**UPDATED** Outing report- 13th June 2012 Tala Private Game Reserve

Text and photos Andy Ruffle

Birders guided walk

Attendees: Liz Blomeyer, Eileen Brannigan, Stan & Val Culley, Debra Dougall, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Sue Hansbury, Margaret Jones, Stacy Jones, Sandra Olver, Barry Pullock, Andy Ruffle, Irma Smook, Hazel van Rooyen, Ron & Elaine Whitham, Barrie Willis; (HCCC- Chris & Liz Coetzer, Roger & Rachel Marais, Dave & Joy Mullin, Ian & Debbie Taylor, Sean Warnick) 27 attendees.

An extremely rewarding day was had at this new venue, by members of Birdlife Trogons and the Hibiscus Coast Camera Club, making the early start well worth it.

The morning started off on a very promising note, with a sighting of a roosting Spotted Eagle-Owl just inside the gate and a beautiful sunrise opportunity for the photographers amongst us.

From the Rock Pools Picnic Site the group split into birders and non-birders for our guided walks.

Birding was very good as we walked passed dams, through grassland and acacia woodland, returning back to the picnic site for a well earned breakfast.

Rock Pools Picnic Site

Following breakfast, individuals were at leisure to explore the reserve in their cars. We arranged to meet back at the picnic site for lunch and to share our sightings from the drives.

A thoroughly enjoyable day was had by all who attended and with a brd list of 90 species recorded, we must definitely return again in summer.

A huge thanks go to Tala Private Game Reserve for allowing us this unique opportunity and at an extremely affordable rate.

Here are some photos taken by Stan Culley.

Neddicky

Fiscal Flycatcher juvenile

White-browed Scrub-Robin

Village Weaver with Aloe pollen on face

Black-shouldered Kite

Spotted Eagle-Owl

Jackal Buzzard

Hippos with attendant Long-crested Eagle

Birds recorded: Black Crake, Egyptian Goose, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Common Fiscal, Long-crested Eagle, Red-knobbed Coot, Fiscal Flycatcher, Neddicky, Southern Boubou, Dark-capped Bulbul, Cape Robin-chat, Spectacled Weaver, Long-billed Crombec, Yellow-billed Duck, Crested Barbet, Chinspot Batis, Black-headed Heron, Brown-throated Martin, Common Moorhen, White-faced Duck, Little Grebe, Reed Cormorant, African Jacana, African Hoopoe, Red-billed Teal, Cape Shoveler, Cape Wagtail, House Sparrow, Amethyst Sunbird, Green Wood-hoopoe, Cape Turtle-dove, African Swamphen, Red-throated Wryneck, Laughing Dove, Hadeda Ibis, African Stonechat, Common Waxbill, Village Weaver, Cape Weaver, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Fork-tailed Drongo, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Brimstone Canary, Lazy Cisticola, Bar-throated Apalis, Cape Starling, Emerald-spotted Wood-dove, Hamerkop, White-browed Scrub-robin, Little Bee-eater, Cape Longclaw, Black-shouldered Kite, Blacksmith Lapwing, African Pied Wagtail, Black-headed Heron, African Fish-eagle, African Sacred Ibis, Southern Black Flycatcher, Cape Sparrow, Cape White-eye, Thick-billed Weaver, Speckled Mousebird, Yellow-fronted Canary, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Mocking Cliff-chat, Cape Rock-thrush, Rock Kestrel, African Darter, Pied Kingfisher, South African Shelduck, Fan-tailed Widow, Spur-winged Goose, Black-crowned Tchagra, White-bellied Sunbird, Blue Waxbill, Purple Heron, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Levaillant's Cisticola, Jackal Buzzard, Southern Red Bishop, Red-eyed Dove, Giant Kingfisher, Black-headed Oriole, Ostrich, African Spoonbill, Pin-tailed Whydah, Black Sparrowhawk, Cape Grassbird. (90 species)