Weaver bird building his home

We chose this plot because of the wall of giant/Spanish reed in the distant bottom corner. There are weavers living here, and the Ungardener dreamt of sharing our garden with them one fine day.

The reeds are an invasive alien in South Africa. They are growing in that corner because we are in lower Porterville. This was once a vlei (seasonal pond) and the one before last farmed RICE here. No wonder we have been floating in a houseboat for two of our three winters.

These are masked weavers (see portrait on 29th August). We also have Cape weavers (see 13th September). And we do have visiting red Bishops (see 10th October), but the weavers will not allow them to stay – NIMBY in the bird world too.

It is quite fascinating to watch how quickly that nest is woven. By one bird. Tying knots and weaving with his beak. No hands. No fingers. No opposable thumb. For us, the pinnacle of creation, quite impossible. (Although I do acknowledge foot and mouth painters, from charity Christmas cards).

Just off to get some more supplies dear

When he has finished, he waits eagerly, bobbing up and down in breathless anticipation, to see if his lady love (one of his lady loves, he has a harem) will approve. If she does, structurally sound was his problem. She gets to enjoy décor and furnishing the nursery! Bit of fluff from the sheep next door?!

Masked weaver Ploceus velatus. Sparrow family. 15 cm. His lovely lady wears grey and green, to offset his peacock display. He builds two types of nests, one for roosting and the other for the eggs. Eggs are white to pale pink, others blue white to greenish blue, plain at times, or blotched in varying amounts of grey and brown.

from Birds of the South Western Cape, by Joy Frandsen. 1982

And perhaps, one fine day, the Ungardener will achieve weavers nesting on Ungardening Pond. Since they do prefer to nest near water.