Page 12 - 11 April 2025

PAGE 12 · THE REPORTER 11 APRIL 2025

Zebra National Park.
A bird we were very excited to
find was the Double-banded
Courser (Dubbelband-
drawwertjie). The double
breast band is distinctive and
makes it easy to identify. In
flight this courser shows a
What amazing rain we have white rump and chestnut
experienced this week? flight feathers. This is
Town (and other areas) had actually a poorly known
an incredible downpour on specie although it is locally
Thursday night. On Friday c o m m o n . T h e y a r e
morning before work, Kev sometimes nomadic. I have
and I took a drive down seen quite a few photo-
Rietkloof to see what the graphs of sightings of them Double-banded Courser (Dubbelbanddrawwertjie) Double-banded Courser (Dubbelbanddrawwertjie)
river looked like. The river in the MZNP. They seem to
was full and flowing strongly, prefer flat, stony and gravelly
but not in flood. The land desert and semi-desert
along the road had a lot of p l a i n s , u s u a l l y w i t h
water pools in them. scattering of low bushes.
We saw very large flocks of They also like firm, sandy
Sacred Ibises (Skoorsteen- soils, thorn scrub, dry river
veërs), Large flocks of South beds and pans in arid and
African Shelduck (Koper- semi-arid areas. They are
eend), a pair of African Black found singly or in family
D u c k s , ( S w a r t e e n d ) , parties of three to four, which
Hadedas, Egyptian Geese may include chicks from an
(Kolgans), a few Grey earlier breeding attempt.
Crowned Cranes (Mahems)
feeding in the pools. It was a We saw a few Dusky
magnificent site seeing so Indigobirds (Gewone Blou- Rufous-eared Warbler (Rooioorlangsterkte) Three-banded Plover (Driebandstrandkiewiet)
many Sacred Ibes. Their vinkie). It is identified by its
numbers have increased white bill and reddish legs
tremendously in the last few and feet. They prefer riparian
years. forest and dense woodland
along drainage lines. They
Rikus, Stacy and baby Elaine
came to visit this weekend. feed on seeds, termites and
The weather was not insects. They are brood
conducive to birding. We parasites of the African
mentioned some of the birds Firefinch.
we have been seeing around We did not see African
town, and realised they had Firefinches, but we did see
not seen the African Snipe. Red-billed Firefinches
Kevin took Rikus out for a (Rooibekvuurvinkies). They
quick drive to where we had are small (10cm), they are
previously seen them. Not recognised by their red bills,
easy finding a spot that did red rump and a yellow eye-
not need waders after all the ring around red eye. The Acacia Pied Barbet (Bonthoutkapper) Dusky Indigobird (Gewone Blouvinkie)
rain. They only had quick male has a red forehead,
sightings, but Rikus face, throat and breast with
managed to capture one faint white spots on the
flying. sides. The crown, mantle
Oom Koos Jordaan says the nape and back are brown.
Paradise Flycatchers has The female has a pink patch
been calling near his home. I on a greyish-brown face and
suppose they will soon move underparts with white spots
off to warmer areas. on the sides of the breast.
And now Back to the birds The legs and feet are
we saw in the Mountain brownish pink.

Red-billed Firefinch (Rooibekvuurvinkie) Spike-heeled Lark (Vlaktelewerik)

African Snipe (Afrikaanse Snip) in flight. They are extremely
quick. Well done on this capture.
Photograph by Rikus van Wyk
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Koringvoël) White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Koringvoël)

Sickle-winged Chat (Vlaktespekvreter) African Spoonbill (Lepelaar) Ant-eating Chat (Swartpiek) Scaly-feathered Finch (Baardmannetjie)