Taking over our house!!!…Who could that be?…

Before Di and Peter left after their four-week visit, they bought us this beautiful, locally made bushbaby house as a special gift. We were delighted by their thoughtful gesture and immediately found it a home, hoping our adorable little bushbabies might eventually discover it and make it their own.

Bushbabies are fascinating little nocturnal creatures, and we love watching them when they visit us in the evenings. They have enormous eyes, soft fur, long tails, and remarkable jumping abilities. Although they are often shy and elusive, we have been fortunate to have them visit our veranda, where we occasionally offer them bananas and other bits of fresh fruit. Seeing their tiny faces peek out from a cozy house would be a wonderful addition to our wildlife photo collection.

However, getting bushbabies to occupy a specially made house isn’t always easy or quick. They are wild animals, after all, and they don’t necessarily appreciate our efforts to provide them with accommodations. It can take weeks, months, or even longer for them to investigate a new house and decide whether it meets their needs. Sometimes, they never move in. We knew we would have to be patient, but we were hopeful that one day we might see three adorable little heads poking out of the round openings, providing us with the kind of photo opportunity we had imagined.

Alas, nature sometimes has other plans!

A few days ago, we noticed a mating pair of starlings had discovered the bushbaby house and decided it was the perfect place to build their own nest. After all, it is spring in South Africa, and birds are busy finding suitable nesting sites, gathering nesting materials, and preparing for the arrival of their young.

Starlings are resourceful birds, and a ready-made shelter with an entrance opening is an appealing find. Rather than spending considerable time searching for a suitable cavity in a tree or another protected location, these two birds found the bushbaby house a convenient place to nest. Once they began investigating it, they could carry nesting materials inside, arrange them to their liking, and prepare a comfortable space for their eggs.

A bushbaby house may seem like an unusual choice for birds, but starlings are opportunistic when it comes to finding nesting locations. Depending on the house’s size and design, they may find the openings suitable for entering and leaving with nesting materials. If they settle in and start defending the site, they may take over the house before the bushbabies ever get a chance to consider it.

Of course, we can’t blame them. They don’t understand that the house was intended for someone else! From their perspective, they have discovered a lovely little home in a convenient location, and they are making the most of it. Spring is an important time for nesting birds, and finding a safe, sheltered place to raise their young is a priority.

We certainly won’t interfere with an active nest simply because we had different plans for the house. We love watching wildlife, and part of the joy of living in Marloth Park is accepting that the animals will do what comes naturally, regardless of what we might prefer.

We may have to put our hopes for those three little bushbaby faces on hold. If the starlings successfully raise a family in their new home, we will have another opportunity to observe nature at work right outside our door. The parents may even bring entertaining moments as they come and go, carrying food to their hungry chicks.

Perhaps, when the nesting season is over and the starlings have moved on, the bushbabies will finally discover the house and decide it suits their needs. We can always hope!

In the meantime, we will enjoy whatever wildlife experiences come our way. One of the most rewarding aspects of living here is never knowing what we might see next. We may have purchased no accommodations for the starlings, but they have certainly made themselves at home in the lovely gift from our friends.

Nature doesn’t always follow our plans, and that is part of what makes living in Marloth Park so special. We will keep our cameras ready, just in case those adorable bushbaby faces eventually make an appearance! In the meantime, we’re looking forward to hearing and seeing the little starling chicks begin their life cycle.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, October 15, 2016: