A Familiar Face and Other Friends Visiting My Garden: Humanity Through Their Eyes

The helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) is a usual visitor in my garden. Yet, sometimes for weeks, they do not visit. I always wonder where they go. What do they do? Do they make new friends? But sometimes they just visit without notice and I savor these special moments. I talk to them, they trust me and I can get closer and closer to them. This gives me the opportunity to take some extreme close-ups. It also leads me to question my own humanity or see myself in their eyes.

When you look long enough, their mannerisms become almost human-like. Or should we rather turn this comparison around and say that our mannerisms are animal-like? Are we not just featherless bipeds as the ancient Greek philosophers jokingly said? Funny thoughts.

But by seeing them like this, we can begin to see anew the care we need to have when we deal with animals and other life forms. We cannot act like we are superior.

Alas, all this philosophical talk can get you negative. Let us rather for the moment appreciate the beauty of life, the small female Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus) sitting in the tree chirping. I walk carefully not to scare her. For they do not like my movement in the garden.

She cleans herself and I cannot help but ponder our own scrubbing and cleaning rituals. How funny that all friends and animals have their own unique way of cleaning.

We sometimes put some seeds on the walls to lure in friends. I don't do it too often so that they do not become dependant on me feeding them. But it always makes for nice photographs when they visit. The ring-necked dove (Streptopelia capicola) is always first on the scene!

The olive thrush (Turdus olivaceus) is such a scared little bird. They never allow me to take photographs of them. But sometimes I outsmart them. Sometimes I manage to take that odd photograph of them.

They make the most beautiful sound when they sing and call to their friends. I just stand in the garden and listen to them call.

Each summer the southern double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus) make their arrival. Their song lures me into the garden like a mermaid would have lured a fisherman into the water. I love their arrival and cute sounds. I caught this one sitting and singing on the street light. I was far away, but I managed to get him singing his song to potential females.

And lastly, enjoy some more photographs of the helmeted guineafowl. I just love this friend's feathers.

I hope you enjoyed the photographs. All of them were taken with my Nikon D300 and 300mm zoom lens. The musings are also my own. Happy birding, and stay safe!