UPCOMING OUTING: Vernon Crookes NR, 8 October 2017

Long-crested Eagle (photo Stan Culley)

Dear Members & Friends

Sunday 8 October 6.30am BIRDLIFE TROGONS will visit Vernon Crookes N.R.  There is a R30pp entrance fee which is negated with Rhino/Wild cards.  Bring chairs, breakfast & something to braai for lunch.  ALL WELCOME. There is a R20pp charge for non-members of Birdlife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel van Rooyen before setting off.  For further details telephone**  Hazel van Rooyen 072 355 8837 or visit the blog.    ** Please note we cannot respond to text messages or “call me” requests.

 

PLEASE LET HAZEL KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE OUTING

 

Directions

Turn inland from the N2 at Park Rynie/Umzinto onto the R612. After 12 km turn right at the signpost for the reserve and meet here.

 

Set GPS to DD MM SS.S  =  S30 18 48.1  E30 37 18.9

 

Many thanks

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons

Outing report: Uvongo River Conservancy & Skyline Nature Reserve, 24 September 2017

Yellow Weaver (photo Doug Butcher)

Attending:  Doug & Angie Butcher, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

Species: 38  (see end)                                                                          Text: Hazel van Rooyen

After a damp week and a very wet Saturday, we took a chance on the weather and for once believed the weather-man when he said ‘more sun than clouds’.  Although we only caught intermittent glimpses of the sun, at least the rain kept away and the wind only blew in later.  Whilst waiting in the parking area for others to arrive we spotted Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-capped Robin Chat, Black-headed Oriole, Olive Sunbird and Olive Thrush, amongst others.

As we walked up the hill, curious Crowned Hornbills came to see what we were up to and the calls of Trumpeter Hornbills echoed through the forest.  Amethyst Sunbirds enjoyed the nectar of the crane-like flowers of Strelitzia Nicolai (Natal Wild Banana). The trail is very pretty and fairly well kept with paving stones in a lot of places and sturdy wooden bridges.  The little dams looked healthy with lots of lily-pads and plenty of water gurgling  in the rocky streams.  The first dam was home to a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks and Egyptian Geese which flew off at our approach. 

Yellow Weaver (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

At another dam Yellow and Thick-billed Weavers were building nests (aren’t they always so busy!).  At the edge of the dam, Angie noticed a Rafia Palm standing taller than the surrounding forest.  "Their blue-green leaves are the longest of any plant worldwide and can be over 9 metres long.  The tree dies after producing large oval fruit that take two years to mature.  These form part of the diet of the Palm-nut Vulture".[1]   Usually we only see these trees further up the North Coast.  

Thick-billed Weaver (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Rafia Palm (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Doug spotted this beautiful bug (photo Doug Butcher)

The forest opened into grassland which was sprinkled with spring flowers.   Black Saw-wing swooped and turned and an African Harrier Hawk flew over-head.  Returning to the cars for breakfast we passed this Cycad (I think) which was bursting with juicy red seeds.

After our breakfast, we drove around to the other side of the river where we had another walk, spotting most of the same birds, plus Southern Black Tit, Village Weaver, Speckled Mousebird, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Little Egret, Southern Boubou, Green Wood-Hoopoe and a White-eared Barbet which we have never seen this far south before.

White-eared Barbet (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Speckled Mousebird on Strelitzia Nicoli (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Although not a big specie count the types we did see were quite numerous, especially Olive Sunbirds and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds.

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Dark-capped Cameroptera, Green-backed Canary, Yellow-fronted Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Red-eyed Drongo, Fork-tailed Duck, Yellow-billed Egret, Little Flycatcher, Southern Black

Goose, Egyptian Hawk, African Harrier- Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Trumpeter Ibis, Hadedah Ibis, Sacred Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kite, Yellow-billed Mannikin, Bronze Mousebird, Speckled Oriole, Black-headed Prinia, Tawny-flanked Robin-Chat, Red-capped

Saw-wing, Black Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Thrush, Olive Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Tit, Southern Black Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple,crested Wagtail, Pied Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver, Village Weaver, Yellow Wood-hoopoe, Green

All photos property of photographer

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[1] Sappi tree spotting for Kwazulu-Natal

UPCOMING OUTING: Skyline NR & Uvongo River Conservancy

Dear Members & Friends

 

Black-backed Puff-back (photo Stan Culley)

Sunday 24 September at 7am. BIRDLIFE TROGONS will visit Skyline N.R. and Uvongo River Conservancy.  We will start at Skyline N.R. then go on to Uvongo Conservancy for another walk and lunch.  Bring chairs, breakfast & something to braai for lunch.  ALL WELCOME. There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel before setting off. For further details telephone**  Hazel van Rooyen 072 355 8837 or visit the blog.  This is a favourite double venue of the club.  Some species seen previously are: Lemon Dove, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguides, African Black Duck and Giant, Brown-hooded, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers.  African Finfoot was also seen on one occasion.

 

** Please note we cannot respond to text messages or “call me” requests.

 

PLEASE LET HAZEL KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE OUTING

 

From the R620 turn inland at the robots in Uvongo. Turn immediately left then keep right into Pioneer Road. Follow this road which becomes Uvongo Drive. After crossing the R61 Skyline N.R. is well signed on the right.

 

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

Outing report - Beacon Hill, Umtamvuna Nature Reserve - 10 September 2017

Birds identified: 41 species                                                           Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Attendees: Stan & Val Culley, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Graham & Sue Salthouse, Danie & Bella du Toit, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margaret Jones, Rob Eccles & Hanlie Kloppers, Louis & Pat Fourie, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

Mocking Cliff Chat (HvR)

After a week of lovely sunshine and clear skies, Sunday dawned overcast but it was quite pleasant for walking and stayed dry until after our braai when it started to mizzle just as we were leaving.  The flowers were lovely as usual, with some different species flowering at their peak from our last visit, although not at their most sparkly in the misty atmosphere.  The Burchellia bubalina (Wild Pomegranate) shrubs around the picnic sight were just coming into flower.

Burchellia bulbina (HvR)

Lazy Cisticola (HvR)

Members setting out (HvR)

Through the flowers (HvR)

On arrival, Amethyst and Greater Double-collared Sunbirds were very active in the Strelitzias and a female Mocking Cliff Chat guarded her territory on the rocky outcrop.  A Lazy Cisticola was also very vocal amongst the rocks.

Berkheya speciosa (HvR)

Ox-eye Daisy (HvR)

Our first walk produced plenty of Bronze Mannikins, African Stonechats, Fan-tailed and Red-collared Widowbirds.  We also disturbed Yellow-throated Longclaws amongst the grassland.  A Burchell’s Coucal called in the distance.  At the bottom of the field half our group returned via the main path seeing Black-bellied Starling, Black-collared Barbet and Black Saw-wing. The other half took the stepping stones over the brook and up the other side, hoping we didn’t encounter a Black Mamba seen on a previous occasion.  Up here we saw quite a few Cape Canaries and after following the gorge for a while, we returned via the same route.

Eriosema umthamvunens (Brown Bonnets) (HvR)

Helichrysum & Aster (HvR)

Scilla (HvR)

(HvR)

Cape Canary (HvR)

At the picnic site everyone was keen to tell me the Gurney’s Sugarbird had been seen but had now flown off.  However, as soon as I sat down for coffee a loud yell from Stan told me it had returned and eventually I managed to get a photo.

Gurney's Sugarbird (Stan Culley)

Gurney's Sugarbird
(HvR)

After breakfast our meanderings took us down the other side of the valley and here some flowers were a little more advanced. 

Another breath-taking view (Stan Culley)

Red-collared Widowbird (Stan Culley)

Red-collared Widowbird (HvR)

More widowbirds were in evidence, perching on the odd dead stick still standing from last summer.  Spurwing Geese and Crowned Hornbills flew overhead and someone heard a Crowned Eagle. 

How much further! (HvR)

Oribi (HvR)

We surprised some Oribi buck in the longer grass which sprinted out of sight.  On reaching a steep path tumbling down the gorge we decided we should retrace our steps and we plodded back up the hillside.

Stan had stayed at the picnic site and seen African Green Pigeon, African Palm Swift, Lesser Honeyguide and Yellow-fronted Canary.  

African Green-Pigeon (Stan Culley)

General opinions were that the flowers were better than our previous visit, although had the sun been shining the helichrysums would have opened up.  Everyone enjoyed the morning’s birding and we finished up with a braai as usual.

Barbet, Black-collared Bulbul, Dark-capped Canary, Brimstone Canary, Cape Canary, Yellow-fronted Chat, Mocking Cliff Cisticola, Croaking Cisticola, Lazy Coucall, Burchell’s Dove, Cape  Turtle Dove, Red-eyed Dove Drongo, Fork-tailed Eagle, African Crowned Goose, Egyptian

Goose, Spurwing Honeyguide, Lesser Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Trumpeter  Longclaw, Yellow-throated Mannikin, Bronze Neddicky Oriole, Black-headed Pigeon, African Green Raven, White-necked Saw-wing, Black Seed-eater, Streaky-headed Spurfowl, Natal Starling, Black-bellied

Stonechat, African Sugarbird, Gurney’s Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Olive Swallow, Lesser-striped Swift, African Palm Waxbill, Swee Weaver, Cape Weaver, Spectacled White-eye, Cape Widowbird, Fan-tailed Widowbird, Red-collared

Photos property of photographer