Yo-yoing

A report came in of a juvenile Lesser Frigatebird cruising the beaches near St Lucia so I shot off there as it would be a lifer.  After nearly an hour on the beach I was beginning to think of turning back when a shadow eclipsed the sun.  No more than 5 m above my head was this "tern on steroids" as I've heard it described - what an impressive creature.  What I want to know is why the Greater frigate bird  - which I've seen once - is called Fregata minor and none of the other four species is major?

I decided to avoid the school holiday rush by booking into Bonamanzi for a month.  Arrived and checked the site which was great but I thought I'd have problems finding the satellite so headed for reception along a road that wasn't designed for Beasts and consequently got bogged down in thick sand.  Had to abandon the lady and reception said the site I wanted wasn't available but they kindly organised the cavalry in the form of Chris and Andre in a mighty Landcruiser, who whisked her out in a trice.  No sooner were we installed on site than the garden crew arrived to mow the lawn.

Next to pitch were two columns of Bag-nest moth larvae looking for a place to build their nest.  The smaller column merged with the bigger and the all trooped off in a easterly direction.  Unfortunately they get wiped out by the hundreds when crossing roads.

A close up...................

.................and thanks to Steve Woodhall, who provided the information, what they'll eventually look like.

Out for a walk one morning, I had to turn round and gallop back to the van for a camera as a small flock of these little stunners were feeding next to the road.  Grey waxbills - not sure what it is but all of our mostly grey birds just look so immaculate.

Next up in the same vicinity a Bearded scrub robin giving it his all but unfortunately partly obscured by vegetation.

With Nhlosi Gate to the western shores of Lake St Lucia just around the corner a visit was called for.  At a small pan a male Nyala was in posing mode which involves raising hackles and a very exaggerated slow walk that seems to be a more gentlemanly way of competing for females.

Had wondered on a previous visit what had happen to the crocs that were kept in pens near reception and the answer was they've been let loose, and spend most of their days lazing in the sun on the banks of the dam next to Lalapanzi camp.  Assume they still have to be fed though but I'd keep a close eye on children..........

Also close is False Bay and on an atlassing spree I'd stopped to check on a call and was very suprised to see a Neergard's sunbird right out in the open and obliging enough to allow a picture.  A real coup.

So wonderful to see the bay full once more as the Mfolozi River has been diverted back to it's previous course which fills the lake rather than just flowing out to sea.

In most areas of Bonamanzi the Num-nums Carissa bispinosa were flowering and contributing a delightful scent to the atmosphere..................

...........and in one place the low afternoon sun was reflecting off the shiny leaves of Red-heart bushes Hymenocardia ulmoides.

Found numerous groups of Lemon-breasted canaries on the lawn-like areas just outside the gates but the little sods weren't having anything to do with me or my camera, so this was the best I could get of one of the specials around here.  Will keep trying though.

About 10 days into my stay I got a call from Peter Turner to say that he has a contract in Dominican Republic for two months would I care to house-sit rent free - no brainer.  The Beast parked in the drive, bike collected from 'Maritzburg and the use of the facilities in ..........

........the newly completed cottage.  Felt a bit guilty so in lieu of rent am doing some work around the place.  Even better Bonamanzi agreed to keep the balance of the unused month on hold until I'm ready.

The back has a superb mural painted using only spray cans by a local graffiti artist who's turned professional............

...........and the view from the deck is not too shabby either.

Having watched an amusing clip narrated by a crude Aussie on some of the ridiculous faking that went on during the World Cup I've decided this pack of wussies should more properly be called footbawlers.

Something I haven't seen for a while, a pink sunrise............

.............and how's this for a garden bird?  A pair of hammerkops cleaning up as the massive water feature dries out.

According to the book, the Common soap aloe Aloe maculata may have yellow, orange or red flowers but I've never seen anything but the latter so was rather taken with this orange one in the garden.  It also lists a dozen things that it's used for including protection from lightening but nothing about soap - go figure.

Then way down in the valley where the fairies are, I came across this massive Climbing flat-bean Dalbergia obovata, a creeper that must be almost as old as me.