"Jack & the Beanstalk" ?

[SAbottles]

A female Sunbird taking a break from eating :

 

[SAbottles]

A very long tailed Sugar Bird choosing its next meal:

 

[SAbottles]

and then getting stuck in :

 

[SAbottles]

Joe, it's a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8, with a pretty nice lens and an excellent zoom, up to 72x !![8D]

 

[logueb]

Nice photos Dale. One question. Will this plant die like the ones here in the States? I've seen a couple send up the stalk , flower, and then the whole thing dies. They also are reported to have a very foul odor like rotting meat.

 

[JOETHECROW]

Thanks Dale,...excellent pics! (This birdwatcher, and sometimes farmer appreciates the pics)[] and it IS general chat! Geez! We have 25 other categories for glass postings.... I should think that sufficiant.[]

 

[SAbottles]

Hi Bruce, yes - once the flowering is complete the stalk pretty much withers, but the tangle of leaves remains alive. The birds have been ripping at the pods and many have fallen down, so I have had a chance to smell them and no, there doesn't seem to be any rotting meat odour, just quite pleasant plant smell.

Joe, thanks. I am almost sorry that thread disappeared as I just couldn't believe the arrogance of the woman - as a new comer, asking for information and then trashing everyone ! Unbelievable ! And why the heck shouldn't we be bird watchers as well ? Oh well, I guess it takes all sorts! [:'(]

 

[SAbottles]

Finally managed to get a shot of an orange-breasted sunbird showing some of its colouring :

 

[SAbottles]

Pity we can't train some of the little feathered freaks (or their night time counterparts) to act as watchdogs (or watchbirds!!) Had an attempted break-in last night. Wife heard noises, got up & investigated, no sign. This morning we found a pane of glass in our stoep door had been broken and the door unlocked. As our alarm did not go off, we can only assume they were scared off by the lights going on. The area across from us (visible in many of the photos) has had 17 break-ins in about 2 months !! []

 

[SAbottles]

OK, for those of you that aren't bored to death by the saga of that humungus plant, here is the latest update: the flower pods are in full bloom and this weight, together with the howling SE wind has it over at an alarming angle :-