Tag: inaturalist

Looks Familiar

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Back from a couple of days away and a bit knackered after a long drive. Lovely little road trip though with some great food, wine and experiences.

So here’s a quick snap taken this morning to demonstrate the power of the iNaturalist app to an interested party.

It’s an LBJ – or, if you use the app – it’s a Familiar Chat. Oenanthe familiaris.

The owner of the property on which were staying has seen loads of these birds every day for year. But he never knew what they were. A quick snap and search and now he knows.

We were also able to point a tiny, cute Neddicky out to him, perched on one of his vineyard posts.

Nice to share.

Day 30 – Happy Birthday

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It can’t be much fun having a lockdown birthday when you are 14 years old. Especially a birthday where you can’t buy anything (save for chocolate and hand soap).

Thus, our 14 year old got chocolate and hand soap for his birthday today, with the promise of “a proper gift” like a rotisserie chicken, once the unnecessarily draconian rules have been relaxed a little.

In the meantime, a long weekend (for what it’s worth) which we will make as exciting and enjoyable as possible.

Talking of birds, the kids are doing the annual City Nature Challenge on iNaturalist this weekend. Last year, there was a hike in Silvermine, walks up the Liesbeek River and general freedom. This year, we’re stuck shooting whatever we can in the back garden:

To that end, here’s a Cape White-Eye (Zosterops virens) on the Sunbird feeder. The White-Eye is not a Sunbird, but then the bottle says ‘Brandy’ on the label and it’s certainly not got that in it, so I guess a little deception is par for the course.

I was going to get some other shots of birds in the peace and quiet of lockdown, but next-door are mowing their lawn again and all the birds have flown away.