Outing Report: Sezela Sugar Mill - 10 February 2019

Species Identified: 72                                                                      Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Attendees: Sandy Olver, Alastair Warman, Robin & Devin Mortimer, Robin Eccles & Hanli Kloppers, Graham & Sue Salthouse, Hazel Nevin, Stanley Gengan, Johan & Karin Burger, Stan & Val Culley, Margaret Jones, Doug & Angie Butcher, Clive & Margie Cowan, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen (21)

Giant Kingfisher (photo HvR)

Quite a crowd had gathered just off the highway for our outing to Sezela Sugar Mill grounds.  Alastair had organised all the keys for us as the dams are now fenced off for safety reasons and he led us to the first dam where we parked at the top and clambered down to get closer to the “action”.  First to be spotted was this Giant Kingfisher fishing from an inlet pipe.

Cars lined up on the dam wall  (photo Doug Butcher)

Happy Birders (photo Doug Butcher)

Giant Kingfisher (photo Doug Butcher)

Little Rush Warblers could be heard warbling in the thick reeds and Southern Red Bishops buzzed about building nests.  An African Darter flew in and proceeded to dry off his wings.  In a corner a Black Crake showed itself, then calmly stepped daintily back into the safety of the long grass.  Barn Swallows and Black Saw-wings made circles over the dam, hawking insects in their never-ending search for food.  A Burchell’s Coucal perched on the reed-tops while a Pied Kingfisher thought all the activity might have stirred up some tasty morsels for him too.  A large flock of Blacksmith Lapwings soared above us.  The more we looked, the more we saw, but eventually coffee called and we drove further on to a spot close to the river for breakfast.

 

Blacksmith Lapwings (photo Sue Salthouse)

Most of us then took a long walk next to the river which was, however, very clogged with reeds. A Common Buzzard perched on a dead tree.  Other birds spotted along here were Black-collared Barbet, Tambourine Dove, White-eared Barbet, Little Bee-eater, Purple Heron and a Pygmy Kingfisher. 

A few other birders chose to watch at the low-level bridge for any activity.

 

Purple Heron (photo Doug Butcher

Little Bee-eater (photo HvR)

Moving on to the picnic spot at Mkumbane Dam, tall trees provided some much-appreciated shade.  Scanning the lake, Little Grebe and African Jacana were seen and through his scope Stan spotted  African Black Duck on the opposite side.  Around us Golden-tailed Woodpeckers shrieked and Klaas’s Cuckoo called.  Taking a walk to the end and through some fencing brought us closer to the lily pads where we saw a 3-banded Plover, Wood Sandpiper, and Yellow-billed Duck.  Going even further along Stanley, Alastair, Robin and Bob saw a Lesser Moorhen which are rare on the South Coast but have been turning up more often this year.

 

3-banded Plover (photo HvR)

Brown Snake Eagle and Black-chested Snake Eagles were identified along with a juvenile Crowned Eagle and the day wouldn't have been complete with an African Fish Eagle.

Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo HvR)

African Fish Eagle (photo Doug Butcher)

African Crowned Eagle (photo HvR)

 

Birders looking... looking.. (photo Sue Salthouse)

All photos property of photographer

Species: 72

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Bee-eater, Little Bishop, Southern Red Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Black-capped Cameroptera, Green-backed Canary, Yellow-fronted Cormorant, White-breasted Coucal, Burchell’s Crake, Black Cuckoo, Diderik’s Cuckoo, Klaas’s Darter, African Dove, Red-eye Dove, Tambourine Drongo, Fork-tailed Duck, African Black Duck, White-faced Duck, Yellow-billed Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Brown Snake Eagle, Crowned, Juv Egret, Cattle Fiscal, Common Flycatcher, Southern Black Goose, Egyptian Goose, Spurwing Grebe, Little Heron, Black-headed Heron, Goliath (Juv) Heron, Grey Heron, Purple Jacana, African Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher, Pygmy Kite, Yellow-billed Lapwing, Blacksmith Longclaw, Yellow-throated Mannikin, Red-backed Moorhen, Common Moorhen, Lesser Mousebird, Speckled Myna, Common Oriole, Black-headed Plover, 3-banded Prinia, Tawny-flanked Sandpiper, Wood Saw-wing, Black Spurfowl, Natal Starling, Black-bellied Starling, Red-winged Starling, Violet-backed Stonechat, African Swallow, Barn Swallow, White-throated Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple-crested Wagtail, Cape Wagtail, Pied Warbler, Little Rush Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver, Village Weaver, Yellow Whydah, Pin-tailed Widowbird, Fan-tailed Wood-hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Golden-tailed