Surprising Finds in Our Backyard!

Last week's Feelgood Friday update bursts out of the gate with a question: Do you recognise this little creature? At first glance, does it look like a familiar friend commonly found in vegetable patches and flower beds?

You might be surprised to learn that this is actually a special new 'find' for the Conservation team during a rapid biodiversity survey...

This is Delalande's blind beaked snake (Rhinotyphlops lalandei). These small thread-like snakes appear to be very rare in the region, but are most likely just difficult to find as they spend most of their lives underground hunting ants and their eggs.

This record represents the second observation in our region!

And it's not an earthworm after all.

The Marsh terrapin is a freshwater chelonian. This group is made up of tortoises on land, terrapins in freshwater and turtles in the ocean.

The forest-loving, fruit-eating Sombre Greenbul is said by birders to call from the forest canopy: "Willie! quickly come around the bush and play..."

To listen to its call, click this link and then tap the 'Listen' button.

https://ebird.org/species/somgre1

A recent publication by Benjamin Williams and colleagues from UCT has described three new species to science, including Ficinia calceola, which was first collected at Grootbos. This new species grows only on Limestone and can be found from Grootbos to Albertinia!

It is a sedge which is a grass-like plant.

Resting on the ground after the rain, this pearl-breasted swallow (Hirundo dimidiata) gleams in the sunlight.

This is a small swallow characterised by glossy steel-blue upperparts and pale, whitish-grey underparts.