Every year I do an annual fruit count on 70 trees across the communal lands in north Limpopo province close the Pafrui area. I always enjoy doing our annual fruit count as it gets me out to the trees and I often find interesting new things. The usual weavers that use baobabs as nesting trees are Red-billed Buffalo Weavers which make a messy stick next and the Red-headed Weaver which makes a neat nest with a long entrance tunnel.
This year I found one tree covered in White-browed Sparrow-Weaver nests. I had never seen this species nests in baobab trees before. As with Red-billed Buffalo Weaver nests the White-browed Sparrow-Weaver nests were situated on the western side of the tree. I always thought this was because the weavers liked the sunset, but I have discovered that the real reason why they do this is to protect themselves from the prevailing wind, which in this area comes from the east. So if you ever need to know were the prevailing wind comes from just look for the weaver nests in a baobab!
Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver nests in baobab
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver nests in baobab
