Saturday 6 June 2015 with Elena Russell.

A good Winter’s morning birding at Pigeon Valley on Saturday 6 June – there were 20 members and non-members plus a few late-comers and our bird count was 59.

We started off by looking for the Spotted Ground-Thrush and were not disappointed in our search – in fact SGT’s were seen on a number of occasions. Our hunt for the Buff-spotted Flufftail was unfortunately not successful, we must wait for Crispin to keep us updated on any sightings. We then broke up into 2 groups; my thanks to Dave Rimmer for leading one group.

Spotted Ground Thrush -John

Spotted Ground Thrush -John

Spotted Ground Thrush -Decklan and Hennie

Spotted Ground Thrush -Decklan and Hennie

Spotted Ground Thrush

Spotted Ground Thrush

Spotted Ground Thrush at top of tree eating berries

Spotted Ground Thrush at top of tree eating berries

Spotted Ground Thrush at top of tree eating berries

The Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatchers were seen near the ‘broken dam’ wall. We dipped on Honeyguides/birds which we normally do see at Pigeon Valley but our Sunbird tally was excellent; Amethyst, Collared, Grey, Olive and Purple banded. Raptors were rather scarce, mainly heard with a few brief glimpses of Crowned Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk and African Goshawk.

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher -Decklan and Hennie

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher – Decklan and Hennie

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher – Dave Rimmer

Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher – Dave Rimmer

Amethyst Sunbird – John

Amethyst Sunbird – John

Purple-banded Sunbird

Purple-banded Sunbird

Purple-banded Sunbird

Purple-banded Sunbird – Decklan and Hennie

Purple-banded Sunbird – Decklan and Hennie

Olive Sunbird – Decklan and Hennie

Collared Sunbird

We had some excellent birding up by the reservoir, where the veldt grasses have been allowed to grow and various fig trees and the Apodytes are fruiting in abundance!! Fiscal Flycatchers, Black-headed Orioles, White-eared Barbets, Village & Spectacled Weavers, Speckled Mousebirds, Dark-capped Bulbuls, and then the piece de resistance a Zitting Cisticola (due no doubt to the grasses being allowed to grow tall and thick).

Brown Hooded Kingfisher – John

Brown-hooded Kingfisher – Dave Rimmer

Brown-hooded Kingfisher – Decklan and Hennie

Cardinal Woodpecker – Dave Rimmer

Dark-backed Weaver – Dave Rimmer

Black-backed Puffback – Dave Rimmer

Beautiful Tiger Moth – Sandi du Preez

Twin Dotted Border

Sombre Greenbul – John

Spectacled Weaver – Decklan and Hennie

Black-bellied Starling

Black-headed Oriole

Fiscal Flycatcher – with undercarriage up

Fiscal Flycatcher

Fiscal Flycatcher

Fiscal Flycatcher – John

Fiscal Flycatcher -Decklan and Hennie

Fiscal Flycatcher – Decklan and Hennie

Zitting Cisticola – Dave Rimmer

Green-backed Cameroptera- Decklan and Hennie

Grey Waxbills, African Firefinch, Bronze and Red-backed Mannikins, Yellow-fronted Canaries, Cape White Eyes, Tambourine, Red-eyed and Laughing Doves, Southern Black and Dusky Flycatchers, Fork-tailed and Square-tailed Drongos, Purple-crested Turacos, Terrestrial Brownbuls, Olive Thrush kept the list ticking up very nicely.

The reason why Pigeon Valley is protected.

Red Duiker

Staghorn Fern

African Dusky Flycatcher – John

African Dusky Flycatcher – John

Bronze Mannikin – John

Fork-tailed Drongo

Southern Black Flycatcher – Decklan and Hennie

Purple-crested Turaco

Olive Thrush

Olive Thrush – Decklan and Hennie

Red-capped Robin-Chat

Thick-billed Weaver

White-eared Barbets

Thick-billed Weaver – Decklan and Hennie

The last bird of the morning was the Palm swift which came swooping overhead as we had our picnic tea.

Thanks to Decklan, Paul, Dave and John for their pics.

Cheers

Elena