because my back is kind of crappy, i’ve been taking more walks lately, which usually help. if the back doesn’t hurt too much and i feel like i can carry a bit of weight, i’ll usually carry the camera-with-the-nice-zoom to see what we can find. this week, waxbills!

they are so tiny and cute, which is probably the reason they’ve been introduced in many different places despite being a sub-saharan species. the name comes from the strip of red around their eyes and beak, which is the color of sealing wax (the stuff one used to put on letters, to close them).

they’re everywhere here in the south, usually puttering around in groups on the grass, but sometimes also high up on the reeds.