Red-headed Finch/ Rooikopvink

Text Rose Lund      Photos Lynden Lund
  

Mald and Female photographed feeding at our feeders.
One hot January afternoon, while idly watching the birds feeding in our garden, we were startled to see one sparrow-sized bird with a blood-red head foraging quietly amongst the Grey-heads and other more familiar residents. He was soon joined by his mate. This was obvious by the similar strikingly attractive rows of black “scallops” patterning their underbodies from chest to flank. Instead of being completely red however, the top of the female’s head modestly sported a pretty blush pink.

Queleas?, we wondered. Quick research determined that they were Red-headed Finches. Also, that the “scallops” are actually close rows of alternating white spots ringed with black. Other colours are fawn and brown, with white-tipped wings and barred undertails; and a typical but very pronounced seed-eater’s beak. We were fascinated to note that while the various sparrows always scrapped noisily amongst themselves for top position on the seed-feeder, none of them interfered with the finches – and these two made the most of the opportunity!

The highly nomadic Red-headed Finch’s usual habitat is open grassland or dry savanna, and sometimes farmyards. Our chic couple’s stay at Herb Cottage B&B for Birds was brief, and while we were watching, they ate so voraciously we never heard them sing. Apparently their call is a “soft chuk-chuk” or a “zree-zree” in flight.

Since February is the month of red hearts and roses, we offer this red-headed visitor for your interest in the spirit of Valentine. We certainly hope he’ll return to brighten our garden again some day.

Ostrich/ Volstruis

Text by Rose Lund Photo Lynden Lund

To many birders, the African Black Ostrich is known affectionately as Roberts no 1. A common sight almost everywhere, many South Africans have developed a ho-hum attitude towards this weird bird.
Recently, our ostrich industry once again has been severely affected by a particular type of bird virus. Nevertheless, as one farmer remarked, “Once an ostrich farmer, always an ostrich farmer.”
How much do you know about ostriches? For starters, it is a dinosaur. Scientists reckon it has been around unchanged for about 120 million years. Its name originated from the Arabic word, meaning “camel-sparrow”?! As a bird, it is an ornithological disaster. It doesn’t sing or fly; but it DOES roar and can run in excess of 70 kph with a steady speed of 50kph. What it does NOT do, is bury its head in the sand. When hiding from predators, it stretches its head and neck flat on the ground, to look like a mound of earth from a distance.
The ostrich stands at almost 3 meters above ground; can weigh up to 156 kg; with a wing span of 2 meters; and produces 50-60 of the plush, once so sought-after tail feathers. Its eyes, with their thatch of lasciviously long, thick lashes measure an incredible 5cm across – the largest of all land vertebrates. Ostriches don’t need to drink – they make their own water internally and simply top up from nature. Their average lifespan is 40 – 45 years and because they tolerate a wide range of temperatures, they are found from Africa to Alaska.
An amorous ostrich reared by humans may even actively court its keeper.
Ah well, love is blind …..

Long-tailed Widowbird/Langstertflap

Photo Lynden Lund

Here is a bird we all instantly recognise. When not breeding, we hardly notice him because he looks very similar to the female of the species. But come breeding season, and the male Long-tailed Widowbird truly lives up to his name. His colouring changes and the tail feathers triple their length up to an extraordinary 500 cm. The longer his tail, the better his chances with the females. And this handsome show-off has 5 to 6 wives!

The Long-tailed Widowbird belongs to the same family group that includes weavers and Queleas. They are common local residents and nomads, from the Eastern Cape coast to the Highveld. Their preferred habitat is open grassland where they forage on the ground for seeds and insects. It is when they display, flying low and slow over the tall grasses, spectacular gleaming ebony tails undulating gracefully, or folded under like pouting bustles, that they grab our attention. While flying, the deep red and white on the bend of the wing is clearly seen. The whitish bill also contrasts well with the black body colouring. These birds are usually silent but while displaying, the male call is a sharp zik zik zik zik.

What a tragedy if, because of rapid land development, we should no longer experience the enchanting sight of the Long-tailed Widowbird dancing across the veld.

Happy, happy

May you have a blessed Christmas and many birding opportunities in the new year.

Red-throated Wryneck/Draaihals

Photo Lynden Lund

The first time I encountered this feisty little fellow, was amongst the Bluegum trees of Kinnerman Park. Thick foliage made a clear sighting difficult. However, between the current cult of destroying this Australian “pest” and a desperate population looking for free fuel, the trees have become much thinner. The Red-throated Wryneck seemed to have deserted our area.

Then, late one afternoon last year, Gerda Swanepoel phoned me rather excitedly. Could I come to the farm and identify an unusual bird? As soon as we heard the distinctive call, a loud harsh week-week-week-week-week, it was easily identified as the male wryneck. I decided to lure him from the trees on the far side of the house by playing his call. This certainly got him going and he flew into a gum tree close by us. But he remained half-hidden, so I played his call again. The response sent us into helpless, muffled explosions of delight. Our wryneck was obviously convinced that another male had dared to trespass his territory. He launched out of cover, doing a little jig on the high branch and screamed in a temper tantrum. It was not so much a week-week as a cacophony of rage, up and down the bird musical scale! This was one of the most memorable bird sightings I have ever experienced.

We are delighted that the Red-throated Wryneck is still here and visits our garden daily. He is usually solitary or comes as a pair and is easily identified by the deep red throat and breast. He has a white and black streaked belly; greyish – brown back with a conspicuous irregular dark midline stripe; and greenish – grey bill and legs.

Fairy Flycatcher / Feevlieëvanger Recently seen in Smithfield

Photo Lynden Lund

This tiny little Smithfield garden visitor was rescued, none the worse for wear, out of the jaws of certain feline death.

The Fairy Flycatcher breeds mostly in the Karoo and Lesotho Highlands, but in winter tends to migrate to the lower regions and is found over a wide range from the Western Cape to Zimbabwe and Maputo. Except when breeding, it is usually solitary and its habitat can vary from grasslands and thornbush to exotic plantations, and gardens. While breeding, it prefers karoo scrub and bushy hillsides where the female quickly builds a small cup-shaped nest sometimes as low as 20 cm above the ground, well camouflaged amongst fallen branches and drifted debris.

Only 12 cm long and weighing 9 grams at most, this restless little forager feeds on small insects it finds on leaves and twigs. It has a habit of drooping its wings and flirting its tail. Although it might be confused with a Batis, the Fairy Flycatcher’s tail is longer. In colouring, the tail is black edged and tipped with white, the body is blue-grey above with a black facemask, white eyebrows, black wings with a conspicuous white stripe, soft blue-grey breast, white underparts, and tinged salmon pink on the throat and upper belly. The narrow bill, legs and feet are black.

The call of such a tiny bird – as can be expected – is a thin, squeaky tsee-tsi-zee tseepy-tsweeu, tseepy-zzzzz, something like a Sunbird, or a sibilant kisskisskiss.

Although quite common, the Fairy Flycatcher is difficult to photograph because it is constantly flitting around. In the photo above however, as the saying goes, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Wattled Starling

Photo Lynden Lund

Even though it is considered abundant and widespread, of all the starlings, this one seems to create the most excitement and interest when seen in our area.

The Wattled Starling’s most unusual feature is of course, the facial wattles, which are only present when the bird is breeding. It is smallish – about the size of a Laughing Dove – and is ashy grey in colour, with a white rump and black wings and tail. The beak is pink and the black wattles show very clearly against the forehead and throat.  Also conspicuous is the bright yellow colouring around the eyes, and also the hindcrown of the breeding male.

These birds are highly gregarious at all times and roost in trees in flocks of hundreds or even thousands. They often join with flocks of Pied Starlings. Their song is a merry mix-up of high-pitched squeaks; tsip-tsip, tseep, tseee, tseep-tseep. But when alarmed, the call is a harsh graaah, similar to a crow.

Wattled Starlings seldom stay in one place for long, usually following the food supply. Their most common habitats are the Karoo, open woodland, grassland, farmland, and occasionally gardens. They are omnivorous as their diet includes insects, offal, fruit, and the nectar of flowering trees and aloes. The Wattleld Starling is another excellent example of the synergistic interaction between birds and animals as they perch on the backs of sheep to catch insects disturbed by the grazers.

Since they appear and disappear so erratically, it is quite an event to spot any of these unique starlings in and around Smithfield.

Pied Starling in Town Garden

Every corner of the garden gets the going over in search of a grub or two.

A birds eye view

Perched on the roof with the moon in the background, this Laughing dove and Redwinged starlings observe the surroundings.

Seen on the CAR count day