Prospects of a New Day: The Visit of (Un)usual Sightings and Friends

The sightings of the previous week were enhanced by the colourful paintings in the sky; beautiful clouds and many birds which I have not yet encountered. I am no expert, but I think the photographs below show many pelicans. The expert, @papilloncharity can tell us if these are indeed the pelicans he is always on the lookout for. It was an absolute fluke. I was working working in the garden, and as I looked up, and almost as if in slow motion, the many birds flew in unison over my head. Usually, I do not bother trying to grab my camera, as I know I will always be too slow. But this time I saw how slow these birds were flying, and I grabbed my camera. Just before they were out of view, I managed to capture a couple of fleeting moments as these gentle giants slowly flew overhead.  ___ ___ This was a very rare sighting for me as I have not yet seen them up close. I know they usually nest close by at a river or dam, but I have never actually had the opportunity to see them. I wonder if they are returning to wherever they came from, as it is now winter and the cold is starting to come in. If I am correct, they are migratory birds and not indigenous. But on the home front, some familiar faces visited my garden again, but this time they were really shy. As I slowly moved down the stairs to see them, they all decided to ditch my garden in an effort not to be disturbed by photographers trying to snap photographs of them!  ___  ___ The whole family of **helmeted guineafowls (Numida meleagris)** were in the garden, but they did not stay very long. I managed to get one or two nice photographs. It is always such a wonderful visit, even when they are shortlived, as they help with keeping the garden fertilised, clean from many pests and insects, and even though they do leave some mild damage behind, they are more positive than negative. They roam the streets in the Cape, especially where I live, and even though their numbers are not what they used to be (not by a long shot) they are happily acclimatised in the concrete jungle. There are so many "wild" places left where they can make their nests, and so many peoples' gardens act as safe spaces; this is the least we can do... But another local friend, one not so many people are always happy with, is the **hadada ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)**. They are always loud friends that do not care if you are busy working or trying to sleep... ___ ___ I am sure that every South African knows this bird, and they can ***hear*** these images. Even while typing this post, I can hear them calling at the beginning of the night, probably in search of their homes and partners. They are funny birds really, as yesterday one of them sat on our roof, screaming its shrill scream at seemingly nothing. That being the case, I still love them, as they have their own beauty. They can also be very destructive to one's garden though. With their big beaks, they dig deep into the ground, in search of little bugs and worms. But when they do this to pot plants, they sometimes completely destroy the small plants in search of those yummy snacks.  But this is completely fine, as there are many little treats and snacks that they can feast on. Funny thing is that when these rather large birds collide with you, not physically but near close to a physical one. Sometimes when you walk around a corner, you and them do not see each other, and you both get the biggest fright of your lives. Many times I have almost turned 180 degrees around to run away as the sudden fright and sight of the massive bird, who also has the biggest fright of its life, leaves me rather cold.  ___ But at the end of the day, we are always left with the taste of the new day in its infancy laying around the corner ready to imbue us with renewed vitality for the new day. These birds have their daily struggles for survival, each day having its own trials. Our own lives are marred by deadlines and pointless activities just to satisfy the status quo who keeps us from realising our true potential. As soon as we realise that at the edge of this new day our potential only waits for us so that we can pick it up, like these birds who continue to fight every single day, we will also be able to realise and actualise our greatest potential. Seize the Day is not just a catchy slogan.  ___ The most beautiful sunsets come after a day of struggle. The most beautiful song of the birds always colours and gives texture to the slowest of days. As I was leaving the shops, the most beautiful sunset coloured the sky in its characteristic beauty. The songs of the birds gave the evening a unique texture, one that will always remind me of this place. As I woke up one morning this week at around 5am, the call of the olive thrush echoed through the halls of my sleeping mind. Their calls always remind me of the cold and early mornings when I worked in the bakery. But when I work in the compost, the Cape-robin chat visits me and eats all of the bugs that try to escape my presence in the compost. My days are always intimately connected with these bird friends, and it always saddens me to see how most people do not appreciate their beauty, not their importance to the delicate balance of our ecosystems. Alas. For now, happy birding, and keep well! *All of the musings and writings are my own, albeit inspired by these beautiful birds. The photographs are also my own, taken with either my Nikon D300 or iPhone.*