Our Smithfield Birds

Text and photo by Lynden Lund
Blue Korhaan R234

Feeding next to the N6 on the way from Smithfield to Rouxville, or in other grassland areas and cultivated lands, or sometimes even proudly perched on the top of an anthill, you can easily identify these beautiful birds. They are medium to large sized with rich brown upperparts, [...]

Our Smithfield Birds

Text and photo by Lynden Lund
The Cape Sparrow

Probably one of the most frequently seen and unmistakable birds in our garden is the Cape Sparrow [803].
The black head, with distinct white markings curving from the eye around to the neck, look like big ears. You can identify the female by its plain chestnut back and [...]

Smithfield is for the Birds

Dealing with Feathered Orphans
by Carmel Rickard
Do you know what to do if you find a baby bird that has fallen out of its nest?

Smithfield is for the Birds

We Have Got It – But How to Protect It
by Carmel Rickard
SOME time ago I was part of a group of Smithfielders involved in trying to set up a cohort of guides. The plan was that they would show visitors some of the best we have to offer here by way of historical artefacts [...]

As One Group Moves Out, the Other Moves In…. But it’s Not All Sadness

by Carmel Rickard
In some ways this is a sad time of year. The migrant birds that we have come to love have started their long trek to the other side of the world.
I’m thinking in particular of the kestrels, the Lesser Kestrel and the Amur or Eastern Red Footed Falcon. This has been one [...]

Kestrels Spectacular Over Town

by Carmel Rickard
Apart from the rain and the resulting green veld, one of the most spectacular sights in Smithfield at the moment, is the cloud of Lesser Kestrels circling over the village in the evenings.

Ons Voëls

DIKKOP (Spotted Thick-knee) -258
deur Manie Swarts

Ek  het dié foto’s gedurende Desember 2008 geneem, toe die Dikkop in ons agterplaas gebroei het. Ek het die nes in ‘n oop ruimte tussen perdemis gesien.

Why so Many Eagles Drown

by Carmel Rickard
DROWNING is a major cause of unnatural deaths in birds of prey. One of South Africa’s top bird specialists, Mark Anderson, says that a bird of prey with waterlogged feathers has little chance of getting out of a farm reservoir, especially if the dam is only partly full, because it cannot scramble [...]

Die Gewone Janfrederik (Cape Robin) (601)

deur Manie Swarts

Ek  het die foto’s gedurende September 2008 geneem toe die Janfrederik in ons tuin gebroei het. Ek het die nes tussen- en onder die blare van ‘n groen vlasagtige struik ontdek. Toe ek die nes sien, was daar twee eiers in. Dis na 14 dae deur die wyfie uitgebroei. Die kleintjies het [...]

Eagle Saved From Drowning by Carmel Rickard

A helper holds the near-drowned eagle.
Willie Swanepoel and his son Pierre are this month’s birding heroes. When they checked one of their cement dams recently, they found a young Verreauxs’ eagle waterlogged, exhausted and almost drowned.