November draws to a close and it’s been hot, and I mean hot! And did I mention it’s been hot? Walking out, therefore, on an overcast and very windy day this morning was exhilarating. This change of temperature will be brief, I know, but oh so very welcome.

In the cool of the early morning, white and pale grey clouds were shunting across the sky at some speed whilst flocks of birds were buffeted by the wind. After the short (very short) shower we had yesterday, I believe there were insects in the air. I watched as a twittering flock of Wire-tailed Swallows wheel and dived towards them, but not in their customary precise manner. An eagle took off from a tree and flew straight towards the swallows, but a moment later he landed. I suspect it had taken some energy for him to keep his line, for even the larger birds are being blown about. Over the waving grassland, a solitary falcon drifted from side to side as he tried to hover, his eye fixed on something below. A crowd of Bronze Mannikins took off suddenly from one small shrub and,  moving like a wave, landed in another.  

Back in my garden, the Masked Weavers that came about a month ago went very quiet for a couple of weeks during the intense heat, but they are back with their usual enthusiastic energy and noise. I do sometimes wonder where they go in between the fledging of their chicks and the next nest building season. And whilst on the subject of chicks, in my previous blog I spoke of a nest of Ashy Flycatcher chicks in our garage, which we had been keeping an eye on. Happily all three fledged successfully! As an added bonus, my farmer managed to get a photo of them on the very day they flew.  From eggs to juveniles, I have loved watching this little family develop, although I am still surprised by the nesting site their mother chose.

In the images below:- Ashy Flycatcher Eggs and Juveniles ready to fly, Southern Province, Choma.

Bird life abounds everywhere here and a flock of starlings has just arrived in the large Ficus behind the house. Their colours are indecipherable in the grey of this day, but their shape is distinctive. And they have been before.  For a while, they forage around in the branches finding breakfast and then at some unseen sign, they take off again and head off into the surrounding bushveld. The monkeys arrive soon after for their own feast of figs for they are also regular visitors. One monkey in particular, catches my eye. He is enjoying his meal too much to be concerned about me standing beneath the tree. Meanwhile, the babyish cry of the Trumpeter Hornbill floats towards me from the large trees on the anthill. This being a favourite visiting place for the hornbills, they can often by seen hopping around the branches of a large Mnonodo tree. I expect they too will be heading for the wild figs soon.

The Ficus, this garden and even our buildings, seems to be a quite the draw cards for wild creatures.

On the verandah right now, are the Epauletted Fruit Bats. They were roosting at night in the large conifer behind the house but for some reason moved – into the eaves of the verandah’s thatched roof. There are other bats here too -attached to the wall upside-down. These are the Mauritian Tomb bats who live here all the year round. They huddle and seem to hunker into themselves but the Fruit Bats dangle and look down on us out of beautiful, big, brown eyes.

This cover of an old Frank Sinatra classic, Summer Wind, is performed by Westlife, a hugely popular and iconic pop group from Ireland that formed in the late 1990s, disbanded and then reunited.

A new addition to the family is always cause for celebration – so imagine three! But I am not talking baby bibs and gender reveal parties here. I am not talking about my own family, or anyone else’s; indeed, not even my species. The new additions are the three little chicks which hatched in the nest in our garage.

Previously I had mentioned this nest and, having established that it belongs to an Ashy Flycatcher, we have been watching the progress with great interest and joy. From the building of the nest, to the appearance of a clutch of small spotted eggs and now three darling little chicks, it has all been of great fascination to us.

The nest, being inside the electric box is in a rather traffic-heavy spot due not only to being in the garage, but also being the exact place where the security light has to be switched on, and off, every day and night. Since the arrival of the chicks, this has an element of comedy about it because if the little birds are awake, as soon as one reaches for the switch, three fluffy little heads rear up with yellow beaks agape. I do feel for the mother having to keep up with feeding that brood!

Recently I have seen her too, sitting on the nest and she sits much higher than she did before. I am frankly amazed there is enough space for the four of them. Which gets me thinking they will soon be leaving the nest. Which gets me thinking they will soon be trying out new wings and flying powers. Which gets me worrying that the garage floor is rather an unforgiving surface for a small chick. Which gets me wondering if maybe I should put a piece of foam on the floor beneath the nest. Which gets my daughter bringing me back to some reality.

“Mum, you know the dogs will just lie on it, she tells me. To which my husband replies, ” Yea, with their mouths open!”

Well that escalated quickly! But oh dear, I think they may be right. The Jack Russell especially, is always far too interested in whatever I am doing. Still, being me, I have not entirely abandoned the idea of giving the little fledglings something better to land on. I just need to work out what and also, how to make it less accessible or comfortable to the dogs.

In the meantime, the mother bird has her wings (and beak) full, keeping her little family fed. She will vacate the nest when we activate the light switch but returns immediately after we leave. The one and only time I went back into the garage to take a photo of those adorable babies, she flew around me in much indignation, which I fully understood, and which I promised not to do again.

This morning I was lucky enough to get a photo of her as she returned to the nest with food for her brood. I exited the garage and she sat watching me while I carefully walked away and just like the paparazzi, used the longer lens to get a photo of her. As I watched her I thought how different she is to her cousin, the Paradise Flycatcher. Unlike him, there is nothing flashy about this bird. Her beauty is all elegant understatement and perfection of shape and colour. Not to mention that stunning, almost slanted, dark eye.

Meanwhile I think I have resolved the potential crash-landing strip for the fledgling Flycatchers; I think a pile of unfolded cardboard boxes, strategically placed, will prove a kinder surface for any starter attempts. And also, the dogs won’t want to lie on ’em, being, as they are, more used to soft blankets and squishy pillows of their own…

If there was to be a soundtrack to the days of the mother flycatcher right now, I think this would be it! The “Can Can” music is set to a clip made by Kévin, from France. He is an artist who animates and sets his work to music. You can find him under the username of Kokorokeke, and if you click on this link, it will take you there. https://www.deviantart.com/kokorokeke