My friend Mpho Phiri, from Mahikeng, South Africa, has just posted his first blog in almost six weeks. The past winter has been especially hard in and around Mahikeng, including the Modimola Dam where Mpho does a great deal of his birding.
Here's what he wrote back in October: "The recent dry weather conditions and lack of rain in and around Mahikeng had a devastating impact on the Modimola Dam...We hope sooner or later the rains will come as the dam is gradually shrinking". Now in early December, Mpho has resumed his birding and blogging. There is a hopeful tone in his latest blog as his prose borders on 'prose idyll' or 'prose poetry' with its wording and imagery: "We had two days of silent showers as a welcome relief to the drought-stricken areas around Mahikeng. With the first rays of sunshine, this afternoon, I went out birding. One could hear the sounds of birds again amidst the fresh rain-soaked ground around the trees. I was first greeted by the Red-backed Shrike (see photo above), the common summer visitor, perching conspicuously on a branch. Hooray!!! Summer is here." So winter is settling in, here in King City, Ontario, Canada, but is saying goodbye in South Africa. Good birding, Mpho.
Please comment if you wish.
BtheB
No comments:
Post a Comment