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Southern African Forum (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Dave Kennedy
- Start date
Sal
Well-known member
Oh and I may as well add that I am extremely envious because you will be going to Kruger and I wont ! (Envious sounds better than jealous doesn't it?)
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Welcome to the Southern African Forum, Cyclops! And never say never - I know there's a credit crunch, but that's also when airlines, tour operators etc start digging up their special offers. In the meantime, we'll do our best to keep you informed about our splendid, and often special, birds.
Best wishes,
Dave Kennedy
Sal
Well-known member
Welcome Cyclops. Glad you visited the SA forum; and you never know - one day you might make the visit in person! The birds (and animals) out here are amazing and the scenery is stunning. Glad you have been enjoying our posts. I went down to Durban last week so I'll add a few pics to this post of some of the birds I saw - a Sacred Ibis with its young begging for food, a juvenile Collared Sunbird waiting to be fed (rather poor pic), a Neddicky, a hot Grey-headed Heron and a Pink-backed Pelican landing with nesting material in its bill. Enjoy!
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Sal
Well-known member
Martin Hobbs
Well-known member
I came out on holiday 16 years ago...............and stayed.......
It is true what they say about the dust of Africa on your boots.... once you have it, it stays for life, I was fortunate to be able to up sticks and move from cold, cloudy, UK to Sunny South Africa, and I wouldn't go back if you paid me..... I love it here, and the birdlife here makes this country even more incredible!!!!!!
Martin
Cyclops
1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
Oh i wont be travelling there any time soon. No passport,no money and 2 young kids. Would love to visit the Karoo tho. All those birds and plants!
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
5th November
After lunch we walked to the nearby hide overlooking Wakkerstroom Wetland. here we saw 3 Black-crowned Night Herons, Blacksmiths Plovers about 30! egrets - Little , Intermediate and Cattle.Reed and White-breasted Cormorants, White-throated and African Cliff Swallows, African Reed Warblers, African Swamphen, African Spoonbill, African Sacred Ibis, African Rail Black Stork, and Hottentot Teal. Couldn't resist the last - just calls out to be named!
Sandpipers and Coots and Moorhens- could go on but wont!
We then went out on another drive African Wattled Lapwings,nr Wakkerstroom and at the Slang River we had instant good birding with African Black Duck, Buff-streaked Chats, Ground Woodpeckers that were nesting besides the road, Capr Robin Chat, African Rock Pipit and Cape Wagtails beside the river.There was also a Rock Hydrax next to the river on rocks who gave good views before ferreting off.
On the way back we had brilliant views of several Black-winged Kites very close to the road, in fact on the telegraph wires and posts!
We then went out for another delicious meal at the same restaurant as the night before.Ordering food first and it arrived not long after the drinks! Sussed!
After lunch we walked to the nearby hide overlooking Wakkerstroom Wetland. here we saw 3 Black-crowned Night Herons, Blacksmiths Plovers about 30! egrets - Little , Intermediate and Cattle.Reed and White-breasted Cormorants, White-throated and African Cliff Swallows, African Reed Warblers, African Swamphen, African Spoonbill, African Sacred Ibis, African Rail Black Stork, and Hottentot Teal. Couldn't resist the last - just calls out to be named!
Sandpipers and Coots and Moorhens- could go on but wont!
We then went out on another drive African Wattled Lapwings,nr Wakkerstroom and at the Slang River we had instant good birding with African Black Duck, Buff-streaked Chats, Ground Woodpeckers that were nesting besides the road, Capr Robin Chat, African Rock Pipit and Cape Wagtails beside the river.There was also a Rock Hydrax next to the river on rocks who gave good views before ferreting off.
On the way back we had brilliant views of several Black-winged Kites very close to the road, in fact on the telegraph wires and posts!
We then went out for another delicious meal at the same restaurant as the night before.Ordering food first and it arrived not long after the drinks! Sussed!
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
This morning I arose at first light as I wantedto go to the Wetland and hide again first thing. In fact it was quite dark so I took a torch to walk along the road (no street lamps here!) - well really in case the broadwalk was in the dark.
Actually it got light much quicker than I expected and I didn't need the torch!
I spied a Heron on top of a tree - Purple so I got a record shot - just as well as it was the only sighting on the trip!
I then walked to the hide on route stopped and watched herons, weavers and heard lots of bird song some I recognised nbut most I didn't - still it was lovely anyway!
My notes say 5.45 very misty Fiscal Shrike, Guinea Fowl,Hadeda calls then 2 and then 4 show - well fly over as they do! Indian myna and Sparrows, Green Backed Heron , Pied starlings and spectacled Pigeons then Purple Heron on willows.
Square-tailed, Lesser striped and a couple of other Swallows, all very busily feeding on the insects that were flying around.
Red Bishop, Cape and Village Weavers, Black-crowned Night Herons, Rail and most f the cast of yesterday.But I had brill views of Kingfishers, especially Malachite.Stonechats and a variety of African pipits. Lots of grey Herons too.
I reached the hide and went to another area to look out down the river and then two of us nearly had heart attacks, me and a Greater Striped Swallow - who nearly flew straight at my head!Eyeball to eyeball we were!
What a really beautiful creature - that close! (dont think the thought was shared though!LOL!) I watched as the Swallow swerved around flew in another window(there are no panes here) and went into the roof...yes there was a nest! We had been here yesterday and no-one had spotted it!
I thought perhaps I'll sit in another area and yes the Swallow(s) proceeded to fly to and from the nest after I moved!
Great!
About 7am about 40Blacksmiths Plovers arrived from their roost.I reluctantly returned to the cottage and thence to Breakfast spotting a pair of Bokmakierie on route.
That was a really memorable event - birding solo and in sheer wonderment!
So we were to leave Wakkerstroom and I must admit I was actually downcast!
I would have loved to have explored the area more - just an amazing place.
We spotted White Storks as we were leaving - apparently very early migrants.
Then it was the R543 to Piet Retief and thence to Pongola 97 on the N2. and into Zululand.
We spied a few good birds on the journey.
We arrived at the entrance to Hluhluwe (I can say that now!) for lunch surrounded by Little Swifts! They were nesting in the loos!
We were then into another Game Park, here we saw Nyala and 3 White Rhino's. A Brown crowned Tchagra showed briefly and Red-collared Widowbirds performed close to the road.
The route to Hilltop was very nteresting with Rattling and Croaking Cisticolas, Barn Swallows, Striped and Brown-hooded Kingfishers, African Firefinch, Southern Tchagra, Jacobin Cuckoo as well as White Rhino (another), Baboons, Giraffe and Zebras with ntwo more Rhinos- yes White and then a couple of Purple-crested Louries.
There was a storm on the way and the birds knew it more than us...just Yellow-billed Kites and Red-winged Starlings were seen in a short walk around our camp and then we had to dive for shelter from the storm.
Once I had bathed I was down to se Jan and Mike and a wll earned beer or two!
We enjoyed a rather good dinner that night cooked by Jean in their home from home!
This is where I missed a trick - I ought to have bought mineral water as the brackenish stuff did not agree with my delicate tummy! No disasters but I did not enjoy the water!
Did we sleep this night I believe so!
I will dig out a few pics from Wakkerstroom. I think they have not been sorted yet!
Actually it got light much quicker than I expected and I didn't need the torch!
I spied a Heron on top of a tree - Purple so I got a record shot - just as well as it was the only sighting on the trip!
I then walked to the hide on route stopped and watched herons, weavers and heard lots of bird song some I recognised nbut most I didn't - still it was lovely anyway!
My notes say 5.45 very misty Fiscal Shrike, Guinea Fowl,Hadeda calls then 2 and then 4 show - well fly over as they do! Indian myna and Sparrows, Green Backed Heron , Pied starlings and spectacled Pigeons then Purple Heron on willows.
Square-tailed, Lesser striped and a couple of other Swallows, all very busily feeding on the insects that were flying around.
Red Bishop, Cape and Village Weavers, Black-crowned Night Herons, Rail and most f the cast of yesterday.But I had brill views of Kingfishers, especially Malachite.Stonechats and a variety of African pipits. Lots of grey Herons too.
I reached the hide and went to another area to look out down the river and then two of us nearly had heart attacks, me and a Greater Striped Swallow - who nearly flew straight at my head!Eyeball to eyeball we were!
What a really beautiful creature - that close! (dont think the thought was shared though!LOL!) I watched as the Swallow swerved around flew in another window(there are no panes here) and went into the roof...yes there was a nest! We had been here yesterday and no-one had spotted it!
I thought perhaps I'll sit in another area and yes the Swallow(s) proceeded to fly to and from the nest after I moved!
Great!
About 7am about 40Blacksmiths Plovers arrived from their roost.I reluctantly returned to the cottage and thence to Breakfast spotting a pair of Bokmakierie on route.
That was a really memorable event - birding solo and in sheer wonderment!
So we were to leave Wakkerstroom and I must admit I was actually downcast!
I would have loved to have explored the area more - just an amazing place.
We spotted White Storks as we were leaving - apparently very early migrants.
Then it was the R543 to Piet Retief and thence to Pongola 97 on the N2. and into Zululand.
We spied a few good birds on the journey.
We arrived at the entrance to Hluhluwe (I can say that now!) for lunch surrounded by Little Swifts! They were nesting in the loos!
We were then into another Game Park, here we saw Nyala and 3 White Rhino's. A Brown crowned Tchagra showed briefly and Red-collared Widowbirds performed close to the road.
The route to Hilltop was very nteresting with Rattling and Croaking Cisticolas, Barn Swallows, Striped and Brown-hooded Kingfishers, African Firefinch, Southern Tchagra, Jacobin Cuckoo as well as White Rhino (another), Baboons, Giraffe and Zebras with ntwo more Rhinos- yes White and then a couple of Purple-crested Louries.
There was a storm on the way and the birds knew it more than us...just Yellow-billed Kites and Red-winged Starlings were seen in a short walk around our camp and then we had to dive for shelter from the storm.
Once I had bathed I was down to se Jan and Mike and a wll earned beer or two!
We enjoyed a rather good dinner that night cooked by Jean in their home from home!
This is where I missed a trick - I ought to have bought mineral water as the brackenish stuff did not agree with my delicate tummy! No disasters but I did not enjoy the water!
Did we sleep this night I believe so!
I will dig out a few pics from Wakkerstroom. I think they have not been sorted yet!
Sal
Well-known member
Dryocopus I HAVE TO GETTO WAKKERSTROOM! You have made it sound incredibly appealing, absolutely reeling with birds. Thanks for another great episode. Was the other game Park you went to from Hluhluwe called Umfolozi? This is another area I know well, so look forward to the next posting and some pics.
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Hi, Sal and Dryocopus,
I've only managed one visit to Wakkerstroom, so I have included my sightings list for that trip. *NOTE* For non-South Africans, "R.No." stands for Roberts' number. When Dr Austin Roberts first began his work on South African Birds, he gave each bird a number. This system has been updated and carried through until the present day, and forms a useful reference.
No. R.No. SPECIES
1 6 Great Crested Grebe
2 7 Blacknecked Grebe
3 8 Little Grebe
4 58 Reed Cormorant
5 62 Grey Heron
6 63 Blackheaded Heron
7 65 Purple Heron
8 91 African Sacred Ibis
9 92 Southern Bald Ibis
10 94 Hadeda Ibis
11 95 African Spoonbill
12 102 Egyptian Goose
13 104 Yellowbilled Duck
14 105 African Black Duck
15 107 Hottentot Teal
16 108 Redbilled Teal
17 112 Cape Shoveller
18 113 Southern Pochard
19 116 Spurwing Goose
20 118 Secretary Bird
21 127 Blackshouldered Kite
22 131 Verreaux's (Black) Eagle
23 140 Martial Eagle
24 152 Jackal Buzzard
25 155 Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk
26 165 African Marsh Harrier
27 172 Lanner Falcon
28 181 Rock Kestrel
29 199 Swainson's Spurfowl
30 203 Helmeted Guineafowl
31 208 Blue Crane
32 209 Grey Crowned Crane
33 223 African Purple Swamphen
34 226 Common Moorhen
35 228 Redknobbed Coot
36 234 Blue Korhaan
37 255 Crowned Lapwing
38 258 Blacksmith Lapwing
39 270 Common Greenshank
40 286 African (Ethiopian) Snipe
41 352 Redeyed Dove
42 354 Cape Turtle Dove
43 424 Speckled Mousebird
44 464 Blackcollared Barbet
45 480 Ground Woodpecker
46 489 Redthroated Wryneck
47 506 Spikeheeled Lark
48 507 Redcapped Lark
49 520 Whitethroated Swallow
50 547 Cape (Black) Crow
51 568 Dark-capped Bulbul
52 581 Cape Rock Thrush
53 582 Sentinel Rock Thrush
54 586 Mountain Wheatear
55 595 Ant-eating Chat
56 596 African Stonechat
57 601 Cape Robin-chat
58 664 Zitting Cisticola
59 677 Levaillant's Cisticola
60 713 Cape Wagtail
61 727 Cape Longclaw
62 732 Common Fiscal
63 746 Bokmakierie
64 758 Common Myna
65 759 African (Pied) Starling
66 764 Cape Glossy Starling
67 769 Redwinged Starling
68 796 Cape White-eye
69 813 Cape Weaver
70 814 Southern Masked Weaver
71 824 Southern Red Bishop
72 832 Longtailed Widowbird
73 846 Common Waxbill
74 885 Cape Bunting
I missed the three specials of the area.....Rudd's Lark, Botha's Lark and Yellow-breasted Pipit, but it was still a great place to visit. You must try to find them Sal.
Thanks, Dryocopus, keep it going.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
Sal and Dave
First Dave - 24 species on your list not seen - but 41 others that were!
Big dip for me would have been Verreaux's Eagle -but as I didn't know it might be here that was ok!
Buff-streaked pipit if i remember was supposed to be good one?
African Rock Pipit - was as well.
African Sedge Warbler...I think was one we heard only the evening 4th and was seen on the 5th - vvv skulking.
I will attempt to write out the list - for comparison Dave/ Sal if you wish.
Sun is out here - I must go out local birding!
First Dave - 24 species on your list not seen - but 41 others that were!
Big dip for me would have been Verreaux's Eagle -but as I didn't know it might be here that was ok!
Buff-streaked pipit if i remember was supposed to be good one?
African Rock Pipit - was as well.
African Sedge Warbler...I think was one we heard only the evening 4th and was seen on the 5th - vvv skulking.
I will attempt to write out the list - for comparison Dave/ Sal if you wish.
Sun is out here - I must go out local birding!
Sal
Well-known member
That would be interesting if you have time, thanks Dryocopus.
Dave that is a great list. I really have to make a plan. There are nine birds in your list I have yet to see, plus all three specials.
My birding morning tomorrow has been cancelled - storm has just rendered the road impassable . . . .
Sal
Well-known member
I have had two birding experiences this week. In Tuesday I went to the Karkloof Valley, where five of six farms have been converted to a game ranch plus Spa. I wasn't really there to birdwatch but we did get a short game drive and I was able to get 28 birds. Amongst there were some that I could add to my Year List :
Common Waxbill
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Cape Glossy Starling
Steppe Buzzard
Cardinal Woodpecker
Trumpeter Hornbill
Pied Wagtail
African Olive-Pigeon
Darter
They actually have a very good bird count there - approximately 300 species! Unfortunately it is not open to the public unless you stay there.
Then I spent this morning at Darville: 50 species, of which I could add the following to my list:
Dark-capped Yellow Warbler
Giant Kingfisher
Blacksmith Plover
Cape Shoveller
Red-backed Shrike
Red-faced Cisticola
African Jacana
Orange-breasted Waxbill
Western Marsh-Harrier
White Stork
Kurrrichane Thrush
Helmeted Guineafowl
The Marsh-Harrier is a lifer for me which was quite exciting; we had a wonderful view of it. To start with it was sitting in a dead bush so we were not 100% sure whether it was the African or the Western (although it did have a pretty well-demarcated white head), so we put it up. Then we were treated to a beautiful low-flying display as it slowly swooped around and around the settlement pond where we were standing. Eventually it vanished into some reeds, and came up a bit later with something in its talons, but we couldn't make out what it was as it flew away from us. As usual, I didn't have my camera. We had a pretty good raptor count - six yellow-billed Kites, five Long-crested Eagles, a Steppe Buzzard and the Western Marsh-Harrier.
Common Waxbill
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Cape Glossy Starling
Steppe Buzzard
Cardinal Woodpecker
Trumpeter Hornbill
Pied Wagtail
African Olive-Pigeon
Darter
They actually have a very good bird count there - approximately 300 species! Unfortunately it is not open to the public unless you stay there.
Then I spent this morning at Darville: 50 species, of which I could add the following to my list:
Dark-capped Yellow Warbler
Giant Kingfisher
Blacksmith Plover
Cape Shoveller
Red-backed Shrike
Red-faced Cisticola
African Jacana
Orange-breasted Waxbill
Western Marsh-Harrier
White Stork
Kurrrichane Thrush
Helmeted Guineafowl
The Marsh-Harrier is a lifer for me which was quite exciting; we had a wonderful view of it. To start with it was sitting in a dead bush so we were not 100% sure whether it was the African or the Western (although it did have a pretty well-demarcated white head), so we put it up. Then we were treated to a beautiful low-flying display as it slowly swooped around and around the settlement pond where we were standing. Eventually it vanished into some reeds, and came up a bit later with something in its talons, but we couldn't make out what it was as it flew away from us. As usual, I didn't have my camera. We had a pretty good raptor count - six yellow-billed Kites, five Long-crested Eagles, a Steppe Buzzard and the Western Marsh-Harrier.
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
No we were still in Hluhluwe - just on route for Hilltops Camp.
We went to Umfolozi another day!
Well here we are in Hluhluwe - Friday 7th novemember - today was the day of lots of game Drives! The weather was overcast with drizzle!
Early Breakfast which for me was coffee...coffee...coffee!
Off at 6.30 (weather determined that!)
Outside th camp we saw an adult with a fully grown young White Rhino , further on we saw Yellow-billed Kite and Woolly-necked Storks. They are really well named aren't they!
Yellow-throated Petronias and Eastern Nicator were also seen.
Gorgeous Bush Shrikes were heard by our driver Mark and we were soon looking at 3! Excellent views!
Emerald-spotted Wood Doves, plus an African Hoopoe by the track and then the inevitable Drongos, Male Nyala's and Crested Guineafowl seen and then we watched a pair of African Pygmy Kingfishers building a nest in the bank, and a Brown-hooded KF called close by.
Golden-tailed Woodpecker, White-browed Scrub Robin and \southern Black Tit were seen and then we reached
Thiyeni Hide. We walked down the close fenced walkway to an area of little water! We did see Lesser Striped Swallows using the mud for their nests,and they were nesting under the hide and there were Purplecrested Touracos.
A very shiny Rhino - itching post was also seen...now I do have a pic of that - better go find it!
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Sal
Well-known member
Very nice Dryocopus. I remember that rhino rubbing post very well - in fact I have a similar photo of it! Wish I could get that rhino to work on my oak table . . . .We spent ages in Thiyeni waiting for just something - anything to come along, but nothing did, and I think we were being rather optimistic as there wasn't a dot of water there. I see you spotted a Black-bellied Bustard too which was a nice sighting as they are not that common. Thanks for the post and the pics; look forward to the next episode.
Dryocopus
Was Eagle before...still am in life!
The Bird of prey pic was at Misty Mountain. The others are Wakkerstroom.
Black Duck, African Rock Pipit and Buff-streaked Chat - the latter two being endemic.
Blacksmith's Plover for anyone unfamiliar with Southern African Birds! Thats the wader!
Black Duck, African Rock Pipit and Buff-streaked Chat - the latter two being endemic.
Blacksmith's Plover for anyone unfamiliar with Southern African Birds! Thats the wader!
