peterwebb's Identifications

Red-billed Oxpecker

Medium sized bird (c. 20cm long), usually in small groups often first recognized by their chattering but fairly quiet wheezy song in flight or the hissing and tik-tikking that passes between them when they are settled on an animal searching for ticks and other delicacies. Generally they are good scavengers to have around the livestock but they can be a problem if an animal has a wound because the birds will keep pecking off the scab causing the wound to bleed again.
Here they are dining off the parasites on a group of indigenous sheep and goats

Lybius torquatus subsp. lucidiventris (Black-collared Barbet)

Not sure of subsp. but I have gone with lucidiventris because of the pale underparts without black flecking and very pale yellow wash, but habitat and distribution are not correct?

Cape Whiteeye

The most common visitors to the nectar feeder: more so than the Lesser Doublecollar Sunbirds. Bounced off by the Bulbuls, but more persistent.

They are a bit spoiled for food in the garden at present: the Aloes are in full bloom (mainly arborescens, but a few other species as well - but the sunbirds are quite protective of these), the Coral Tree (but only a few flowers: need to walk around it a few times with a chainsaw muttering dark thoughts), Protea lanceolata, obtusifolia and susannae, Chasmanthe, two Ericas, Cape Honeysuckle, Strelitzia nicholae: but the sugar feeder is definitely a favourite.