7 October 2023

After a wonderful response to the BeKZN Walk advert the walk went ahead on Saturday 7 October 2023 in the Palmiet Nature Reserve. Twenty-five members met at 6:30 am at The Old New Germany Road entrance to the reserve. We were welcomed with a morning chorus of Red-chested Cuckoo, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Black headed Oriole, African Paradise Flycatcher and others.

We set off to explore the river from the foot bridge near the entrance to the reserve. Here we were soon rewarded with on of the target birds for the morning, the Mountain Wagtail. It was strangely amusing to see a Cape Wagtail close to the Mountain Wagtail which presented a unique opportunity to compare the two species with one another.

Back in the boma area we spotted African Paradise Flycatcher, White-eared Barbet, Purple- crested Turaco, Collared Sunbird and African Dusky Flycatcher. A Sombre Greenbul uncharacteristicly posed out in the open and Yellow-billed Kite and Lesser Striped Swallow were seen flying above.

Beacause of the size of the group, we decided to split into two groups. Ismail kindly agreed to lead the second group, which would walk on the recently named Warren Friedman Trail. The river crossing constructed by one of the BeKZN member, Rob Jameson, has been swept away in the recent floods so the group had to precariously negotiate the rocks in order to cross the river, which fortunately was at a low level, and everyone crossed successfully.

The riparian forest was fairly quiet and although we heard Tambourine Dove, Red-capped Robin- chat and White-browned Scrub-Robin calling. We did however miss the Terrestrial brownbul call, which one would expect to hear in that area. At the small opening to a patch of grassland we had a clear view of the Common Square-tailed Drongo frequently dropping to the ground to feed. We also had Bronze Mannikin and White-bellied and Amethyst Sunbird, but none of the Waxblls, that we were hoping for at that spot. Here we also heard Klaas’s Cuckoo and Yellow-bellied Greenbul calling.

Back at the boma the Egyptian Geese were quite vocal. There was a pair with a number of chicks, proclaiming thier territory and pair of intruders in the tree above. A highlight here was a sighting of a Malachite Kingfisher at the pond While Village Weaver were busy building nests and Fork-tailed Drongo were doing their thing.

Ismail’s group reported a pleasant walk, with Female Violet-backed Starling and both Bronze and Red-backed Mannikin seen. A group of them also had an excellent view of a pair of Lemon Doves who flew out into the open in front of them. Certainly, the bird of the day and a very special sighting for them.

Photographs and report by Terry Walls.

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