9 June 2024

A small group turned up for a mid-winter bird survey at Van Riebeeck Park, for which we didn’t expect a lot of birds, with the migrants being away and many birds not being vocal.

The paths had been cleared so walking was easy, and we got the usual good start to the list in the car park, including Chinspot Batis and Black-bellied Starling. The coveys of Natal Spurfowl were shouting at each other across the grassland as they often do, but we were surprised to find a Klaas’s Cuckoo in the trees nearby. As we expect in winter, we found Fiscal Flycatchers and Purple-banded Sunbirds, but new additions to the park list were Little Rush Warbler and Black Cuckooshrike. In the end, we accumulated a list of 59, but it was not easy. The best show was probably the sunbirds in and out of the wild dagga (Leonotis) that was in full flower by the fence.

Figure 1. Being watched by a Fork-tailed Drongo

Figure 2. Non-breeding male Fan-tailed Widowbirds are still easily recognisable

Figure 3. Sunbird heaven – wild dagga in flower