Backyard Birds
Birdlife in Chibuene
November is a quiet time in the tourism industry here in Vilankulo, so we have had to find other ways to keep ourselves busy while we wait for the holiday rush come December. Recently, we have been spending time taking pictures of birds around our house. We have a big cashew tree in front of our door, underneath which we have put a bird bath. This attracts a myriad of birds of all types and colors. Here are some of the shots of the common birds spotted around here:
The first is a Lilac-breasted roller - Coracias caudates - a beautiful blue purple bird so named because of its elaborate aerial rolls and dives. Here, it is looking for a hole in a dead cashew nut tree trunk to nest in.
Next we have an Emerald-spotted dove - Turtur chalcospilos - one of the five types of doves we have here in Vilankulos. This one is sitting on a power line preening, showing off the emerald spots it is named for.
Here is the Purple crested turaco - Tauraco porphyreolophus - hiding in the cashew nut leaves.
We had a rare gregarious visitor, for our yard anyway: the Green wood hoopoe (formerly the Red-billed wood hoopoe) - Phoeniculus purpureus. Here, a small flock of them alighted on the cashew nut tree to hunt and eat small insects and lizards - the one pictured here has a gecko in his beak.
Here are a few a bit further afield. This one was spotted in a coconut tree nearby.
It is a Lesser masked weaver - Ploceus intermedius. The tree was full of their nests, and they chattered around as they built the nests up.
Next to the weavers was a Diedrick’s Cuckoo - Chrysococcyx caprius - sitting in a citrus tree.
Finally, here are some from happy birds bathing overlooking the sea.
Here are some Dark capped bulbuls - Pycnonotus barbatus - enjoying the cool water. They are a very common bird here.
They love a good bath, and it is so fun to catch them in action, fluffing themselves and splashing water everywhere. In the background are the calm waters of the Indian Ocean of the Bazaruto Archipelago.
Here is a Blue wax bill - Uraeginthus angolensis - admiring his reflection.
The Red-backed mannikin - Lonchura nigriceps - a little seed-eater.
Bronze Mannikin - Lonchura cucullata - a very social bird.
Tune in next time for birds of the wetlands!
These birds are so beautiful! Great pix!