Flamingos at Modimola Dam

Recently, I have been fascinated by the congregation of Lesser Flamingos at Modimola Dam; 12km  West of Mahikeng in the North West Province.
Both Lesser and Greater are gathering in numbers there. Here are some of the photos I took recently. An enjoyable spectacle of nature while the drought is at its peak in the area.
We hope they will be here to stay.

 

Location of Modimola Dam 

 

Walking and darting across the dam

 

Filtering food from surface of  water with bill upside down

 

From juvenile to adult hood phases all present

 

Taking a rest in the companion of Black-winged Stilt

 

 



Lesser Flamingos increase two fold at Modimola Dam

After a restful holiday; I went birding on Friday, the 4th January 2013 to Modimola Dam. 

Following my last report on the Lesser Flamingos (26th October 2012), I was surprised to find the numbers increased. The last group of holiday makers around the dam did not bother them a bit.

The colourful Lesser Flamingos

Cooling off in the sweltering heat
 

Lesser Flamingos at Modimola Dam

The recent dry weather conditions and lack of rain in and around Mahikeng had a devastating impact on the Modimola Dam. The only bright side of the whole saga is that this has invited a lot of shoreline birds as bonus.
Recently, a flock of Greater Flamingos had come to make the dam their temporary home. Quite, unusual in this area, there were Lesser Flamingos together with some juveniles among the.
We hope soooner or later the rains will come as the dam is graddualy shrinking.

 

Lesser Flamingo at Modimola Dam





Pied Avocets decsend on Modimola Dam

The last time I saw Pied Avocets at Modimola Dam was three years ago. It was a nice surprise to see them in large numbers this year on Sunday. A common resident.

Pied Avocet wading using a sweeping, side-to-side bill movement

A local nomad seen sometimes in flocks or a handful



A day after Christmas: Cape Longclaw

Cape Longclaw walking on tufty grass foraging for food

After deciding not to do any birding on Christmas day, I set off on the day thereafter for some few hours of birding. There was not much to be seen as far as birds were concerned. I guess, most of the spots, where I do my birding, were deserted due to holiday picnics. There were only empty bottles and tins to the aftermath.
Amids the litter, the Cape Longclaw caught my eye. I could not resist the  orange throat but to have a shot at it 

Pink-backed Pelicans return to Modimola Dam

Pink-backed Pelican's crest on head fairly distinct

Today, while birding at Modimola Dam, I witnessed the return of Pink-backed Pelicans. They were last seen in the area in February/ March this year. There were both adult and juveniles in the group of ten.

Pink-backed Pelican giving some guttural notes

During their presence just before winter they were in  the company of Great White Pelicans. This time the Great Whites were not present.

Pink-backed Pelican emptying the big pouch

Pink-backed Pelicans just after arrival

Whiskered Terns move in at Modimola Dam after the first rains of the season

After the first rains of the season on Saturday night, the locally common nomads the Whiskered Terns; who normally move about according to rainfall, started moving into Modimola Dam.They were in great numbers than usual because I counted close to sixteen at the time.The Coots, Ruffs and Lapwings were not keen on letting go their territory

Whiskered Tern dipping to surface of water for food

Whiskered Tern landing

Whiskered Tern flying low

Another migrant turns up at Modimola Dam: Marsh Sandpiper

While scanning the tidal mudflats of the Modimola Dam which is gradually being invaded by algae; I saw this solitary wader. Looking closer it turned out to be the Marsh Sandpiper. I have been in the area a day before but it was not there. It breeds in South Eastern Europe, Central/South Russia and Mongolia. It migrates to Africa. It is widespread in Southern Africa.

Marsh Sandpiper in solitary

Marsh Sandpiper pecking for food

Latest arrival migrant at Modimola Dam: Ruff

Ruffs  arrived earlier this time at Modimola Dam than in previous years . Last year they only pitched up in October. Like the Wood Sandpiper they breed in Northern Europe and Northern Asia; migrating to Southern Africa for Summer. They are widespread in South  Africa.

Ruff just arrived

Walking around with diagnostic orange tinged legs

Walking and probing for food

More migrants arrive at Modimola Dam: The Wood Sandpiper

The Wood Sandpiper breeds in Northern Europe and Asia migrating to Southern Africa to wetlands like  Modimola Dam for their annual winter break. Spring is in the air.

The Wood Sandpiper foraging on floating vegetation

The Wood Sandpiper just arrived

Migrants - The Stint was indeed a Little Stint

I received an overwhelming response to my quest to identify the mysterious Stint. The final verdict was in no doubt a Little Stint. I received responses from local birders and as far afield as Russia, China and Australia. Trevor Hardaker had this to say - "Both photos are of moulting Little Stints unfortunately – the legs, in particular the tibia, are too long for Red-necked Stint and the bill is also too long and finely tipped to consider that species" Niall Perrins had this to say- "They arrive back moulting out of their breeding plumage, looking very different to how we normally see them. I think your Stint is a Little Stint still in partly breeding plumage" Lastly Mark Young from Australia provided a link to some of his photos depicting a Red-necked Stint.Thanx to every one who took all the pains to assist. Thanx

 A Little Stint coming out of its breeding plumage

Migrants have started arriving: Little or Red-necked Stint?

Differentiating between a Little Stint and Red-necked Stint has always been difficult for me. After spotting this bird with my binoculars at Modimola Dam on Saturday I was convinced that it was a Little Stint. It was only after studying  some photos I had taken of it that I started doubting my identification. The bird started looking more like a Red- necked Stint than a Little Stint. Little Stint is abundant in South Africa but not the Red-necked Stint. Have I seen a rare bird?

Help identify the Stint





Help idendtify the Stint



Red-knobbed Coots at peak of breeding season

While birding today at Modimola Dam, it was quite apparent that the coots were at the height of their breeding season. Close to seven nests were visible after the tall reeds were cut at Modimola Dam.

One of the Red -knobbed Coots nesting.

Others were already wandering around with their young.

More on "African Spoonbill a remarkable bird"

I have recieved numerous requests from followers, friends and the general public; both within the country and abroad, after my last publishing of the African Spoonbill photos  on this blog. Here are some more images of the bird.These photos were also taken at Modimola Dam which boasts a large number of these wonderful  water birds.

African Spoonbill basking in the sun

African Spoonbill in flight

African Spoonbill a remarkable water bird

African Spoonbills breed in winter down here in Southrn Africa. The breeding period may stretch up to early spring. As we bid farewell to one of our coldest winters, I spotted a flock of this remarkable birds  foraging at Modimola Dam .It was wonderful to see juveniles together with adults.

African Spoonbill and its long spoon like bill

African Spoonbill wading and foraging slowly

Grey-headed Gulls are great fishers

While Birding at Modimola Dam yesterday afternoon I was fascinated by fishing Grey- Heade Gulls. Taking fish bigger than heads. There were both breeding and non breeding birds. What was surprisingly enough was that the non breeding ones were more active in terms of diving whereas the non breeding ones only wanted to fight over the catcch

Active Grey- headed Gulls before diving (the non breeding ones)

Going down for the catch.

Nice catch!!!!

Off to enjoy the meal.

Watching in envy and jealous (the breeding ones).

Malachite Kingfisher at Modimola Dam

The last two days have been pretty warmer and I was tempted to go out for some birding this afternoon.I saw this Malachite Kingfisher among some dry reeds waiting patiently for some fish or whatever.

Malachite Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Common Greenshank overwintering at Modimola Dam

While all the migrants had left for their breeding grounds in the Northern Hemisphere; some of the migrants  overwinter. I came across this Common Greenshank (a Palearctic summer visitor) wading solitarily at Modimola Dam today.

Common Grenshank

Common Greenshank





White-breasted Cormorants nests decreasing in number at Modimola Dam and reason found.

With the Cormorants breeding period in full swing; the White-breasted Cormorants nests at Modimola Dam near Mahikeng in the North West Province have shown a significant decrease in number.

White-breasted Cormorants  breeding site

One of the dead trees providing platform to thirteen (13) nests

Last year, May 2010; I counted thirty four (34) nests at these breeding site.This year again, at the very same time, there are only twenty four (24) nests. My worst fear came to an abrupt end on Sunday the 8th May 2011, when I saw a man rowing his way on a makeshift rubber dhingy towards the nests. He was just about to bring down one of the nest with chicks when I interrupted him. Amidst the noise made by the frantic birds trying to protect their young he rowed his way to the other side of the dam and fled.

The bird trying to protect the nest with chicks

The alleged assailant rowing towards the nest. 

 I approached some of his friends and fishermen too; witnessing the spectacle, to find out what was he up to. They told me that the nesting material of the White-breasted Cormorant is highly sort by spiritual healers as it has some supernatural powers.

Female White-breasted Cormorant and chicks

Back with the chicks after the nest was rescued

The Modimola dam is part of the Molopo Wetlands and it is a home to five of the pelecaniform species. Great White Pelicans have started showing up in the dam in good numbers while the Pink-backed Pelicans are residents and increasing in number significantly. The Darter is in abundance. The Reed Cormorant numbers are almost equal to those of their counterparts, the White-breasted. Is this the new kind of poaching that will threaten these birds?

Larger birds with long legs in flight at Modimola Dam

The sky having cleared after several days of rain, I decided to go out for some birding at my favourite spot at Modimola Dam last Saturday morning. My day was rewarded with sight of larger birds with long legs scouring the shores of the dam. My highlites were the Great Egret, which is not common in the area and the Yellow-billed stock, an intra-African migrant.

Yellow-billed Stock

Taking off together with a juvenile

Airborne

Taking a pause in the long grass along the shores of the dam

Great Egret

In full flight. Legs are all black 

Squeacky whines and screams after taking off.

Taking a pause in the long grass