Species identified: 36 Text:
Hazel van Rooyen
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| Thick-billed Weaver (photo: Hazel van Rooyen) |
Yet another cloudy morning greeted us at River Valley
but this was our second attempt in a few weeks to visit and although there were some cancellations, a few of us were determined to “get out there”.
Arriving a bit early, we parked by the small dam just
before the entrance where a Pied Wagtail flew over to welcome us. At the dam a Black-headed Heron stood frozen
in concentration and in contrast a Black Crake put in a fleeting performance,
flashing across our vision – blink and you would miss it.
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| Black-headed Heron (photo: Hazel van Rooyen) |
Andrew Lewis, the owner, met us at the gate, very organised with a bird list and map of walking trails. He explained the geography of the reserve and Barrie led us down a winding sand road to the river. On route, a Jackal Buzzard flew overhead, investigating the usurpers of its hunting pastures. Yellow-fronted Canaries chased each other in the tree-tops.
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| Vungu River (photo: Hazel van Rooyen) |
Down by the lush little river, Green Wood-Hoopoes
cackled as they bounced around in the branches while Crowned Hornbills clambered
about in the tree canopy. Southern Black
Flycatchers swooped from the lower branches and pounced on their unsuspecting
prey in the filtered light. In the reed-beds
Thick-billed Weavers were busy making their neat nests between two reeds and as
mom dived into one, tiny squawks issued from within.
Following the Impithi trail through tussocky
grassland, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds could be heard pop-pop-popping and a
Klaas's Cuckoo sang meit-jie, meit-jie in the distance. Yellow-throated Longclaws flapped and glided
to their perches on the topmost twigs of shrubs. Those are seriously long claws!
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| Yellow-throated Longclaw (photo: Doug Butcher) |
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| Locostylis alata (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| Locostylis alata (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
Amongst some rocky grassland a tree stood out with
pinky-red blossoms. Later research
identified it as Loxostylis alata or Tarwood.
The female flowers are borne on separate trees from the male. Both are small and a creamy-white but once
the fruit starts forming the surrounding sepals expand rapidly and become
bright pink to brick-red and the tree looks as though it is in flower. Other horticultural stand-outs were clumps of
Watsonia densiflora whose startlingly pink flowers lit up the grassland.
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| Watsonia densiflora (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
A small bird caused some discussion as to what type of
fly-catcher it could be but later on, showing our expert Stan the photos, he
identified it as an immature Brown-backed Honeybird (an addition to the River
Valley bird list).
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| Brown-backed Honeybird (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| The Culprits (photo Doug Butcher) |
Re-tracing our steps back to the picnic site for
breakfast, we startled a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks which flew up river. A Tambourine Dove called woohoo, woo
tutu-tu-tu-tu .....and a Knysna Turaco crowed gruffly from the mid-canopy.
After a good breakfast next to the river, accompanied
by the baby-like cries of Trumpeter Hornbills and Crowned Eagles, the Nyala
trail took us in the other direction through some forest. Out in the open once again, a rumour in the
wind spoke of an imminent shower and after a while our party decided to turn
back and head for shelter. Along the way
a chirpy little bird caught our attention and from its song we identified it as
a Levaillant’s Cisticola. By the time we
got back the rain had stopped but soon started up again and we took refuge sitting
on the long verandah. The sharp shower dissipated and the guys decided
to start the braai. Whilst we were quietly relaxing we noticed a
Bush Buck foraging half-way up the steep bank on the other side of the
river. Just then an African Fish Eagle
called out which perfected the peaceful scene.
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| Trumpeter Hornbill (photo Doug Butcher) |
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| Bush buck (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| The people (photo Hazel van Rooyen) |
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| The people (photo Doug Butcher) |
Species identified: 36
Barbet, Black-collared
Bulbul, Dark-capped
Buzzard, Jackal
Canary, Yellow-fronted
Cisticola, Levaillant’s
Coucal, Burchell’s
Crake, Black
Cuckoo, Klaas’s
Dove, Red-eyed
Dove, Tamborine
Duck, Yellow-billed
Eagle, African Fish
Eagle, Crowned
Fiscal, Common
Flycatcher, Southern Black
Goose, Egyptian
Heron, Black-headed
Honeybird, Brown-backed
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Hornbill, Crowned
Hornbill, Trumpeter
Kingfisher, Brown-hooded
Longclaw, Yellow-throated
Saw-wing, Black
Sparrow, Grey-headed
Starling, Glossy
Starling, Red-winged
Starling, Violet-backed
Swallow, Barn
Swallow, Lesser-striped
Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped
Turaco, Knysna
Wagtail, Pied
Weaver, Cape
Weaver, Thick-billed
Widowbird, Fan-tailed
Wood-Hoopoe, Green
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