This is the 106th article in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article is on the fledglings.
A fledgling is a bird that has hatched out but that is not yet independent, like a toddler. At present, there are many around, as perhaps all the viable nest eggs from the recent season in Pigeon Valley have now hatched. The pressure on parents continues: they have still to feed many of their demanding youngsters, while assisting them to become more independent.
So often I see a quivering, piping bird while an adult tries to give it food, giving an impression of anxious exhaustion familiar to many human parents. This weekend I watched with interest as an adult Southern Grey-headed Sparrow shepherded three fledglings outside the fence of the reserve. We are so familiar with House Sparrows (alien birds, introduced by Cecil John Rhodes) in every settled area in South Africa, that we may forget we have other sparrows in this area. The Grey-headed Sparrows live on the edges of the reserve and are doing well.
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The role of the adult was clearly both providing food and demonstrating how to find it. Only two fledglings are in the photo; the third, just out of the photo had gained some independence and was already pecking at seeds.
Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.
The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.
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