Outing report: Skyline NR & Uvongo River Conservancy, 22 July 2018

Attendees: Graham & Sue Salthouse, Stan & Val Culley, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margaret Jones, Hazel van Rooyen (12)

Species: Total 39                                                 Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Knysna Turaco (photo: Doug Butcher)

A dozen keen birders constituted a good turnout for a wintry Sunday morning.  Having "meeted and greeted" we started our walk through a slice of forest and past the old garden.  One can imagine how it had looked in by-gone days when it had been loved and cared for by the various families that had owned it down the years, from the first owner who purchased it from the Knox-Gores with visions of making a home for his future wife who was on her way by sea from the UK and then met someone else on board ship, to the gentleman who turned it into an arboretum of exotic botanical plants and planted turpentine trees from Australia as windbreaks.  After a few other changes of ownership it was handed to Margate Borough and thence to its current custodianship with the Natal Parks Board (now Ezemvelo Wildlife) who are slowly returning it to its original natural state, preserving indigenous trees and rare coastal grassland.

Jack fruit in SA? (photo: HvR)

First spotted was a White-eared Barbet perched on the top-most branch of a dead tree and a Knysna Turaco flashing its brilliant colours in the early morning sunshine.  A Black-headed Oriole sang happily whilst Amethyst and Olive Sunbirds flitted in the mid-canopy.

Female Amethyst Sunbird (photo: HvR)

The forest gave way to grasslands which didn’t yield much except for Black-bellied Starling in the distant tree-tops and a lone Hamerkop flying overhead. 

Aloe maculata (photo: HvR)

Walking through the grassland (photo: HvR)

The dam at the bottom of the property was quite dry but further along a pond just about supported a few sad lily pads.

No ducks on this dam! (photo: HvR)

The remainder of the walk produced Sombre Greenbul, Bronze Mannikin, Greater Honeyguide and an African Fish Eagle called from the direction of the river.

The whole reserve had been cleared and thinned out recently but there was still a lot of dead wood lying around.  The remains of a weaver's nest below caused some discussion.

Immature Greater Honeyguide moulting into adult plumage (photo: Stan Culley)

Forest or Spectacled Weaver nest? (photo: HvR)

Returning to the parking we enjoyed some breakfast before driving around to the Uvongo River Conservancy. 

Breakfast (photo: HvR)

Although the river comprised mere puddles amidst the sand a Goliath Heron and Egyptian Goose were seen.  Also spotted were Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, African Green Pigeon and Green Woodhoopoe amongst others.

BirdList (Total: 39 species)

Skyline (21 species)

Uvongo River Conservancy (27 species)

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Bulbul, Dark-capped Dove, Red-eyed Drongo, Fork-tailed Drongo, Square-tailed Eagle, African Fish Greenbul, Sombre Hamerkop Honeyguide, Greater Hornbill, Crowned Ibis, Hadedah Mannikin, Bronze Oriole, Black-headed Starling, Black-bellied Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Turaco, Knysna Wagtail, African Pied Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Village

Barbet, Black-collared Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Dark-capped Canary, Yellow-fronted Dove, Red-eyed Eagle, African Fish Flycatcher, Southern Black Goose, Egyptian Heron, Goliath Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Hornbill, Crowned Ibis, Hadedah Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Mannikin, Red-backed Mousebird, Speckled Oriole, Black-headed Pigeon, African Green Prinia, Tawny-flanked Starling, Red-winged Sunbird, Collared Thrush, Olive Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple-crested Wagtail, African Pied Weaver, Spectacled White-eye, Cape Woodhoopoe, Green