13 February 2025

We all gathered down by the overgrown dam where we quickly realized that we weren’t going to get many birds facing that way, so we turned around and faced the trees. What a good decision! The birds paraded before us and soon had a good list going. The dry branches at the top seemed very popular and White-eared Barbet shared with Thick-billed Weaver.

An Eastern Golden Weaver was observed coming and going from a nest that he was building in a fever tree. While a Southern Black Flycatcher perched on a small twig lower down.

There was some activity by the overgrown dam with a Malachite Kingfisher hunting for some clear water so that it could fish while we watched a number of Southern Red Bishop buzzing in and out of their nests. A Tawny-flanked Prinia also found the area to its liking.

A Grey Heron found a perch overlooking the whole area and kept its beady eye on everything.

Some birders went wandering around and spotted some non-bird related things. While the people left behind were spoiled with a pair of Black-throated Wattle-eyes moving through the trees. Sadly, not posing for a photo unlike Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds which were seen throughout the morning.

Yellow-bellied Greenbul shouted their heads off and showed themselves. Towards the end of the morning, we formed a more social circle and looked in all directions.

A total of 46 birds were seen

Text by Jenny Norman and pics by Dot van der Merwe