
The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 198. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.







The idea of The Numbers Game is to enter a number into the search bar of your computer and then post a selection of the photos that turn up. This week’s number is 198. Captions are on the photos. You can see more responses here.







This month’s Sunday Stills color challenge is ‘Auburn or Brown.’ See more responses here. Captions on the photos.






At my local swimming spot, there’s a row of big rocks to prevent anyone driving off the edge of the parking area into the ocean. Before anyone says ‘No one would be that dumb,’ there’s a raft of examples I can offer that prove the contrary.
One of the rocks has a good-sized depression on the top and this has become a watering spot for the local bird population. People clean it out and top it up with fresh water on a daily basis. Most of the birds seem to get along and don’t appear to mind the many wasps that avail themselves of the opportunity for a drink. There are feral cats in the area though, so the birds are always looking around, never able to relax completely.
Posted for Becky’s Squares: Seven. See more responses here.

I saw this House Sparrow one morning, standing over this fruit of a False Kamani tree (Terminalia catappa) at Spencer Beach Park. It didn’t seem interested in the fruit, not making any attempt to peck at it.
After a while, it raised its head, opened its beak and … silence. It did this several times and never made a sound. I assume it’s a juvenile trying to get its parents attention without otherwise drawing attention to itself. I never did see the parents, or if they came to the youngsters assistance.



Hello good looking!

Thanks for ruining that!

The praying mantis had been on the rail for some time when the sparrows arrived. I feared for its chances, but it remained very still and the sparrows never seemed to notice it, even though they hung around for a while.



These House Sparrows enthusiastically embraced a dust bath. They’d just hopped over from a wash in a puddle, which they shared with a couple of African Silverbills. Even there, they got engaged in a tussle, all in good fun I expect.

I was surprised to see this House Sparrow feeding on this bottlebrush flower. I usually see them snapping up fallen food at outdoor restaurants or squabbling over bird seed thrown out by sympathizers.