Outing Report: San Lameer Estate - 26 January 2020

Participants: Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Pete & Anne Wright (San Lameer residents who generously guided us for the day), Danie & Bella du Toit, Lia Steen, Doug Butcher, Derrick & Edith Megson, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Mark Liptrot & Cecily Salmon (Port Natal club), Bob & Hazel van Rooyen  (16)

Species identified: 44

Photographs: Lia Steen, Doug Butcher, Hazel van Rooyen

Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Amethyst Sunbird (Hazel van Rooyen)

This is a popular venue with the Trogons club and San Lameer are always very kind in allowing us on their estate.  After a drizzle of rain the night before, Sunday morning turned out gorgeous and saw us all donning our sunhats for our first walk between the golf fairways and streams.  Dark-capped Bulbul, Cape White-eye, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Black-bellied Starling were seen very quickly, followed by Green-backed Camaroptera and Olive Sunbirds calling in the thicker bush.  A Purple-crested Turaco posed on a tree-top, while an Amethyst Sunbird flitted about lower down. 

Purple-crested Turaco (Doug Butcher)

Olive Sunbird (Lia Steen)

We were interested in a beautiful tree looking similar to our Coastal Coral but with different blooms and Ann explained it was Livingston’s Erythrina Coral tree from Zambia.  Moving along, the golf carts were starting to come through and we didn’t want to get in their way, Green Wood-hoopoes cackled and a Black-backed Puffback clicked and whistled.

Livingston's Coral Tree (Hazel van Rooyen)

Tree blossoms (Hazel van Rooyen)

The bird hide pond was really quiet except for a pair of Green-backed Herons.  It was a tranquil spot and we stopped here and breakfasted at the picnic tables.  After that we visited the fishing pond which was also very quiet.

Strolling around looking for birds (Doug Butcher)

A few people in our group had an interest in dragon and damsel flies.  There were plenty of these and they made very colourful photos.  Lia would know their names.

Dragonfly (Doug Butcher)

Dragonfly (Hazel van Rooyen)

The lagoon walk was mostly dead sticks and weeds as it was still recovering from a terrifying fire last September.  A deck provided an excellent view of the lagoon and although the water level was very low, merely large puddles, we still spotted a Pied Kingfisher, Woolly-necked Stork, Little Egret, African Fish Eagle, a few Common Greenshanks and Blacksmith Lapwing. 

Little Egret (Lia Steen)

Village Weaver (Lia Steen)

Woolly-necked Stork (Lia Steen)

Common Greenshank (Lia Steen)

Further along another deck opened up to a beautiful beach view of surf and sunshine.

Participants on the seaview deck (Hazel van Rooyen)

Arriving back at the bird hide, a Yellow-billed Duck proudly showed off her ducklings.

Yellow-billed Duck showing off her brood (Lia Steen)

The heat of the day was climbing and relaxing under a shady tree now seemed a good idea so we made our way to the picnic area by the beach where we chatted and braaied.  Thanks go to Pete & Ann Wright for showing us around.

(All photos property of photographer)
Species identified: 44

Barbet, Black-collared Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Dark-capped Camaroptera, Green-backed Coucal, Burchell’s Dove, Red-eyed Drongo, Fork-tailed Duck, Yellow-billed Eagle, African Fish Egret, Little Flycatcher, Southern Black Goose, Egyptian Goshawk, African Greenbul, Sombre Hadedah, Ibis Heron, Green-backed Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Pied Kite, Yellow-billed Lapwing, Blacksmith

Mannikin, Bronze Oriole, Black-headed Prinia, Tawny-flanked Puffback, Black-backed Starling, Black-bellied Starling, Red-winged Stork, Woolly-necked Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Collared Sunbird, Olive Swallow, Lesser-striped Swift, Palm Swift, White-rumped Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Turaco, Purple-crested Wagtail, Cape Wagtail, Pied Weaver, Village Weaver, Yellow White-eye, Cape Wood-hoopoe, Green Woodpecker, Golden-tailed