Oh dear!! I thought everyone would recognize this as a fern frond...... but this week has been fun. Thank you everyone for taking part.Giant tree ferns flourished when dinosaurs still roamed the planet while others are more modern, undergoing active adaptation to specific environments. They mostly have a distinctly primeval appearance with a tall rhizome/trunk holding a palm-like group of fronds, the fern's leaves. Much of what we know about their origins is based on an extensive fossil record, with the earliest fossils dating back some 385 million years.
There are about 600 different species of tree fern around the world. Most of the ones here grow to a height of at least 12 feet (4 meters).
Tree ferns often have toxic as well as therapeutic properties, some of which have been explored for antiviral and medicinal uses. Oil extracted from ferns was a popular cure for internal parasites in Ancient Greece; in Fiji, infusions made from frond material of Cyathea lunulata were used to treat headaches or to shorten labour, and in Micronesia, fronds of Cyathea nigricans were used as a contraceptive.
Tree ferns have also long been associated with mystical animals. The tree fern Cibotium barometz, from China and Malaysia, is a short fern with a distinctive furry trunk. The rhizome, which is turned upside down, was mistaken early on as the "vegetable lamb", a strange beast that was thought to be half animal and half plant. Stories of a vegetable lamb, or organism sharing both plant and animal characteristics, date back to the time of Christ.
In the early morning light, these weeds made a pretty picture.
The ROck Pigeon is one of the biggest of out doves/pigeons. They sometimes are found in flocks of hundreds of birds together in city parks and was intoduced to SA from the Netherlands.
In flight the red can clearly be seen in Redwinged Starlings. A very vocal birds, larger than the Glossy Starling. Included in their diet are fruit, insects millipedes and lizards.
Gloosy Starlings are found all over SA and come very easily to feeders. They usually sit in the higest branch of a tree and sings it little heart out. Their eggs are light greenish blue speckled with rusty red.
Crimsonbreasted Shriks are common only in certain areas of SA and has a very distinctive call. They only eat insects and will also search the bark of trees for them.
The tiny Dabckick babies are so small they could almost fit into your pocket and can be found in any pool of permanent water. Mostly they are seen as a family group and when startled, flap their wings and seem to run on water.
