Wordless Wednesday - Injisuthi Mountain Stream

Wordless Wednesday - Warbler (Of some type!)

Black-collared Barbet

Today was a barbet bananza with another striking visitor to the garden - the Black-collared Barbet. These birds seem even more restless than the crested barbets and I don't often get more than a fleeting glimpse of them, with this kind of view being fairly typical (big crop):


A brief gap in the downpour we had today seemed to bring them out of the foliage and I was treated to some lovely sightings, front side in my next door neighbours tree:


And an even closer view from behind on my busman's tea tree:

Crested Barbet's - Take Two

The Crested Barbet's I blogged about have been much quieter now that the initial throws of passion have warn off. I have not seen them at the nesting hole I can see across the road - so I guess that means they have found another location :(

I do still see them frequently and managed a much better photo than my previous efforts. Although this pic is slightly obscured by a branch, the birds striking features do come through. I really love having barbets in the garden!

Thick-billed Weaver

I've blogged about the Southern Masked Weavers that are very common visitors to the garden before. Today i was privileged to have a much scarcer visitor, a female Thick-billed Weaver:


Thick-billed weavers are immediately identifiable from their large head and somewhat massive bill and, although they are not uncommon, it is the first time I have seen one in the garden! I'm always very excited to add a new addition to the garden list and hopefully this means the male, a more striking bird is also around!

Speckled Mousebird

On the subject of Mice, i often have mousebird's in the garden. They are super cute and really do look very much like mice, even down to the long scruffy tails - mousebirds do tend to creep around in dense foliage and so are quite difficult to see most of the time. This one is a Speckled Mousebird, we also sometimes get Red Faced Mousebirds ... although i have not seen one since being back in Johannesburg.

House Mouse

Not all garden visitors are welcome. I often see this family of mice foraging outback ... I'm leaving them be in the hope that they will attract some owls! The Spotted Eagle Owls have been very active lately and i hear or see them most evenings.