Page 12 - 10 October 2025

PAGE 12 · THE REPORTER 10 0CT0BER 2025

with the bill pointing
upwards while singing on a
rock or anthill. The apps say
that they are usually first
located and identified by
their beautiful call “a pure,
even or slightly ascending
whistle that increases in
volume, followed by a
At last, a birding outing into
the district! stuttering trill.” This is how
we found our birds.
Saturday morning dawned
with clear blue skies and no I felt a little better when I read
wind. As we had not planned in the following in the app:
to go birding, we had to “Hearing an African rock
scramble to get ready. Pipit and getting reasonable
Coffee made, flask, rusks views of one, are two
and buns and cold meat different challenges al-
packed for lunch. Camera, together. While it is less shy
and equipment packed and than impatient birders often
the dog’s sulking in their claim, it is adept at
beds, a little later than we disappearing behind rocks
would have liked, we were or into grassy cover when
ready to go! pursued; often the best We found one of the birds on my wish- African Stonechat (Gewone African Stonechat (Gewone Bontrokkie)
strategy is to sit and wait list: Cape Grassbird (Grasvoël). Bontrokkie) male female
Kev allowed me to choose patiently for the birds to
the destination and I asked appear.”
for Clifford and Otto du
Plessis. I have resorted to placing a
photograph we took along
The birds were very active Lundean's Neck, in March
and I had high hopes. Kev 2024. We have actually seen
asked me what bird was on them in the Clifford are
my “hope-to-see” list. I have before. A Long-tailed Widowbird (Langstertflap)
not seen a Cape Grassbird We had a pleasing number of
(Grasvoël) for ages, so it was sightings of Cranes, Grey A Long-tailed
on the list, as well as the Crowned Cranes (Mahem) Widowbird
other Otto du Plessis as well as Blue Cranes (Blou- (Langstertflap) still
favourites like Drakensberg kraanvoël). changing
Rockjumper, Drakensberg plumage, with
S i s k i n a n d G r o u n d By the time we reached Otto Cape Sparrow’s in
Woodpecker. I cheekily du Plessis Pass, the icy wind Mr and Mrs Blue Crane (Bloukraanvoël), Bennie en Betsie the background
asked for any type of cuckoo, was almost gale force and
although it is a bit early for the birds became very
them in Barkly East. scarce, preferring to stay
deep and low in the bushes.
Actually, we did not mind We decided to turn back and
what we saw, it is a great treat take our packed lunch back
to be driving out into the home to eat this afternoon.
stunning district.
We did not see any
We enjoyed seeing all the Rockjumpers or Ground
usual birds, but strangely no Woodpeckers, but we loved
larks and pippits at first. The getting out. We met Thero
little African Stonechats and Anri’s daughter while
(Gewone Bontrokkie) and watching a pair of Blue
Cape Weavers (Kaapse Cranes. She stopped to chat
Wewer) were extremely and told us that this pair
active. arrive on the farm to breed White-throated Swallow (Witkeelswael) Pied Starling (Witgatspreeu) taking a bath
Kev decided we were taking every year. They named
the Vaalhoek road to Clifford them Bennie and Betsie! So
and this proved to be a great great to see how some
choice. I heard a strange call farmers and their families
that I could not recognise. care about the wildlife on
The call was a melodius their farms.
whistle was a few other We ended our day by visiting
notes. We stopped to listen. the sewerage ponds to try to
At first I thought it was a spot the nomadic visiting Large-billed
Clapper Lark, but no the call Greater Painted-snipe. We Lark
was different, much more were lucky and did have a (Dikbeklewerik)
meloduis. We saw a pair of sighting if it. We watched a
the birds that were calling, shepherd walk passed it and
and moving around on the it just calmly continued
rock strewn lower mountains feeding. So we braved
and decided that they were moving closer, the nasty bird
pipits. After looking and then simply disappeared into
listening to a few calls, we the tall grass. Greater-painted Snipe (Goudsnip)
realised we were watching a
very vocal pair of African Keep birding. Till next time
Rock Pipits (Klipkoester).
Although Kev and I walked
up and down the steep
hillside, walking closer to
where they were calling
from, only to have them fly
off to a further rock strewn
slope. We tried sitting quitely,
crouching and stalking
them, but they just jumped
behind a rock, or flew to
another rock. They seemed
to be enjoying leading us on
a wild goose (or lark) chase.
The wind was picking up and
we decided to leave the birds
in peace. We drove away to
the melodious call fading African Rock Pipit
away behind us.
(Klipkoester)
These birds are a medium Lundean's Neck, Barkly East, A Grey Crowned Crane have a drink.
sized Pipit, they stand erect 9 March 2024 Levaillant’s Cisticola (Vleitinktinkie) It made a very pretty picture.