Chewy is an African Harrier-Hawk that lives at the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre. Like Magdali, one of the centre’s duo of passionate managers, Chewy exchanged big city living for the romance of the countryside when she was sent to Dullstroom as a gift from the Lory Park Sanctuary in Johannesburg. Chewy’s quite a talkative lady, and treated us to a very interesting display of her flying and foraging abilities.
As a registered NGO receiving no government support, the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre relies heavily on donors, sponsors and the visiting public to fund their very important work. Their tiny staff compliment is responsible for the rehabilitation of between 80 and 200 birds of prey every year, all of them injured by or negatively impacted in another way by humans, and then releasing them back into the wild when they’ve recovered sufficiently. If you can’t visit them in person, please visit their website and, if you are able to, assist them in their efforts by making a donation (monetary or in kind).
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Great photographic collaboration between father and son – long may it last!!!
Thanks very much, AJ.
Such interesting photos, and the rehab centre sounds to be a wonderful place.
It absolutely is, Carol. It’s been fantastic to have such positive vibes after 6 months of lockdown…
I’m happy you’re sharing more from this wonderful place and Chewy’s quite a beauty, although I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of her beak! 🙂
janet
I’m with you there, Janet! Seeing how quickly Chewy put away that chicken leg I would hate for my finger to go through that mincer of a beak!
In the photos it does appear that she is talkative, as you mentioned. I like the barred feathers on parts of her plumage.
I’m glad the photos showed just how much she likes to talk, Siobhan. It’s wonderful to hear her chattering as she goes! 😀
Een van my gunsteling plekke om te besoek. Ek het seker al ses vertonings bygewoon. Magdalie is ‘n besondere mens en haar liefde vir die voëls is ongelooflik!Al die roofvoëls daar bied ‘n wonderlike geleentheid om te sien hoe hulle in lewende lywe lyk. Dankie Dries, dit was nou baie besonders!
Ek stem heeltemal saam met jou, Dina. Dit is n fantastiese plek waar goeie werk gedoen word en beslis die moeite werd om weer en weer te besoek en op ander maniere te ondersteun, en ek hoop hierdie reeks posts wat ons bymekaar gesit het help so bietjie daarmee. En Magdali, met haar aansteeklik optimistiese persoonlikheid, is n fees om na te luister – mens hang aan haar lippe!
Sy hou so baie vertonings en steeds is elke een uniek en vol grappies.
Dis hoe iemand lyk wat hart en siel in hul werk glo!
Wonderlike inskrywing! Hester het so twee jaar gelede van een in hulle tuin vertel: https://www.hesterleynel.co.za/2018/03/17/vanoggend-in-die-tuin-african-harrier-hawk/
Danksy haar en ‘Bytjie het ek geleer dis ‘n kaalwangvalk, so ‘n kostelike naam.
En as jy sien hoe hulle bloos met daardie kaal wange van hulle, Tannie Frannie, dan sal jy nog meer van hulle hou!
Wow, what a beautiful creature! That wing span is amazing….
Chewy really captures both your heart and imagination, Lori.
I still tend to think of them as Gymnogenes, probably because the name is short and rolls off the tongue easily, although in ‘formal’ mode I don’t refer to them as that anymore. A pair of them live in town – nesting on the university campus and roaming across town for food. We have had them perching in the large trees in our garden a few times over the years. They are always a magnificent sight.
I also much prefer “gymnogene”, Anne. As you say, it just fits so much better. They’ve become a regular sight here in Pretoria as well; in fact we had one passing low over our home just a few minutes ago. This is of course most welcome, but sadly also brings them into greater risk.
Pragtig man, ek is bly jul het dit so geniet en dan sulke goeie geselskap ook gehad.
Baie dankie, Ineke. Dit was n beslis n dag vol blydskap.
What an impressive hawk!!
Most definitely, Anne, and wonderful to be able to spend some time with her.
Such a beauty. That wing span is quite breathtaking.
Oh I wish you could experience Chewy in real life, Lois. She’s such a chatterbox – you’ll see in most pictures her mouth is wide open, and that’s not because she’s trying to catch her breath. Such a sweet bird and a great ambassador for her kind.
Incredible shots. 😊
Thank you, Irene
I can see that Joubert is enjoying every minute of it! Good for him! 🙂
The fact that he fell asleep on the backseat of the car the minute the wheels started rolling for home on Sunday was all the evidence I needed that he had a whale of a time, H.J.