Southern African Forum (1 Viewer)

[Sal]

Hi Sal

Klaas's Cuckoo is an intra-African migrant, so doesn't have that far to travel. I heard them calling for the first time this season in the last week, so co-incides well with your timing.

The current thinking around Klaas's Cuckoo at the moment is in fact that some may over-winter in SA regularly, and not migrate at all. They are just much more difficult to record in winter when they are not calling!

Andrew

Hi Andrew - yes, I have seen them in Nelspruit in the winter in the past, but hadn't seen or heard one here this winter until now. Thanks for the info.

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Some more news on urban bird mobility and changing populations - this morning (15th Sept 2009) I spotted a male Thick-billed Weaver in Shannon Road, Krugersdorp. This is a first sighting for me in K-dorp in 20 years residence. There has been a colony of these birds at a small pan in Melrose, Johannesburg, for many years, but I have never seen them elsewhere in the region. My only other sightings have all been in the Lowveld, in Kruger National Park and such places.

So, if anyone has information about Thick-billed Weaver movements, I'd be happy to hear from you.

Best wishes,
Dave

Apropos the above..........
About 30 minutes ago I found two Thick-billed Weavers in my very own road in Krugersdorp. To find 3 in 6 days after none for 20 years seems significant - looks like Thick-billed Weavers are on the move in the Highveld!

Thanks to all for the cuckoo information - it may be that we didn't know as much about cuckoos as we thought we did. It's information like this that makes a forum such as this so valuable.

Best wishes,
Dave

 

[Dale Forbes]

here is a very interesting graph for Klaas'
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/functions_bertholds_to_spp.php?Year=2008&Spp=351

and diderick:
http://sabap2.adu.org.za/functions_bertholds_to_spp.php?Year=2008&Spp=352

sightings for both all year round, although very few for diderick in winter - if all of them are as reclusive as the one I saw, then it is not surprising that they are not seen in winter, even if a few do hang out...

 

[Sal]

Thanks Dale, very interesting figures, especially when you think that they are so much less likely to be perceived in winter because their behaviour will have changed - there must be more present in the country than are seen and I wonder if that figure, as a percentage of the total seen is different for winter and summer.

 

[Allan Hobbs]

Hi everyone,
so why are birds starting to overwinter? Is it climate change, or are we just noticing them now?

In the UK there is a definite trend to having more species overwinter as the winters tend to be warmer than a decade or two ago (despite what Martin says!)

Allan

 

[Sal]

Well the Klaases have been overwintering for some time, I can remember seeing them in winter about nine or ten years ago. But I can believe that the change in our climate could be leading to a greater tendency to do so and amongst a greater number of species. Back in the '70's, PMB had approximately 13 -14 frost days per year and the winters generally had lower temperatures for longer. April used to be a lovely month, now it remains summer! Then May became the lovely month. For the last two years it seems to have been under the delusion that it is still in summer too. Now we are lucky to get one frosty morning per winter!

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Hi everyone,
so why are birds starting to overwinter? Is it climate change, or are we just noticing them now?

In the UK there is a definite trend to having more species overwinter as the winters tend to be warmer than a decade or two ago (despite what Martin says!)

Allan

Haven't heard any Cuckoo yet, but I did hear Red-throated Wryneck two weekends ago although I couldn't find him.
We do have our summer resident Little Swifts returned again to the nest under our roof.

And yes Allan, English winters are still too cold....

Martin

 

[Dale Forbes]

Well the Klaases have been overwintering for some time, I can remember seeing them in winter about nine or ten years ago. But I can believe that the change in our climate could be leading to a greater tendency to do so and amongst a greater number of species. Back in the '70's, PMB had approximately 13 -14 frost days per year and the winters generally had lower temperatures for longer. April used to be a lovely month, now it remains summer! Then May became the lovely month. For the last two years it seems to have been under the delusion that it is still in summer too. Now we are lucky to get one frosty morning per winter!

no frost in 'Maritzburg! that's horrid. back when I was a boy, we would drive up to maritzburg to play hokey on college's fields alongside the duzi and there was at least 15cm of frost - even in the afternoon||. in fact it was so cold us poor coastal boys ran about like blue-bummed flies just to try to keep warm (much to our coach's delight

at varsity, we discovered the irish pub in (ex-)Durban road. it was much better then B

on a side note (or maybe just back to the point), might it not be that more birds are overwintering in europe because of relatively warmer gardens and lots of garden feeders?

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Good news from Pafuri

Wilderness Safaris has reported that a pair of Three-banded Coursers at Pafuri Lodge successfully hatched two eggs on the 25th August 2009. The youngsters have since been seen several times running about with their parents.
This is Pafuri's third reported breeding since 2007.

Dave Kennedy

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Wilderness Safaris has reported that a pair of Three-banded Coursers at Pafuri Lodge successfully hatched two eggs on the 25th August 2009. The youngsters have since been seen several times running about with their parents.
This is Pafuri's third reported breeding since 2007.

Dave Kennedy

Dave,
After reading your post I looked up the Three-banded Courser and noticed how their range curiously follows the northern South African border. Very odd.
As you say, it is good news.

Martin

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Pilanesburg

Hi,
We spent the public holiday in Pilanesburg.
A very large percentage of the Reserve had recently burnt and we saw very little of any life in these areas. The grass is recovering, however, most of the tress (except the Sweet Thorns) haven’t started to recover as yet, hopefully this will begin after the rains arrive.
It was a reasonable day out with Karen having 6 new sightings, although we only saw a total of 71 and also didn’t see any sizable Birds of Prey.
After Dave saw Verreaux’s Eagle here earlier in the year I was hoping I could see one, but unfortunately we didn’t.
Dithabaneng route at first light was good and most other sightings (not unexpectedly due to the large burnt areas) we saw along Mankwe, Tshwene and Motlobo and in the areas surrounding Mankwe Dam. The least we saw was along Tlou and Moloto routes.

I have two birds that I need assistance in identifying which I will post later.

Martin

 

[Martin Hobbs]

Pilanesburg 2

More pics from Pilanesburg..

 

[Martin Hobbs]

I have had indecision on the below two pics.
The first, I am having a difficulty as I do not know of a Martin with a full white breast, throat and belly and no brown breast band. At this time of the year it cannot be a juvenile Sand Martin or a Banded Martin can it?

The second I have a problem with the large white band over the eye. I thought about a juvenile Yellow-throated Petronia as the throat and breast is a browny colour with the grey belly but the white band over the eye is broader. But again, a junenile at this time of the year?

Any ideas on these two anybody?

Martin

 

[Dave Kennedy]

Dave,
After reading your post I looked up the Three-banded Courser and noticed how their range curiously follows the northern South African border. Very odd.
As you say, it is good news.

Martin

The distribution is strange - the book (Sasol) says they like Mopane veld, but, looking at the distribution, I would have thought that perhaps it is really Miombo - Brachystegia sp. - that they like. It would certainly explain the apparent distribution.

Dave K

 

[Dave Kennedy]

I have had indecision on the below two pics.
The first, I am having a difficulty as I do not know of a Martin with a full white breast, throat and belly and no brown breast band. At this time of the year it cannot be a juvenile Sand Martin or a Banded Martin can it?

The second I have a problem with the large white band over the eye. I thought about a juvenile Yellow-throated Petronia as the throat and breast is a browny colour with the grey belly but the white band over the eye is broader. But again, a junenile at this time of the year?

Any ideas on these two anybody?

Martin

I think the second bird is a Petronia. Looking at it head-on can often make the white band appear thicker than it is.

The first bird has very short wings for a martin. I can't really see its tail, i.e. whether it's forked or just a bit scruffy - and without the evidence of a forked tail I would have gone for Marico Flycatcher, which is common in Pilanesberg.

Dave

 

[Sal]

I have had indecision on the below two pics.
The first, I am having a difficulty as I do not know of a Martin with a full white breast, throat and belly and no brown breast band. At this time of the year it cannot be a juvenile Sand Martin or a Banded Martin can it?

The second I have a problem with the large white band over the eye. I thought about a juvenile Yellow-throated Petronia as the throat and breast is a browny colour with the grey belly but the white band over the eye is broader. But again, a junenile at this time of the year?

Any ideas on these two anybody?

Martin

Lovely photos Martin - you certainly had a good birding day there. Regarding the queries:
The first one looks like a Marico Flycatcher to me. The second one certainly looks like a Yellow-throated Petronia. I think their colour varies a little, but the darker head and thick white band are diagnostic.

 

[Sal]

Oh, sorry Dave, you must have posted whilst I was writing! Still, at least we agree!

 

[Martin Hobbs]

B

I think the second bird is a Petronia. Looking at it head-on can often make the white band appear thicker than it is.

The first bird has very short wings for a martin. I can't really see its tail, i.e. whether it's forked or just a bit scruffy - and without the evidence of a forked tail I would have gone for Marico Flycatcher, which is common in Pilanesberg.

Dave

Dave, Sal,
Thanks for the feedback.
I can see now that the first bird is a Marico Flycatcher now.... I was thinking of a Martin because of it's stance on the branch, it seems to me to be smaller and sitting in a more horizontal manner, like a Martin/Swift/Swallow, rather than the more upright stance of a Flycatcher.
I have attached a more 'traditional' (in my mind anyway) perch position of a Marico Flycatcher from Pilanesburg the same day. You are right Dave, they are common there...

The second I wasn't sure with the wider white strip on the head of the Petronia, as Sal says it is diognostic, (unlike the yellow spot which isn't) I wasn't sure if it was too wide to be a Petronia.

Thanks both.

Martin

 

[cossypha]

Hi everyone, been off for a while. We had so much trouble getting internet set up in our new house. We're renting a house in Borrowdale Brooke. Very nice here.
Martin those are great photos. I particularly like the mousebird. Any lifers from that trip?

 

[Dave Kennedy]

More pics from Pilanesburg..

Hi, Martin -

Your Pilanesberg Rock Thrush - It looks like the grey colour extends onto the mantle, which would indicate Short-toed Rock Thrush or Sentinel Rock Thrush. The Sentinel is less likely to occur in P'berg, while the Short-toed male normally has a pale to white cap. Not sure whether your picture shows a pale cap, or if it's just the sunlight. Any comments?

Dave