This week it was a quick visit to Swellendam for the monthly bat survey. As we didn't have much bird work to do (other than 4 vantage points), we tried to squeeze in some bird ringing. You can tell I am getting desperate to ring so finding any opportunity before the winter weather sets in. We put up a net at one of the detector sites early in the morning but due to quite a stiff breeze, no birds were caught at all, although about 20 of them flew right up to the net, stopped dead in their tracks and fluttered in front of the billowing pockets and the abruptly found an alternative path to their chosen destination. We were not impressed!
Later in the morning, after inspecting an old abandoned farmhouse for evidence of bats, we found quite a nice area close to a stream and decided to try again. We quickly put up one net and while we were trying to find a soft spot to bang a tent peg in, a little Karoo Prinia flew in to get his ring.
I had set up my work station on the tail-gate of the bakkie and quickly got the little one ringed.
As the wind was still blowing somewhat, we had to wait quite a while till the next (and last) little one flew into the net, a very pretty Bar-Throated Apalis.
By now it was lunch time and the hunger pangs forced us to pack up the net after an hour and head into town for a bite to eat. On the way we encountered this rather odd situation in the middle of the road. Not quite sure what to make of it all... a bit of piggy porn for you.
That evening, after our nightly bat survey, we popped into The Vagabond Restaurant to enjoy the music made by our guest house owner Dave (from Impangele Guest House in Swellendam) whose band, Re-Wired, was performing. A pleasant mix of old and new tunes kept us thoroughly entertained and rounded off our short visit to Swellies for this month.
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