We started off with 19 members and ended up with 27 (some late risers!!). Early in the morning the mist was lying over Shongweni but soon started to lift and turned into a lovely hot day’s birding. Our total bird count was 84. Thanks to Herman for leading the other group.
Shongweni Dam Wall with powerful overflow.
Shongweni Dam Wall with powerful overflow.
We had some great sightings and the bird of the day has to be the Osprey flying over the dam wall and down the river.
Western Osprey
Western Osprey
Western Osprey
No eagles! but we had Common Buzzards
Steppe Buzzard
African Harrier Hawks, YBK’s, White-necked Ravens and later on the Lanner Falcons appeared on the cliff face. We heard but did not see the Gorgeous and Orange-breasted Bush Shrikes. Rufous-napped Larks, Neddickys, Rattling Cisticolas, Twany-flanked Prinias called and displayed all morning. Some bird photos:
Black-headed Heron
African Black Ducks
African Pied Wagtail
Black-backed Puffback
Black-headed Heron
Black-headed Heron
Common Sandpiper
Green Wood-Hoopoe
Lurking Lanner Falcon
Mocking Cliff-Chats
Rufous-naped Lark
Rufous-naped Lark
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Tawny-flanked Prinia
Trumpeter Hornbill
Willow Warbler
Yellow-fronted Canary
White-breasted Cormorant,
As well as a number of Butterflies and another creature.
Butterfly
Butterfly
Brown Veined White
False Dotted Border
Spider
African Common White – perhaps?
African Common White – perhaps?
We had a Dideric Cuckoo begging to be fed by ‘Mama’ Village Weaver, the cuckoo fluttering and squawking and chasing after Ma demanding food whilst poor Ma was desperately hunting for ‘tidbits’ for her monster chick!
Didrick’s Cuckoo – juvenile
Later on we walked to the ‘giant’ steps but the birding was not too successful.
We then walked to the bottom of the dam wall & weir and picked up some nice stuff there. There was a mystery fledgling on a concrete block, maybe it was an Egyptian Goose but as Liz remarked where were the parents, normally Egypo’s are very protective of their chicks.
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
Egyptian Goose
As the day was getting too hot we parked off under the shade of some trees and did a little ‘armchair’ birding – checking out the cliff face.
Thanks to Penny de Vries, Dave Rimmer, Herman Bos, John Bremner & Paul Bartho for the pics.
Love the Osprey shots especially, at least I get to see it here