Living with Lockdown - 24

The biggest advantage of being up a scaffold on the outside of the house every day is that you literally get a bird's eye view of the garden and your surroundings. Since lockdown, the birdlife in our garden has increased both in numbers of existing visitors and also new sightings. The disadvantage of being up the scaffold is that the camera is inside the house and all attempts to climb through windows or rush around the building and up the stairs to retrieve same before the flighty birds flee are usually in vain.
Today we were exceptionally lucky. As my son perched on the plank under the gable and I stood holding his pants as a safety measure, two sombre greenbuls alighted in the tree right next to us. After observing us for a moment, they flew from tree to tree, remarkably landing on the dead branch that now forms a feature in the aloe garden next to the feeder, and eventually flying off after we managed to get a few hurried snaps. Such excitement meant a tea break and a seat down in the garden near the feeder, where the last few days have seen such incredible avian activity - literally 20 - 30 birds constantly moving among the trees and between the two feeders. Bulbuls, Cape sparrows, weavers, Cape white eyes, Southern double-collared sunbirds, Malachite sunbirds, Southern boubous, Common fiscal, a pair of very tame Fiscal flycatchers, Cape robin-chat.
Suddenly a bird swooped in and landed on the feeder - an Amethyst sunbird, first time sighted anywhere and top of our list of lifers. And in the centre of the lens. What excitement! Iridescent green crown, purple throat and chest and a burnished gold on the wing. Such beauty on such a small scale. Sombre greenbuls and an Amethyst sunbird. And then a pair of Blacksmith lapwings flew overhead. Who could ask for more?
Lockdown has been very good for the wildlife and we are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time!