Outing report: River Valley Nature Reserve - 27 January 2019

African Crake (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Species Identified: 51                                                                     Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Attending: Stan & Val Culley, Danie & Bella du Toit, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margie Cowan, Margaret Jones, Hester & Babs Pieterse, Rooksane Gangat & Rouida Kathrada, Graham & Sue Salthouse, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

The day started off well for Bob and Hazel with a sighting of the out-of-range African Crake just outside the gates of River Valley.  Unfortunately, everyone arrived all at once and frightened it back into the long reeds.  Andrew Lewis, the owner, had been seeing it with a single chick but we didn’t get a sighting of the chick.

African Crake (photo HvR)

The cavalcade drove down to the Vungu river, en route setting in motion lots of Yellow-fronted Canaries and Fan-tailed Widowbirds in the grassland.  Lesser-striped Swallows and Barn Swallows swooped about, drawing circles in the air.  Down by the river a Pied Wagtail foraged while male and female Thick-billed Weavers chased each other around in the never-ending pursuit of procreation. 

Thick-billed Weaver (photo Sue Salthouse)

A very well camouflaged Jackal Buzzard looked over its domain from a Euphorbia tree high up on the opposite hillside.  Walking through the undergrowth all was still and quiet except for the pop-pop-popping of the Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds and kwit-kwit-kwit of the Green-backed Cameroptera.  Out in the open a Common Buzzard perched on a tall tree accompanied by African Green Pigeons.  In the grassland a Croaking Cisticola was identified while a Tambourine Dove called softly in the distance.  Re-tracing our steps Olive Sunbirds were spotted in the shrubbery and Sombre Greenbulls called.  Back at the vehicles coffee and breakfast was the order of the day and we all tucked in.

Olive Sunbird (photo HvR)

Having re-fuelled our bodies we set off in the opposite direction through rippling grassland on the right and woods on the left.  A Golden-tailed Woodpecker screeched to the left and a Yellow-throated Longclaw flapped over the grass-tops.  Further along, the pathway led down to a lovely viewpoint overlooking the river.  

Doug, the photographer (photo HvR)

Crowned Hornbill (photo HvR)

Tawny-flanked Prinia (photo: HvR)

Back at the picnic area we sat for a while watching Crowned and Trumpeter Hornbills criss-crossing the valley while Crowned Eagles called from on High whilst a Tawny-flanked Prinia hopped amongst the reeds at the edge of the river. After a relaxing braai we packed up and made our way home, just in time as the promised rain arrived soon after.

Thanks to everyone who came and special thanks to Andrew Lewis for letting us visit his beautiful verdant valley.  We must not forget to mention the many buck on his farm – impala, duiker, nyala amongst others.

Village Weaver nests on fever trees 
but many more on the ground,
 blown off by our recent strong winds.
 (photo HvR)

Along our walks we noticed several of these frogs which were well camouflaged against the leaf matter on the forest floor, even to the yellow stripe down its back.

Apalis, Bar-throated

Barbet, Black-collared

Boubou, Southern-capped

Bulbul, Dark-capped

Buzzard, Jackal

Buzzard, Steppe (Common)

Cameroptera, Green-backed

Canary, Yellow-fronted

Cisticola, Croaking

Crake, African

Dove, Red-eyed

Dove, Tambourine

Drongo, Fork-tailed

Eagle, African Fish

Eagle, Crowned

Fiscal, Common

Goose, Egyptian

Greenbul, Sombre

Hornbill, Crowned

Hornbill, Trumpeter

Ibis, Hadedah

Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Kite, Yellow-billed

Longclaw, Yellow-throated

Mousebird, Speckled

Oriole, Black-headed

 Pigeon, African Green

Prinia, Tawny-flanked

Raven, White-necked

Robin, Brown Scrub

Robin-chat, Red-capped

Sawwing, Black

Spurfowl, Natal

Starling, Black-bellied

Sunbird, Olive

Swallow, Barn

Swallow, Lesser-striped

Swift, African Palm

Swift, White-rumped

Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped

Turaco, Knysna

Turaco, Purple-crested

Wagtail, Mountain

Wagtail, Pied

Weaver, Dark-backed

Weaver, Spectacled

Weaver, Thick-billed

Weaver, Village

Weaver, Yellow

Widowbird, Fantailed

Woodpecker, Golden-tailed

Outing report: Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve and Vulture Viewing Hide - 13 January 2019

Cape Vulture (photo Doug Butcher)

Attending: Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stan & Val Culley, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margaret Jones, Lia Steen, Clive & Margie Cowan, Robin Eccles, Alastair Warman, Leon & Annette Du Toit, Danie Du Toit, Tim & Helen McClurg, Andy Ruffle (20)

A hot and windy day did not deter a good turn-out for the popular Oribi Gorge and of course the ever-entertaining Cape Vultures.

Cape Vulture (photo: Doug Butcher)

View of Oribi Gorge (photo: Doug Butcher)

European Honey Buzzard (photo: Doug Butcher)

Species identified: 52

Barbet, Black-collared Batis, Cape Boubou, Southern Brownbul, Terrestrial Bulbul, Dark-capped Buzzard, European Honey Buzzard, Jackal Cameroptera, Green-backed Canary, Yellow-fronted Chat, Familiar Crow, Pied Cuckoo, Black Cuckoo, Diederick Cuckoo, Red-chested Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Red-eyed Duck, White-faced Falcon, Lanner Fiscal, Common Flycatcher, Paradise Greenbul, Sombre Honeyguide, Lesser Hornbill, Trumpeter Kite, Yellow-billed Longclaw, Yellow-throated Mannikin, Bronze

Moorhen, Common Neddicky Oriole, Black-headed Prinia, Tawny-flanked Raven, White-necked Robin-Chat, Red-capped Saw-wing, Black Starling, Black-bellied Starling, Red-winged Starling, Violet-backed Stonechat, African Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Swallow, Barn Swallow, Lesser-striped Swift, Palm Thrush, Cape Rock Tinkerbird, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple-crested Vulture, Cape Waxbill, Common Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver, Village Widowbird, Red-collared

UPCOMING OUTING: River Valley Nature Reserve, Uvongo - 27 January 2019

Pied Kingfisher (photo Stan Culley)

Dear Members and Friends

Sunday, 27 January 06:30 BirdLife Trogons will visit River Valley Nature Reserve in Uvongo.  There is an entrance charge of R20 per person.  Bring chairs, breakfast and something to braai for lunch.  All welcome.  There is a R20 charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to the weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel before setting off.  For further details phone Hazel van Rooyen on 072 355 8837.

Please let Hazel know if you will be attending the outing.

Directions:  Travel south from Durban on the N2 toll road. At the Port Shepstone toll head straight on the R61 towards Port Edward. Take the second off ramp, (Margate/Uvongo) and turn right into Wingate Ave and go back across the highway. You will pass the Margate Country Club on your right hand side. Continue along Wingate for another 500m past Country Club and you will see the sign pointing right into Portal Ave. Drive down Portal Ave and follow signs to the gate.  GPS Co Ordinates S 30.83’436” E 30.35’880”  Meet here.

Many thanks

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

UPCOMING OUTING: Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve - 13 January 2019

Bar-throated Apalis

Dear Members

Sunday 13 January 6.30am BirdLife Trogons will visit Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve.  An entrance fee of R30 per person is payable but negated if you have either a Rhino card or Wildcard.  There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Bring chairs, packed breakfast and meat to braai for lunch.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel van Rooyen on 072 355 8837 before setting off.  All Welcome.

Please let Hazel know if you will be attending the outing.

Directions: Take N2 towards Harding, the Oribi Gorge NR turnoff is on the right just before Paddock.  Turn first left and meet at the KZN office at the hutted camp.  Set GPS to DD MM SS.S = S30 43 55.5  E30 16 24.0

Many thanks

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club