16 February 2023

After wondering whether the weather would behave, we had a lucky gap in the rain and headed off early to the ‘Dog Park’ where some Nicolette and Ticky who arrived at 7am had already seen Magpie Mannikin.  The rest of us had to wait nearly two hours before we saw them (with a juvenile).

We went to the far side of the small dam where the Village Weavers and Dark-capped Bulbuls kept us entertained. Also entertaining were the people walking a wide variety of dogs before rushing off to work! Once work hours started, we didn’t see any more walkers.

Photo 1 Dark-capped Bulbul – Poobalan Naidoo

African Paradise Flycatchers and Chinspot Batis were spotted in the trees on the other side of the path along with Black-bellied Starlings.

Green-backed Camaroptera seemed bent on giving us a medley of their different calls at different times which enabled people to get to know many of their sounds. Later an active Tawny-flanked Prinia gave us reasonable views while a Bar-throated Apalis called from the denser areas.

After the majority left (when the wind started getting up), four of us moved to the denser shade on the other side of the path and were rewarded with more Magpie Mannikins with the juvenile and a wonderful view of a Long-crested Eagle flying around.

We had 11 participants and saw / heard 34 species.

Written by Jenny Norman