Cape Longclaw at Modimola Dam

In the dry winter grass, the Cape Longclaw is easily detectable by its bright orange bib.

Cape Longclaw

Cape Longclaw

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





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