In Switzerland, on Lake Sempach, is a famous ornithological station. We visited a few times, learned a lot about birds and became birdwatchers. (What an experience when, in winter, great woodpeckers knocked on the tree trunks; or the tits pecked breadcrumbs from our hands.)

Since we stay in southern Africa for a part of the year, we have met birds that do not exist in Switzerland. For example, the weaver birds that weave elaborate nests with their beaks. (If the female doesn’t like them, she destroys them and the weaver bird male starts all over again – imagine the same thing happening to us men!) As in Switzerland, there are also sparrows here ¬ they are up, with the exception of Antarctica, found on all continents. Even if they don’t sing as beautifully as blackbirds, we always enjoy their happy chirping.

When we were removing the nests from a tree  in our garden in Swakopmund  the other day, thinking the breeding season was over, two young sparrows fell to the ground. Brigitta picked them up carefully and feeds the youngsters with a pipette ever since.

PS. «Glöggli», our house cat, also enjoys the two young sparrows – but Brigitta makes sure that the friendship doesn’t get too close…