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


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Posted
15 hours ago, TonyQ said:

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

 

Oh yes I did! :o

Posted

Great set of SA birds!

Posted

After another painting session (@TonyQ:P), 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

 

Secretarybird

 

Secretarybird

 

Secretarybird

 

Secretarybird

 

Secretarybird

 

Secretarybird

 

Posted

#87 - Karoo Prinia - Prinia maculosa

Klein karoo, SA.March 2022

 

Karoo Prinia

 

Karoo Prinia

 

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

 

#88 - Karoo Scrub Robin - Cercotrichas coryphoeus

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

Karoo Scrub Robin

 

#89 - Cape Spurfowl - Pternistis Capensis

Klein karoo, SA. March 2022

 

Cape Spurfowl

 

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

 

black-eagle.jpg.8baae4cbea789ae39f699079a73f15ac.jpg

Posted

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.

 

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

 

Southern Double-collared Sunbird

 

Orange-breasted Sunbird

 

and, of course, a lot of Sugarbirds

Cape Sugarbird

 

Cape Sugarbird

 

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

 

Grey-backed Cisticola

 

Grey-backed Cisticola

 

Posted

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

 

African Hoopoe

 

 

African Hoopoe

 

Posted (edited)

#93 - Crowned Lapwing - Vanellus coronatus

Klein karoo, SA. March 2022

 

Crowned Lapwing

 

Crowned Lapwing

 

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

 

Long-billed Pipit

 

#95 - Jackal Buzzard - Buteo rufofuscus

Klein Karoo, SA. March 2022

 

Jackal Buzzard

 

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!

 

dk

 

 

Edited by Soukous
Posted (edited)

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

 

Western Marsh Harrier

 

Western Marsh Harrier

 

Western Marsh Harrier

 

Western Marsh Harrier

 

Edited by Soukous
Posted

@Soukous is your mystery bird a brimstone canary?

Posted
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
Posted

Isn´t your Marsh Harrier a Booted Eagle?

Posted
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!

Posted
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

Posted
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.

Posted
9 hours ago, PeterHG said:

It must feel good to be back again!

 

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

Posted

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

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

Posted
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. 

Posted

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.

Posted
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
Posted

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! 

Posted

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

Posted
10 hours ago, xelas said:

(thinking India, still remember this one?!)

 

Indeed I do

Posted (edited)
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 by Soukous
Posted (edited)

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

 

Dunnock

 

Dunnock

 

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

 

Curlew

 

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

 

shelduck

 

taken a few days leter

Shelducks in flight

 

#101 - Black-tailed Godwit - Limose limosa

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

Black-tailed Godwit

 

#102 - Gadwall - Mareca strepera

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

Gadwall

 

Gadwall

 

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 :D

 

#103 White-fronted Goose - Anser albifrons

Hollesley, UK. March 2022

 

White-fronted Geese

 

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

 

magpie

 

Edited by Soukous
michael-ibk
Posted

Congrats on the first century, well done!

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