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.