Observations

Strangely coloured Dark-Capped Bulbul

Submitted by Hannes van der Heever

24/10/2006

Hy skryf

Ek het hierdie Tiptol afgneem in my tuin. Ek het hom nog na die neem van die foto weer in die tuin gesien. Hy tree op saam met ‘n ander een soos volwasse voëls.

Garden Birding - the beauty of WATER!

Submitted by Etienne Marais

24/10/2006

Birds are amazingly good at finding water, and also very fond of a good, reliable water supply. If you, like me, could not be bothered to feed the birds to attract birds in your garden, consider setting up a really good birdbath, with reliable water supply, and you will be amazed at the visitors it attracts. My own birdbath turned into quite a major project after the old cast concrete bowl was broken while attempting to move it. I was at the same time busy with a rockery (which took several months to complete in between birding trips!), and my eye fell on a 90kg slab of rock, which had been removed in the excavation process (we live mostly on solid rock). The slab was about 5 inches thick and 1 metre by 60cm in size, and I had to figure out a way of hollowing it out. Several months later, as a result mainly of hard grind, the rock had been hollowed out, to a depth of about 2 inches at one end, with a nice slope to a shallow end. Overall it holds about 6 litres of water.

Etienne Marais

Now my wife was not impressed at the idea of this rock being balanced somewhere, and set down the standard that the bird-bath should be strong enough for children to climb on without the risk of breaking! I decided to build a stone column, with a concrete core, and in order to do this, made a framework of steel poles. In several stages, the walls were built up and the innards filled with concrete. At the last stage, the rock slab was attached to the top, with metal anchors that had been affixed to the base of slab being buried in the concrete in the centre of the column.

I connected a water supply, with a small 3mm pipe which runs into a stone "dripper" in one corner, and is adjusted so that there is a regular drip into the bath.

The results have been excellent, and many birds use the bath. It is strong and sturdy enough to have 5 Olive Pigeon's on it at one time, and even the Hadedah's perch on the bath. The most common bather is the Karoo Thrush, and I would love to know how many different birds use the bath in day. Grey Go-away birds often visit, but by far the most special visitor is our Little Sparrowhawks, which may well bathe as often as daily - but I wouldn't know since I have never had the privelege of watching the bath for a day!

Rock Martin nest with chicks

Submitted by Johan Nieuwenhuis
14/10/2006

Hy skryf:

Ek werk by Necsa te Pelindaba (Pretoria) en die kransswaels broei elke jaar op dieselfde nes. Langs ons kafeteria is 'n wye gang met 'n betondak. In die dak is sulke panne waarin verskeie swaelneste voorkom, onder andere die van die kransswaels. Die nes is in die een hoek van so pan met die bokant net onder die dak. Hulle het verlede jaar eers drie kuikens uitgebroei en grootgemaak en daarna nog twee.

Cape Robin-Chat Nest

Submitted by Ida Nel

14/10/2006

Sy skryf:

Die ens is by die ingang van die buitetoilet, maw lekker onderdak, so 1 m bokant die grond. Hulle het 3 kleintjies grootgekry, ek het later 2 uitgegroeides gesien. Hulle het
toe uiteindelik hierdie jaar weer 'n nes op dieselfde plek gebou en drie kleintjies uitgebroei. Die is nou so 'n week oud en word al mooier - het nou donsveertjies en die een se bek het oopgegaan toe ek gister daar verbyloop.

Crowned Lapwing Nest

Submitted by Susan Dauth

14/10/2006

She writes:

We were busy preparing our “plot” in Waverley (Pretoria) for building our house when we realized that a Crowned Lapwing was sitting on her eggs.

A CAT had to dig big holes therefore we put a big container next to the eggs so that they don’t get “ran over”