Text and photos by Hazel van Rooyen
Attending: Eric Kok, Barry Willis & Sue Hansbury,
Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Sandy Olver, Hazel Nevin, Willie & Walter,
Graham & Patricia Pirie, Alistair
Warman, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, apologies if I have missed anyone.
Quite a few birds were spotted at our meet and greet
point at the entrance to the farm, including Purple-crested Turaco, Olive
Sunbird and African Paradise Flycatcher. The morning’s birding began with a
circular stroll along the edge of the sugar cane and past evergreen forest. The forest yielded, amongst others, Black-collared
Barbet, Terrestrial Brownbul and at the top of the road some small birds were
dropping like stones from the branches of a magnificent tree behind the sugar
cane, then flying up again. On close
inspection Magpie Mannikins were busily building a large nest.
Further around lots of birds were calling, including
Sombre Greenbul, Knysna Turaco and Black-headed Oriole. Amethyst and Collared Sunbirds flitted in the
treetops and a Woodpecker was identified as a Cardinal. Almost back at the cars and an African
Goshawk was spotted, which instantly flew off, upsetting a family of Natal
Spurfowl scratching amongst the recently cut sugar cane.
Coffee was calling and we drove further onto the farm
to find a grassy, shady place to take some refreshment. The birds seem to love the area surrounding
the farmhouse and the hedgerows up to the farmhouse were alive with birds –
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds, Yellow-fronted Canaries, Red-winged and
Black-bellied Starlings amongst them. A
short way past the house, a Black Cuckoo-shrike was spotted and at the same
time another greyish bird posed on a branch, later identified from a photograph
as a Lesser Honeyguide by our expert Stan (who wasn’t even there). Usually at this point we drive a bit further
but some folk had their walking legs on so the rest of us dutifully followed,
commenting that the trouble with downhills is the uphills. However, it was a beautiful autumn day and we
were happy to be out and about in our wonderful climate. Down, down and along the avenue of coral
trees (who had the foresight to plant this lovely avenue for future generations
of humans and birds to enjoy I wondered?) and on reaching the bottom an African
Fish Eagle circled slowly over our heads, greeting us with its evocative cry.
After watching some Pin-tailed Whydahs commuting
between grass and tree, most of us
turned our eyes upwards and started plodding uphill as the sun turned up its
heat. Brown-hooded Kingfishers, Ashy
Flycatchers, a Black-backed Puffback accompanied our upward trek.
A few of us made ourselves comfortable with some
liquid refreshments and a picnic, while most decided to have an early day and
another good day’s birding was over.
 |
| Magpie Mannikin |
 |
| Lesser Honeyguide |
 |
| Dusky Flycatcher |
 |
| Magpie Mannikin |
 |
| Cardinal Woodpecker |
 |
| Brown-hooded Kingfisher |
 |
| Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird |
 |
| Dusky Flycatcher |
Birds recorded (courtesy Sandy Olver)
:
| Sparrow House |
| Ibis Hadeda |
| Turaco Purple-crested |
| Sunbird Olive |
| Dove Red-eyed |
| Bulbul Dark-capped |
| Robin-chat Red-capped |
| Paradise-flycatcher African |
| Hornbill Trumpeter |
| Brownbul Terrestrial |
| Spurfowl Natal |
| Barbet Black-collared |
| Mannikin Magpie |
| Flycatcher African Dusky |
| White-eye Cape |
| Greenbul Sombre |
| Drongo Fork-tailed |
| Weaver Spectacled |
| Weaver Dark-backed |
| Woodpecker Cardinal |
| Turaco Knysna |
| Oriole Black-headed |
| Sunbird Amethyst |
| Sunbird Collared |
| Starling Black-bellied |
| Goshawk African |
| Wagtail African Pied |
| Starling Red-winged |
| Canary Yellow-fronted |
| Rush-warbler Little |
| Saw-wing Black (Southern race) |
| Weaver Thick-billed |
| Tinkerbird Yellow-rumped |
| Mousebird Speckled |
| Cuckoo-shrike Black |
| Thrush Olive |
| Hamerkop Hamerkop |
| Fish-eagle African |
| Wood-hoopoe Green |
| Whydah Pin-tailed |
| Kingfisher Brown-hooded |
| Flycatcher Ashy |
| Puffback Black-backed |
| Quelea Red-billed |
| Fiscal Common (Southern) |
