Author: Jane

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Birding in Tankwa Karoo National Park

Last week I blogged about our camping trip to the Tankwa Karoo National Park.  As I said, we were blown away by the beautiful scenery, but that isn’t the only charm of this tiny...

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Time Out in Tankwa

You know when you pass a sign that reads “Absolutely Nothing From Here” that you’re heading into a remote area.  Rob and I had a chuckle when we saw that, but instead of putting...

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Inquisitive Burchell’s Coucal

When Rob and I were in the Kruger National Park earlier this year we came across a number of  Burchell’s Coucals.  It was the rainy season and there were more about than usual.  The...

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Saddle-billed Storks – My Favourite

It’s always nice to come across storks in nature and one that really excites us, not only for its size, but also its beauty, is the Saddle-billed stork.  It is the largest of the...

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Long-tailed widowbird – What a display!

I’ve always had the utmost admiration for Long-tailed widowbirds – when they’re in their full plumage, that is.  Watching them fly laboriously over the grasslands displaying their magnificent tail feathers is a wondrous sight...

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Wakkerstroom – a Birders Paradise

Apparently you cannot call yourself a serious birder in South Africa until you’ve been to Wakkerstroom in Mpumalanga.  It’s an IBA (Important Bird Area) and with its diverse habitats, the opportunity exists to see...

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Rhinos – Rare and Poached

I’m sure that most of the folks who read our blogs are animal and bird lovers, so I guess I’m preaching to the converted here when I say that our war against rhino poachers...

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Leopard Sighting in Kruger National Park

Have you ever visited a game reserve and had one of those days when you drive around for hours and see very little in the way of animals?  We had such a morning on...

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Bishops and Monkeys

I always feel so sorry for the birds and animals that are driven away from their habitats by urbanisation.  We take over their areas and then complain when they come into our homes and...

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Swee Waxbills at Kirstenbosch

When we lived in Namibia we were fortunate enough to come across a number of different kinds of waxbills and were always delighted when the colourful Blue and Violet-eared waxbills came to feed in...

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Southern double-collared sunbirds at Kirstenbosch

Last week I posted some photographs of the Orange-breasted sunbirds that we saw at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town.  This week their cousins take centre stage; the beautiful Southern double-collared sunbirds, which flit...

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Orange-breasted Sunbirds at Kirstenbosch

One of the fun things about being a bird lover is that it gives you an opportunity to seek out places where you know certain birds are found.  This happened to us this Christmas...

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A Stitch in Time

Wilkinson’s World has been somewhat neglected for the last six months, I’m afraid.  It’s not that we haven’t been on any exciting adventures, although these have been few and far between with Rob’s workload,...

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Four frogs, a cricket and a snake

So let’s assume you’re a young man who’d like to attract a partner.  What would you have to do to make yourself appealing?  I guess you’d probably opt for personal grooming and fancy clothes...

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Callfinder© – A winner from SAPPI

What would life be like if we were unable to get out into nature to rejuvenate and restore our minds and spirits?  I can’t imagine actually.  For me, getting out into the garden or...