Outing report- 23rd February 2014 Stott Farm, Umtentweni

Text by Angie Butcher
Photos: Hazel van Rooyen

Attendees – Doug & Angie Butcher, Margaret Jones, Eric Kok, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen (6 attendees)

And nearly only four, as Bob and Hazel flew past the end of the road three times in an attempt to find the entrance to the farm.   Only a few of us, but what a great morning, with cool weather, short grass and 15 sightings before we even set out.   Our first walk on the edge of the cane and back through the woodland yielded a flock of Green Pigeons, African Goshawk and good views of Cape Batis and Black-backed Puffback flitting around in the canopy.   Further along the road rows of Barn Swallows were congregating on the telephone wires, whilst Village Weavers popped in and out of the bush.
 

male Violet-backed Starling

female Violet-backed Starling

 

After breakfast, during which a Knysna Turaco sat in the tree overhead eyeing sandwiches and muffins, we left the cars and walked the coral tree-lined road to the farmhouse.   These trees were alive with birds – we counted at least a dozen Violet-backed Starlings, and woodpeckers were busy in the branches (Cardinal, Olive and Golden-tailed).   Outstanding sightings were had of Grey-headed Bush Shrike and Orange-breasted Bush Shrike which we followed for a distance, and a mysterious call at the end of the road had us searching our bird books, until we realised that it was Bernie’s African Grey calling from it’s cage on the stoep!   Back to the cars with a lone sighting of a Yellow-billed Kite preening on a pylon, and the end of four hours of profitable and enjoyable birding.

Yellow-throated Longclaw - note the 'long claw'

Knysna Turaco

Species recorded:  Barn Swallow, African Green-Pigeon, Red-eyed Dove, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Goshawk, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Southern Black Flycatcher, Green-backed Cameroptera, Hadeda Ibis, Tambourine Dove, Olive Thrush, Black-bellied Starling, Pintailed Whydah, Knysna Turaco, White-rumped Swift, Trumpeter Hornbill, Black-headed Oriole, Brown Scrub-Robin, Violet-backed Starling, Dark-capped Bulbul, Black-collared Barbet, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Purple-crested Turaco, Klass’s Cuckoo, Red-winged Starling, Square-tailed Drongo, Cardinal Woodpecker, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Little Bee-Eater, Bronze Mannikin, Common Fiscal, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Spectacled Weaver, Southern Boubou, Olive Woodpecker, Collared Sunbird, Cape Batis, Dark-backed Weaver, Black-backed Puffback, Amethyst Sunbird, Cape Glossy Starling, Village Weaver, Natal Spurfowl, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Feral Pigeon, Burchell’s Coucal, Yellow-fronted Canary, Olive Sunbird, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Green Woodhoopoe, Speckled Mousebird, Yellow-billed Kite, Golden-tailed Woodpecker (54 species)