12/03/2025 Some photos from the first part of our holiday, so much more to come...

 We have been in South Africa now for just over a month.   We still have four weeks before we return home to France.  Here are just a few of my photos from the early part of our holiday.

Impala, (Aepyceros melampus). A male with horns.

Chacma Baboon (Papio ursinus).

Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens).

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) the tallest land animal in the world. Impala in the background.

Impala (Aepyceros melampus). Females no horns.

Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) female, only the male has horns...

As above.

Warthog (Phacochoerus aethiopicus). Impala in the background.

Marabou Stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer).

Garden Locust (Acanthacris ruficornis).

Southern African tree squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi).

I think this is a Common African praying mantis (Sphodromantis lineola) .

Scrub Hare (Lepus saxatilis).

African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) shaking a large tree to knock down the marula fruit which they love eating.

Blacksmith Lapwing (Vanellus armatus).

Southern white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum).

Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris).

Southern Red-billed Hornbill (Tockus rufirostris).

African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana).

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis).

Lots more to follow when I have the time!!

11/01/2026 Happy 2026 though a bit late now!

 The maximum temperature in the Charente today is 7⁰C, minimum -2⁰C. 24 - 42m/h South/West winds.  80% chance of rain.  So much better than the icy weather we have been having, and it actually warms up over the coming week.

We have hardly set foot out anywhere, as Nigel caught a bug at New Year, so Birds taken through the window have been my main source of photography this month so far.

29 December 2025, just a lucky shot!

Eurasian nuthatch, wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) Sittelle torchepot...

As above.

Eurasian blackbird male  (Turdus merula) Merle noir.  Sparrows in the foreground.  There are so many of the latter around this year.

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) Mésange bleue...

As above,

Common Chaffinch, female (Fringilla coelebs) Pinson des arbres...

As above, but a male.

House Sparrow female (Passer domesticus) Moineau domestique....

As above 

As above but a male

As above, in take-off mode.

Also, a male House Sparrow on the soapstone African art elephant.

I have been watching this bird for a while, but the photos have not been good. Today, they were a little better! I am pretty sure it is a Great Tit (Parus major) Mésange charbonnière, but it appears to have a touch of Leucism. A genetic mutation that results in a total or partial reduction of colour in a bird's plumage. I find it quite interesting.  Note the extra white on the head...

As above....

As above,

The return of the Eurasian nuthatch, wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) Sittelle torchepot...

As above.

and a male House Sparrow again in the snow.

The return of the Blue Tit see above...

Great Tit (Parus major) Mésange charbonnière, wondering what this white stuff is!

A European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris) Verdier d'Europe in a stand off with a 

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) Rouge-gorge...

Robin, see above.

House sparrows are taking a drink.  I break the ice several times a day!

07/01/2026 Very cold again and snowing on and off, but not settling very much.

I spent some time sitting at the window this morning, and I got some great photos of the birds, but my favourite was this part of a series from Mrs Blackbird. Basically, breaking the ice, although I had already done it a while before....

and finally Mrs House Sparrow in the snow on the African soapstone head.

Wishing you all well and all the very best.  If all goes as planned, we will be in South Africa in February and I will post when I can.