Aerobatics West Coast Style!

Inland from us is the Langebaan Weg Airforce Base. At least twice a week, more if they are practising for an air show, we are treated (subjected?) to our own private display of aerobatics that turn my stomach just to watch! There are usually four, but Rob has photographs of sixteen roaring, twisting, diving, rolling and climbing aircraft. To me, they are little red and white planes flying too darn close, but according to Rob (who can tell what the plane is simply by listening to the engine!), they are turbo prop Pilatus  basic trainers. They use the abandoned WW 2 airstrip just next to our village to line themselves up and then hurl themselves around while I stand waiting for their wings to touch and for them to spiral out of control towards either the sea, or the houses. The fact that one of the pilots is a young lady makes it worse!! Surely she should know better, what do her parents think when they watch her? Do they remind her each time to 'Buckle up, remember which hand is right, your watch is on your left hand remember, don't get too close to the chap in front and phone me the minute you land please!'

Aerobatics!

For flying perfection and real aerobatics, nothing beats the birds! Gulls, cormarants, sacred ibis, blue cranes, egrets, pelicans huge and cumbersome, flamingoes looking like pink flying pencils, all fly in perfect formation. Some catch thermals, spiral upwards, never touching, while others fly in a perfect V , changing place as the leader becomes tired, skimming and swooping, always in control. At sunset flocks of sea birds return to the rocks in the bay, while others head inland to roost in trees, the hadeda ibis anouncing their arrival with loud laughter, while the weavers 'tweezle' until the sun goes down. Some need space to land, others simply drop down and settle like a helicopter.

An oystercatcher helicopter landing!

Gulls really are the scavengers of the shore. We love to eat fish and chips sitting watching the sea and then hold a chip in the air. By the time I have counted to 5, the chip has been grabbed and gobbled and the word has spread! For anyone suffering from the fear of birds, ornithophobia, (or eldaphobia the fear of big birds) this is not a time to be out and about!

Poetry in motion

The amazing thing is this, no matter how many birds there are in a flock, I have never seen a mid-air collision!

Sacred Sunset

Sunset landing!