The Birding Blog

It is Christmas today, and we all wish you a Happy Christmas, with plenty of gifts, good food, and the company of family and good friends. We all had a great day in Kruger Park yesterday, and tried desperately to find a “Santa Bird” – one that had red colouration with a white chest. I couldn’t even exactly even imagine such a bird, so settled on the White Fronted Bee Eater as the best trade-off. So here he is – if you don’t like the choice as Santa, consider him Santa’s Little Helper; he certainly put us in a good...

Nature's Heart wishes all customers a peaceful and joyous Christmas. This year we will close from 18h00 on Thursday 14th December 2017, and re-open at 08h00 on Monday 8th January 2018. Counting our production lead period, this means  a full month where your birds will be begging for food! To compensate we are offering bulk specials on suet over this period. Please avail yourself of the offer, and get in early! This year demand has outstripped supply on a number of items. Due to the on-going interest in Suet Pops, we have once more extended the special into December, and...

This blog is not really about birds. Ironically, speaking to bird lovers is preaching to the converted anyhow! But it is a call to action. There are presently about 50 birds per human being on planet earth. This sounds like a large number, but upon analysis one has to be concerned. Bear in mind that it includes poultry being bred for slaughter and egg production. At the height of the black death, (an extreme example perhaps, but only 600 years ago), there were about 1000 birds per human being. By the end of the century, we will see about 30...

Many years ago, I performed military service in the SAAF. An enduring memory was the range of equipment and weaponry with names implying power and bravery. We had Ratels, Buffels, Olifants, Bateleurs, Mambas (later as I remember), Jakkals, and Hippos (for some reason mainly Afrikaans names). The sole exception that I remember was the “Kwêvoël” (Grey go-away-bird that can scarcely be described as either powerful or brave). Even the non-animal named items conveyed a threat e.g. “Cactus”. You never heard of the “Rabbit” artillery system, or the “Field mouse” mortar. Certainly, small birds did not make the cut. And yet,...

Feeding wild birds is a privilege. The human actually receives more than the birds. When one considers the release of endorphins, we tend to think exercise, or chocolate, or great music. Relaxing near your feeding zone, and observing your wild birds will do the same. Tragically, we are able to cause harm. Here are ten cautionaries to ensure mutual benefit: Beware of mycotoxins. The golden rule is that you should never provide food that has a risk of fungal contamination. Unfortunately, many of the “normal” foods we use are at risk. Examples include maize, wheat and peanuts. The toxins typically...