10
Notices
Vandalism in our village
We have had a report from a resident that while they were away for a weekend , upon their return they noticed that someone had gained unauthorised access to their property . Although nothing was taken , the individual ( s ) tampered with items on the outside of the house .
Considering that we live in a gated community one would have expected a greater degree of respect for other people ’ s property . Please can we all keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it to the guard house immediately .
A new visitor to Lakeside
The African grey hornbill has become a regular visitor to a few gardens in the village ; keep an eye and ear out for these special birds . The African grey hornbill ( Lophoceros nasutus ) is a widespread and common resident breeder in much of Sub-Saharan Africa .
This bird prefers open woodland and savannah . The female lays two to four white eggs in a tree hollow , which is blocked off during incubation with a cement made of mud , droppings and fruit pulp . There is only one narrow aperture , just big enough for the male to transfer food to the mother and the chicks . When the chicks and female outgrow the nest , the mother breaks out and rebuilds the wall , after which both parents feed the chicks .
At 45cm in length , this is a large bird , although it is one of the smaller hornbills . It has mainly grey plumage , but the head , flight feathers and long tail are a darker shade . There is a white line down each side of the head and one on the back which is visible only in flight . The long curved bill is black and has a small casque and a creamy horizontal stripe .
The male has a black bill , whereas the female has red on the mandibles . Immature birds are more uniformly grey . The flight is undulating . The African grey hornbill is omnivorous , taking insects , fruit and reptiles . It feeds mainly in trees . This conspicuous bird advertises its presence with a piping pee-o pee-o pee-o call .