I recently moved my vegetable garden from various pots and containers to one unified spot. It was just a couple of days after the seedlings began to pop their tiny heads when the family of Cape Spurfowls (Pternistis capensis) visit my garden. At first, I did not hear them. They are very quiet. I walked around the house to the food and veggie garden when I saw them. It was a family of about 10 spurfowls walking through the seedlings.
I did not chase them away, how could I? So I ran down to my room to grab the camera. Luckily they always accept me taking photographs of them. They are such a lovely bunch!
I knew most of the seedlings would make it, but it was still like a murder taking place, so many seedlings did not make it! But I loved watching them in the garden and to listen to their quiet but cute talking.
I guess various seeds were attracting them, or even some compost bugs that they snatched up after the light rain. It was a quick rain that fell, so various bugs came to the surface. These beautiful friends would not invite themselves twice for such an opportunity.
I love their feathers, it is like an abstract art piece that they wear. How awesome would such a t-shirt not be? I would love to wear it like they wear their feathers!
Maybe I should make such a design, maybe someone can print it on a t-shirt for me and I can begin a small business! Just kidding, but I really do love the patterns.
It is amazing that these wonderful birds have naturalised betwixt the concrete jungles and the busy roads. From time to time you find the sad event of a bird that was run over, but I do not see that often. Maybe the poor bodies of these birds are removed to quickly (either by humans or crows); but the numbers in the cities seem to be okay. I am not an expert, and the current situation in which we take away so much of their territory is not fine, but what is the solution? In any case, betwixt the many homes and roads, they found their home as well.
In any case, I hope you liked this post of the photographs of some stunning birds! They are really awesome and I wish I could share their quiet talking amongst themselves. It is so cute and beautiful. It sounds like poetry!
All of the photographs are my own, taken with my Nikon D300 and Tamron 300mm zoom lens. The musings are also my own. Happy birding, and stay well! May you catch them on photograph before they fly off.
They're really beautiful! How sweet you let them have their lunch. I don't think I would have done that!
It is always a balance of how many opportunities do you give them to destroy your garden vs. spending time with them by just observing them. They are indeed so beautiful!