Nature’s Guest: The Importance of all Wildlife, including Plants
Nature's Guest: The importance of all wildlife, including plants Louis Jordaan | 10 January 2024 Some people suffer from the misconception that one has to visit certain places to experience nature, such as farms or nature reserves. In reality nature is not a place, we...
Vetplantfees 2021 in Calitzdorp this Weekend
This is just a short post to remind you of the Calitzdorp Vetplantfees this weekend! My talk is on Sunday Morning, 19 September. Here's the details as well as a summary: Nature - A book anybody can read who will stop long enough.I look forward to seeing you there!
Rain, wonderful rain!
20 February 2021: 33mm Two weeks later: Rhigozum obovatum Granaatbos / Karoo Gold Selago dregei Wit Aarbossie Selago dregei Pers Aarbossie Zygophyllum lichtensteinianum Klein Skilpadbos Malephora lutea Sprinbokvygie Hermannia filifolia Poprosie / Doll Rose...
Read about Minwater’s Trails on Wheels24!
We read a lot of Nature's News on Minwater. But recently we were excited to read Nick Yell's lovely article about Minwater on Wheels24. And it is natural bounty like this, plus the crisp air and soothing infinitude of Karoo space that makes this country's inner heart...
Nature News!
Have you ever read Nature’s newspaper, Nature News, (or, in modern times, visited Nature’s Facebook page!)? Although these news reports are not written in words, ‘literacy’ (the ability to interpret Nature’s sign language) is required to make sense of the script and...
Bird calls, beware!
The omission of bird calls from the recommended steps to follow when trying to identify an unfamiliar bird is intentional. Bird calls, beware! Many birders put a great premium on bird calls as a means of identification. Of course, the calls of many of our birds are...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 6 – Behaviour
This sixth step in the recommended guidelines to identify unknown birds is not in the last position because it is least important. Quite often neglecting this exercise can make the task of identifying a bird very difficult! And those of you who've been to visit or...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 5 – Habitat
One needs not be an experienced birder to realise that not all birds occurring in a region can be observed everywhere. And, consequently, that different species of birds prefer different environments, also referred to as habitats. This important aspect, preferred...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 4 – Fine Feathers make Fine Birds
You might well ask why is it that noting the colour(s) of the plumage of a bird is not the first step recommended in this series. (If you missed the previous post, you can read it here.) Step four: The colours of the plumage and other parts of the bird. Very often...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 3 – Features of the Legs
The third step in the recommended approach to identifying an unknown bird involves another often overlooked feature of a bird (in the previous post we looked at the bill), which can be crucial in determining to which group a bird belongs, and in a number of cases,...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 2 – Now for the Bill
Some may find it strange that such high ranking is assigned to this second step in this recommended approach to the identification of unknown birds. (Missed Step 1? Read it here.) Step two: The shape and colour of the bill. Do you share this view? Well, then I think...
Guidelines for the Identification of Birds: Step 1 – Shapes and Sizes
In the previous post, the first one in the series, “Guidelines for the identification of unknown birds”, I promised to post six steps which, in many instances, may simplify the process somewhat. Well, here goes! Step one: The bird’s relative size and the general shape...