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| Viewing deck at Clearwater Trails (Photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
Attendees: Doug & Angie Butcher; Stan & Val Culley;
Frans & Lana du Plooy; Eric Kok; Yegas Naidoo; Vic & Kay Neilson; Herbie
& Jeanette Osborne; Hazel Parry; Andrew
Pickles; Andy Ruffle; Cees, Sharlene & Kyle van der Slikke; Bob & Hazel
van Rooyen; Ron & Elaine Whitham; Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury. (24
attendees).
It was a glorious winter's day for today's outing to Gaze Farm. Birding started off well with some nice sightings at Banners rest as we assembled. African Green-Pigeon were particularly obliging, but unfortunately the light wasn't, so no pics I'm afraid.
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| (Photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
Our strenuous, but slow walk up to the dam, was made much easier thanks to Ken Gaze laying paving along much of the route.
Square-tailed Drongo could be heard calling in the forest patches at the start of the walk, with some fleeting glimpses had by some. Knysna Woodpecker remained elusive, but I'm sure we will get it one day.
Barrie's vigilant search of the marshy area proved fruitless for his bogey bird, Broad-tailed Warbler as did Angie's search of the old ruins for Narina Trogon.
Barrie's vigilant search of the marshy area proved fruitless for his bogey bird, Broad-tailed Warbler as did Angie's search of the old ruins for Narina Trogon.
African Olive-Pigeon, Trumpeter Hornbill and Cape Vulture were seen flying overhead, with Rufous-naped Lark being spotted on the grassy slopes.
At the dam, we found Yellow-billed Duck, African Jacana, Black Crake, Common Moorhen and Reed Cormorant.
After reaching the dam, we would normally return back down the hill. Today, we decided to do something different and continued up to Clearwater Trails, where we had breakfast at the Taverna. Our after breakfast walk now became the leisurely jaunt back to Stan & Val's for lunch.
After reaching the dam, we would normally return back down the hill. Today, we decided to do something different and continued up to Clearwater Trails, where we had breakfast at the Taverna. Our after breakfast walk now became the leisurely jaunt back to Stan & Val's for lunch.
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| Yellow-billed Duck Another April Fool Joke waiting to happen (Photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| African Jacana (Photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| Pycnostachys reticulata found in moist, swampy, grassy places and the larval host of the Marsh Commodore Butterfly (Photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
Thanks go to Stan & Val for hosting another enjoyable day's birding at Gaze Farm. It is always a pleasure seeing their beautiful garden too.
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| (Photo Doug Butcher) |
Birds recorded: Red-eyed Dove, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Green-Pigeon, Dark-capped Bulbul, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Village Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Amethyst Sunbird, Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-winged Starling, Bronze Mannikin, Reed Cormorant, Olive Sunbird, Green Wood-Hoopoe, African Pied Wagtail, Sombre Greenbul, Southern Boubou, Square-tailed Drongo, Thick-billed Weaver, African Goshawk, Collared Sunbird, Black-collared Barbet, Cape White-eye, Natal Spurfowl, Black-headed Oriole, African Olive-Pigeon, Tambourine Dove, Trumpeter Hornbill, Rufous-naped Lark, Cape Vulture, Yellow-billed Duck, African Jacana, Black Crake, Common Moorhen, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Common Fiscal, Woolly-necked Stork, African Dusky Flycatcher, Knysna Turaco, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Black-backed Puffback, Green-backed Camaroptera, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Jackal Buzzard, Hadada Ibis, Pin-tailed Whydah, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow. (48 species).
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