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Southern African Forum (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Dave Kennedy
- Start date
Sal
Well-known member
But its proof! Very nice sighting Dave; getting you in the mood for the 3rd . . . .
Short-tailed Pipit, Cedara
See this thread for photos from Saturday's twitch at Cedara, near Pietermaritzburg.
Happy New Year to you all!
Alan
See this thread for photos from Saturday's twitch at Cedara, near Pietermaritzburg.
Happy New Year to you all!
Alan
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Pafuri, Makuleke Contract Park, Northern KNP
Right then, here's the Pafuri list.
Goliath Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Green-backed Heron, Hamerkop, Abdim’s Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, African Openbill, Hadeda Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Comb Duck, Secretary Bird, White-backed Vulture, Yellow-billed Kite, Verreaux’s Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Martial Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Bateleur, African Fish Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, African Harrier Hawk, Crested Francolin, Natal Francolin, Swainson’s Spurfowl, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Guineafowl, Red-crested Korhaan, Three-banded Plover, Crowned Lapwing, Blacksmith Lapwing, White-crowned Lapwing, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Water Thick-knee, Bronze-winged Courser, Red-eyed Dove, African Mourning Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Namaqua Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, African Green-pigeon, Grey-headed Parrot, Brown-headed Parrot, Purple-crested Turaco, Grey Go-away Bird, Red-chested Cuckoo , Great Spotted Cuckoo, Levaillant’s (Striped) Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Diderick Cuckoo, Burchell’s Coucal, Pel’s Fishing Owl, European Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Little Swift, African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, Red-faced Mousebird, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, European Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, Purple Roller, Broad-billed Roller, African Hoopoe, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Red-billed Hornbill, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Crested Barbet, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Sabota Lark, Barn Swallow, Mosque Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Golden Oriole, Black-headed Oriole, Southern Black Tit, Arrow-marked Babbler, Dark-capped Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Kurrichane Thrush, Arnott’s Chat, White-browed Robin-chat, White-throated Robin-chat, White-browed Scrub-robin, Olive-tree Warbler, Longbilled Crombec, Green-backed Camaroptera, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Rattling Cisticola, Red-faced Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Spotted Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, Chinspot Batis, African Pied wagtail, African Pipit, Lesser Grey Shrike,Red-backed Shrike, Magpie Shrike, Tropical Boubou, Black-backed Puffback, Brubru, Black-crowned Tchagra, Gorgeous Bush Shrike (h), Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Retz’s Helmet-shrike, Violet-backed Starling, Meve’s Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Red-winged Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Collared Sunbird, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Scaly-feathered Finch, Red-headed Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Green-winged Pytila, Jameson’s Firefinch, Red-billed Firefinch, Blue Waxbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, Long-tailed Paradise-whydah, Golden-breasted Bunting
In addition to the above, here are some of the area specials that we missed this time, but encountered on a previous visit....
Dwarf Bittern, Ayre's Hawk Eagle, African Wood-owl, Thrush Nightingale (h).
And on our last morning we dropped in for a chat with Frank, the supervisor of Pafuri Picnic site, who told us that, not 15 minutes before our arrival, he had been watching Böhm's Spinetails........Grrrrrrrrrr!
But it was great fun, and we all enjoyed ourselves.
Best wishes,
Dave
Right then, here's the Pafuri list.
Goliath Heron, Great Egret, Little Egret, Green-backed Heron, Hamerkop, Abdim’s Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, African Openbill, Hadeda Ibis, Egyptian Goose, Comb Duck, Secretary Bird, White-backed Vulture, Yellow-billed Kite, Verreaux’s Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle, Martial Eagle, African Crowned Eagle, Bateleur, African Fish Eagle, Lizard Buzzard, Dark Chanting Goshawk, African Harrier Hawk, Crested Francolin, Natal Francolin, Swainson’s Spurfowl, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Guineafowl, Red-crested Korhaan, Three-banded Plover, Crowned Lapwing, Blacksmith Lapwing, White-crowned Lapwing, Wood Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Water Thick-knee, Bronze-winged Courser, Red-eyed Dove, African Mourning Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Namaqua Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, African Green-pigeon, Grey-headed Parrot, Brown-headed Parrot, Purple-crested Turaco, Grey Go-away Bird, Red-chested Cuckoo , Great Spotted Cuckoo, Levaillant’s (Striped) Cuckoo, Jacobin Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Diderick Cuckoo, Burchell’s Coucal, Pel’s Fishing Owl, European Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, Square-tailed Nightjar, Little Swift, African Palm Swift, Speckled Mousebird, Red-faced Mousebird, Pied Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, African Pygmy Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Striped Kingfisher, European Bee-eater, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, Little Bee-eater, European Roller, Lilac-breasted Roller, Purple Roller, Broad-billed Roller, African Hoopoe, Green Wood-hoopoe, Common Scimitarbill, Trumpeter Hornbill, African Grey Hornbill, Red-billed Hornbill, Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Crested Barbet, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Cardinal Woodpecker, Sabota Lark, Barn Swallow, Mosque Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Golden Oriole, Black-headed Oriole, Southern Black Tit, Arrow-marked Babbler, Dark-capped Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Kurrichane Thrush, Arnott’s Chat, White-browed Robin-chat, White-throated Robin-chat, White-browed Scrub-robin, Olive-tree Warbler, Longbilled Crombec, Green-backed Camaroptera, Stierling’s Wren-warbler, Rattling Cisticola, Red-faced Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Spotted Flycatcher, Southern Black Flycatcher, Chinspot Batis, African Pied wagtail, African Pipit, Lesser Grey Shrike,Red-backed Shrike, Magpie Shrike, Tropical Boubou, Black-backed Puffback, Brubru, Black-crowned Tchagra, Gorgeous Bush Shrike (h), Orange-breasted Bush-shrike, White-crested Helmet-shrike, Retz’s Helmet-shrike, Violet-backed Starling, Meve’s Starling, Greater Blue-eared Starling, Red-winged Starling, Red-billed Oxpecker, Collared Sunbird, Red-billed Buffalo Weaver, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Scaly-feathered Finch, Red-headed Weaver, Red-billed Quelea, Green-winged Pytila, Jameson’s Firefinch, Red-billed Firefinch, Blue Waxbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, Long-tailed Paradise-whydah, Golden-breasted Bunting
In addition to the above, here are some of the area specials that we missed this time, but encountered on a previous visit....
Dwarf Bittern, Ayre's Hawk Eagle, African Wood-owl, Thrush Nightingale (h).
And on our last morning we dropped in for a chat with Frank, the supervisor of Pafuri Picnic site, who told us that, not 15 minutes before our arrival, he had been watching Böhm's Spinetails........Grrrrrrrrrr!
But it was great fun, and we all enjoyed ourselves.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Pafuri, Makuleke Contract Park, Northern KNP
Some pictures............
1 & 2 - a displaying White-throated Robin-chat in the Palm Savanna of the Limpopo floodplain.
3 An adult Martial Eagle. Those talons are formidable.
4 A Goliath Heron just in front of the Lodge, with (5) his buffalo pal. This is the Levuvhu River, looking south.
Dave
Some pictures............
1 & 2 - a displaying White-throated Robin-chat in the Palm Savanna of the Limpopo floodplain.
3 An adult Martial Eagle. Those talons are formidable.
4 A Goliath Heron just in front of the Lodge, with (5) his buffalo pal. This is the Levuvhu River, looking south.
Dave
Attachments
Sal
Well-known member
Brilliant list Dave, you must have had a really enjoyable few days. What a pity about the Spinetails - but at least there's something left for next time!
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Pafuri, Makuleke Contract Park, Northern KNP
Another batch.....
6 The south bank of the Limpopo is cloaked by large, leafy trees, including Baobab Adansonia digitata, Jackalberry Diospyros mespiliformis and African Mangosteen Garcinia livingstonei, ideal hunting terrotory for a Crowned Eagle. Late one afternoon we were bumping down the track towards Crooks' Corner when we spotted this bird in an Apple-leaf Philonoptera violacea. It tree-hopped down the track ahead of us, before finally flying off.
7 This and other Mosque Swallows were hunting in the rocky hills above Lanner Gorge, in the NW of the area.
8 A pair of Jacobin Cuckoos down by the Levuvhu River, and
9 a Trumpeter Hornbill, photographed in the gathering dusk. Their wailing cries were a characteristic sound of the riparian forests along the Levuvhu.
Dave
Another batch.....
6 The south bank of the Limpopo is cloaked by large, leafy trees, including Baobab Adansonia digitata, Jackalberry Diospyros mespiliformis and African Mangosteen Garcinia livingstonei, ideal hunting terrotory for a Crowned Eagle. Late one afternoon we were bumping down the track towards Crooks' Corner when we spotted this bird in an Apple-leaf Philonoptera violacea. It tree-hopped down the track ahead of us, before finally flying off.
7 This and other Mosque Swallows were hunting in the rocky hills above Lanner Gorge, in the NW of the area.
8 A pair of Jacobin Cuckoos down by the Levuvhu River, and
9 a Trumpeter Hornbill, photographed in the gathering dusk. Their wailing cries were a characteristic sound of the riparian forests along the Levuvhu.
Dave
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Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Believe it or not, Sal, there is plenty left....Lesser Spotted Eagle, Three-banded Courser, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Green-capped Eremomela, Lemon-breasted Canary, to name but a few which occur there. There are many habitats including riverine/riparian, mopaneveld, cliffs and gorges, rocky hills, palm savanna, fever-tree forest, acacia thornveld, broad-leaved woodland and so on, all within a relatively small area. The reptile, mammal and plant population is just as varied, making it a fascinating place to visit.
Best wishes,
Dave
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Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Pafuri, Makuleke Contract Park, Northern KNP
Another couple of Pafuri pin-ups.........
10 a female Giant Kingfisher on the Levuvhu road bridge. We found, besides the Giant Kingfisher, Pygmy, Woodland, Striped, Pied and Brown-hooded Kingfishers.
11 Swainson's Spurfowl, stepping it out one fine evening. Other francolins/spurfowl in the area are Crested and Natal francolins.
Best wishes,
Dave
Another couple of Pafuri pin-ups.........
10 a female Giant Kingfisher on the Levuvhu road bridge. We found, besides the Giant Kingfisher, Pygmy, Woodland, Striped, Pied and Brown-hooded Kingfishers.
11 Swainson's Spurfowl, stepping it out one fine evening. Other francolins/spurfowl in the area are Crested and Natal francolins.
Best wishes,
Dave
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Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Pafuri, Makuleke Contract Park, Northern KNP
This post is on behalf of that well-known snake-fancier Allan Hobbs......
Hi Allan,
This pretty little lady Boomslang was enjoying a lurk in a large Nyala Tree Xanthocercis zambesiaca close to Tent No.8, just in case you were thinking of making a reservation. You are welcome to add this one to your collection.
Best wishes,
Dave
This post is on behalf of that well-known snake-fancier Allan Hobbs......
Hi Allan,
This pretty little lady Boomslang was enjoying a lurk in a large Nyala Tree Xanthocercis zambesiaca close to Tent No.8, just in case you were thinking of making a reservation. You are welcome to add this one to your collection.
Best wishes,
Dave
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Sal
Well-known member
Sigh . . .it sounds amazing. Don't know that I shall ever get there however. I've managed to tailor our trip to get as far as Mopani, from which we can travel up to Shingwedzi and back in a day.
PeterBird
Well-known member
That is an impressive list! Six species of Kingfisher, five Bee-eaters, five Rollers, we have only one of each in Europe. I'll be over for my first visit to SA in a few days and also be visiting the Kruger Park, though not the northern part. It definitely sounds like an area to go to next time. You must have had some great days there!
Peter
Peter
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Hi, Peter, and welcome to the Forum.
The whole of Kruger is splendid for birding. I am sure you will have some great sightings, and look forward to you posting them on the forum.
Have a great holiday.
Best wishes,
Dave
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Northern Jo'burg Birds
I heard from a friend this morning that she had observed a Namaqua Dove in her Sunninghill garden. Has anybody else encountered Namaqua Doves within the Johannesburg urban area? Please respond if you have any information.
Thank you.
Dave
I heard from a friend this morning that she had observed a Namaqua Dove in her Sunninghill garden. Has anybody else encountered Namaqua Doves within the Johannesburg urban area? Please respond if you have any information.
Thank you.
Dave
Sal
Well-known member
Dave this comes from another birding forum and was written in Oct 2009:
Hi All
On Sunday morning, whilst driving through Oaklands/Waverly in Johannesburg, I saw a Namaqua Dove. My first JHB sighting of this species.
It must have been lost? Anybody else seen one in JHB?
The reply was:
I have seen Namaqua Doves at Delta Park, Northern Farm, around Northcliff and in Bryanston, so they are around. They are more common further out of the city though!
Dave Kennedy
Well-known member
Mike Richardson
Formerly known as Skink1978
What a beauty! Boomslang is top of my list next time I visit South Africa.
