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