WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY - FIrst afternoon's birding in Malawi

On my first afternoon in Blandtyre, Malawi, I decided to go for a walk.  Now the roads from their home are just dirt roads, very dusty and full of pot holes so with my camera and binoculars I went exploring.  I found a area of scrub ground and thought that might be good for seeing birds but got some strange looks but there again, I was the only white women around!!  The lighting was not great, I knew no Malawian birds so I found it quite difficult and I just hope that the birds I found that afternoon on this post are correctly named.  If someone can tell me differently, please do so.

Yellow bellied Sunbird (male)

Eastern Doublecollared Sunbird

Yellow bellied Sunbird (male)

Yellow bellied Sunbird (female)

Bronze Mannikin

Thanks to blogger Jo Hedges from “Memorable Meanders” and living in Tanzania, she has successful ID’d this bird.

Yellow -rumped Widow (Euplectes capensis) female

Black eyed Bulbul

Blue Waxbill

House Sparrow

Pied Crow

Speckled Mousebird

I hope you enjoyed these first birds I saw even through some shots are too dark.  In all the time (4 weeks) I was in Malawi, I never found a bird watcher who could help me.  Also when I got home that day and told Judith where I had been, she told me I was lucky to be alive as there were very dangerous snakes around that area!!  Needless to say,  I did not repeat the exercise!

I am linking this post with WILD BIRD WEDNESDAY.

Thank you for visiting.

Many thanks for all your comments.

Birds and Flowers at Fox's Barn

This is the day in August that Judith, my daughter, Daniel and Annika, 2 of my grand children and myself left for Malawi however after having flown from N.Ireland to London, my other daughter discovered we had to stay at the airport all day before our next flight and a she, Gillian and Anna and Matthew, my other 2 grand children were at her mother in laws’ home in Surrey, so she picked us up so that for the last time for (you knows) we could all spend this day together.  Today, I want to show you this beautiful garden of flowers, vegetables and birds I found there.

 Fox’s Barn 

Anna, Daniel and Annika  

Matthew is 13 years old and interested in sailing.

Gillian and Judith relaxing (my girls)

Anna is 14 years old and very good at 'doing' hair and loves ballet.

I am sure you agree that this is a beautiful garden although I don't know the names of all the plants.  The post I did last Friday had the pond with beautiful Water Lilies in it from this garden. (CLICK HERE)   The garden is open to the public a few times a year.  From time to time it was raining and I had to take the short video through the window, you may wish to see the birds that came to the feeders.

You can access the video at  

http://youtu.be/fpx5653RY8c

If there is a black space below, click it and the video will appear.



Thank you for visiting.  

Many thanks for all your comments.

Sunday Thought

 Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness 

and before a fall.

Proverbs 16:17-19

Pride ends in destruction; humility ends in honor.

Proverbs 18:12

The Destruction of the Banana crop after Cyclone Yasi

Photographed at Innisfail, Queensland.

7 February 2011
(My Birthday!)

I have now added another photograph  of when I returned to Australia in October 2011 and you can see how the recovery has taken place.

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Thanks you for your comments.

Many thanks for leaving comments on any of my posts.

SATURDAY CRITTERS - Cats at Blessingbourne House.

There are quite a number of cats around Blessingbourne House. Some belong to the owners, Nick and Colleen and others belong to some of the estate workers.  These are some of the photographs I took of them while I was staying here several months ago.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the cats at Blessingbourne House and would agree they are all very handsome.

I am linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTER 

Thank you for visiting

I have gone to visit the Copeland Island this weekend with no internet so will see your posts when I return home.  

Thanks Eileen for linking me in.