Sunbird back in action

White crocus bud noticed in gazelle field. This caught our eye because most crocuses we've seen are light purple. Pic taken ~ 2 weeks ago.

Today's range 11-16.5 Time of walk, ~16.30 p.m. temp: ~14.5, wind WSW/W approaching 10 kt 48% humidity. Sky mostly clear, just a few patchy clouds.

Today heard a sunbird Nectarinia osea calling and active in the cape honeysuckle by our entrance around noon. Note the rise in temps. We should take note in future, they probably have a cut off point for activity somewhere around 15 degrees C?

Gazelles: 2 bucks grazing on the ridge to the north again, close to where we saw those bucks a few days ago. Fresh gazelle spoor in gazelle field. Hyrax not noticed on the walk today. More mole rat holes noticed at the back of gazelle field. Are they making them from below or is a fox or something else trying to get at the mole rats? They seem to neat for the latter.. perhaps the warmer air is inducing them to come to the surface?

I was happy to see a male black redstart on a rebar of the bunker rubble, good to see he'd not been scared off by the recent activity there.

Three Eurasian jays flying from one almond to another along the back of gazelle field. Three separated Eurasian sparrowhawk sightings, possibly three different individuals. One over east valley, one over north valley and one over new pines.

Feral pigeons, house sparrows, hooded crows and jackdaws about. White spectacled bulbul heard, blackbirds about, their alarm calls heard, Laughing dove seen in our Bauhinia today early afternoon, some cooing. Graceful warbler also heard in or near the garden.

Typical spring ground growth near look-out corner, together with some flakes of eucalyptus bark. Also taken about 2 weeks ago, different parts of the forest are at different stages of growth, those damper are further ahead.