BY 2022 - Soukous (even if there are no birds, you can still enjoy the music)

[Soukous]

15 hours ago, TonyQ said:

It looks like you didn’t have to spend too long doing repairs 

 

Oh yes I did! 

[Zim Girl]

Great set of SA birds!

[Soukous]

After another painting session (@TonyQ), I decided it was time for a swim. One of the dams on the reserve is just the absolute best swimming pond.

As I was heading out I saw a Secretarybird take to the air and glide away.

 

I drove around to where I could see it and discovered that there were actually 3 of them; 2 adults and a juvenile.

One of them somehow disappeared, but the other 2 spent quite a while hunting for food; stomping around in the long grass for frogs & lizards.

 

#86 - Secretarybird - Saggitauius serpentarius

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#87 - Karoo Prinia - Prinia maculosa

Klein karoo, SA.March 2022

 

 

 

I saw something in amongst the branches. I had no idea what it was when I took the photo.

 

#88 - Karoo Scrub Robin - Cercotrichas coryphoeus

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

#89 - Cape Spurfowl - Pternistis Capensis

Klein karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

and for #90 I am going to post a rare ebc; simply because I had no other opportunity to photograph this bird.

A pair of them flew overhead but by the time I'd rushed inside to get my camera they were way down the valley and this was the closest I got.

 

#90 -  Verreaux's Eagle - Aquila verreauxii

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

[Soukous]

On the way back from a lovely lunch at a farm restaurant up the valley, I decided to try my newly discovered spot for Cape Sugarbirds before going home.

 

I spent over an hours on a 40 metre stretch of the road at the bottom of the Swartberg Pass and found out that I did not need to drive all the way to Robberg Nature reserve to find Southern Double-collared Sunbirds or Orange-breasted Sunbirds; there are plenty of them right here, just 20 minutes from home.

 

 

 

 

and, of course, a lot of Sugarbirds

 

 

There are also Cisticolas; at least 2 varieties, probably more

 

#91 - Grey-backed Cisticola - Cisticola subruficapilla - (Once again I am by no means certain of this ID)

Swartberg Pass, Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

 

[Soukous]

down to the last couple now.

I listed 54 species, but did not get photos of several because pigeons and starlings do not excite me much. There are also a couple that I am not sure of the ID, which I may add later.

 

#92 - African Hoopoe - Upupa africana

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

#93 - Crowned Lapwing - Vanellus coronatus

Klein karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

 

I've already posted African Pipit, but I'm hopingthis one might be a Long-billed Pipit

 

#94 - Long-billed Pipit - Anthus similis

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

#95 - Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

and I have one for which I need assitance.

It looks like a Bishop, but I'm not sure

 

Thanks to @Tdgravesthis is almost certainly a Brimstone Canary - Crithagra sulphurata

which means I can add it as #96 - woo hoo!

 

 

 

Edited March 15, 2022 by Soukous

[Soukous]

I already have Western Marsh Harrier in my BY from a UK sighting so no tick for these but it was nice ot see them as raptors had been very scarce.

 

now correctly identified as a Booted Eagle

so...

 

#97 - Booted Eagle - Hieraaetus pennatus

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Soukous

[Tdgraves]

@Soukous is your mystery bird a brimstone canary?

[Soukous]

1 minute ago, Tdgraves said:

@Soukous is your mystery bird a brimstone canary?

 

I think you could be right. Thanks. All I had to do was turn a couple more pages.

[michael-ibk]

Isn´t your Marsh Harrier a Booted Eagle?

[PeterHG]

4 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Isn´t your Marsh Harrier a Booted Eagle?

I agree. Great to see you SA collection, Martin! Excellent photos throughout. It must feel good to be back again!

[Kitsafari]

10 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Isn´t your Marsh Harrier a Booted Eagle?

 

@Soukous which will bring you to #97th? so just 3 away from a century!

 

brilliant shots of the sunbirds and the harrier-eagle

[Soukous]

13 hours ago, michael-ibk said:

Isn´t your Marsh Harrier a Booted Eagle?

 

I do believe you are correct. They just looked too small to me, but the markings are all there. Thank you.

[Soukous]

9 hours ago, PeterHG said:

It must feel good to be back again!

 

Indeed it does, although it was only a brief visit.

[xelas]

All beauties, Martin ! But how did you managed to get the focus on the eye of that Scrub Robin hiding behind all those twigs and branches ? Oh, the answer is hidden in plain sight ... within your watermark !

How short was that brief visit (with flights included)?

[Soukous]

22 minutes ago, xelas said:

How short was that brief visit (with flights included)?

 

12 days in total. I would have like to stay longer but I had to get back for a family event.

 

If you are interested in visiting then the best time is between beginning of November and mid December. This is when the birding is at its best. From mid December to mid January the South Africans have a looong holiday and everywhere is really busy. Then from mid January to end of Feb is also good. Great weather but declining numbers of birds and less breeding plumage.

June-August is very cold - it snows where we are so I do not recommend that.

 

If you want to make a safari of it then I'd recommend a couple of days in & around Cape Town and 3 nights at Ebb & Flow (Garden Route reserve) plus a week on our reserve. 

[Soukous]

Post trip blues 

 

Not really feeling inspired to go out and look for birds so I sent my camera in for a (long overdue) service & clean.

[pedro maia]

6 hours ago, Soukous said:

 

12 days in total. I would have like to stay longer but I had to get back for a family event.

 

If you are interested in visiting then the best time is between beginning of November and mid December. This is when the birding is at its best. From mid December to mid January the South Africans have a looong holiday and everywhere is really busy. Then from mid January to end of Feb is also good. Great weather but declining numbers of birds and less breeding plumage.

June-August is very cold - it snows where we are so I do not recommend that.

 

If you want to make a safari of it then I'd recommend a couple of days in & around Cape Town and 3 nights at Ebb & Flow (Garden Route reserve) plus a week on our reserve. 

 

That´s a long trip by my standards .

[Dave Williams]

Some cracking birds there Martin. I'm beginning to wonder if I made a mistake booking our trip end week of July but mainly in August. I'm in trouble if it's cold! 

[xelas]

Thank you for these details, @Soukous. End of 2022 probably not (thinking India, still remember this one?!). But early 2023 is a feasible option.

[Soukous]

10 hours ago, xelas said:

(thinking India, still remember this one?!)

 

Indeed I do

[Soukous]

23 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Some cracking birds there Martin. I'm beginning to wonder if I made a mistake booking our trip end week of July but mainly in August. I'm in trouble if it's cold! 

 

Remember I was in Western Cape. It has a different weather cycle to the Kruger area.

In Jan/Feb/Mar Kruger has most of its rain, whilst Western Cape is warm & sunny (mostly) From May onwards Kruger is usually fab. Sunny days, not too hot and great light, wit cool/cold nights. At the same time in Western Cape the temperature really drops and most years we get snow. Not at all what I go to Africa for.

Edited March 17, 2022 by Soukous

[Soukous]

Almost sunny skies this morning, so even the bitter easterly wind wasn't going to deter me from stepping out.

 

I had a target, well 2 actually, White-fronted Goose and Pintail; both of which had been sighted at nearby Hollesley RSPB site.

 

On my way to the scrape I found this chap singinghis heart out

 

#98 - Dunnock - Prunella modularis

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

 

Then, behind a group of Greylag Geese were a group of 25 Curlew. A bit distant, but never mind

 

#99 - Curlew - Numenius arquata

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

Out on the scrape, most of the birds preferred the deeper water which, of course, was at the side furthest from the platform. There were a few loitering a bit closer.

 

#100 - Shelduck - Tadorna tadorna

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

Although I could not catch both of them with their heads up at the same time

 

 

taken a few days leter

 

#101 - Black-tailed Godwit - Limose limosa

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

#102 - Gadwall - Mareca strepera

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

 

I did manage to see the geese I was after. They were resting in a field about 100 metres away and I had given up hope of a decent photo, when a small group of them flew overhead. Thank you very much

 

#103 White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

On the way back to the car I passed this Magpie. Not a bird I am particularly fond of but as it was there and a tick is a tick.

 

#104 - Magpie - Pica pica

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by Soukous

[michael-ibk]

Congrats on the first century, well done!