28 June 2025

Seventeen participants gathered in Salt Rock on the morning of Saturday, 28 June 2025, for an eagerly anticipated outing to Sunhill Farm. Upon arrival, I received a call from the farmer, who sadly informed us that he would be unable to welcome us in person due to a recent accident in which he broke both legs. He is currently in hospital, and we wish him a swift recovery. In his absence, we were warmly greeted at the picnic spot by his farmhand, Shezi, who ensured we were well looked after.

The morning air was notably chilly, but we were met with the welcome sight of fires already burning at the picnic area to keep us warm while we waited for the tractor. All but one of the participants chose to explore the farm on foot—Jenny stayed behind and was later joined by Rosemary, who arrived slightly late and joined Jenny on the tractor.

The walking group set off toward the wetlands. Along the way, we passed the first dam and were rewarded with good visuals of White-backed Duck. As we continued, we spotted a delightful variety of birds including African Hoopoe, Red-faced Cisticola, African Black Duck, and others. Overhead, both a Black Sparrowhawk and a Crowned Eagle soared past, and we were treated to a lovely sighting of a pair of African Green Pigeon.

At the reeds near the river, an African Yellow Warbler made an appearance—a special lifer for two delighted ladies in our group. On the return walk from the wetlands, we observed Little Bee-eater, White-fronted Bee-eater, and Yellow-throated Longclaw. We were teased by the persistent call of a Brown-backed Honeybird, though it remained elusive.

This year’s walk was purposely scheduled for June to coincide with the blooming of the Aloe garden, which is known to attract a wide array of Sunbirds—seven species have been recorded in the past. On our walk back from the wetlands to the Aloe garden, we enjoyed sightings of Red-billed Firefinches and Common Waxbills. Although the Aloes were in bloom, bird activity was modest. We nevertheless recorded five different sunbird species: Scarlet-chested, Amethyst, Collared, White-bellied, and Olive Sunbird. Other notable sightings included more White-fronted Bee-eaters and a few Kurrichane Thrush and the ever-present Fork-tailed Drongo.

The outing concluded with a short trailer ride to the large dam, where we recorded sightings of Yellow-billed Ducks, Little Grebe, Spur-winged Geese, and several other waterfowl. We returned to the picnic site for a warm cup of tea and a relaxed chat. After consolidating our lists, we tallied a remarkable 86 bird species for the morning—an excellent total.

By 11:00 a.m., everyone departed the farm after a truly enjoyable and memorable outing.

Text by Ronnie Her