Strange Helmeted Guineafowl at Oribi

by Andy Ruffle

This photo of a group of apparently leucistic Helmeted Guineafowl on the Oribi Flats, was sent in by Luke Williamson.

(Photo Luke Williamson)

It's rather strange to see several birds together like this, so I'll be keeping an eye out for them.
Has anyone else seen these pale versions around anywhere? 

'Booby' the Red-footed Booby not ready to go

On Saturday 7th March, Michelle Pearson, from Second Chance Avian Rescue, attempted to release the Red-footed Booby which had arrived with them at the end of December 2014.

Michelle with 'Booby'

S.C.A.R received a call from concerned Uvongo residents when they spotted this Red-footed Booby high up in a tree in their garden and seemed to have an injured wing. They finally managed to get him down and took him to the Vet for x-rays. Fortunately the wing was not broken but had an infection in the joint, which was expected to heal on it's own.
After some long-term antibiotic treatment, the infection in the soft tissue surrounding the bones of her wing joint is healing nicely according to another x-ray done. Treatment is continuing with antibiotics until the infection has cleared up completely. She is maintaining good health and a normal weight of just over 1kg.

'Booby', as she is affectionately known, was taken to the local beach on Saturday.
She attempted a few wing flaps and take-off runs, but just wasn't ready to venture out into the big wide world yet.

Michelle Pearson is doing an amazing job with the birds she receives, so if you would like to help out with the costs of food etc, please do contact her on:

Cell: 083 246 6765
or
email: sc.avianrescue@gmail.com


Article drawn from  the S.C.A.R facebook group
Photos copyright Hazel van Rooyen

Mangrove Kingfisher in Hibberdene

Yesterday, Michelle from Second Chance Avian Rescue in Shelly Beach, received this immature Mangrove Kingfisher which had hit a window of a house in Hibberdene.

(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Another very unusual sighting for our area.

Keep up the excellent work Michelle!!

European Honey Buzzard in Umtentweni

Adeline Mccarter has sent through these pictures of a European Honey Buzzard in her garden in Umtentweni.
The ID has been confirmed by Stan Culley our representative on the KZN Rarities Committee.
Stan says that the bird ''is probably a female. The eyes in adult males are supposed to be more orange, yellow for females''.

Photos copyright Adeline Mccarter

White-eared Barbets on the South Coast

text and photos by Andy Ruffle

Eric Kok recently reported that he had seen some White-eared Barbet (Stactolaema leucotis) in Umtentweni.

The furthest south we usually see these birds is Umdoni Park at Pennington.

Today, I was alerted to an unusual call in my back garden in Sea Park. Further investigation revealed two White-eared Barbet busily eating the fruit of a Bridelia micrantha tree.
They now take my garden bird list to 113 species.

White-eared Barbet in Bridelia micrantha, Sea Park
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

White-eared Barbet in Bridelia micrantha, Sea Park
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Photos copyright of photographer

Outing report - 15th February 2015 Ellingham Estates, Park Rynie

Attendees: Sandy Olver, Stan & Val Culley, Evelyn Heunis, Lennart Eriksson, Hazel Nevin, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margot Jobson, Anne Cluer, Caryl Lowe, Tim & Sue Gould, Bobby & Hazel van Rooyen, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Alastair Warman. (18 attendees).

Lesser Moorhen
(Photo Stan Culley)

Lesser Moorhen
(Photo Stan Culley)

Birds recorded: to follow

Black Stork makes a Youth Day appearance

Whilst escorting a group at the Oribi vulture colony on Monday (Youth Day), we noticed a large bird join the thermal being used by some 20 Cape Vultures. It was quickly identified as a Black Stork. This is a nice visitor to see in our neck of the woods.
We will be keeping a close eye out to see whether there are any signs of nesting by the stork.

Black Stork riding the thermal
(Photo Adeline Mccarter)

Spotted Thick-knee were also seen during this visit. Another bird not often seen in our South Coast region.

Some other good news from the vulture colony is that 30 vulture nests have been counted, just on the cliffs that are visible where we normally stand. This is the highest number so far recorded and is just a small part of the cliff face on which they nest.

There will be a full census done this month, hopefully, so it will interesting to see the total tally. We will keep you posted.

Tough little Green Wood-Hoopoe

Carol Hall has sent in this photo of a Green Wood-Hoopoe that has been visiting her garden for a few years now.

(Photo Carol Hall)

You can see that the lower mandible has grown straight instead of curved, but this doesn't seem to have affected this birds ability to feed.

Carol says that the bird is 'a loner' which indicates that it is self sufficient and not being assisted by family members of this usually gregarious species.

Banded Martin unusual record for the coast

By Andy Ruffle

Whilst catching Barn Swallows to ring last night (2^nd Feb), Andrew Pickles had a pleasant surprise in the nets, in the shape of a Banded Martin.

Banded Martin, Umzumbe Floodplain
(Photo Andrew Pickles)

If you check your fieldguides, you will see that Banded Martin is not shown as being present in our area. SABAP2 records also confirm this with the nearest sightings being recorded in the Harding area.

SABAP2 records for Banded Martin
(Map courtesy of Google Maps & SABAP2)

This is yet another example of how bird ringing is shedding light on some very interesting data.

Lesser Moorhen

Gallinula angulata

Culley's Dam, Port Edward, 29 December 2013

Culley's Dam, Port Edward, 29 December 2013

Culley's Dam, Port Edward, 29 December 2013

Photos: copyright of photographer

Outing report- Boat trip 13th July 2013

The lucky participants on the 13th July charter
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

Passengers: Roz & Clive Addison, Eileen Brannigan, Doug Butcher, Renate Deveden, John Irven, Stacy Jones, Andy Ruffle,  Alida Stofberg, Penny Taylor.

We were fortunate to have lovely conditions for this morning’s boat trip. Calm wind, blue skies and a relatively calm sea, the 2m swells being bouncy rather than rough.

Formalities completed, we boarded our vessel ‘Mama Mia’ (I feel a song coming on) and headed out to the great blue yonder. Negotiating the breakers was a bit more challenging today, but our skipper did a great job of getting us to the calmer waters passed the back line.

It wasn’t too long before we were seeing signs of whale activity. 6kms out and abeam Margate someone called ‘bird’, drawing our eyes to what we were expecting to be a gannet flying directly towards us. As the large bird banked around the boat, we couldn’t believe our eyes when it revealed itself as an albatross.

The albatross flies in
(Photo Doug Butcher)

 

juvenile (immature) Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

The relaxed atmosphere on the boat immediately turned to excitement as the skipper scrambled for a box of sardines and the passengers rooted for their cameras and binoculars.

The bird was very obliging, making itself comfortable on the water close to the boat and devouring the sardines being offered. Our unexpected visitor was soon identified as a juvenile Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross.

The yellow top to the bill can be seen developing
(Photo Andy Ruffle)

According to Roberts Online the world population of Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross is estimated at 140,000 birds. Of these, some 20,000 spend winter over the southern African continental shelf and shelf-break (where the shelf plummets down to the ocean floor). This could explain why we saw the bird so close to shore.

Narrow continental shelf along our coast
(Image: Google Earth)

family of Humpback Whales
(Photo John Irven)

(Photo Doug Butcher)

(Photo Doug Butcher)

 

What a ride!!!!!!!
(Photo Mama Mia Boat Cruises)

To see more pics from the trip click here.
So, yet another enthralling trip. The question is, what will we see next time?

African Penguins being spotted again this winter

(Photo Mama Mia Pleasure Cruises)

 

We are getting reports of sightings of African Penguins along our coast again.

Mama Mia Pleasure Cruises saw five birds on 3^rd July and a single bird on 4^th July.

Perhaps these little critters are more common here in winter than previously thought.