Southern African Forum (1 Viewer)

[clarkcan]

Spent a lovely morning birding at Darville Sewage Works. . . .

Sal,

That's a great list for a MORNING! Any pics?

Candace

 

[cossypha]

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay in typing up my trip report - I've been very busy lately and was out and about in Kadoma where I couldn't get internet. Anyway here is the first part. Species names highlighted in red are lifers.

Part 1: 22 and 23 Aug 09. Lochinvar

Waking at 7am, we packed all the stuff in the Land Rover and set off. It was just my dad and I going, along with Kenny, who came to help with the driving and camping and stuff.
The plan was to go to Kariba for lunch, then pass through the border to Zambia and be at Lochinvar for the night.

Black-Shouldered Kites were perched on powerlines and flying around all the way to Kariba, as were Fork-tailed Drongos and Lilac-breasted rollers. We stopped at Karoi for a break, at Twin Rivers Inn (or something like that anyway), where there is a breeding colony of Black-headed herons. We weren't there long though - after a quick stretch and change of driver we were off again. Now Kenny was driving. We got stopped by the police not even 5 kms from Karoi and asked Ken for his license. He soon realised that he'd left it at home! The police woman wanted to arrest him, but my dad told her he had 7 days to produce the license at a police station. Which is true. The lady looked very put out by this, and she let us off without further ado.

Past the border I started seeing some different birds. Crowned Hornbill, Meves' Starling. We realised we would not make it to Lochinvar before sunset, so we camped at a camping ground 100kms or so from Monze. There I saw African Barred Owlet, Red-throated Twinspot, Tropical boubou, as well as the more common garden birds such as dark-capped bulbul and crested barbet.

The next day we were off bright and early, reached Monze and took the turnoff. The sign said “Lochinvar – 42km.” That was the last sign we saw along the way. So we went 42km, 50km, 55km, no sign. Eventually we asked someone, who after directing us about 20km back the way we had come, said to dad, "Hmm you are lost, my dear." Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

Anyway we found the turnoff he meant, which was signposted for a school. So we drove and drove, and asked directions again and again. There always seemed to be someone to ask. That's one of the big differences I've noticed between Australia and Africa. Australia is practically empty, but Africa is full of people all over the place. Eventually we found the park. It was amazing.
The south end of the park has a few hills and most of the camping facilities, also some hot springs, which we visited. The one hot spring, called Gwisho Hot Springs, was overlooking the massive floodplain that makes up a good portion of the park. Here I saw Red-billed hornbill, Red-necked falcon, go-away-bird, Namaqua, emerald-spotted, laughing, cape turtle- and red-eyed doves, white-backed vulture and helmeted guineafowl to name a few. On the plain I saw Chestnut-backed sparrowlark.

We then started the drive to the north end of the park - Chunga Lagoon. A striped kingfisher flew onto a tree as we were leaving. We still had a big day, and alot of birds ahead of us.

The pictures attatched are: 1. African Barred Owlet. 2. Red-billed hornbill. 3. Go-away-bird. and 4. Striped Kingfisher. None are particularly great - my poor 200mm lens is not quite enough!

 

[Sal]

Sal,

That's a great list for a MORNING! Any pics?

Candace

Sorry Candace, no. It is not a safe place to take cameras unfortunately although I would have given my eye-teeth on a couple of occasions to have mine with me! It is an excellent birding spot and last year a group spotted 100 species in the summer in about three hours! I think that is a record!

 

[Sal]

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay in typing up my trip report - I've been very busy lately and was out and about in Kadoma where I couldn't get internet. Anyway here is the first part. Species names highlighted in red are lifers.

Hi Nick, thanks for posting this, a very interesting report so far, mainly because this is all new ground to me. You certainly saw some great birds and must be getting quite a good list by now. Look forward to the next episode.

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Hi everyone, sorry about the delay in typing up my trip report - I've been very busy lately and was out and about in Kadoma where I couldn't get internet. Anyway here is the first part. Species names highlighted in red are lifers.

Nick,
Nice report.
I am not sure why you are apologising for the pics, they are very good, especially the Stripped Kingfisher. I haven't seen one before, and you caught it with a kill...!!!
I look forward to the next episode.
By the way, is your Dad a birder or does he 'suffer' like so many of our family/friends?

Martin

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Spent a lovely morning birding at Darville Sewage Works. Very recently they have burnt and slashed the grass and reeds which means there are fewer perches, less food and less shelter or nesting material so I think it has affected the number of birds there at the moment. We saw no raptors except something that was either a little Sparrowhawk or a Shikra, it was rather against the sky and had it's back to us and was a bit far away so we couldn't ID it. Oh and a Fish Eagle and YBK. Anyway, here is my list:

Sal,
Do they burn regularly or is this something new?
When the veld is burnt, as you know, it usually brings other birds that maybe not normally seen in the area, or is this area different because it is the sewers and so more man made than the natural veld?
How long before it recovers?

Martin

 

[Sal]

Sal,
Do they burn regularly or is this something new?
When the veld is burnt, as you know, it usually brings other birds that maybe not normally seen in the area, or is this area different because it is the sewers and so more man made than the natural veld?
How long before it recovers?

Martin

I have never been there before when they have burnt to this degree Martin, nor have they cleared the banks very often, again, not to this degree. It may partly be for security reasons; there have been a few problems here and you only visit in a group. Last time I went the vegetation was taller than I am. Looking back at previous lists, there were no new birds for the time of year. The vegetation in the area shows a lot of disturbance from human input over the years and is a mix of exotic and indigenous, but the immediate riparian vegetation is mainly indigenous. I don't think it will be too long before it recovers if we have decent rain. Maybe a couple of months.

By the way the Western Marsh Harrier we saw here a while ago was mentioned in the July 'Birds and Birding' in the rare visitor article.

 

[cossypha]

Hi Nick, thanks for posting this, a very interesting report so far, mainly because this is all new ground to me. You certainly saw some great birds and must be getting quite a good list by now. Look forward to the next episode.

Thanks Sal, I am indeed getting a good list now. That's a nice list you got yourself at Darville.

Nick,
Nice report.
I am not sure why you are apologising for the pics, they are very good, especially the Stripped Kingfisher. I haven't seen one before, and you caught it with a kill...!!!
I look forward to the next episode.
By the way, is your Dad a birder or does he 'suffer' like so many of our family/friends?

Martin

And thank you too Martin, for the compliments on my pics. Looking through them all I noticed I did get some really great ones on the trip.
My dad is not a birder, or not a very interested one anyway! He knows stuff like grey heron and crowned crane - the common, or outstanding looking ones.

 

[cossypha]

Part 2, 23-25 Aug 09 – Lochinvar continued.

We reached the lagoon at about lunch time. It reached almost as far as the eye could see - the far bank was just visible on the horizon. It was very shallow, so the Lechwe could get to even a couple of hundred meters from the edge. Black-winged stilt, African Jacana, Common sandpiper, glossy Ibis, White faced and Fulvous ducks and various herons and egrets were at the water’s edge. Further out were Comb Duck, Great white pelican, white-breasted cormorant, Goliath heron and grey-headed gull.
We drove along the edge for a while, seeing Little Egret, yellow-billed and Saddle-billed Storks, and more of the above.
We then went back around the other way to the campsite, where I spotted Yellow-billed hornbill, little bee-eater, Red-necked spurfowl, Blue waxbill and red-billed quelea in the bushland. A lappet-faced Vulture flew overhead. Once camp was up, we went off to the water again, and this is where it got really amazing. Thousands – at least 2 thousand – fulvous and White-faced ducks were clustered along the shoreline and shallow bits. Further out in the reeds and tall grass a hundred or so African Spoonbills were standing, accompanied by a few Grey Crowned Cranes and various other storks and herons. A few waders were scattered along the shoreline. This is possibly the most birds I have seen at once, rivalled only by the Arctic tern flocks I have seen in Walvis Bay, Namibia. The sheer numbers of ducks was astonishing.
The next morning we went back there. The ducks had moved further out, but the Spoonbills, Cranes and Storks were still there. Flock upon flock of Red-Billed Quelea flew past, leaving the reeds where they seem to roost. The flocks ranged from 20 to 200 birds. There must have been a total of 3000+ Quelea. A Greater Painted-Snipe and a Senegal Coucal finished off the wonderful birding experience that is Chunga Lagoon.
Lochinvar isn't known for it's mammals - They have Lechwe, Hippo, Impala, Wildebeest, Buffalo and allegedly Kudu. We saw Lechwe, Hippo and Wildebeest, Lechwe by far the most.
We drove back, not seeing much, and out the gate. Back on the tar road again we headed for Lusaka. Tonight we would stay at a friend’s house just on the outskirts of the city.
At his house I saw Northern Grey-Headed Sparrow, Long-Billed Crombec and Chinspot Batis.
In the morning I had a quick walk around Eureka Game Park, which is 2 minutes drive from the house. It's quite small, but I saw Kudu, Impala and Vervet Monkeys. The birds were Terrestrial Brownbul, Ashy Flycatcher and Blue Waxbills mainly.
We drove to the border and back into Zimbabwe, then to the harbour where out yacht was waiting.

To be continued...

The photos: Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Saddle-Billed Stork, Grey Crowned Crane and Greater Painted-Snipe.

 

[cossypha]

And some more photos.
1. The flock (is that right?) of Pelicans. They were feeding - there must have been alot of fish!
2 + 3. Ducks, ducks and more ducks. A selection of the ducks near our campsite.
4. A male Lechwe. Not in the least concerned by our presence.
5. A monitor lizard. I know they have another, more used, name, but I won't even try to spell it.

 

[Sal]

Chunga lagoon sounds brilliant. How I'd love to visit a place like that with so many birds. The nearest got to this was at Ndumo when one of the lagoons we visited was floating with birds. But a smaller lagoon than yours, so there were certainly nowhere near the number you saw. The photograph of the Little Egret is particularly good and the pics of the huge flocks are amazing. Flock is fine for Pelicans; I think they can also be called a pod or a pouch of pelicans from what I can remember of collective nouns. Interesting post, thanks.

 

[Martin Hobbs]

I have never been there before when they have burnt to this degree Martin, nor have they cleared the banks very often, again, not to this degree. It may partly be for security reasons; there have been a few problems here and you only visit in a group. Last time I went the vegetation was taller than I am. Looking back at previous lists, there were no new birds for the time of year. The vegetation in the area shows a lot of disturbance from human input over the years and is a mix of exotic and indigenous, but the immediate riparian vegetation is mainly indigenous. I don't think it will be too long before it recovers if we have decent rain. Maybe a couple of months.

By the way the Western Marsh Harrier we saw here a while ago was mentioned in the July 'Birds and Birding' in the rare visitor article.

Sal,
Thanks for the info.
Nature will find a way....
Seeing the Western Marsh Harrier, does this mean you were mentioned in dispatches?

Martin

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Part 2, 23-25 Aug 09 – Lochinvar continued.


The photos: Little Egret, Common Sandpiper, Saddle-Billed Stork, Grey Crowned Crane and Greater Painted-Snipe.

Nick,
Your picture of the Grey Crowned Crane is stunning.
If you gave an artist a blank canvas asked him to paint an exotic bird he would not have dreamed of something as beautiful as this bird...
Great picture.

Martin

 

[Sal]

Sal,
Thanks for the info.
Nature will find a way....
Seeing the Western Marsh Harrier, does this mean you were mentioned in dispatches?

Martin

:-O Not me personally Martin, just the WMH and Darville . . . .

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Got back from the Cape last night around 21h30, and as I was unloading the car I heard the Freckled Nightjar calling almost incessantly from somewhere close by. Nice to know he's back in town.

Dave

 

[Sal]

What a nice welcome Dave, good to see you back.

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Got back from the Cape last night around 21h30, and as I was unloading the car I heard the Freckled Nightjar calling almost incessantly from somewhere close by. Nice to know he's back in town.

Dave

Hi Dave,
Welcome back.
I haven't heard a Nightjar around us for a long time now. My last sighting of one I almost ran it over as I was driving down our panhandle, as it sat at the side of the track, and it didn't move even as I drove past it.
When I got into the house I walked back up the panhandle with my camera, but it flew off as I walked towards it.
As Sal said, what a nice welcome home, it is one of the iconic sounds of Africa.

Martin

 

[Martin Hobbs]

I spent a few hours walking in the Hennops area just outside JHB/PTA in areas of mixed broadleaf and thornveld. It is nice to spend time walking at this time of year with the warm sun and all the trees and shrubs showing their new bright emerald green leaves, the striking scarlet Coral trees and the fresh white flowers of the Wild Pears. Not many birds but enjoyable.
Short-toed Rock Thrush
Cardinal Woodpecker
Lesser Honeyguide
Bar-throated Apalis
Grey-backed Bleating Warbler (spent 35 minutes trying for a descent picture, he just wouldn't keep still)
Pale Flycatcher (determined to get a picture as I have only seen this once before) hawking insects from low branches and flitting it's wings when on the ground.
Black-crowned Tchagra
Yellow-fronted Canary
Green Woodhoopoe
Black-headed Oriole
Black Sunbird
White-bellied Sunbird
Palm Swift
Wattled Plover
Red-winged Starling
Cape White-eye

Martin

 

[Sal]

Sounds like a really pleasant walk Martin with all that blossom and some good birds; Short-toed Rock-thrush, Lesser Honeyguide, Pale Flycatcher - nice. I like the pics too, especially the Apalis amongst all the blossom, very spring-like. Good pic of the warbler too so it was worth the wait.

Ahem - I suddenly have the opportunity to spend four days in Kruger in November . . . .

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Right,
Here's the story of the SW Cape trip - not marvellous, from a birding point of view, because the weather was fairly hostile, with strong winds, biting cold, and occasional rain, but there were still a couple of high points. When we drove back from Clanwilliam to Cape Town the higher mountains were white with snow.

So here's the list - Hartlaub's Gull, Cape Gull, Red-winged Starling, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Cape Sugarbird, Olive Thrush, Cape Cormorant, African Penguin, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Swift Tern, House Sparrow, Speckled Pigeon, Laughing Dove, Karoo Prinia, Cape Gannet, Pied Crow, Cape White-eye, Egyptian Goose, Grey Heron, Yellow-billed Kite, Pied Starling, Sacred Ibis, Blue Crane, Freckled Nightjar, African Spoonbill, Black-shouldered Kite, Common Fiscal, Yellow Bishop, Bokmakierie, Hadeda, Cape Francolin, Alpine Swift, Cape Canary, Common Waxbill, Cape Robin-chat, Cape Wagtail, Cape Sparrow, African Stonechat, Brown-throated Martin, Spur-winged Goose, Red-knobbed Coot, Rock Kestrel, Verreaux's Eagle, Black Harrier, White-necked Raven, Cape Weaver, Southern Masked Weaver, Jackal Buzzard, Clapper Lark, Karoo Scrub-robin, African Darter, Ant-eating Chat, White-backed Mousebird, Capped Wheatear, Blacksmith Plover, Common Quail, Hamerkop, Mountain Chat, Cattle egret, Southern Red Bishop, Reed Cormorant, Black-headed Heron.

Notable among these were the Alpine Swift, a first for me, and the Black Harrier, of which we managed an excellent sighting of a pair quartering the fynbos close to the dirt road leading to the small settlement of Wupperthal, across the Cederberg to the east of Clanwilliam. The Alpine Swifts were soaring around some high cliffs near the Bushman's Kloof Resort Lodge. They really are large for swifts, and the white belly is a splendid field mark.
I noticed that Hartlaub's Gull has a faint grey hood (see photographs), more obvious on some birds than others. As you can see from the photos, these little gulls are astonishingly tame in the Cape, allowing you to approach within a couple of feet to take their picture.
Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens provided some fine Cape Sugarbird sightings. All were feeding on Protea flowers as illustrated.
You order fish and chips at the Waterfront at your peril! Hartlaub's Gulls, Red-winged Starlings, Speckled Pigeons and Cape Wagtails fearlessly plunder your plates as you try to eat. A young American girl who preferred to scream rather than try to swat the feathered filchers lost most of her chips to a squadron of gulls which simply flew in in succession, each nicking a chip in passing. Hard to convince such people that birds are NICE, yes really, they are. It was like a scene from the Hitchcock movie.
The little penguins at Boulders, just south of Simonstown, are quite simply astonishing. Back in the seventies, with the whole of the southern African coast to choose from, some little penguin came ashore and said "Hey, this'll do me!" Ever since then there has been a colony in this busy place, close to a major naval base. The penguins do their thing in complete disregard of any humans who happen to be in the vicinity.
And a footnote unrelated to birds - we spent a fascinating hour in the late afternoon/early evening watching a pair of Bat-eared Foxes foraging across the veld. These little canids were another first for me, and a great thrill.

Best wishes,
Dave