Cape Robin 1
Haiku 234
Lights and Camera
Robbie leapt into action
Complete the Mission!
.
Cape Robin 2
CUT! CUT! CUT!
“We need to see your face so the audience knows you’re performing your own stunts!” the Director shouted. Try Again!
Cape Robin 3
Robbie hung his head despondently. His audition for Mission Impossible 7 wasn’t going too well!
Cape Robin 1
When the Red, Red Robin
Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’
Along!
Cape Robin 2
I rarely see a Cape Robin in my garden, so when he does pop by I am honoured.
Cape Robin 3
This little chap flew down onto the lawn near the stoep, hopped onto a solar lamp and looked at me.
Cape Robin 4
There are four solar lamps in a row on my lawn. He started on the one farthest away, then he hopped onto the next lamp closer, and stared again, then onto the third lamp.
Cape Robin 5
Finally, he came as close as he dared, on the last solar lamp, had a good long hard look at me, sitting in the garden chair with my cuppa and camera.
Cape Robin 6
Curiosity assuaged, he flew off.
How lovely to see him though.
Cape Robin 7
The catchy song “When the Red, Red Robin” was written in 1926 by Harry Woods. Here’s Doris Day singing, When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin’ Along.
Cape Robin 1
You may remember my trouble a while back, trying to capture a photo of a little Cape Robin, to compare with my pushy Olive Thrush.
It seems that all I had to do was wander round the front garden, where a pair of Cape Robins has taken up residence, and they would come to me!
Cape Robin 2
I stood absolutely still by the flower bed and the Cape Robin landed and hopped right up to me.
Cape Robin 3
As I turned to go, he followed me, laying claim to his lawn.
Cape Robin 4
Finally sitting on top of one of the solar lamps, to be absolutely sure I was leaving.
Cape Robin 5
They don’t like me trespassing on their territory!
Cape Robin 1
The distinguished Cape Robin stops by for a photo session.
There was some discussion on my blog a little while ago, about the Olive Thrush looking like a Robin. (see Pantaloons!)
I was wondering how I was ever going to demonstrate the difference between them, as the pushy Thrush has chased the Cape Robin away and it has been a very long time; years in fact; since I last saw a robin in my garden.
Cape Robin 2
The little Cape Robin must have heard my silent wishes, because Lo and Behold, he miraculously appeared on my fence and posed long enough for me to take a few shots from inside the house (through the window, hence the poor quality). How lucky is that?
Cape Robin 3
And for comparison, here is the pushy Olive Thrush.
Olive Thrush 5
Olive Thrush 1
Olive Thrush 2
You can find more photos of an Olive Thrush in the following posts:
The Culprit; Sky Lark or Nightingale?; Pantaloons and Why I Am Not a World-Renowned Wildlife Photographer.
Now you can clearly see the difference. The Robin is much smarter!
After all, though a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, clearly
a Robin by any other name . . . would look totally different!
grey squirrel – little friend
So there I am, peddling away on the exercise bike, in an attempt simply to maintain my weight – Double Apple Gene – remember?
No amount of happy, upbeat music can detract from the sheer boredom of the exercise – (pun intended!)
But Lo! What light through yonder window breaks? It is a little Cape Robin! It flits around the dogs’ water bowls on the stoep, then perches up on the grape vine, where it fluffs out its feathers, for a moment providing me with a welcome respite.
The robin has no sooner flown away, than a little grey squirrel appears, fidgeting around the lawn, looking for buried treasures, twitching its tail like it is dancing to its own music.
And before you know it, exercise time is up! Cappuccino – here I come!
I’d like to thank my little friends for helping me through my ordeal.
