Winter birding

After three days of cold and wet winter. I woke up to a warm Saturday morning with birds singing from the cold spell. Among those who were out to feed were the following.

Groundscraper Thrush 

Groundscraper Thrush snack

Cape Wagtail

Cape Wagtail

Burchell's Starling at Disaneng Dam

Past two days had the temperatures dropping down drastically and birding was a bit uneasy.Spotting two Burchell's Starlings at Disaneng was a real bonus.

Hopping around on a cold chilly morning

Hopping around

Red-billed Oxpecker at Disaneng Dam

My Birding today was quite an exciting one as I spotted a flock Red-billed Oxpeckers at the Disaneng village.I have never seen these birds around that area in the past six years of my birding there.



Large red bill and the bare yellow skin around the eye.

Scrambling over the animal's body to get ticks.

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk at Disaneng Dam

Today while birding at Disaneng Dam near the village of Dibono I came across a pair of Southern Pale Chanting Goshawks. A first in the area.



One was a sub adult of the Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk



Adult Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk on a comfortable look-out post

 

 

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

Pilanesberg National Park birding

My wet and rainy day at the Pilanesberg National in the North West Province did not deter me from capturing some of the birds as  migrants depart from our Southern African grounds. Local resident birds were also in dispaly in the soaking rain.

Red-billed Hornbill

Early morning snack. Found in great numbers around the park.

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Quite photogenic. Common around the park.

 Violet-backed Starling

An intra-continental breeding migrant known to migrate to as far as Zambia, Sudan and Ithiopia. Some overwinter.

Golden-breasted Bunting

A melodious bird with a distinct song.

Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

The head with bold stripes

Great Egret

The largest of the egrets

Red-billed Oxpecker at Pilanesberg National Park

Red-billed Oxpecker

Hitching a ride at the back of a giraff. They are regarded as near threatened due to the use of pesticides.Their numbers have drastically gone down.

While the majestic giraff is crossing the road; another stunt takes place. This is not safe.

Mahikeng's migrating Kestrels roost tree succumbs to pressure

Today, the 20th April 2011, the Mahikeng Kestrel roost tree was cut and brought down to give way to a business development. The tree has hosted migratory birds from as far as Russia and China during Summer every year for the past decades.The birds had just left at the begining of April this year and are expected to be back in early November again for Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
 

The giant ceases to exist as life goes on around it.

Holiday home is NO MORE

Mahikeng's migrating Kestrels roost tree under threat

The migrating Kestrels roost tree at the Corner of Hatchard and Tillard Streets in Mahikeng (Nort West Province - Republic of South Africa) has to give way to a new business development. The tree has been a host to more than 3000 migrating Kestrels  every summer when they head down to Southern Africa from their breeding grounds in Europe and Asia.

It is only a week after the birds' departure that their natural host becomes a victim of circumstsnces. The birds are expected to be back by early November 2011.

The tree is situated inside the late Mrs E. Bernard property, who was a Kestrel lover and an avid monitor. The local bird club, The Mafikeng Bird Club, was using  this tree to monitor migrating Kestrels roost in colaboration with other roosts monitors in several towns across the country through the Migrating Kestrels Project.

In 2005 there were only 500 birds counted from the tree as compared to 3700 in February 2011.It hosts Lesser Kestrels, Amur Falcons and Red-footed Falcons. The Lesser Falcons being in the majority, followed by the Amur Falcons. The Red- footed falcons are always in the least.

The tree standing alone after the site was cleared

The giant ready to go down on Sunday the 10th April 2011 if all goes according to plan

Migrating Kestrels depart from Mahikeng Roost tree

Yesterday, was that time of the year again when the migrating Kestrels that annually fly down to Southern Africa from their breeding grounds in Asia and Europe had to depart on their long journey back again. They normaly spent four months at this roost tree at the corner of Hatchard  and Tillard Street in the Mahikeng CBD before flying back.
The birds were counted in January this year during the national Kestrel count day; and  ± 3000 birds were recorded inclusive of those in the adjoining trees. That was an increase in number from last year.
This year they departed almost at the same time as last year but only a day earlier.In 2009 they arrived and departed earlier (look at the table below).It will be interesting to watch their arrival and departure in the coming season.

The roost tree is now deserted after the departure. The evenings are all quiet now. 

 

 The morning of the departure. Getting ready for the long journey back to Asia and Europe.Mostly are Lesser Kestrels and Amur Falcons

Arrivals and departures in the last three years
 Year period         Arrival               Departure
   2008-9            28/10/2008            23/03/2009
   2009-10          09/11/2009            03/04/2010
   2010-11          13/11/2010            02/04/2011

You can also  follow the link below for more information on their migratory route: 

http://www.africanraptors.org/amur-falcon-migration-route-finally-plotted/ 

More on Pink-backed Pelicans at Modimola Dam

Pink-backed Pelican comfortable on a concrete support pillar

Banded Grey-headed Gull at Modimola Dam

While birding at Modimola Dam this afternoon I came across this Grey-headed Gull in its breeding plumage with a metal ring.I am not aware of any ringing activity within Mafikeng and my guess is that it must be from somewhere within the country or from across neighbouring Botswana. I wish I could know what distance Grey-headed Gulls could travel. Anybody with an answer? There is quit plenty of the at the dam and this is my first sighting of one with a ring.

A breeding Grey-headed Gull with a metal ring

As the sun was setting it was still perched at the same spot

Barberspan Bird Sanctuary once more

The Southern Masked Weaver at Baberspan Bird Sanctuary.Time running out for the last brood of the season. This photo was taken  during the Ringing and Atlassing Conference which was held there recently

Le Vaillant's Cisticola with a ring at Barberspan Bird Sanctuary. The photo was taken just after dawn.

Pink-backed Pelicans at Modimola Dam

Sunday morning birding walk is always a joy to me. This flock of Pink-backed Pelicans were just perched in my path and preening each other. As I approached they started flying off in a spectacular way.

Pink-backed Pelicans flying off

A good number of  Pink-backed Pelicans congregated



Grey Heron at Modimola Dam

While birding at Modimola Dam this morning I came across this Grey Heron lazing away on a rock. With the recent good rains the shoreline is under water and waders are almost absent. Red-knobbed coots dominate the waters.

Grey Heron

Grey Heron preening herself

Bokaa Dam birding in Botswana

Yesterday I visited the Bokaa Dam in Botswana for some birding. In the four hours that I spent there I listed 47 species. The place is teeming with bird life. I was just about to leave when a  flock of Marabou Storks came flying in. It was about sixty of them.

Yellow billed Kite

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater



Black Kites in Lichtenburg

On the 12th February 2011 I visited the Lichtenburg Game Breeding Centre again to check on the Black Kite population I saw there the week before. Indeed the number had increased.  I managed to take  a photo of this juvenile who seemed to be amused by my presence.In the group there were some Yellow-billed Kites as well. It has always been a challenge to distiguish between the two.

Juvenile Black Kite

The juvenile Black Kite in full view

African Stonechat in Lichtenburg

Today I visited the Lichtenburg Nature Reserve and it was to my amazement to find African Stonechats in big numbers. Lichtenburg being 60km away from Mafikeng.This species is not found in Mafikeng but with the recent burst the distribution may cover Mafikeng

Abdim Stocks pass Mafikeng

Today at midday, 30th January 2011, the first group of about fifty Abdim Stocks pitched up 25km West of  Mafikeng on their usual annual migratory path. This is contrary to the usual late November or early December arrival and passing the town. Their annual path is through the villages of Masutlhe and Modimola from across neighbouring Botswana. They are two months late this season. The question is;

• Are they on their way to the North or South?

If they are on their way to the North it means they are now migrating back. The question is;

• Why did they avoid their usual annual path on their way South?

If they are only on their way South now, it means they are late or it is just another late group.
This are the questions I would like to answer in the next few days or weeks. I will keep you posted.



Click the image to enlarge it

Just landed and looking around

Just landed

Moving around in groups. A juvenile and an adult