Outing report: San Lameer Golf Estate - 28 April 2019

Pied Kingfisher (F) 

Attendees: Pete & Ann Wright, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Margie Cowan, Doug Butcher, Margaret Jones, Val Culley, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

                                                                                   Text and photos: Hazel van Rooyen

38 species identified

After the horrendous rains of two weeks ago, Sunday dawned sunny and innocent and for once we didn’t have to pack rain-coats, although some did pack their wellies.  Pete and Ann Wright, residents at San Lameer, kindly led our group to the best birding spots and even found us the juvenile Crowned Eagle.

Crowned Eagle (juv)

The forest walk produced Black-collared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Green Wood-hoopoe, Lemon Dove, amongst others.  On a small dam a pair of Pied Kingfishers were busy fishing, unconcerned by our arrival.  

Pied Kingfishers (the male has the double breast band)

At this point breakfast and coffee became a priority and this venue was perfect for it.

On another walk which led to the lagoon (now mostly mud after the recent rains) we found a Goliath Heron, Blacksmith Lapwing and Three-banded Plover.

Goliath Heron

We ended the day’s birding with a braai at the picnic spot next to the beach which was very comfortable with all the amenities including a small shop/cafe.  It was a great venue, most relaxing, and we also enjoyed the resident wildlife – bushbuck, impala and duiker.

Bushbuck 

Thanks to everyone for their great company and especially Pete & Ann Wright.  We will come again.

38 species identified

Barbet, Black-collared

Batis, Chinspot
Bulbul, Dark-capped

Cameroptera, Green-backed

Crow, Pied

Dove, Lemon

Dove, Red-eyed

Drongo, Fork-tailed

Duck, Yellow-billed

Eagle, African Fish

Eagle, Crowned (Juv)

Egret, Little

Flycatcher, Dusky

Flycatcher, Southern Black

Goose, Egyptian

Greenbull, Sombre

Hamerkop

Heron, Goliath

Heron, Grey

Hoopoe, African

Ibis, Hadedah

Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Kingfisher, Malachite

Kingfisher, Pied (M&F)

Lapwing, Blacksmith

Oriole, Black-headed

Plover, Three-banded

Robin-Chat, Red-capped

Starling, Cape Glossy

Starling, Red-winged

Stork, Woolly-necked

Sunbird, Amethyst

Sunbird, Olive

Thick-knee, Water

Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped

Wagtail, Cape

Weaver, Thick-billed

Wood-hoopoe, Green

Upcoming outing: Umdoni Park, Pennington - 14 April 2019

Dear Members

Green Twinspot (photo Stan Culley)

Sunday 14 April 2019 at 6.30 BirdLife Trogons will visit Umdoni Park, Pennington.  Bring chairs, breakfast and something to braai for lunch.  All welcome.  There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Barrie Willis on 039 312 1311 before setting off.  For further details telephone Barrie on 039 312 1311 or Sue on 082 381 9394.  Please let Barrie know whether you will be attending.

Directions

Take the N2 towards Durban – take exit 93 for R102 toward Sezela.  Turn right onto R102.  Travel 4.8km then turn right into Pennington Drive. After 655m turn right into Minerva Avenue.  Continue to Umdoni Park entrance and follow the road around until you get to the Environmental Centre.  Park and meet here.

Set GPS to DD MM SS.S  = S30 23 32.2   E30 41 21.7

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

Outing Report: Bushbuck Trail, Southbroom - 24 March 2019

Attendees: Margie Cowan, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Sue & Graham Salthouse, Jona Jacobs, Mike Lavin, Doug Butcher, Robin Eccles, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen (11)

White-fronted Plover (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Species identified (25)                                                                Text: Hazel van Rooyen

A beautiful sunny day greeted this morning’s Trogons club outing and while we waited for everyone to arrive at our meeting point, the first birds we saw was a flock of seven Trumpeter Hornbills.  Moving on down to the trail, we were greeted by the usual cock-a-doodle-do in this area – always a friendly sound but not quite what we were looking for. 

Crossing the grassland we noticed that a super jungle gym had been erected for visiting children – sorry pensioners, only under 12’s allowed!  At the tennis club, we also observed that new brick braais had been built and the verandah had been extended.  You could see a lot of hard work had been put into the garden which had improved the overall look and the examples of indigenous flora were growing well.  Most interesting too.

The Bushbuck trail was quiet except for the continuous pop-pop-pop of the Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird.  A sunny patch of bush produced Bronze and Red-backed Mannikins plus Paradise Flycatcher and more activity was seen when we came out of the forest on to the sunny road.  Here we saw Cape White-eye, Sombre Greenbul, Speckled Mousebird, Black-collared Barbet and White-eared Barbet amongst others.

Black-collared Barbet (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

After breakfast we wandered across the road, over the golf course to the beach and along the Frederika Trail.  We were brought to an abrupt halt where a large tree had fallen across the path and had to back-track, there was no getting over or under that. A helpful young man said he would organise a clean-up operation, it had probably happened as a result of the strong winds we had been experiencing recently, the tail end of Cyclone Idai.  Back on the beach Robin spotted two White-fronted Plovers huddled in a sheltered nook atop an outcrop of rocks.  At our approach they flew off on to the sand and stood with their eyes closed against the windswept beach.  I felt sorry we had disturbed them.

White-fronted Plovers (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

As it was getting very hot we decided to return to the shade by the tennis club and held a short committee meeting.  Doug and Robin visited the whale deck but didn’t get any further sightings.

It was a bit of a disappointing day bird-wise but wonderful to get out in the fresh air with good company.  Thanks to everyone.

Species identified:

Barbet, Black-collared

Barbet, White-eared

Bulbul, Dark-capped

Crowned, Trumpeter

Dove, Red-eyed

Flycatcher, Paradise

Goose, Egyptian

Greenbul, Sombre

Hornbill, Trumpeter

Ibis, Hadedah

Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Mannikin, Bronze

Mannikin, Red-backed

Mousebird, Speckled

Puffback, Black-backed

Starling, Red-wing

Sunbird, Collared

Sunbird, Olive

Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped

Turaco, Knysna

Turaco, Purple-crested

Waxbill, Common

Weaver, Spectacled

White-eye, Cape

Woodpecker, Golden-tailed