If you enjoyed the previous series of posts "The Birds are not Locked Down" - you might be thinking about taking up bird watching as a pastime. Bird watching (or birding) encompasses activities such as spotting birds, identifying them and observing their habits and...

By always being on the lookout for birds, we had a wonderful experience a few days ago! Through a window we noticed a black bird with a prominently curved bill hunting for food in a pepper tree right in front of the house. What a delight! We received a surprise visit...

Watch out for birds which, although common in your area, can be difficult to spot. One such bird, although vociferous, is the sombre greenbul (‘gewone willie’), always challenging an adversary, “Willy! Come fight with me!” and then enquiring in a softer tone of voice,...

Birdwatching is a hobby everybody can participate in, expert birders, as well as those not so expert… Birds can be observed everywhere – in or from your garden, and even from the comfort of your own home!  And quite a variety – birds are not locked down! So, grab your...

In the previous installment of Nature Adventures around the House, I walked you through my Miniature Wildlife Park and showed you some of its beautiful creatures.   It is not all moonshine and roses for these inhabitants of your garden! As in any game park there...

Apart from having a real close look at various flowers to appreciate the detail and delicacy… You will find that observing a plant, in particular one in bloom, is like visiting a miniature wildlife park, teeming with “game” species with more than four legs, such as:...

Lock downed? Frustrated? Trapped? Why not embark on an excursion exploring nature in and around the house? Thinking the lock down got the better of me and that I have lost it altogether? Well, not so you would notice! In the next few episodes, I will show you what we...

Surely, by now you have been told (ad nauseam!) that during lock down you must stay at home, avoid crowds, about social distancing, washing hands, etc. If you exhibit any symptoms of Covid 19 or have been in contact with a person who has been infected, you have to go...

Look closely at this Daddy-long-legs to spot the mouthful of babies!

After just 20mm of rain!

I’ve been keeping close watch on a few plants on Minwater to document the intriguing daily lives of some of our tiny fellow-creatures. Take a close look at this dangling bee. Can you tell what’s going on? 

I had a wonderful time talking at the University of the Third Age in Knysna earlier this year. And their visit to Minwater was one of the highlights of 2019. Here's an excerpt from their October 2019 Newsletter: Following the fascinating presentation Louis Jordaan...