Ploceus ocularis
Looking very much like a masked bandit, the Spectacled Weaver is a species preferring moist, dense habitats ranging from riverine forests to forest edges and occasionally well-wooded parks and gardens. They are omnivores, feeding on insects, seeds, fruit and nectar.
Although they are not very social with birds of their own species, only ever being seen either in pairs or small family groups, Spectacled Weavers often join foraging groups of other birds. Contrary to most other weavers, Spectacled Weavers form monogamous pairs, possibly for life. The male weaves the characteristic nest with a long downward-facing entrance tunnel, most often hanging from the tip of a branch over water. They breed during spring and summer, raising clutches of up to 4 chicks that hatch after a two week incubation. The chicks leave the nest at about two weeks old and become independent around a month after hatching. Adults are about 15cm long and weigh around 30g.
According to the IUCN, Spectacled Weavers are considered to be of least concern. They have a very patchy distribution over east, central and southern Africa. In South Africa they occur in a band along our eastern borders and adjacent regions from the coastal Eastern Cape to the Limpopo Valley.
DeWetsWild 
Thanks for the interesting info – those eye stripes certainly do imbue them with an almost fierce expression!
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They remind me of Zorro!
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True!
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Somehow this post reminded me of a song >grin<:
Yellow bird, up high in banana tree
Yellow bird, you sit all alone like me
Did your lady friend leave your nest again?
That is very sad, makes me feel so bad
You can fly away, in the sky away
You're more lucky than me
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And they do look very forlorn when the females aren’t satisfied with their nest weaving skills!
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Such an interesting bird! Their nests are works of art.
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It amazes me that they can build something that neatly and intricately using only their beaks!
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ons het baie swartkeel geel vinke hier by ons. Het hierdie jaar ‘n paar neste hier in die bome voor ons huis gebou!
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Is dit nie wonderlik om hul besige en bakleierige lewentjies te kan dophou nie, Aletta?
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Hulle hou nooit op nie!
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A true engineer that comes up with that nest of absolute beauty! Vibrant yellow, love it….
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Nature is amazing!
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What an amazing nest and beautiful yellow color! The bird in that header shot has a rather aggressive stance. Make me smile.
janet
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That aggressive stance fits perfectly with his Zorro-mask!
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A pair of Spectacled Weavers have been making more regular forays into our garden over the past three years. I would love to find their nest site. The only nest I have seen clearly has been in Addo. They are very attractive birds.
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How lucky you are to have them visit your garden, Anne. I’ve always found them quite secretive and difficult to photograph.
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They weave the most intricate nests. 🙂
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Quite industrious they are, H.J. Luckily these weavers are monogamous so at least all that effort goes into just one nest per pair.
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Very pretty bird and very amazing nest!
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Those nests do elicit a peek of a smile in the corners of my mouth…
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