Sunday 29 September 2013

Outing report- 29th September 2013 Umdoni Park, Pennington

male Green Twinspot at the Enviro Centre
(Photo Stan Culley)

Attendees: Angie & Doug Butcher; Stan & Val Culley; Stanley Gengan, Margaret Jones, Clive & June Quickelberge; Andy Ruffle,  Irma Smook. (10 attendees).

Although quieter than normal, we still had some good birding.
The morning walk took us along the road from the Enviro Centre to the old picnic site. We were hoping for sightings of Narina Trogon. We could here them calling, but they just would not show themselves. Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Olive Bush-shrike and Scaly-throated Honeyguide were all heard.
We were joined by Clive Quickelberge and his daughter, June, at breakfast.
We then headed down into the Gorge to see the Crowned Eagle nest. The pair are breeding again and gave us some lovely views at the nest.
Stan decided to stay back at the Enviro Centre the whole morning, to photograph visitors to the water feature and bird feeder. As you can see, he attained some very nice shots.

Brown Scrub-Robin 
(Photo Stan Culley)
Dark-backed Weaver
(Photo Stan Culley)

To see more pics Stan took of Green Twinspots click here.
 

Birds recorded: Bar-throated Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, Dark-backed Weaver, Dark-capped Bulbul, Knysna Turaco, Olive Sunbird, Red-eyed Dove, Sombre Greenbul, Southern Boubou, Square-tailed Drongo, Gorgeous Bush-Shrike, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Cape White-eye, Collared Sunbird, Hadeda Ibis, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Black-bellied Starling, Black-backed Puffback, African Paradise-Flycatcher, African Emerald Cuckoo, Trumpeter Hornbill, Little Sparrowhawk, Egyptian Goose, African Goshawk, Little Swift, Yellow-billed Kite, Woolly-necked Stork, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Green Twinspot, Terrestrial Brownbul, Crowned Eagle, Lesser Honeyguide, Thick-billed Weaver, Purple-crested Turaco, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, African Fish-Eagle, Black-collared Barbet, Village Weaver, Chinspot Batis, Olive Bush-Shrike, Ashy Flycatcher, African Dusky Flycatcher, Burchell's Coucal, Mountain Wagtail, Southern Black Flycatcher, Green Malkoha, Lemon Dove, Green Wood-Hoopoe, Narina Trogon, Brown Scrub-Robin, Spectacled Weaver. (53 species).

Tuesday 17 September 2013

Trip away report- 17th-21st September 2013 Ndumo Game Reserve


Photos by Andy Ruffle (unless otherwise credited)

Attendees: Liz Blomeyer, Eileen Brannigan, Doug & Angie Butcher; Stan & Val Culley; Stanley & Asothie Gengan; Margaret Jones, Cathy Lee, Vic & Kay Neilson; Sandy Olver, Herbie & Jeanette Osborne; Noeleen Phillips, Andy Ruffle, Irma Smook, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen; Ron & Elaine Whitham; Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury. (24 attendees).

Due to the length of this post, please click 'read more' below

Trip away report- 17th-21st September 2014 Ndumo Game Reserve More Photos

More photos to follow

The Birds at Ndumo

Square-tailed Drongo
(Photo Stan Culley)

Due to the length of this post please click 'read more' below

Trip away report- 21st-24th September 2014 Sand Forest Lodge, Hluhluwe



Attendees: Liz Blomeyer, Stan & Val Culley; Stanley & Asothie Gengan; Herbie & Jeanette Osborne; Andy Ruffle, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen; Ron & Elaine Whitham; Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury.  (14 attendees).

As mentioned in the Ndumo post, some of the crowd continued on to Sand Forest Lodge near Hluhluwe. A quick stop at Pelican Pan, just outside Ndumo, proved very productive. The pan was teeming with birds, which included African Pygmy-Goose, hundreds of African Jacana (with young); about 12 Black Heron and a fair number of Comb Duck.

Due to the length of this post please click 'read more' below

Sunday 8 September 2013

Western Osprey

Pandion haliaetus


Kruger Park, May 2013

(Photo Stan Culley)

Umzumbe Floodplain, 8th Sept 2013
Flying with fresh catch
(Photo Stan Culley)




Photos: copyright of photographer

Outing report- Umzumbe River Ringing Session, Sunday 8 September 2013


Photos by Stan Culley



Andrew battling with an African Black Duck
caught in nets strung across the river
Liz to the rescue
After her heroics Liz takes a moment to practise her
technique for the Trogons forthcoming production of Riverdance
Osprey with a fresh catch from the river
Curlew Sandpiper sporting one of Andrew's shiny new rings

Photos: copyright of photographer

Sunday 1 September 2013

Green Twinspot

Mandingoa nitidula 

male, Umdoni Park, 29th September 2013
(Subsp nitidula)
(Photo Stan Culley)
imm male, Umdoni Park, 29th September 2013
 (Subsp nitidula)
(Photo Stan Culley)
imm female, Umdoni Park, 29th September 2013
(Subsp nitidula)
(Photo Stan Culley)
  
Copyright

Red-fronted Tinkerbird

Pogoniulus pusillus


Nibela Penninsula area, September 2013
(Subsp pusillus)
(Photo Hazel van Rooyen)



Copyright

Lesser Flamingo

Phoenicopterus minor


Muzi Pan, September 2013(Photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Copyright

Brubru

Nilaus afer


Nibela Penninsula area, September 2013
(Subsp miombensis)
(Photo Hazel van Rooyen)


Copyright

Rosy-throated Longclaw

Macronyx ameliae


Nibela Penninsula, September 2013
(Subsp ameliae)
(Photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Copyright

Long-billed Crombec

Sylvietta rufescens 


Nebila Peninsula, September 2013
(Subspp pallida)
(Photo Stan Culley)




Photos: copyright of photographer