Which is it? A Cape or Orange River white–eye.

My recent visit to Upington gave me these captures, but according to the books I have, I can not make out if this is a Cape or Orange River White-eye… so any experts that wish to help please jump right on in and add your opinions…

As for yesterdays post… no one seems to have the answer to instant riches, so I’ll continue on my happy pathway I’m presently on. I refuse to kiss the backend of a Bank Manager ever again, (15 years ago was the last time) so if the money is not available out of my pocket, a dream remains a dream… but then are dreams not that which keep us alive…????

I learnt of a childhood friend whose husband had passed, in his 60’s where I am… and one ponders if you knew when, would you do things differently? Not sure I would, except borrow all I could from the Bank manager… that would give him a headache trying to recover it after I’m gone… and that would give me my last laugh in this world….

Anyway I captured these photos on my last visit to Upington and I’m not sure of its ID… enjoy and feel free to comment if you can help with the ID…

Again a little guy only 11 cm tip to tip…

and this one, not that well focused but might help the experts…

Taken early morning in the Kalahari, isn’t the blue of the sky not divine? No smog, just beautiful clean air…

Orange River White-eye.. another visitor to my invention..

Orange River White-eye (Zosterops pallidus)

This species is about 12 cm long with rounded wings, strong legs, and a conspicuous ring of white feathers round the eyes. There are a few sub-specie to the White-eye and how you tell them apart is not easy.. the colour of the body or chest is usually the give away sign…

They are very vocal, and constantly keep in touch with soft trilled pee, pree or pirreee.

This is a sociable species forming large flocks outside the breeding season. It builds a cup nest in a tree and lays 2-3 unspotted pale blue eggs. The eggs hatch in 11–12 days, and fledging occurs in another 12–13 days. The peak breeding season is September to December.

The Orange River White-eye feeds mainly on insects, but also soft fleshy flowers, nectar, fruit and small grains.

It apparently readily comes to bird feeders….

Just realised it is almost the same size as a small orange…

Whooowa what was that that flew by…???

Cape White-eye or Orange River White-eye..

Cape White-eye, Zosterops pallidus or Orange River White-eye (Z. pallidus)

Now this little bird is one of the reasons I struggle and sometimes avoid, trying to identify the smaller bird species. I placed a picture on FB to ask for help and one expert tells me the Photos are of the Orange River sub specie.. but believe it or not there are two other sub specie, the SW and the E green.

They all interbreed as well I’m told, so how does one ID these little birds other than to call them LBJ (Little Brown Jobs)? I don’t know, I sometimes avoid posting some captures as I might just name it incorrectly, and someone will be on my back..

These little birds when not breeding congregate in big flocks and flit around together.. they nest in little cup like structures, laying two to three pale blue eggs that only take 11 to 12 days to hatch and then within the next 13 to 14 days they fly away. Now that is some growing speed.

White-eyes feeds mainly on insects, but also soft fleshy flowers, nectar, fruit and small grains, and it readily comes to bird feeders. Here’s a few photos..