Week 25 - Glossy Starlings in the Garden

Week 25 showed an influx of Cape Glossy Starlings into the garden. We normally have a pair that visit regularly but this week I counted 7 of them around the feeder at once. I am always fascinated by their colours and the way the light catches them. I hope that I have been able to capture some of that beauty in the following photos!



 



Cape Glossy Starlings (3)


The Black-throated Canaries have also started making their daily visits to the small dam my son and I built for the birds. They only seem to visit the dam in winter, probably because of the availability of water during the wet summer months. I find them to be quite shy in our garden but you cant blame them with the sparrow and finch bullies that we have in large gangs dominating the seed feeders.



Black-throated Canary


Some common garden visitors..



Crested Barbet





Grey-headed Sparrow





Grey-headed Sparrow





House Sparrow






Red-headed Finch male

 
It was also during this week that we had a lunar eclipse which was good for photography practice...







Lunar Eclipse - June 2011


We also had an uncommon visitor in the form of an immature Greater Honeyguide but I was not fast enough for a photo. With all the bees drinking water at the dam their must be a hive close by which in turn would attract the Honeyguide!! Last June I photographed an adult male calling from the White Stinkwood right over the dam..perhaps they are to become garden residents!!