How Exciting!!!
We took one look at this little swallow and knew it was something special! Turned out it was not unique but definitely not common in Gauteng. It was the "Lesser Striped Swallow" and it seemed to be looking for a place to nest...

The two of them almost spent the whole weekend hanging around our front door entrance! It seems as if we are about to have a nesting pair taking up residence in our spot!

Date: 18 Jan '09
Species: Lesser Striped Swallow

Pintailed Whydah...
So noisy, so bossy and yet oh so beautiful!
I do miss him - he's still around but I can't hear or see him like this and that's because he only appears this way during his breeding season, he returns to normal when his job is done!!!
I spent hours keeping a watchful eye in my garden waiting for the opportunity to snap this little guy! At one point he actually flew into the house defending his territory! It's been a real treat watching him work his way around the garden... yes he does tend to fight off all the other regulars but they'll always come back!
Activity: Dec + Jan
Area: Fourways, South Africa