Outing report: Shongweni Dam - 11 March 2018

Attendees:  Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stan & Val Culley, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Jonathan Davidson

Species identified: 34                                                     Text & Photographs: Hazel van Rooyen

White-backed Night Heron

The weather forecast for Sunday 11 March had been doubtful all week and secretly we all thought we must be mad to venture such a distance.  And it was a ridiculously early start to get to Shongweni by 7am but we made it with 15 minutes to spare.  A quick coffee was gulped down whilst waiting for the office to open at 7am – and waiting and waiting.  No sign of life emerged so we proceeded into the reserve. The 1700ha reserve includes the dam, tall cliffs, riverine bush and valley bushveld – it looked promising.  We took a slow drive to the bottom of the dam wall, on the way identifying the calls of Crested and Black-collared Barbets.  A pair of White-necked Ravens guarded the dam wall.  

Breakfast in a Grassy spot

Stan identifying swallows

We spent some time in this green and grassy spot and Stan confirmed that the numerous show of hirondines swooping all around were Black Swift, White-rumped Swift, Rock Martin, Palm Swift and Lesser-striped Swallow.  Several Pied Wagtails fluttered about, picking at tidbits washing over the dam wall and strutting about like knights on the turrets.  Speckled Pigeons, Red-wing Starling and a White-breasted Cormorant also fancied the vantage point provided by the lofty buttresses.

Following the river bank, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Tambourine Doves were heard and Bob flushed a Jackal Buzzard from its perch in a tree.  A Giant Kingfisher flashed down the river, skilfully avoiding the tumbling waters, while an African Fish Eagle sat in the tree-tops viewing its domain. 

African Fish Eagle

Purple-crested Turacos continually called to each other and a Red-fronted Tinkerbird pop-pop-popped incessantly.

This looked a good place for breakfast so we tucked in hungrily – it had been an early start.  Various raptors played in the thermals along the cliff edge opposite, too far away for identification.  From a rock in the middle of the stream a Hamerkop kept watch for frogs and fishy things being washed over the waterfall. 

Hamerkop

Bob’s sharp eyes picked up a pretty Malachite Kingfisher waiting at the river’s edge on the far bank.  A clump of water hyacinth waited for its turn to be washed down in the whirls and eddies to spread its tentacles and suffocate the pretty river – a sign that all was not entirely well on the Shongweni Dam.

Malachite Kingfisher (water hyacinth in background)

I was changing the card in my camera – typical bad timing – when everyone became very animated.  A White-backed Night Heron had flown into the middle of a leafy tree!  Not the best position for photography but by walking round to get a better view we got a decent photo.  Barrie and Sue were the “delighted-est” of us all – having searched for this bird for over 20 years.  With no alcohol in sight to celebrate, promises were made of a brandy or two on getting back home.

White-backed Night Heron

White-backed Night Heron (the back shows white in flight)

After all this excitement, we drove around the dam to inspect the lay of the land and the safari tents on the opposite side.  These looked quite presentable from the outside at least.  The only birds on the dam were a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks and an Egyptian Goose family with eight fluffy ducklings – ah!  There was a walking trail signposted from the canoe club but it was getting too hot and humid for us faint-hearted folk. The area was also very busy with weekenders picnicking and canoeing so we decided to return to our peaceful spot beneath the dam wall where we relaxed and enjoyed our braai, adding Crowned Eagle and Golden-tailed Woodpecker to our list.  

Mlazi River

Mlazi River

Species identified:

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, Crested Bulbul, Dark-capped Buzzard, Jackal Cormorant, White-breasted Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Tamborine Duck, Yellow-billed Eagle, African Fish- Eagle, Crowned Goose, Egyptian   Greenbul, Sombre Hamerkop Heron, White-backed Night Hornbill, Crowned Ibis, Hadeda Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Malachite Kite, Yellow-billed Martin, Rock Pigeon, Speckled Prinia, Tawny-flanked Raven, White-necked Starling, Cape Glossy Starling, red-winged Swallow, Lesser-striped Swift, Black Swift, Palm Swift, White-rumped Tinkerbird, Red-fronted Turaco, Purple-crested Wagtail, Pied Woodpecker, Golden-tailed

 

(Photographs property of photographer)