Feeding time

A black-collared barbet, with a beak full of insects, in the avocado tree outside my cottage. These wonderfully tenacious and pugnacious birds gave me hours of entertainment.

The breeding pair had to first excavate a nesting chamber in a tree stump just outside my door - a surprisingly noisy activity. Once the eggs had hatched they were then joined by a pair of "nest helpers", which apart from bringing a steady supply of food to the chicks, also acted as incredibly aggressive guards chasing all and any other birds away from the area, including on at least one occasion a very surprised looking African goshawk!