9 September 2023

The Umbogavango Nature Reserve outings have always proved to be popular walks for the club. Being one of the first club walks for spring, as we gathered at the gate to the industrial park, there was a sense of anticipation in the air. There was a good mix of both experienced and newer birders in the group, but who knew as we started the day that almost everyone on the outing would get a lifer on the day. 

Once we finally made our way through the slow check-in process of getting all the cars through the gates, we gathered near the resource centre for a morning of birding. We split into two groups and planned to meet back at the centre for refreshments at 11am. My group headed on the trails going south towards the grassland. The other group, led by Steve Davis, headed north in the direction of the hides. 

Our group started winding through the trails, exercising our necks to try and see the flocks of the birds that were moving through the tops of the trees. The most common bird to start with was Cape-white Eye, with large flocks moving high in the trees. We also managed to hear birds such as Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Green-backed Camaroptera, and Natal Spurfowl. Sadly, for the group we heard a lot more than we got to see. We did however manage to see species such as Chinspot Batis, Green Wood Hoopoe, Bronze Mannikin, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, and Thick-billed Weaver. The list was quite low by the time we did the loop to get back to the resource centre and we started heading across the bridge to walk along the wetland.

The other group started the morning by heading along the wetland area. They managed to record species such as Black-headed Oriole, Cardinal Woodpecker, Southern Black Tit, African Paradise Flycatcher, Klaas’s Cuckoo, and Lesser Honeyguide. This route was the more productive of the two routes. 

The walk along the wetland and in the hides however allowed both groups to record species such as Tawny-flanked Prinia, Collared Sunbird, Little Grebe, Egyptian Goose, Spur winged Goose, and Eastern Golden Weaver. Both groups were lucky enough to get a view of a Striated Heron tucked alongside the side of the wetland. 

The plan was for both groups to eventually get to spend time in both bird hides, but the day was going to go in a totally surprise direction. While Steve’s group enjoyed the stunning views from the hides, recording species such as Common Moorhen, Lesser Swamp Warbler, and Reed Cormorant, our group was in for an unexpected species. As we started the section near the middle hide, I told the group that this is probably the best section to bird in the reserve. We managed to see a nesting Olive Woodpecker, sat under the nest of a Black Sparrowhawk, and at the end of the road saw a nice mixed flock of birds – which include Thick-billed Weavers, Red-headed Quelea, and Red- backed Mannikin. 

We started the slow walk back to spend some time in the hide and we saw a bird perched on an old wooden railway that lined the road. Brandon Gould and I both looked at the bird through the binoculars. I told the group, “I know the birds in this reserve, and I have absolutely no frame of reference for what this bird is”. Luckily Jenny Sole managed to get a photo of the bird. We went through possible options of what the bird could be, and nothing ‘fitted’. I asked Brandon to send the photo through to as many people as possible and try to get the bird identified. I continued to lead the walk and kept looking at what we could find. Slowly the identification was confirmed as a Thrush Nightingale.

What makes it so special, is that it was the first confirmed record of the species in KwaZulu Natal! Who said bird club outings are boring?

We eventually managed to get Steve’s group to also come to the location where we had seen the bird, as Nightingales do, it remained hidden in the shrubbery along the road, we frustratingly struggled to get another view of the bird. We decided to go back to the resource centre, get the cars and come back. When Dave Rimmer arrived back at the spot, he got a view of the bird in the open again. When we got back, those on the outing sat, patiently waiting for a view of bird. As news started to get out around the province, people tried frustratingly to get access to the reserve to see the bird. Slowly the crowd of ‘twitchers’ started to grow. After the initial sighting of the bird, we only managed to get another sighting of the bird after 3pm!

Over the next few weeks, hundreds of birders would visit the little Amanzimtoti reserve to see this special bird.  Hopefully this is an encouragement for people in the greater eThekwini area to join the bird club – not only will you make a difference and add your voice to the conservation of birds, but you might also get to see a rare species on one of the outings. I also encourage non-active members to get involved in the activities of the club – I am sure many members were sad that they were not part of the outing where the Thrush Nightingale was first seen. 

Not only did we see a KwaZulu Natal mega, but we also managed to record another 92 other species. Another special species that was recorded was an African Wattled Lapwing, which was a first ever record for the reserve. 

Report by Adam Cruickshank