Outing report: TC Robertson Nature Reserve - 12 May 2019

Little Bee-eater (photo: Lennart Erikssen)

Present: Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stan & Val Culley, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margie & Clive Cowan, Sandy Olver, Margaret Jones, Lennart & Evelyn Eriksson, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Hazel Nevin, Kevin Westemann, Hazel & Bob van Rooyen

Species identified: 37                                                                      Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Hazel Nevin, who is involved on the TC Robertson Committee, started us off on this simply gorgeous morning, with a walk in the field next to the Crocodile Farm and above the nursery.  Here we identified Tawny-flanked Prinia, Black-collared Barbet, Sombre Greenbul, Collared Sunbird, Little Bee-eater, Brown Scrub Robin amongst others.  Sadly, we missed out on the Palm-nut Vulture which usually frequents the farm at this time of day.

Little Bee-eater (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

A short drive took us to the pretty bridge over the wetland to Renishaw Hills.  Normally quite a good birding spot, we only identified a pair of Three-banded Plovers, Speckled Mousebird and Village Weaver.  Maybe the area is still recovering from the floods of a few weeks ago.

3-banded Plover (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Down at TC  Robertson we experienced a similar scenario as the usual walk up to the forest area was halted because of the water-logged pathway.  Nevertheless, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Yellow Weaver, Amethyst Sunbird, Cardinal Woodpecker and a Brown-hooded Kingfisher were seen.

Yellow Weaver (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Goliath Heron (photo:Doug Butcher)

At this point we settled down at the picnic spot to braai.  A few people took a stroll to the river's edge to see if they could spot any waders, the only one being a Goliath Heron on the far side. The lovely hide that used to be by the river had been taken away and the small dam was so clogged with reeds that the hide didn’t have a view.  Nevertheless, TC is still on our favourite list, and the beautiful day was enjoyed by all.

Species identified (37)

Barbet, Black-collared

Bee-eater, Little

Bishop, Red

Bulbul, Dark-capped

Camaroptera, Green-backed

Canary, Yellow-fronted

Canary, Yellow-fronted

Cormorant, Reed

Dove, Red-eyed

Dove, Tambourine

Drongo, Fork-tailed

Flycatcher, Dusky

Flycatcher, Paradise

Flycatcher, Southern Black

Goose, Egyptian

Greenbul, Sombre

Greenbul, Yellow-bellied

Hamerkop

Heron, Goliath

Ibis, Hadedah

Kingfisher, Brown-hooded

Lapwing, Blacksmith

Mousebird, Speckled

Plover, Three-banded

Prinia, Tawny-flanked

Robin, Brown Scrub

Robin-Chat, Red-capped

Stonechat, African

Sunbird Collared

Sunbird, Amethyst

Sunbird, Olive

Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped

Wagtail, Pied

Weaver, Village

Weaver, Yellow

Whydah, Pin-tailed

Woodpecker, Cardinal