum" (= snout) as well as much longer antannea. In some species this characteristic snout is short & squad, in others long & narrow. A weevil's exclusively vegetarian diet includes numerous agricultural crops - other than "attacking" newly emerged leaves of garden bulbs.

Characteristically beetles have hardened shield-like forewings (= not used for flight) but underneath have a 2nd pair of (hind) flight wings. However some ground beetles - like the "true" weevils as well as a dung beetle endemic to e.g. the Addo Elephant Park (in the Eastern Cape Province) - have "lost" the ability to fly.

There are several species of dung beetle, also known as "scarab" (from family Scarabaeidae) & which had a sacred status amongst ancient Egyptians. Dung beetles have shovel-like heads for burying their "precious" ball of dung (either as food storage or as a brooding ball). By consuming the dung, these beetles improve nutrient recycling & soil structure.

This also "improves" the environment because by removing dung which, if left, could provide a habitat for pests like flies. Dung beetles vary in colour from black to brown, or a metallic green, blue or bronze.

Like a dung beetle, the Rhinoceros beetle is a member of the Scarabaeidae family. Only the male Rhino beetles have the characteristically large horns, which they use to fight other males during the mating season, although the horns also function as "built in" digging tools.

Is this perhaps a female rhino beetle (since it looks similar but doesn't "possess" a proper horn)? As I've indicated, I had to do quite a bit of research before being able to identify at least some of the insects I've photographed through the years. Rhino beetles are also known as Hercules, Unicorn or horn beetles.

After not knowing if this was a beetle or bug, I luckily found a "replica" in the (small book): Sasol Field Guide to Insects of Southern Africa. It's a Tiger beetle & this family of Ground beetles is described as very fast-running beetles with long, slender legs. The head is broad with prominent eyes & they have long antennae.

Talking about bugs - I've previously posted this photo of Shield bugs - but want to use it again to "demonstrate" that bugs are quite different from beetles: bugs have sucking or piercing mouthpieces (instead of being able "to bite" like beetles). In addition bugs almost always have 2 pair of wings. Amongst the bugs are some of the smallest but also some of the largest insects found all over our country.

However in English, any offensive little insect is often referred to as a "bug". Similarly in Afrikaans, gogga is used to describe any small animal that crawls or flies. Did you know that gogga is derived from the Khoikhoi word xoxon?

Architectural Gems

2011-01-14T00:50:00.001-08:00

Since lately I've "concentrated" on Cape Town & environs [SEE below: Minstrel Carnaval & Wildlife at the Cape Peninsula] I'll continue this trend today. The colourful houses of The Bo-Kaap are always a pleasure to see & photograph - even the various mosques "follow this colourful trend". Most of the unique architecture & historical cobble-streets date back to the late 1700's when originally, the freed slaves or their descendants settled here.

Accordingly the multicultural area of the Bo-Kaap is sometimes still called the Cape Malay Quarter. In contrast to the "belief" that the Afrikaans language has it roots in the nearby town of Paarl, it actually developed in the Bo-Kaap as the lingua franca - educated muslims were in fact the first to write texts in Afrikaans.

The Castle in Cape Town is the oldest European building south of the Sahara & the ornate De Kat balcony a unique part of this fort. This balcony, built in 1695 & redesigned in the 1780's, is part of a defensive crosswall (= "kat" in Dutch) that divides the inside of the Castle into an inner & outer court. The "key ceremony" is re-enacted most days at 10am. From this balcony terms of punishment were also read out during the original Dutch occupation.

The Dolphin Pool in the rear courtyard of the Castle was added after Governor W.A. van der Stel obtained permission to build a new bakery in 1705. The double storey building was constructed at right angles to create a private "garden" behind the governor's residence, where the square pool was built with a central "dolphin" fountain. In 1860 the British Army (stationed here) filled the pool with soil, which was only reconstructed in the 1980's.

Other than that the tower of Cape Town's City Hall is a (small) replica of the Big Ben in London (UK), it's of great historical significance - shortly after his release from the Victor Verster (today called: Groot Drakenstein) prison on 11 February 1990, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela appeared on the balcony of this building to "hold" his first (nationally & internationally) televised speech.

2 of Cape Town's "landmark" buildings in Adderley Street - the Groote Kerk (NG Mother Church) & the (original) Slave Lodge - now housing a cultural-history museum.

Did you know that Adderley was a British parliamentarian, who "fought" the decision that the ship "Neptune" should deliver British convicts at the Cape (during the 1850's)? After this "battle" was won, the ship instead sailed on to Australia!

This certainly is a gem of a building = "housing" South Africa's parliament.

Did you know that each brick of this House of Parliament building, constructed in 1884, "carries" a stamp: "Made in England"?

Another gem of a building in the Company Gardens = Tuynhuis. Originally it was built as a guest house for visiting dignatories, but now is the city office of the State President.

Did you know that secretively at the time, Nelson Mandela was invited here for talks with the then South African President, P.W. Botha?

To "demonstrate" the Cape-Dutch architecture = the manor house at Groot Constantia - this estate also "represents" the Cradle of the Wine Industry in South Africa.

[For other "architectural gems" SEE other entries on this blog: Port Elizabeth, Friday 30 May 2008; Pretoria = The Jacaranda City, Wed 23 April 2008; Stellenbosch = Historical Winelands, 24 Mar 2010; Pilgrim's Rest = Old World Charm, 4 March 2010; Graaf-Reinet, Mon 6 October 2008; Camdeboo Magic, Sun 30 November 2008]

Architectural Gems

2011-01-14T00:50:00.000-08:00

Numeric Worms

2011-01-11T03:59:00.000-08:00

In numerology 11 is a "Master number" (as are all double-digit numbers), meaning today's date is highly significant - so numerologically speaking, this is going to be a wonderful year! We already had 1.1.11; today = 11.1.11 & in November: 1.11.11 & 11.11.11 = this combination 4x this year! By way of "representing" the number 1 "photographically" - one caterpillar. If a caterpillar (= the larva of a moth or butterfly) is brightly coloured that usually "acts" as a warning for e.g. birds that this caterpillar is ditasteful or even poisonous - although some caterpillars are mimicking an unpleasant species.

In everyday language the term 'worm' is applied to various living forms (in contrast to a computer worm) including larvae & millipedes, although generally, worms do not have legs. In alarm a millipede rolls itself up into a neat, flat coil. Did you know that that "accounts" for the popular African name shongololo (= rolled up)?

In comparison with a centipede, a millipede certainly has the greater number of legs but not nearly as many as is implied by its name (= 'thousand-footed') - in line with today's theme again, this is a numbers "game".

It appears that the 2 "worms" have had enough of my scrunity, so they move off in unison - resembling the number 11? When defining numbers (in numerology) even numbers are considered lucky (because good luck comes in pairs) - accordingly 1 = individual; aggressor; Yang & 2 = balance; union; Yin - now if you add 1 + 1 (11) = 2 & voila, an unlucky number "turns" lucky :)

Wildlife at the Cape Peninsula

2011-01-10T04:50:00.000-08:00

Most tours to Cape Town include a trip along the Cape Peninsula to reach Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope. Some travel literature continues to claim that here, the Indian & Atlantic Oceans meet - whilst in fact, that happens at the southern-most tip of Africa = Cape Agulhas (= more than 100km further east from the Cape of G.H.).

A look from the parking area at Cape Point towards the Cape of Good Hope - with 2 Eland males grazing peacefully. Our "visit" to this Nature Reserve today is "dedicated" to some of the wildlife found here instead of the scenic beauty, for which the Cape Peninsula is more famous.

A closer look at the 2 Eland males = the largest antelopes found in Africa. Although it has a heavy & humped appearance, the Eland is very agile - it can jump with ease over a 2m-high fence. Although the Eland are more commonly found in the drier parts of SA or in the mountainous Drakensberg region, they aren't restricted to certain vegetation. A water supply for this wild animal is also not essential, because it can obtain all the moisture it needs from what it eats.

Similarly Ostriches are associated with desert or semi-desert regions, but also easily adapt to other conditions - & it certainly isn't an uncommon sight to see this biggest & most fleet-footed bird in the world near the sea in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. It's a "distant relative" of New Zealand's kiwi, Australia's emu & South America's rhea.

Larger game like Mountain zebras & Bontebok also have a "home" in this Nature Reserve, whilst amongst the reptiles, tortoises are common as well various lizards - of which this Rock agama is a fine example. [Also SEE: Different Lizards & Different Chameleons on this blog, Friday, 31 & Monday 27 Dec 2010]

And then there are the baboons - hardly any visitor to the Cape Peninsula leaves without a sighting of these primates, who many inhabitants in this region have come to view as a pest. In contrast this male Chacma baboon appears to "think" he's the "King of the Castle" . . .

. . . or is that the "King of the Jungle"? This baboon male certainly looked as fierce as a lion!!?

Less fierce yet also with wide-open beaks, these African penguins (formerly known as Jackass penguins) are "suffering" as the result of a heat-wave, which often occurs at this time of the year around the Cape Peninsula, where at Boulders Beach, these otherwise island-based inhabitants have found a home.

In contrast to the hot weather, the water of the Atlantic Ocean is always cold, and near Houtbay on the Cape Peninsula, a colony of Cape Fur Seals are at home on a small, rocky island. The fur seal is also known as a sea-lion, but gets its more common name from the pelt (of the pups), which are coveted in the fur trade.

Talking about Houtbay - after a visit by boat to the seal colony, visitors are usually "welcomed" back to the harbour by these Kaapse Klopse [SEE: previous entry on this blog = below].

Minstrel Carnival

2011-01-07T23:38:00.001-08:00

As a tourist guide I'm often lucky in the sense that I'm at the right place at the right time. This was the case on 4 Dec 2009, when Cape Town was in a "festive mood" because that day, the Soccer World Cup Team-Draw took place [SEE: all my entries on this blog about the World Cup from Sun, 6 June to Wed, 14 July 2010].

Similarly I was in Cape Town (= right place) when this year's Minstrel Carnival "took to the streets" (= right time) on 3 January 2011.

The Cape Town Minstrel Carnival begins on New Year's Day and continues into January. Also known as "blackface" minstrelsy in the USA - in reaction to the horrors of slavery - in Cape Town the minstrels are known as Kaapse Klopse = minstrels are grouped into klopse (= clubs - in Afrikaans/Dutch), or "troupes".

The participants are coloured people (= Cape Coloureds) who typically are descendents from various mixed relationships between the original European settlers at the Cape, "imported" slaves and/or indigenous Khoikhoi. The Kaapse Klopse (= minstrels) often carry colourful umbrellas and each troupe is accompanied by a band = an array of musical instruments.

The inspiration for (or history of) this festival dates back to the late 1800's when a ship docked in Cape Town with travelling minstrels on board, who painted their faces black and entertained the sailors but also toured South Africa = "Hier kom die Alabama" (= a song) refers to this occassion/ship.

So this event became a legend & now is a yearly festival celebrated in the heart of Cape Town. It specifically starts on New Year's Day to commemorate that once, it was the (Cape) slaves' only day off!

Although Capetonians also call it the "Coon Carnival", local authorities have recently renamed the festival "Cape Town Minstrel Carnival". The street parade is only a part of the festival.

Black faces are no longer "the order of the day", and instead faces are "decorated" in a more colourful or artistic way, also in contrast to a time when traditionally, the festival represented the coloureds' grievances against white supremacy.

The richness and spirit of Africa is evident in the festival, so it's sad to note that in recent years, political interference seems to also be "the order of the day". Police were ordered to "tone down" the noise and some marchers were threatened. Similarly political intervention was responsible for "redirecting the route" and that this year, the street parade had to take place on 3 January, and not on the 2nd, because that day was a Sunday (or sabbath).

Exhausted? 3 January 2011 certainly was a blisstering hot day in Cape Town!

Happy & Prosperous 2011

2011-01-05T23:28:00.000-08:00

Wishing all my "followers" a HAPPY & PROSPEROUS 2011 - accompanied by a photo of the "festive" lights momentarily on display in Adderley Street, Cape Town

Different Lizards

2010-12-31T00:09:00.000-08:00

When identifying e.g. birds and animals - in this case, lizards - the characteristics, which distinguish 1 species from another, are most important. During my research to "correctly" identify the lizards, which I've photographed, I had problems finding "proper lists" of distinguishing features. So, of what I managed to "collect", I present the following:
Lizards (in general & like snakes) are covered in an armour of small scales, whilst their tails are at least as long as the body & many can discard their tails in an emergancy (= to escape a predator). Then a new tail usually grows from the stump of the old one [SEE further down: a "classical" example = photo of a male Rainbow skink].

One of southern Africa's lizard species are agamas, which are closely related to chameleons [SEE: previous entry on this blog; this photo = a Rock agama, photographed in the Gansbaai area, Western Cape]. By way of comparing these 2 lizard species, agamas characteristically have broad, toad-like heads & like chameleons, change colour as a form of camouflage.

This is another photo of another Rock agama species (photograped on Table Mountain) & which I think best "illustrates" its name in Afrikaans: koggelmannetjie (translation: mimicking little man).

About a dozen species (& subspecies) of agamas are indigenous to South Africa, amongst them also the Tree agama (photograped in the Kruger National Park). Agamas have long tails, which, if lost, don't regrow (!!) - similar to chameleons, which can't dispense their prehensile (= capable of grasping) tails.

[Also SEE: "Agama Confusion" = other agama species, posted on this blog Saturday, 31 January 2009].

A Lacertide lizard is characterised by a long tapering tail, other than having well-developed legs and clawed feet. They tend to be mobile, slender and terrestrial (= occuring on the ground). This species is also said to have the "typical" lizard-like appearance.

The Plated lizard belongs to a subfamily of the Cordylid lizard family, characterised by the fact that its head is NOT a distinct section in relation to the rest of its body (= rather a continuation of it) & has a long tail.

[I've "published" photos of this lizard before BUT "wrongly" described it as a gecko !! SEE: Monday, 22 March 2010 on this blog]

Skinks are a large & diverse family of lizards, of which the evolutionary link between lizards & snakes is the most obvious. They are characterised by long, smooth-scaled, shiny & cylindrical bodies = have a "stream-line" physique. They can also be distinguished from "similar-looking" lizards by having short (or NO) limbs. The Blue-tailed skink is a terrestrial member of this family (> burrowing skinks).

The Blue-tailed species is also known as the Rainbow skink, of which the female (in the photo) has a less electric-blue tail than the juvenile (= photo above).

The male Rainbow or Blue-tailed skink (in contrast to a juvenile or a female of this species) can be identifies by its reddish orange tail & pearly dots on the body scales. Skinks can shed their tails [SEE: "introduction" above] = "classical" tail/stump.

Finally: a "genuine" gecko (in contrast to the plated lizard, which ignorantly at the time, I once said was a gecko]. This lizard species has a distinctive, wide-eyed look (= large head & eyes), whilst unique amongst lizards, geckos lack moveable eyelids. Geckos are mostly thick-bodied, soft-skinned & easily shed their tails.

Last but not least: a tiny (= a baby) Cape gecko, a common but generally shy species found in most parts of our country except the coastal belt. In total there are 64 species of gecko in South Africa, of which 42 are found throughout the country.

SO: now I've "covered them all" = the lizard family (other than leguaans - but I've "posted" them before) & mentioned how one family member can be distinguished from another - from chameleons (= previous blog entry) to agamas, skinks & geckos, as well as cordylid & lacertid lizards.

Different Chameleons

2010-12-27T01:32:00.001-08:00

In the Greek language "chameleon" means "dwarf lion" & they look the picture of "ferocity" when angered or disturbed: puffing themselves up to near bursting point, opening their mouths wide and venting sinister hisses. However chameleons are completely harmless and are known as arboreal lizards = living in or connected to trees.

The Flap-Neck chameleon is 1 of 2 local species in South Africa - lizards which typically lay eggs. Like the one in the photo, they often are "pedestrians" crossing the road, especially in the Kruger National Park area, other than "providing proof" why in Afrikaans, this particular chameleon is called Trapsuutjie. Also typically this chameleon can direct its eyes indepently of each other.

A Flap-Neck chameon's colouration varies from pale yellow through green shades to brown, changing its body colour to regulate body temperature other than in response to its environment. This is a relatively large chameleon (= largest species in SA) and its tail "equals" the length of its body. This chameleon tends to inhabit bush country or open savannah woodland.

The Namaqualand chameleon is confined to the drier parts of our country. This chameleon uses the skill of camouflage also as threat or mating display, whilst in the process, the "shadow" side of its body remains paler. It also uses this evolutionary "habit" to control its body temperature, so that some of its skin changes to white to deflect the sun (= during harsh hot days) or turns dark to absorb the sun (= to keep warm during cold nights in a desert).

In contrast to the above 2 species, this Drakensberg dwarf chameleon is 1 of 15 recognised dwarf chameleons in SA, of which 5 are endemic to the Cape Fold mountains. All of the dwarf species give birth to young - usually 2 clutches per year, each containing 5-25 young - in contrast to most reptiles laying eggs.

The Cape dwarf chameleon is predominantly green, has a long tail & is restricted to the region around Cape Town. As with most chameleons, its tongue is twice the length of its body & can be shot out of its mouth to catch insects a distance away.

Like the photo of the Namaqualand chameleon, which our son-in-law photographed, a friend of ours in Port Elizabeth sent me this photo of a Southern dwarf chameleon. It only occurs in the Eastern Cape province & finally we have another "colouring" (in contrast to mainly green, as the chameleons in my photos predominantly "display").

Green again! But this isn't a chameleon, right. This Green basilisk is an exotic species from the tropical forests of mainly Central America & is often favoured as a pet. It's a member of the iguana family of reptiles, has a long, whip-like tail & males have distinctive crests on their heads, backs & tails - to impress females! Because - to avoid danger - it tends to dart (= looks like walking) across water, this reptile has the moniker: Jesus Christ lizard.

Similarly this also isn't a chameleon but an indigenous Spiny-tailed (or Black) agama, which I regularly encounter on Table Mountain. To my mind & similar to the exotic basilisk (above), it "displays" a dragon-like pose - but not in a threatening way either (= dragon &/ lion look-alikes).

[More on agamas/different lizards will follow, even if I've posted various pictures of agamas, etc before].

Empty Nest Syndrome

2010-12-23T02:35:00.001-08:00

So the "Empty-Nest-Syndrome" (in reaction to what I reported during the previous posting on this blog) has set in. This is commonly known as a general feeling of loneliness when children leave home = a psychological condition than can affect a woman but for which there is no cure - only ways to deal with it.

This is what a few days ago the above nest looked like (= "containing" 2 Bokmakierie chicks). So instead of watching my children "spread their wings and fly away" - which, in actual fact happened years ago already :( - it happened to me (again!!) when the little Masked weaver as well as the Bokmakierie youngsters did so literally!!

But then: I caught a movement in a nearby bush & right away started "snapping" away, ending with this picture of a tiny wing being spread (= click on photo to enlarge).

After waiting patiently, this is what eventually emerged - a young Masked weaver - the little one I watched a few days ago leave its nest??

And there was mother Masked weaver (somewhat "hidden" from view on the left side of the photo = just click on photo to enlarge) still feeding her chick.

"Back at the range" (= amongst the 5 remaining Masked weaver nests just outside our bedroom) another female was around - revealing an interest to occupy one of the nests?

But wait a moment - 1 of the 5 nests has a big hole!!

Not only does the nest look "damaged" but actually, it's the nest I "scrutinised" for days, watching the female feed her chicks (bottom left in photo) and also from which days ago, I duly recorded the "surviving" little chick emerge & then fly away (after the storm; SEE: entry on this blog, Sunday, 12 Dec). SO: this isn't a nest, which according to "the theory" (> myth; SEE: entry on this blog, Tuesday 9 Dec), was rejected by a female!!?

And this is the culprit - our master-builder turned master-destroyer at work - AGAIN!! = the 3rd nest I've by now watched him destroy.

This happened this morning & in a very short time span, because the male Masked weaver "doesn't play around" - once he "decides" to destroy all evidence that a nest, in fact, once existed.

So in no time, this is the "sorry picture" of the nest. Now I'm confused: instead of only destroying a rejected nest, why also "wipe out" a once-occupied nest?

Our hero-cum-master-builder/destroyer has solved the mystery: soon after getting rid of every bit of evidence that a nest existed once, I saw him hang upside down from the twig - as if he was "testing" the flexibility/strength of the twig. Moments later he returned with a blade of grass = started to build a new nest right away = on the same twig = the male Masked weaver was obviously convinced that THIS was the ideal location for his next attempt to "grow the family" :) because from here an offspring had successfully "emerged".

A LAST look at the "location" (click on photo to enlarge) = centre/rightish. This "saga" started off with 5 nests, then there were 6 of which the "owner" soon after destroyed 1; then after the storm, 1 was "ripped off" (which eventually, the owner also destroyed); he built another (never probably completed) nest & there were 5 again; then he destroyed another nest (= the third - as mentioned above) & now: there are 5 nests "around" again.

New Project

2010-12-21T03:07:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned on this blog (2 "postings" ago) - I have a new "project", now that the little Masked Weaver has left its nest. This is 1 of the 2 Bokmakierie (= bush shrikes) chicks . . .

. . . and this is the other little chick. I took these photos about a week ago when their eys were still closed and only their beaks opened instinctively the moment they heard a rustling sound (on this occassion - me).

Usually in the vicinity is either father or mother Bokmakierie - handsome-looking birds, which either arrive with food for their young . . .

. . . or just seem to "stick around" as protective guards.

A few days later and the little chicks already open their eyes - other than their beaks . . .

. . . whilst father and mother Bokmakierie are very agitated because they don't "appreciate" my pressence/scrutiny. That's when I hear (other than their "signature" song) how they make clucking-kind-of sounds - apparently their warning-call!?

My last photo of the 2 chicks - because when I checked this morning, the nest was empty = now this "project" has also ended.

And by way of a "report-back" - a photo of a young Masked weaver, which I believe/consider might be the little one I watched leaving its nest.

Another recent visitor was a Common waxbill - a "first-time-visitor" in the sense that I haven't observed/photographed 1 in our garden before. It's difficult to get a clear visual of these birds because they are so tiny (approx. 12-13cm)!

Frog or Toad

2010-12-17T22:38:00.000-08:00

Recently I heard a "booming" sound I realised must be a frog although it sounded "weird". On closer inspection of a nearby pond, I "discovered" this creature and realised it must be a toad.

It didn't "like" my pressence and swam off, but at least I got a good "shot" of it - so that at home and with the help of some "investigation", I could possibly identify it. By now I know that it's a Red toad, recognisable by two dark spots in the middle of its back, as well as by its reddish-brown colour and a dark ridge along each flank.

As I was still "looking" for more "objects" to photograph, 2 heads suddenly popped up. My first reaction? Did frogs/toads - like baboons or monkeys - carry their young on the back?

Another look of these 2 - which I now know are Red toads - viewed from a different angle . . .

. . . when at home and after "closer inspection", I realised it were 2 toads mating - even if the 1 "on top" (= the male) is much smaller than the female. I realised this because I "detected" a long chain of eggs, as I learned toads tend to lay!!

I photographed this toad in our garden quite a while ago and by the "look of it", eventually identified it as a Guttural toad . . .

. . . so when we regularly had a nightly "visitor" in our dog's water-bowl, I simply assumed it also was a Guttural toad - but now I'm aware, after "meeting" Red toads (see above), that this is/was also a Red toad. Quite "ironic" (isn't it?) since its inside a red bowl :)

Frog or toad? I've indicated that I'm no expert at identifying amphibians (in contrast to wild animals and birds) but after quite a (photo) collection of aquatic creatures, I did some research and now believe that this is a frog - because: it has 2 bulging eyes and long, webbed hind feet = frog-characteristics. I also think it's a Cape River frog, because: I "found" it in a pond on the Cape Peninsula and its long legs, as well as its "colouring", seem to confirm this.

I "know" that this is a Tree frog simply because someone, who should know, told me so - LOL

Frog or toad? Just as was the case with lizards [SEE: e.g. entry on this blog Sat, 31 Jan 2009] where I "learnt" to distinguish between agamas, geckos, skinks, etc, I now try to "become more familiar" with amphibians. So now I know that toads are 1 of many families of frogs and that often, its a "matter of the eyes"!

Frog or toad? It's such a tiny creature but I think it's not a toad - because of its size!?

Mission Accomplished

2010-12-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

BINGO! I feel as if I've hit the jackpot, because as I had hoped, I "witnessed" the emergance of a little Masked weaver chick from its nest. This photo was taken only seconds after shakily at first, it eventually flopped onto a branch. Finally my patience & vigilance paid off. I also had an answer to all my questions [SEE: last 4 entries on this blog, starting on Wednesday].

Now what? Now that "my mission" was accomplished, I remembered watching these 2 Bokmakieries (= Bush shrikes) "flirting" last month when lately & from the corner of my eye (whilst still concentrating on the weavers' going-ons), I regularly saw 2 bokmakieries "disappearing" in a bush nearby. So I decided to "investigate" this matter.

Sure enough a bokmakierie appeared with a Praying mantis in its beak - Bingo! Food for youngsters. But where was the nest? The bird seemed to disappear into a lowish bush at our fence - instead of a tree (= higher up).

Moments later & this time with a worm in its beak, the bokmakierie was back again. Note to myself: these birds don't only feed insects and/or seeds to their young. Roberts also "informs" me that both male & female bokmakieries feed their young (& not only the female as e.g. Masked weavers).

Once I thought the "coast was clear" - I certainly didn't want to frighten the bokmakierie parents - I gingerly moved closer to the "said" bush.

It didn't take me long to locate the nest & as I had suspected (because of the food "supply"), I saw 2 small chicks inside. So yes, I now have a new "project" to concentrate on - since the little weaver has left its nest & I probably won't see it again/recognise it if it did return. Guess instead, I'll "keep a diary" now of how these 2 little bokmakierie chicks' "progress".

Talking about "hitting" the jackpot - I feel like that every time I "record" (= photograph) a bird as yet not part of the over 400 bird species I've already managed to photograph. It happened during the last tour & was this Halfcollared kingfisher.

I also snapped this Cattle egret with its "breeding" plumage . . .

. . . and on a previous tour, this Doublecollared sunbird . . .

. . . as well as this Speckled mousebird - check out the 2 "heads" at the bottom of the photo, as if "hidden" in a "basket". These are birds I've photographed before, but seldom so well!

The Aftermath

2010-12-11T02:03:00.000-08:00

To get the "full effect" of today's entry, scroll down to Wednesday, 8 Dec, & then date-wise, read the unfolding drama "backwards".

Intrigued & right after yesterday's blog-entry, I went to inspect the ground underneath the nest - because I was under the impression that the nest only contained 1 (& no longer 2) weaver chicks. That's when I made the grisly discovery confirming what I had feared: amongst broken egg shells I found the probably 2-day old "corpse" - but I have no idea if the little one had fallen out of the nest during the ferocious storm OR if it was "kicked out" by the other chick.

Will I have the opportunity to solve this mystery? It all depends on WHO eventually emerges from the nest! On the other hand, I'm beginning to think I'm paranoid about a Diederik cuckoo chick "hiding" in the nest, because the dead one on the ground is already covered in too many feathers to only be a 4-day old bird!?

Before I made the grisly discovery & after "retrieving" the nest blown down during the storm before the male Masked weaver destroyed it, I literaly "dissected" it - & was amazed at what such a nest "hides" inside. Other than the feathers I saw the female arriving with, to me the inside looks like a "treasure chest" of what nature has on offer.

For a "special effect" I placed the little egg I had also "discovered" in the other half of the nest . . .

. . . and by way of a comparison, I placed a med-small chicken egg next to the weaver egg.

Since the male Masked weaver had revealed the intention to also "destroy" the nest on the ground (& not only 1 of the nests in the tree the feamale weavers had obviously "rejected"), I took 1 of the 2 halves back to where I had found the nest on the ground - to see if the male would continue the "distruction".

I had hardly left when sure enough, the male weaver "reappeared". At first he seemed to just check it out - after all, he was being "confronted" with only half a dissected nest . . .

. . . but then he "went to town" - really making "a meal" of things . . .

. . . proving once again what a master-destroyer he is/can be - leaving virtually no "evidence" of what once was a handsomely built & "furnished" nest.

As if nothing out of the ordinary was taking place, "mother" weaver continued what she does best - feeding her young . . .

. . . which definitely appears to be only one chick = 1 head constantly "popping" out . . .

. . . whilst our master-destroyer seems exhausted - or is that somewhat confused? For the rest of the day he flutters from one to the other still not completed nests (2 in total), whereas the female weaver, who has lost her nest, makes an occassional appearance before she "disappears from the horizon".

Question: there are still 5 nests around (1 occupied by a chick, 2 unoccupied/ dried out & 2 half-finished/still green) - why? Well, Roberts "states" that Masked weavers roost in "unlined" nests at night!

Disaster Strikes

2010-12-10T01:19:00.000-08:00

Instead of "relaxing" after destroying a nest or finishing the nest the Masked weaver started building, our master-builder-cum-master-destroyer starts building yet another nest (see: bottom on photo)! So 6 nests isn't a "bad" number after all - right?

However a storm is brewing towards the evening & as night falls, its force is "unleashed". In the weak light of a torch I see how the nests are being "wipped" around by a ferocious wind - & I fear for the safety of the tiny weavers in one of the nests. Will they be able to survive & not fall out?

First thing the next morning I open the curtains & as I had feared, one nest didn't survive - but thank goodness, the nest with the junior weavers is intact!

A nest in the centre of the "colony" is missing - & is lying under the tree on the ground. What a disaster!

The nest "belonged" to the cute female I had watched with interest the day before . . .

. . . adding "cushioning" feathers to the inside of her "nest of choice". As I commiserate with the unfortunate female . . .

. . . I notice that the male weaver has also "discovered" the fallen nest on the ground. On his behalf, I reflect that the nest had a sturdy look about it, yet it had not survived the storm. I'm sympathising with the male now . . .

. . . only to observe that he doesn't deserve pity! Yes, the master-builder still is also a master-destroyer, and with obvious determination, he "tackles" the nest, ready to also tear it apart! Something distracts him, though, & I impulsively hurry outside to "save" the nest (at least for now). Why? Because I want to inspect it first at "close quarters"!

In contrast to my eagerness to learn as much as I can from checking out the nest, I didn't expect to find an egg inside!!

So this is what a Masked weaver egg looks like - or is it another bird's egg? I'm asking, because I've heard a Diederik cuckoo calling regularly & I also know that Diederik cuckoos are known as "Brood Parasites", meaning they they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. According to Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa, the egg I found looks like a Masked weaver's BUT: a Diederik's egg matches the host egg!!

With all this "drama" going on, I'm at least relieved to see that the junior weavers appear to have survived the storm, because I "catch" (on camera) the female weaver feeding them flying off.

Food for thought: once I arrived home (from my last tour) & starting right away to "record" the weavers "going-ons", I had observed 2 tiny beaks "reaching out" for food the moment the female arrived to feed them. Lately, though, I only see one little beak reaching out & it also "sounds" like only 1 voice "chirping". After studying Roberts again & hearing a Diederik cuckoo calling in the vicinty, I'm now aware that about 4 days after hatching, a Diederik-cuckoo-nestling "evicts" eggs and/or the young of the host! Is the female lately only feeding 1 youngster or am I mistaken?

Watch this space for more information - I'm keeping close watch & once the time arrives, I will hopefully be "on my place" to record WHO leaves the nest - a weaver youngster or an "imposter"?

Destroyer at Work

2010-12-09T01:31:00.000-08:00

What yesterday looked like a weaver nest slowly taking shape is the next day nearly completed - with the master builder sitting proudly next to it observing his handy work - or has this male Masked weaver something else on his mind?

Following his gaze, delight at the weaver's accomplishment turns to horror - but then fascination too, because I observe that 1 of the 6 nests "shows" signs of destruction. Who is the culprit? The male weaver or a "disgruntled" female??

Last year, on Sunday 4 October, I posted the following on this photo-blog: "... whilst doing some research (reading up in Robert's Birds of Southern Africa & on Google), I discovered: a Myth = an Urban Legend, which is generally told when the subject 'Masked weavers' is under discussion.

It goes like this: if a female Masked weaver doesn't like a nest a male has built, SHE tears it down & he can start all over again. Fact is: if a female doesn't accept a nest, THE MALE (hinself) tears it down (!!) & then starts the whole process over by constructing another nest - mostly for another (more appreciative, I guess) female."

I ended that blog-entry with the hope that one day, I would see proof of what I had "learned" was a myth. Was today my day?

YES!! Camera in hand I "recorded" the action/required evidence (apart from taking photos, I also recorded many a video clip). So Roberts etc was/is right - the "culprit" is the male Masked weaver himself!!
Will someone please pass this fact (> fiction) on to Sir Richard Branson, who on Oprah's show also "revealed" that the female weavers tear down "unsatisfactory" nests?

By the way: only Masked weaver males destroy some of their nests = none of the other weaver (species) males do - their nests simply "dry out" & eventually disintigrate.

In no time, this was the view of the 6 nests - the destruction is taking place on the nest bottom left.

So the master builder has turned into a master destroyer . . .

. . . really "hacking" the nest to pieces - perhaps he doesn't like the Number 6?

He does such a "good job" that afterwards, I can't find any evidence on the ground (underneath the nests) that in fact, a nest had actually existed. So yes, the master destroyer manages to leave absolutely no evidence that a "crime" was committed!!

Instead he continues to "innocently" put the "finishing touches" to the nest he started to build yesterday - whilst a "new" female (= addition to this male weaver's harem) "inspects" the other "green" (> already dried out) nest for possible occupation. Now that matters have "returned to normal", I watch how she flies away only to return with a feather in her beak - a process that gets repeated. The female has obviously made "her decision" & is ready to move in, but not before adding "cushioning" (in the form of feathers) to her nest of choice . . .

. . . whilst our hero (turned villain?) continues to "flirt" (= "fanning" its wings).

Master at Work

2010-12-08T09:43:00.001-08:00

It's that time of the year again [SEE: last year's entry 18 Dec = Weaver Saga; also 29 Sep-4 Oct 2009] - I came home & was "welcomed" by this Masked weaver building a nest right outside our bedroom again.

Only this time, the weaver didn't build 1 or 2 nests, but was actually busy on its 5th nest!!

When I heard what I realised were tiny & hungry birds chirping, I was delighted to discover that 1 of the 5 nests was inhabited. To my delight I watched a female "arrive" with food for her demanding youngsters.

Obviously 5 nests weren't "enough" for the highly active Masked weaver male - the following day I noticed that he was "preparing" to build yet another nest.

A view of the nests from another angle - with the "master builder" hard at work on nest 6.

What a sight - & a pleasure to have the chance to watch every step of a nest taking shape.

Again from another angle . . .

. . . & in no time (= less than half a day) the nest is certainly "growing".

During the last tour & in the Lowveld, I also "found" this Thickbilled weaver "showing off" the nest it had just completed . . .

. . . & doing his "damnest" to attract a female to occopy the nest.