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Southern African Forum (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dave Kennedy
- Start date
Sal
Well-known member
Hi Dryocopus. Brilliant! And you caught me on the shrike - yes they are now Black-backed Puffbacks, sorry about that. Yes the Malachite Sunbird is a female, and yes, that is a female Spectacled Weaver. I stood and watched a Southern Masked Weaver building its nest for ages - I just love the way they use their bill as a sort of needle and weave the strands in and out. We went for a walk in the forest behind the camp one afternoon, hoping to see more birds, but I think we should have gone earlier, it was a bit dark in there. But what we did see was a weaver furiously destroying a nest! There was a brand new nest hanging from the tip of a skinny bare branch (they often strip the leaves off the branches nearest to the nests so that snakes etc have no cover) and next to it was the nest under destuction. The weaver was going about it very methodically - one strand at a time was given a vicious tug and it was then cast into the air. We were standing there with dead grass raining down on us because the bird was ripping it out so quickly! I'm not sure whether the nest was its own nest and had been rejected or whether it felt that someone else was encroaching on its space or whether it was just clearing all cover away from its new nest in the same way it had stripped the leaves!
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Sal
Well-known member
He looks stuffed to the gills! Thanks for the compliment |=)|
Sal
Well-known member
Thanks - just had a look,and at your bird pics. Lovely ellies, really good pics! Some great birds, thanks, enjoyed browsing. :t:
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Sal, I had a great time - bloody hard work, but worth it. I'm still sorting out my new computer - can't downsize photos yet, for example - but I hope to get back to normal during next week. Ironically, I will be driving all the way back to Maun soon - will be spending Christmas there with my son and his family. Not sure if I can manage another Delta trip, but fingers crossed!
Best wishes,
Dave
kittykat23uk
Well-known member
You lucky devil!
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Hey, Jo,
Quite often I wish I was in UK! Would like to see some snow again, see the winter water birds, ducks, geese and swans arriving, watch the snowdrops and crocuses bursting through the snow............
But you're right.....I am, and I am very aware of this, fantastically lucky to be able to visit the African bush as often as I do. It is a rare privilege.
Best wishes,
Dave
Sal
Well-known member
Dave, hope you get the computer sorted and will give us a peep into your visit when you can. How lucky you are to be spending Christmas not only with your son and family, but also close enough to the delta to make another trip a possibility
Have a good Christmas anyway!
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Dave, hope you get the computer sorted and will give us a peep into your visit when you can. How lucky you are to be spending Christmas not only with your son and family, but also close enough to the delta to make another trip a possibility
Thanks for the good wishes, Sal - they are reciprocated.
Compliments of the Season.
Dave
David Jobson
Active member
Advice on South African Bird Guides Needed
I'm planning a budget birding trip with three friends in SA next Nov (09).
Primarily self drive and camping.
I'll be looking for guides for at least Sani Pass, Kimberly area, and KZN
coastal strip.
Is there a good list of people?
1. I have read about "Community Bird Guides", but there seems very
little detail about who is available.
2. When does Sani pass get upgraded?
If not in next year (which I doubt), will I be able to do it in a
Chrysler Captiva, which is "All Terrain", that is is has computer
controlled four wheel drive, but no diff lock or low ratio.
Thanks
David
I'm planning a budget birding trip with three friends in SA next Nov (09).
Primarily self drive and camping.
I'll be looking for guides for at least Sani Pass, Kimberly area, and KZN
coastal strip.
Is there a good list of people?
1. I have read about "Community Bird Guides", but there seems very
little detail about who is available.
2. When does Sani pass get upgraded?
If not in next year (which I doubt), will I be able to do it in a
Chrysler Captiva, which is "All Terrain", that is is has computer
controlled four wheel drive, but no diff lock or low ratio.
Thanks
David
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
David, I'll be out of touch until after Christmas (+- 28th December), when I will try to give you some information.
Best wishes,
Dave Kennedy
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
Hi
While you are waiting for Dave's reply and it will be well worth the wait!
Try this site
http://www.kznbirding.co.za/sisr_SaniPass.htm
I can recommend Stuart McLean to you as a brilliant driver of his own 4x4 - room in there for 4 passengers.A tip top birder who really goes all out for the endemics and specials - just what us birders want. He is full of knowledge of the area being a local and all about the plants and history.
He is birding the Sani Pass - daily - I think he said he had made over 700 trips. He knows whats about and where!
I was birding with him this November and he delivers! He picked us up from our accommodation about 7am and we were back about 6pm.
It was the highlight of the trip for me - which was amazing as I had been to The Kruger - 5 nights, Wakkerstroom, Hluhluwe and St Lucia. All brilliant places and seen lots of amazing birds and mammals - and yet this topped it!
I think it was the refreshing approach of Stuart - he would call in the tricky birds and he really knew them inside out. Just what I want from a local guide.
So thats Sani sorted!
I am sure that if you contact Stuart he will tell you about the road...its a total mess with construction really slow...and to the great displeasure of the local birding and nature lovers. I am talking they would rather the Sani Pass was repair properly rather than the tarmac construction that is taking place.
The Sani Pass will not be the same with a highway up it!
Having being up it in clear skies and down in the thickest fog (cloud on the ground) I have ever experienced I was very glad that a) I wasn't driving b) none of my mates were driving and c) Stuart was driving!
So there's my recent recommendation for Sani Pass.
I'm sure you know http://www.sabirding.co.za/
I would wait for Dave to return after his Christmas trip for his advice for the other areas. We had our own guide for the KZ coast area who is not available any more.
He is also a throughly likeable chap!
I went with him this November
While you are waiting for Dave's reply and it will be well worth the wait!
Try this site
http://www.kznbirding.co.za/sisr_SaniPass.htm
I can recommend Stuart McLean to you as a brilliant driver of his own 4x4 - room in there for 4 passengers.A tip top birder who really goes all out for the endemics and specials - just what us birders want. He is full of knowledge of the area being a local and all about the plants and history.
He is birding the Sani Pass - daily - I think he said he had made over 700 trips. He knows whats about and where!
I was birding with him this November and he delivers! He picked us up from our accommodation about 7am and we were back about 6pm.
It was the highlight of the trip for me - which was amazing as I had been to The Kruger - 5 nights, Wakkerstroom, Hluhluwe and St Lucia. All brilliant places and seen lots of amazing birds and mammals - and yet this topped it!
I think it was the refreshing approach of Stuart - he would call in the tricky birds and he really knew them inside out. Just what I want from a local guide.
So thats Sani sorted!
I am sure that if you contact Stuart he will tell you about the road...its a total mess with construction really slow...and to the great displeasure of the local birding and nature lovers. I am talking they would rather the Sani Pass was repair properly rather than the tarmac construction that is taking place.
The Sani Pass will not be the same with a highway up it!
Having being up it in clear skies and down in the thickest fog (cloud on the ground) I have ever experienced I was very glad that a) I wasn't driving b) none of my mates were driving and c) Stuart was driving!
So there's my recent recommendation for Sani Pass.
I'm sure you know http://www.sabirding.co.za/
I would wait for Dave to return after his Christmas trip for his advice for the other areas. We had our own guide for the KZ coast area who is not available any more.
He is also a throughly likeable chap!
I went with him this November
Hello Everyone,
Been away for a bit, had family staying for three weeks then my computer also broke down, well the internet conection bit anyway. So it was fixed today and the family have all gone.
Haven't had much time for birding, but was down in the drakensbergs the same weekend as Sal. We did get blasted by the storms though.
Spent wed 26 thurs 27 nov in Oribi gorge and it rained the whole time. Did manage to get crowned and trumpeter hornbill, yellow throated woodland warbler, bar throated apalis, narina trogan, purple crested and knysna turaco and dark backed weaver as highlights through the rain.
Fri 28 till sun 30 was spent between Lady Grey and Tiffendale ski resort. My husband was running a 100km mountain marathon and I was supossed to be watching for him.
Unfortunatly right at the crucial moment I spotted my first yellow bishop and nearly missed my husband passing the half way point in first place.
Then the heavens opened and that put pay to more bird watching. On the way up to Tiffendale I did see some rather soggy crowned cranes dancing and got my first drakensberg siskins as well as sentinel rock thrush.
The rain didn't stop and it was freezing at the ski resort around 5°c. One of the only birds to brave the conditions were malachite sunbirds. Apart from them the only bright thing was seeing my husband come over the finish line joint first just after dark.
The Sunday after the race of coarse the sun shone and after all that bad weather we were almost garanteed to see raptors. But it was a real nice surprise to see a bearded vulture circling around the peeks. Have only seen them in europe before so was great to see them in SA
This is why I love birding, even if you not on a birding holiday you can always manage to squeeze a bit of bird time. So may not have come back with an enormous tick list but had some memorable moments all the same.
Been away for a bit, had family staying for three weeks then my computer also broke down, well the internet conection bit anyway. So it was fixed today and the family have all gone.
Haven't had much time for birding, but was down in the drakensbergs the same weekend as Sal. We did get blasted by the storms though.
Spent wed 26 thurs 27 nov in Oribi gorge and it rained the whole time. Did manage to get crowned and trumpeter hornbill, yellow throated woodland warbler, bar throated apalis, narina trogan, purple crested and knysna turaco and dark backed weaver as highlights through the rain.
Fri 28 till sun 30 was spent between Lady Grey and Tiffendale ski resort. My husband was running a 100km mountain marathon and I was supossed to be watching for him.
Unfortunatly right at the crucial moment I spotted my first yellow bishop and nearly missed my husband passing the half way point in first place.
Then the heavens opened and that put pay to more bird watching. On the way up to Tiffendale I did see some rather soggy crowned cranes dancing and got my first drakensberg siskins as well as sentinel rock thrush.
The rain didn't stop and it was freezing at the ski resort around 5°c. One of the only birds to brave the conditions were malachite sunbirds. Apart from them the only bright thing was seeing my husband come over the finish line joint first just after dark.
The Sunday after the race of coarse the sun shone and after all that bad weather we were almost garanteed to see raptors. But it was a real nice surprise to see a bearded vulture circling around the peeks. Have only seen them in europe before so was great to see them in SA
This is why I love birding, even if you not on a birding holiday you can always manage to squeeze a bit of bird time. So may not have come back with an enormous tick list but had some memorable moments all the same.
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Welcome back, lulie, great to hear from you again. Well done with your birds. Maybe there weren't so many, but they were certainly interesting. I am driving up to Maun, Botswana tomorrow, so we'll see what we can find up there.
Best wishes,
Dave
Best wishes,
Dave
Sal
Well-known member
Welcome back lulie, sorry you had such a wet time in the berg. We could see big storms to the south of the amphitheatre region, they must have been yours! You saw some great birds though - I have never seen a bearded vulture although I've always kept a good eye out for them. Your husband did brilliantly, must have been a hard run. Hope you also got plenty of rain at home and your own birds are busy rearing lots of young.
Martin Hobbs
Well-known member
Hi All,
It seems everybody is going places so we went to the house in Marloth Park last weekend. It has finally rained there but it has come too late for +/- 300 Impala that have died from the drought. Unfotunatley one of them has died on our property, not a very pleasant welcome back... It is ironic actually as Marloth Park were going to translocate around 300 Impala as the environment could not sustain so many.. looks as if nature already knew this fact....
I am sat at home in the garden watching two Bulbuls, two Crested Barbets and two Blackcollared Barbets take it in turns at coming to the fruit table and filling their bills with fruit before flying off to feed chicks waiting in the nests elsewhere in the garden.. lovely, and on the other side of the house a Pintailed Wydah harrasing all the Red Bishops, Sparrows, Doves, Masked Weavers and Red Headed Finches away from the feeder... such a small bird with such a big attitude!!
It seems everybody is going places so we went to the house in Marloth Park last weekend. It has finally rained there but it has come too late for +/- 300 Impala that have died from the drought. Unfotunatley one of them has died on our property, not a very pleasant welcome back... It is ironic actually as Marloth Park were going to translocate around 300 Impala as the environment could not sustain so many.. looks as if nature already knew this fact....
I am sat at home in the garden watching two Bulbuls, two Crested Barbets and two Blackcollared Barbets take it in turns at coming to the fruit table and filling their bills with fruit before flying off to feed chicks waiting in the nests elsewhere in the garden.. lovely, and on the other side of the house a Pintailed Wydah harrasing all the Red Bishops, Sparrows, Doves, Masked Weavers and Red Headed Finches away from the feeder... such a small bird with such a big attitude!!
Sal
Well-known member
Sounds pretty idyllic Martin. Those Pintails are quite something. I watched on today harassing all the other birds from the feeding table,shrieking at the top of his voice, and yet not feeding himself! Too busy herding females! Very sad news about the impala at Marloth Park.
Allan Hobbs
Body in the UK, heart in South Africa
I'm not going anywhere :-C
I've also been sat at home looking at the garden as I have been recovering from a bad bout of bronchitis (although from inside the house as it is winter here, cold grey and damp), watching our robins, blackbirds, thrushes etc. We also get a green woodpecker and a family of 5 grey squirrels provide a lot of amusement.
But it's not the same as Bulbuls, Barbets, Hornbills and so on that we get in our Marloth Park home. I know where I would rather be. Hopefully we can get out again in March.
You lucky people
Allan
Sal
Well-known member
Well I'm not going anywhere either, and, with the temperatures around 37C and a killing humidity, I'm not sure I wouldn't rather be where you are at the moment Allan! For me, the added interest would be that of seeing different birds. Not that I could stay there for ever, I'd miss my Kruger trips too much! (Roll on 30th May next year!)The pintail is still very active and saw off three doves, two bulbuls, two Southern Red Bishops and a fleet of Bronze Mannikins all at once yesterday. I think it is partly to do with the speed and fluidity of its attack and partly the ferociously loud sounds it makes. it comes in like a screaming spear and sort of swivels round the feeder, long tail making it look twice the size -everything just scatters.
March, huh? Whats that - about 70 sleeps. You can do it!!
