This photograph of a bird seen in the Kruger has just been sent to me. Apparently it was taken on 17th April 2014. I am trying to get more details as to exactly where it was taken.
I am not confident that this is a Pied Babbler – way out of range according to SABAP 1 and 2 – so I thought I would share it with you. Once I have more details I intend to send it in to ADU as an incidental report if confirmed. Please correct me if I am wrong about its ID.
Four of us visited Eston Ponds on a cool and overcast day with the odd drizzle. Not a great day for birding nor photography unfortunately.
Following Barry Swaddle’s example we checked in at the mill and then went down to the top ponds to the right of the mill entrance. This is private property. We were not aware of this until we met the farm owner – Derek Bennet – luckily a very friendly farmer. BLPN birders are welcome to visit but he asked that we call him first (tel: 082 953 7911) so he can advise his security.
Our morning was therefore in two parts – the first at Derek Bennet’s farm and then a drive round the ponds below the Eston Mill.
It was easier to view waterbirds at the farm ponds because you can get closer to the mud banks and water’s edge.
The lowest Eston mill pond was virtually dry. The large pond above it had one stretch of water close by next to the dam wall but most of the pond is covered in vegetation with the odd open area to view waterbirds from afar.
Perhaps the highlight of the day were the 2 pairs of African Snipes together on the mudbanks at one of the farm ponds. And we heard an African Rail in the large Mill pond.
A Lanner Falcon was very obliging for a photo shoot too. Other raptors seen included an African Marsh Harrier being bombed by Blacksmith Lapwings (Lapsmiths for short) and an overhead flypast of a Black Sparrowhawk.
Unfortunately no Orange-breasted Waxbills were seen – probably due to the weather. This was one of the species we came to find.
In all we saw some 52 species – mostly waterbirds.
Below are some photos of the birds seen:
Paul & Sally Bartho
For the record we had a good turnout +25 members & visitors and the bird count was +53.
Crispin Hemson joined us a little later and at the end when we were having tea and only a couple of people had seen the Spotted Ground-thrush he went off and looked for it and eventually most of us had good views. Unfortunately no sign of the Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher.
Thanks to John Bremner and Dave Rimmer for the pics.
Cheers
Elena
Good Day
Here are some more photos of the mystery sunbird seen recently in Le Domaine, Hillcrest
Is anyone able to conclusively able to identify this bird? Have your say below once you have enlarged the photo by clicking on it.
Bushwillow Park campsite is spectacular. Grassy, large flat sites, good hot water with great views and surrounded by mistbelt forest. It is located just beyond the Karkloof Conservancy 20 kms from Howick.
Eleven of us braved the conditions – cold but not wet thankfully.
Some arrived early on the Thursday and enjoyed an extra day birding around the campsite. One of the first things noted was the abundance of seed available in the long grass attracting a host of Euplectes species (out of breeding plumage) and numerous Thick-billed Weavers.
Over the long weekend a lot was packed in.
Friday, everyone else arrived and enjoyed a stroll around the campsite followed by an evening braai.
Birds seen and photographed around the campsite include:
There was an exciting experience observing a host of Red-billed Queleas. Walking down a path with long grass on either side, Red-billed Queleas were seen and heard in numbers. At one point on the left going down they all flew up at once creating a loud “whooshing” sound. Then immediately on the other side behind there was a similar louder “whooshing” sound. It drew immediate attention. Expecting that there was another large flock of Queleas everyone looked round to see only 2 birds creating this noise. A Lanner Falcon hot on the heels of probably a Speckled Pigeon. No luck for the Lanner but we enjoyed the spectacle.
Saturday morning, a trek up one of the trails behind the campsite – an arduous walk through the mistbelt forest. It was all uphill and very steep in places – sometimes slippery. Going up was one challenge but coming down probably more so especially for those with dicky knees. The birding was quiet but those birds seen were special in particular Olive Woodpecker and Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler.
In the afternoon there was a visit to the Karkloof Conservancy and its two hides followed by another evening braai. Karkloof did not disappoint: Southern Bald Ibis and all three species of Cranes being the star attractions.
Some birds photographed at the Karkloof Conservancy:
Sunday, a stroll round Benvie on a cold and overcast morning – a garden paradise with many specials seen.
The rest of the day was downtime in and around the campsite.
Monday, a time to do last minute birding and to reflect and prepare for departure.
In all 94 bird species were seen and or heard including many of the specials in the area.
Some of the special birds seen and or heard included Bush Blackcap; Olive Bushshrike; Forest Canary; Blue, Grey-crowned and Wattled Cranes; Grey Cuckooshrike; African Black Duck; Lanner Falcon; African Goshawk; Scaly-throated Honeyguide; Southern Bald Ibis; Cape Parrot; Drakensberg Prinia; Chorister Robin-Chat; South African Shelduck; Red-necked Spurfowl; Malachite Sunbird; Orange Ground-Thrush; Knysna Turaco; Mountain Wagtail; Dark-capped Yellow-Warbler; Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler; Swee Waxbill; African Wood-Owl; Olive Woodpecker.
Please help with ID of these two sets of Sunbirds. Both sent to me by a resident of Le Domaine here in Hillcrest, Durban.
Click on the picture and add your comments below the enlarged Photo.
The First set:
The Second set:
The first 2 pictures in this sequence were taken on 4th April and the last one on the 19th April. Looking up at what? Scouring above could yield no clues – maybe you have an idea?
Crispin Hemson leads a short morning walk on the 2nd Saturday every month at Pigeon Valley. He has a Friends of Pigeon Valley Facebook page and a mailing list. You can contact him by email to confirm his outing at email: hemsonc@gmail.com.
This Saturday it was a beautiful morning and we were treated to a feast of sunbirds though none of them stayed still long enough to be photographed. Sandi du Preez felt compelled to hug one of her favourite trees; Chrysophyllum viridifolium. We also had some nice views of a Red-capped Robin-chat and heard many of them singing away all over the reserve.
Report back by Penny de Vries.
Please enter your ID for each bird with reasoning by clicking on the image and writing your comments in the box below the enlarged image.
The following 4 birds were seen in the Satara area in March.
The birds below were seen at Lake St Bernard above the St Bernard Peak Hotel, just south of Underberg – a Chat? or….. what?. it was seen in the company of another Chat – second picture below.
There were 18 of us and our bird count was 51 but after sitting at the picnic site having our coffee and a good chat (no pun intended) we managed to add olive sunbird and a yellow weaver which brought the total to 53! We have had much better birding at the Bluff in the past but the morning started off with a nasty cold wind and the pond aka dam was rather sterile – a few Reed and White-breasted Cormorants, a Darter, Moorhen and Little Grebe. Later on from the hide we had Malachite Kingfisher and superb close ups of a Lesser Swamp Warbler – hopefully John will post some pics. We had lots of good bird parties but mainly of Mannikins, Weavers, Prinias, Batis, Flycatchers etc the best bird of the day must have been the Lesser Honeyguide – but only seen by a few. We had a Purple Heron and Lanner Falcons fly over and of course heard the Sombre and Yellow-bellied Greenbuls calling from every thick and leafy tree but never to be seen!! The Bluff is a good spot for butterflies and other bugs and some lovely ones were seen – again hopefully some pics will be posted.
Cheers Elena Russell.
A sequence of a yawning Pelican:
Pelicans in flight and landing:
A few people went back to the hide after the picnic and were lucky enough to see the Grey-crowned Cranes that were seen in a mating ritual earlier this month (and shown in an earlier post):
Late photographic submission from Norman Freeman:
Birds are our Story