UPCOMING OUTING: Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve

Black-headed Oriole (photo: Stan Culley)

Dear Members & Friends

  

Sunday 11 August at 7.00am BirdLife Trogons will visit Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve.  Bring chairs, breakfast and something to braai for lunch.  All welcome.  There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  There is also an entry fee of R20 per person into the reserve.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel on 072 355 8837 BEFORE setting off.  Please let Hazel know if you will be attending the outing.

Directions: N2 North bound

1. Take exit 149 for R102/Prospecton Road toward Isipingo/Amanzimtoti/Old Durban International Airport

    Travel 350m

2. Turn left onto Prospecton Rd/R102

    Travel 240m

3. Turn right onto R102

    Travel 6.8km
4. Turn left onto Kenyon Howden Rd

    Go through 2 roundabouts

    Travel 2.8km
5. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Kingfisher Ave

    Travel 170m

6. Turn right to stay on Kingfisher Ave

    Travel 650m
7. Turn left onto Coedmore Ave

    Travel 230m

    Destination will be on the right

GPS Co-Ords are  29°54'48.91"S  30°56'31.68"E

Journey time from Port Shepstone approx 1hr 30m

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

Outing report - Kenneth Stainbank NR, 11 June 2017

Attendees: Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Michelle Pearson

 (Text and photos: Hazel van Rooyen)

Bird count:: 37 (see end)

Kenneth Stainbank is a 230-odd hectare nature reserve next to Yellowwood Park in Durban.  It is well kept and obviously popular with local families on Sunday visits introducing their young ones to nature and the odd mountain biker.

White-eared Barbets

 

We set off from Uvongo in the pitch dark and by the time we arrived at Kenneth Stainbank the birds were beginning to wake up and so were we!  We were a very small band of five birders but the weather was nice and fresh, typical of a KZN winter morning and after scanning the tree canopies surrounding the carpark/picnic area for the usually numerous White-eared Barbets, we took the trail to the left, through grassland interspersed with indigenous forest, especially coral trees coming into bloom  Before we had gone far the trees became busy with birdlife – Black-bellied Starling, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, White-eared Barbet (at last), Sombre Greenbul, Purple-crested Turaco and many others. 

Southern Black Tit

Purple-crested Turaco

Some small grassbirds caught our attention, and a Zitting Cisticola posed uncharacteristically for a short while.

Zitting Cisticola

Zitting Cisticola

Moving further along a herd of impala looked out at us from a splash of bright orange wild dagga, Leonotis Leonurus. 

Impala

Leonotis Leonurus

At the pond, only a Reed Cormorant was interested in doing some fishing while some Yellow Weavers flew back and forth to the dead branches in the middle of the water.  The track passed through more tall grassland where another herd of impala showed their curiosity before sauntering off unconcerned by our presence.

Impala

A forest of stately yellowwood trees led us back to the carpark and some well-earned coffee.  Amongst the yellowwoods we spotted Terrestrial Bulbul, Dark-back Weaver and Southern Black Tit.  

Back at the picnic site Michelle spied a Red-fronted Tinkerbird flitting amongst the thorn trees.  Suitably refreshed, we took the trail down and along the river which proved rather too long and too quiet so we backtracked to the picnic area for a braai. 

Bushbuck

Thanks birders for your good company.

Bird list (37 species)

Barbet Black-collared Barbet White-eared Bulbul Dark-capped Bulbul Terestrial Canary Yellow-fronted Dove Red-eyed Dove Tamborine Fiscal Common Flycatcher Ashy Flycatcher Southern Black Goose Egyptian Greenbul Sombre Ibis Hadedah

Kingfisher Brown-hooded Mannikin Bronze  Mousebird Speckled Oriole Black-headed Prinia Tawny-flanked Robin-Chat Red-capped Scrub-Robin White-browed Spurfowl Natal Starling Black-bellied Starling Cape Glossy Starling Red-winged Sunbird Amethyst

Sunbird Collared Sunbird Grey Sunbird Olive Sunbird Scarlet-chested Tinkerbird Red-fronted Tit Southern Black Turaco Purple-crested Weaver Dark-backed Weaver Spectacled Weaver Yellow White-eye Cape Woodpecker Golden-tailed

(Photos: property of photographer)

UPCOMING OUTING - 11 June : Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve, Durban

Dear Trogons & Friends

Sunday 11 June 7.00am BIRDLIFE TROGONS will visit Kenneth Stainbank NR, Durban.  Meet at the gate at 7.00am.   Bring chairs, breakfast & something to braai for lunch.  ALL WELCOME.  There is a R30pp entry fee into the reserve and R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings  may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel van Rooyen before setting off. For further details **telephone  Hazel van Rooyen on 072 355 8837 or visit the blog.  

** Please note we cannot respond to text messages or “call me” requests.

PLEASE LET HAZEL KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING.

Directions

From N2 northbound

1. Take exit 149 for R102/Prospecton Road toward Isipingo/Amanzimtoti/Old Durban International Airport

    Travel 350m

2. Turn left onto Prospecton Rd/R102

    Travel 240m

3. Turn right onto R102

    Travel 6.8km
4. Turn left onto Kenyon Howden Rd

    Go through 2 roundabouts

    Travel 2.8km
5. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Kingfisher Ave

    Travel 170m

6. Turn right to stay on Kingfisher Ave

    Travel 650m
7. Turn left onto Coedmore Ave

    Travel 230m

    Destination will be on the right

GPS Co-Ords are  29°54'48.91"S  30°56'31.68"E

Journey time from Sheppie approx 1hr 30m

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons

Outing report- 27th July 2014 Kenneth Stainbank NR

Photos by Hazel van Rooyen

Attendees: Stanley & Asothie Gengan; Margaret Jones, Hazel Nevin, Herbie & Jeanette Osborne; Irma Smook, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Ron & Elaine Whitham; Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury. (13 attendees).

Barrie proudly sports
his thank you present from the club.
His 'Trogons Braai Master' apron.

White-eared Barbets & Black-bellied Starlings

African Dusky Flycatcher

Hamerkop

Turtles in the dam

African Crowned Eagle

African Darter & Reed Cormorant

Birds recorded: Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Barbet, Little Bee-eater, Southern Boubou, Dark-Capped Bulbul, Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, Yellow-fronted Canary, White-breasted Cormorant, Reed Cormorant, Black Crake, African Darter, Tambourine Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Fork-tailed Drongo, African Crowned Eagle, African Fish Eagle, African Dusky Flycatcher, Natal Spurfowl, Egyptian Goose, Little Grebe, Yellow-bellied Greenbul,  Sombre Greenbul, Hadeda Ibis, Hammerkop, Crowned Hornbill, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Bronze Mannikin, Black-headed Oriole, Black-backed Puffback, Red capped Robin-Chat, Cape Robin-Chat, Black-bellied Starling, Collared Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Grey Sunbird, Swamphen Purple, African Palm Swift, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Southern Black Tit, Purple-crested Turaco, Thick-billed Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Village Weaver, Cape White-eye, Golden-tailed Woodpecker. (46 species) (list supplied by Ron Whitham).

Outing report- 26th May 2012 Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve

by Andy Ruffle


Trail map for  the reserve
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Attendees: Penny de Vries, Lennart Eriksson & Evelyn Heunis, Stanley Gengan, Eric Kok, Sandy Olver, Barry Pullock, Andy Ruffle, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Ron Whitham, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury. (13 attendees).

We had a very pleasing turnout for today's outing, which proved closer than expected. Travelling time from Sea Park was only just over an hour, with us all finding our way easily.
There was plenty of bird activity around the car park, which kept us busy before heading off clockwise on the main circular trail. The 4.3 km walk takes you through grassland and patches of coastal forest. A Klaas's Cuckoo was well spotted by Barrie, giving us all a good view. Birding was steady, but gradually deteriorated as the temperature rose to a peak of 28 degrees. Having walked just 0.6km we reached a small dam. Here we found a pair of African Black Duck, a Reed Cormorant and a very scraggy African Darter which was presumably going through it's moult.

African Darter looking rather scruffy
along with a Reed Cormorant
(Photo Hazel van Rooyen)

African Black Duck
(Photo Penny de Vries)

With the time fast approaching 09h30 we headed back to the car park, via the old Stainbank residence, for breakfast.

Breakfast in the idyllic main car park
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Suitably refreshed, we set off once again but in the opposite direction this time. This trail took us through some nice forest towards the Umhlatuzana River. Sadly, the heat was now really affecting the birding and the birders.

Some welcome shade for our weary birders
(Photo Penny de Vries)

This Durban reserve certainly surprised us all. We only touched the surface of walking trails available and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day. We will now add this venue as a regular outing. There is still much more to explore.

Birds recorded: White-browed Scrub –Robin, Southern Black Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Dark-capped Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul , Terrestrial Brownbul, Red-eyed Dove, Common Myna, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Barbet, Black-bellied Starling, Cape Glossy Starling, Purple-crested Turaco, Tambourine Dove, Chinspot Batis, Common Fiscal, Fork-tailed Drongo,  Square-tailed Drongo, Olive Sunbird, Collared Sunbird, Grey Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird,  Spectacled Weaver, Village Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver, Cape White-eye, Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Red-capped Robin-chat,  Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Black-backed Puffback, Bronze Mannikin, Southern Black Tit, Hadeda Ibis, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Rufus-winged Cisticola, Yellow-fronted Canary, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Speckled Mousebird, Reed Cormorant, White-breasted Cormorant, African Black Duck, African Darter, Egyptian Goose, Lesser Honeyguide, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, African Paradise-Flycatcher, Green-backed Camaroptera, Ashy Flycatcher, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Bar-throated Apalis, Grey  Cuckooshrike, Natal Spurfowl. (54 species)