One afternoon I didn’t have any guests so I decided that instead of going out into the bush for a drive I would stay in camp and do a little birding from my veranda. My neighbour, Kim, has a bird feeder hanging from a Magic Guarri (Euclea divinorum) and every day I hear the chitter-chatter of birds coming to feed on the seed she has left out, so this afternoon I wanted to see which birds would come to visit.
The first bird that caught my attention was a beautiful White-throated Robin-Chat that came to sit on a branch just a few metres from where I was sitting. Although it was not there for the bird seed it did spend most of the afternoon in and around the garden sifting through the leaf litter for any insects.
The White-throated Robin-chat sitting watching me from a branch near my veranda.
The Red-capped Robin-chat and the White-browed Robin-chat also made a brief appearance and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them as they too foraged through the leaf litter looking for insects. The Red-capped Robin-chat kept flying from one shrub to the next and every now and then I would hear it calling the very distinct ‘see-saw, see-saw’ sound that we so often hear first thing in the morning in and around camp. Robin-chats spend will forage around for food during the early morning and late afternoon when their prey, arthropods’, activity is least inhibited by sunlight, emerging from the thicker vegetation in order to do so.
Red-capped Robin-chat
As the afternoon went on there were many other birds that would come and go such as the Blue Waxbills, Bronze Mannikin, African Dusky Flycatchers, African Paradise Flycatcher, Scarlet-chested Sunbird and Dark-capped Bulbuls.
Blue waxbill sitting on the bird feeder.
My favourite for the afternoon was watching a Bearded Scrub-robin as it slowly moved around the garden feeding and did not seem too concerned about me sitting there watching it, and every now and then if I kept really still it would come within a few meters of where I was sitting.
Bearded Scrub-robin
I so often bird when I am out on drive and so it was refreshing to have the opportunity to do this from just outside my room. It is so easy to switch off in your time off and not be aware of the birds and other little critters which we find so often in the camp. I was truly amazed by the birds which frequent the little garden in front of my house on a daily basis without many people noticing them. Wherever you find yourself in the world, you can enjoy the simple pleasure of birding. All you need to do is become aware and present of the small elements of nature that quietly surround you…
Tayla it is so rewarding to see birds hoping around looking for insects and everywhere they go they chat as well. We have quite a few bird species around our house which feed on fruit. We put out different fruits for them under a huge tree, and my husband made a little water pond with running water in which they can drink and bath as well. They absolutely love it. We also put some bread crumbs out and some grated cheese for the Cape Wagtail and the Cape Robin Chat. The birds that eat the fruit are the Black Collard Barbet, Cape White Eye, Dark Capped Bulbul just to mention a few. We also have two species of sugar birds here and I put out sugar water for them right outside my front door, so I can sit peacefully and watch them. Gives us great pleasure to feed them and watch them.
Thanks Tayla, watching the birds in my backyard is a real treat which I enjoy everyday.
Talya, loved 🤗
Tayla, loved 🤗
Thank you Joan.
Are these birds seasonal? Would love to see the White-throated Robin-chat and Red-capped Robin-chat during our mid-July visit.
Your story relaxed me as I read it! Great advice and a reminder that we need to stop and experience nature right around us.
Tayla,
Thanks for the reminder to keep aware and present wherever we are. Birding is an easy activity requiring not much save for a good pair of binoculars, as needed. I’m grateful for the bird tutelage provided by Kirst during my visit last month, for as a non-birder she turned me into a person who began to actively look for them, and I’m continuing to look now at anything that flies.
I have been enjoying sitting on my back porch just watching the birds come and go!
I have fond memories from my childhood, living in White River, of the incredible variety of birds that visited our garden. I still enjoy the migratory birds that fly through Malta on their yearly passage from North to south, or visa Versa, though sadly Malta has a long hunting season together with an age old tradition for the sport so one has a very small window to enjoy some of the magnificent birds that rest here before moving on. So I put out seed and fruit and have a bird bath for the ‘city dwellers’..mainly sardinian warblers, red starts, wheat ears and of course tons of sparrows..but they entertain me well ! Together with hummingbird moths, dragonflies and my geckos and lizards that come for their daily slice of apple I’m kept entertained. I certainly look forward to sitting on the deck or on a game drive at Londolozi reliving the variety of birds I grew up with 🙏🏻💕…one day soon I hope …
Lovely! I love watching birds, at home, at Londolozi, on drives. And I like ticking off birds on a bird list…
Lovely, thank you! I love to watch birds here and I feed them as well. We have black birds, doves in various forms and sizes, various tits, robins, etc. Many years ago we had an avary, with amongst others, blue waxbills. But when we came to Africa and saw those birdies in the wild, we loved that so much, we never replaced the birds in the avary when they died, because wild is so much better…..
Your daily expedition of bird watching is such a contrast to what I see from my front walkway here on the mainland, Miss Tayla!
As of late, there are baby Hawks nesting in the trees out and about on the property where I live (out in what’s called “High Desert.” Many mornings, I’ll see a HUGE Hawk flying about. it’s so majestic. At present, there seems to be a mother Hawk nesting on my roof, as I saw her wings amidst her shadow the other day. That kind of siting leaves your eyes wide open and your heart beating!h On the rare occasion, I’ll see a grouping of 5 huge black vultures swirling, which is not the norm to be seen in the outskirts of the city! On a simple note, We have masses of pigeons flying about and black crows hopping and bobbing.
In comparison to your sightings, it’s the rare moment to see a Red Bellied Robin, all the while I see loads of chirping finches, and Hummingbirds coming by to say hello, and to looking for a sweet drink.
All in all, birdies in their gentlest form, are so charming and sweet.
Tayla, when I really started watching the birds is when I found the answer to a question that I had. Who was making these strange circles near my tree. I didn’t know what animal could be doing it. One day after doing some weeding in my yard and smoothing that area out, I noticed the birds making the circles as they did a dust bath. Now, I pay attention to their habits and to their calls. I’ve watched fledglings being fed by one of the parents and how it starts to take short flights before gaining its full flight capacity. I’ve learned I can have a small safari in my back yard if I stop, look, and listen.
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Wow Linda! So amazing to see all of that in your back yard.
Great shots Tayla! We especially love the one of the Blue Waxbill!
Thank you Michael and Terri.
Sounds both interesting,as well as a beautiful afternoon! South Africa has so many beautiful birds, it makes your head turn. Thank you for sharing! Victoria
Terrific reminder to pay attention to little details wherever one is Tayla!!! Thank you!