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14
January
The
builders are back after the national Christmas break and the
holidaymakers who crowd 'our'
beaches and restaurants and streets are evaporating. The builders
are erecting a 'pergola'
in the street to balance our front facade, so we are momentarily
spared their customary invasion of the house.
But
we listen and watch for the dreaded call of the building inspector,
for our 'pergola'
may be legal, but not the way we are designing it as a future garage
on that part of our property recently appropriated for a
road-widening project in the year 2150 or so.
It
is two months since we moved in, and we are still unpacking; putting
up pictures; painting and rediscovering packing cases that had been
desperately stuck in the roof and elsewhere.
On
my walk yesterday I encountered a colony of rock-rabbits, including a
baby which poised, petrified on a rock only five paces from me. I
was watching a dozen other dassies scampering across the sea-rocks,
and didnt notice it till
it squeaked. It sat on the edge of the cliff, between me and the
deep blue sea, apparently trapped. As I tried to move away, it
dropped over the edge. I stepped forward to see where it would fall.
. . but it was scampering almost perpendicularly down the cliff, yet
found the time and courage to pause on the precipice, turn round, and
squeak at me again.
The 'happening'
on my walk this morning, was nearly being mobbed by robins. Well,
almost. But I have never seen so many. One juvenile sat on a branch
almost within arms length of me in the fynbos, and hopped only to
the next branch when I peered into the bush. Others darted all
around. Why is it one sees so many birds, or species of bird, one
morning, and none the next?
I
am starting a new Cape Bird List, from scratch, regardless of all
those I have seen before. So far I am including only marvellous
sightings - not once with binoculars, for I have ignored anything
further than about 15 paces away. The sea birds are new;
different, and difficult.to identify, so I am leaving them till
winter, when I hope to have a telescope to make new, rather than
improved sightings.
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