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Where did you find it, Barcud?

Almost looks like an Icterine Warbler and if it is, resuscitate it and mail it to me at once as I need it as a lifer. Was it found near a window? Many thousands of birds die each year after flying into a house window.

I have got another one (picture... or course)

here

sorry I don't had the heart to open the wings... I put it in a cardboard, then in the rubbish...
There is more than 30 years that I live here, never had such accident
and never (I think) saw this bird... I search to see another one, these days

I'm counting twelve sunbirds in this picture - 6 male and 6 female

Very nice

WOW...outstanding!!!


Baby Ruby throated hummingbird...sorry about the quality-taken thru the window...

Anne marie..I hate it when that happens-usually here it is chickadees that thump into the window, but they seem to just get stunned, so I bring them in until they recover

Nicest visitors to our suburban (indigenous) garden in Pretoria the last few months:

Bokmakierie
Rufous-cheeked nightjar
Spotted eagle owl
Paradise flycatcher
Amethyst sunbird
White bellied sunbird
Green pigeon
Chinspot batis
Grey hornbill
Burchell's coucal
Greyheaded bushshrike
Arrowmarked babbler
Cardinal "speg" (sorry, I usually do my birding in Afrikaans - can't always remember the English names)
Fiscal shrike
Jacobin's cuckoo (late in May!)
Northern grey-headed sparrow (not supposed to be in Pretoria)
Brown headed kingfisher (almost resident on the backwall of our garden - it's always sitting there hunting for insects in the veld behind the wall (The Burchell's coucal rather likes the back wall as well - although it prefers to run and hop along it... )

Had a great Monday afternoon - was busy saying good-bye to Wingman and SO when hubby noticed a bird land above us......................NARINA TROGON My first sighting ever but camera was inside the house !!

About 15 minutes later an Olive Bush Shrike came to drink ...... BUT it was the Buff Morph...... once again, camera was at the other end of the house !!

I am armed and ready for the weekend ahead !!!

put the kettle on Im coming for coffee both of those are on my hit list. Im still

Can somebody please help me with some answers to my questions.
First, some background: This Woolly-Necked Stork landed in our driveway one day, looking (what I thought) hungry. So I broke up a few pieces of bread and threw it on the pathway. He (she?) pecked at the bread, but I could see problems with swallowing - I think because of the dry texture. So I then put the bread in a bucket full of water. Well - that was gobbled up with such haste that I could have guessed he had not eaten for a number of days! Now since that time, about two weeks ago, he comes round regularly every morning and evening for his "meal". We (my wife and I) are concerned that a diet of bread and water may not be too good for his health. So we have been feeding him pieces of raw fish and some leftover rice and other foodstuff, which he gobbles up during the day. At night he disappears to who knows where, but next morning he makes a perfect approach and landing on the lawn - ready for breakfast! He now takes food directly out of my outstretched hand.

Now for the questions:
1) How can I tell the sex of the bird?
2) I assume it is an adult because of the red eye. Is this correct?
3) Can the age of the bird be estimated from a photograph?
4) What can we safely feed the bird?
5) Should we be doing anything to ensure the bird's safety and life.
6) What advice can anyone give us?

Hi sinewave and welcome to the forums!

We have the most wonderful bird forum and if you post your questions there, I am sure you will get quicker and better answers. Have a look here!

I'm not sure which area you are in, but suggest perhaps you try contacting Freeme in Jhb, I only have their land line number though - 011 8076993 - they have all kinds of info and diets for a large variety of birds and animals.

found this on the Internet.......

Although Woolly-necked Storks are associated with water they rarely wade. Their diet consists of fish, toads, frogs, crabs, snakes, lizards, molluscs, insects marine invertebrates although there is also some evidence that they may eat palm nuts. They may be found around grass fires where they feed on burnt reptiles and insects. These are long-lived birds with the oldest recorded captive living beyond 30.

Thanks folks!
I have have so many questions which need to be answered, so I'm searching all over the internet.
We are in Mount Edgecombe Country Club, Umhlanga, KZN.
We have often seen these birds wandering around the golf course, but have never been able to get close to them. This one appears to be very tame and I'm getting to the stage where he will allow me to touch and stroke him (her?).
I wonder if anyone else has a "tame" wild bird in their garden?

Perhaps you could contact CROW (Centre for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife) in Yellowwood Park, Tel. 031 462 1127 or Fax 031 462 9700 in order to find out about a balanced diet for your woolly necked stork.

Your stork can indeed count his 'lucky stars' for choosing your driveway and not one belonging to an uncaring person.

Thanks Lee, I have sent a request to them.
We visited there last year, but they were closed, on short staff for (I think) holidays.
We will get back there sometime this year.

We now call the bird "Woolly" - wonder why?
He (she?) seems to recognize my voice; when I call him he perks up his head and listens intently. If anyone else calls, he just ignores them!

I live in Midrand (suburban not plot). The most interesting bird in my garden has to be the Levaillant's Cuckoo about 4 years ago. Could be the Fairy Flycatcher that spent about 3 weeks feeding in the Acacias though. Last week I did hear Green Pigeons but couldn't find them (I know, doesn't count). Did bring my garden list up to 76 as I do include birds heard from the garden.