h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thanks WS! We have been watching three collared doves on the bird table today. One of them seemed intent on getting into the kitchen for some ungodly reason. We had shut the kitchen door; because Harry was also watching from a dining chair, quivering with lethal intent. However, said dove kept coming to the window and trying to peck his/her way in; eventually managing to land on the ledge and stay there looking through the glass. It was all too much for the main man and he lept onto the draining board; breaking one of my best vases in the process. Why do I love creatures?

leapt even.

Thanks for dropping by. That's lovely! Haven't had time to check overnight vids yet, been playing with granddaughter

We scarcely see collared doves now. I think it is because so many people have cut down conifers, and the wood pigeons have taken over the two biggest

I love the CDs they are so gentle and loving with offspring.

Take care,

Websailor

Just got back from the caravan yesterday evening! The majority of our birds there are goldfinches - normally about five. We have erected one of those metal multi-feeder thingies and we get chaffinches on the no mess seed and occasionally just one bird which I haven't fathomed yet. It is I suppose either a greenfinch or a siskin; but I only took the kit lens, which doesn't get in close enough for a proper id.

For the past three days the goldfinches have brought along a 'feed-me' which hasn't yet mastered the art of getting onto the niger feeder. It sits on the bars at the top , chirping and fluttering its wings, waiting for mum or dad to do something about its hunger.

Scorp, lucky you to have the goldfinches. We just get the odd one or two at the moment. The junior woodpecker has been two days running. Not sure yet if it will be a male or female, but the red cap is fading now.

The wretched from next door got one of the birds this morning. Couldn't see what it was. I was going to 'shoo' it away but had my hands in the sink and by the time I dried my hands the little pounced! I could kick myself.

Thu.26th Aug. 2010

Last night both foxes and badgers (all five) came in a hurry, in the pouring rain. They dined and left promptly Having been out in a cape to put the cams and food out I could quite understand why they didn't stay long.

This morning every vessel in the garden was full to overflowing with water. The gardens need it but I do wish it would rain in the night and refrain from bucketing down during the day.

The poor little man who delivered two huge boxes of bird/badger food staggered in, dumped the boxes and fled, not even waiting for a signature. I am going to have to ration the wildlife a little, the prices of some of the foods are shooting up!!

Websailor

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1269406/Goldfinch-population-flourishes-bird-lovers-new-type-seed.html

Hi there Websailor, Scorp, Prof and anyone else reading here! OK so some more 'environmental' news from here. Last week I helped folks out who are making a succulent garden - they have a huge yard, it's part of a 'rich folks' security complex. They've lots of birds and animals there - including Impala antelope, warthogs, mongooses and more. Well there I saw some nice birds - and what I liked most of all were a couple of Wrynecks! You also have wrynecks over there ... this is a different species, the African wryneck.

Nice photos and info here:

http://www.birdinfo.co.za/landbirds/08_red-throated_wryneck.htm

And here in our own garden, we've received visit from a Grey Go-away Bird! I love them - they don't usually enter gardens here in Pietersburg - but do so regularly in the Pretoria and Johannesburg region.

Good photo:

http://www.hlasek.com/corythaixoides_concolor_db4134.html

And then I'm still hearing the Greater Honeyguide calling. He seems to have settled down in this neighbourhood! Honeyguides are very 'residential' - they stick to where they settle down. For instance in our municipal game reserve there's a 'honeyguide tree' - a wild fig in which a Lesser Honeyguide can be heard calling pretty much all the time. Year after year, when we go, we hear him.

This is what the Greater Honeyguide looks like:

http://www.safarichatter.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Greater_Honeyguide.png

They look very much like songbirds - reminiscent of bulbuls or flycatchers - but actually they are Piciforms - relatives of woodpeckers. They have the typical piciform foot - with two toes forward and to backward - whereas songbirds have three toes forward and one backward. They are the only bird family that is 100% nest-parasitic (laying their eggs in other birds' nests) and also they are the only birds that can digest beeswax.

Hi Willem! Lovely photos thank you. Is the grey go-away bird a type of cockatoo?

Unfortunately, no more sightings of the goldinches for a few days, as number one Daughter has expensive sounding trouble with her car - the details of which I will not bore you. This means however, that SS and I will have to be on hand to continue the saga of sorting it out - you know the sound - Daaaaaaaaaad

Hi Scorp! No, the Grey Go-Away bird is not a cockatoo! In the Monty Python spirit, it is 'something completely different'. It's a member of a family - and order - of birds that only live in Africa, called the 'Tauracos'. They are unique among birds in many respects. Most of them are forest dwellers, mainly green but with bright yellow, red and purple in their plumage or on their faces and bills. They have two unique kinds of pigments in their plumage, a green pigment called turacoverdin, and a red pigment called turacin. It's based on copper and fades over time ... so when you pick up an incredibly bright red turaco wing feather in the forest, it looks spectacular for a while but then sadly fades! They're best appreciated in the living birds.

The grey go-away bird doesn't have the bright colours of the other turacos but it's still a very nice bird to have around - they are sociable, active, noisy, making the characteristic 'go-away' call.

Oh - 'tauraco' or 'turaco' are both accepted spellings. In South Africa they are called 'louries'.

And I hope the trouble with your daughter's car doesn't turn out to be *too* expensive!

Hi, Scorp and Willem,,

Scorp I know that sound only too well but it is usually DIY with us. I am sure the goldfinches will still be there when you get back to them.

Willem, lovely pictures, thanks for dropping by.

Fri.27th Aug.2010

Last night was another stinker with pouring rain, and once again the badgers and foxes dashed in, dined and left. The video clips were mostly misted up with the changing temperatures and lots of ghostly figures were wandering around, either as vague shapes or just pairs of eyes

Today the juvenile woodpecker was back, the nuthatch showed up and numerous great and blue s. A couple of bullfinches arrived so hopefully it wasn't one of those the caught yesterday, unless it was a juvenile, as they are less 'streetwise'.

A treat arrived in the form of two long tailed tits, and I am supplying cheese again for the robins which was much appreciated.

Today has been sunny and breezy, alternating between chilly and quite hot, and the ground has dried up amazingly after the deluge. My cabbages and leeks are surviving(a present from granddaughter) so I feel duty bound to keep them going as long as possible. I just hope the badgers don't discover them, or they will be gone

Back tomorrow if there is anything to report. Have a good weekend everyone.



Websailor

Excellent photo's Willem, how I long to have plentyto be able to move to the countrysidedream on! sez he

Sun 29th Aug. 2010
Weather: Very windy, showery and sunny!

I haven't had time to check the last two nights video clips. I hope to do so tomorrow. The badgers arrived early each night and demolished the food very quickly. One fox is limping but seems to be coping ok.

Tonight there will be little food for the foxes as a naughty squirrel was hoovering up the peanuts and ground treats I put out for them.

It was lovely to see a pair of nuthatches, a couple of robins and two long tailed tits, along with a juvenile woodpecker. There are a lot of great and blue s but not many other birds. It is still a 'bad hair day' apparently.

Websailor

WS! During the last few days it was August if you remember. Why am I getting screaming foxes in the early hours?

Hm, I have noticed that our foxes are beginning to be odorous again. Maybe they are looking for mates early? Perhaps we are going to have an early Autumn like last year. Usually dog foxes bark, and vixens scream, but apparently this behaviour can swop around so it is not a reliable indicator of sex, I mean gender!!

The cubs are grown now and will be leaving home so perhaps it is one looking for another family or a mate.

Oddly, we used to hear blood curdling screams in the road outside our house every Jan/Feb but we haven't heard it for years.



Websailor

Sat.4th Sep. 2010

Weather: Typical English September day. Chilly start but sunny.

There hasn't been a great deal to report on the badgers and foxes except that they are coming earlier and earlier, eating everything in sight and disappearing again. Any interesting antics caught on camera will be put on Flickr.

The birds are gradually coming back in their new plumage and the food is going don fast.

My husband is not at all well at the moment and much of my time, and most of my energy is used up in that direction, so please forgive the lack of information from time to time. I only manage brief spells on the computer at the moment.

Have a nice weekend everyone.



Websailor

Why am I getting screaming foxes in the early hours ?

they must have watched jedward on tv

Prof, ours prefer XFactor ;-(

Websailor