Bees, chameleon and others.

The eucalyptus trees just past the pumping station and about half way up the east valley dirt road were humming with bees.

This specimen was found in husband's room. These types come into the house quite frequently, attracted to the light.

Below, vivid in death, this chameleon was found in the middle of east valley watercourse dirt road, possibly a 'traffic accident' as cars and dirt buggies frequently use the road to picnic and so on, and chameleons walk rather deliberately. Now it is attended by the local ants and an oriental hornet that buzzed off a couple of metres when we approached, but was clearly waiting nearby.

Sunbirds sqeak alarm in the garden heard various times during the day. Husband noticed two in the cape honeysuckle a day or so ago but couldn't make out sex of them. If more than one of them was brownish it would indicate they bred in the area this season.

White spectacled bulbul harsh busy calls but again no melodious calls. Blackbird 'tzreet'

Feral pigeons, jackdaws, hooded crows, laughing doves cooing. In the valley, flight call of collared doves heard. sharp calls that may have been ring neck parakeets.. I have suspected they are in the area based on several calls over the last week and one brief sighting but no definite confirmation yet. Great tit calls by valley road, kestrel somewhere south of pumping station, hobby from the sound of it but not confirmed, at least two voices, from the pines just west of gazelle field. Eurasian jay, probably family group, by the bridge near the pumping station.

(btw note from end of last week- Apparently two family groups of jays having a stand off at head of dirt road/trail leading down from windsurfer hill to Pistacio grove, I'd guess each held territories on either side of that trail and the east side family was interested in foraging on the west side.. and so they were having a noisy standoff)

No bee-eaters noticed or heard at all today.

Also forgot to mention a large scorpion walking on valley road about 10.30 p.m. late last week. Flies and wasp populations on the rise lately, esp. flies getting pesky in the house.