Page 12 - 21 March 2025

PAGE 12 · THE REPORTER 21 MARCH 2025

interviews with Alex. He is
absolutely passionate about
bird and conservation.
Congratulations to Alex and
Farrah and we wish them
well with their new venture.
One of our local birds is
about to have a name
It’s a small world!
change, actually its name is
Kevin and I were looking for a being changed back to its
nice place to camp in “old” name. The Mountain
December on our way back Wheatear will again be
from the Kruger National known as a Mountain Chat.
Park. As we get older, the trip D o u g m e n t i o n e d a n
seems to get longer and we interesting fact, chats flick
need a break. It is also an their wings (like the Familiar Mountain Wheatear (Bergwagter) male - pied morph. Mountain Wheatear (Bergwagter) male - grey morph
excuse to see another place. Chat) and Wheatears flick It will be reverting back to its “old” name, Mountain Chat. Myrmecocichla monticola.
I was searching for a their tails.
camping spot between Rock Martins are being split
Phalaborwa and Pretoria into two separate species,
that has good birding. the Large Rock Martin and
Google brought up a few the Red-throated Rock
places, not all look Martin. The bird Apps have
promising. There was a not been updated with these
place I had never heard of, changes as yet. I searched
Zaagkuilsdrift Lodge and the differences between the
bird sanctuary. I was afraid it two species. Not much
would be birds in cages, well information is available as
I was very wrong.
yet. According to the experts
I watched a few clips on the Red-throated Rock
Youtube. Doug Newman Martin is slightly small, has a
(Simply Birding) has been pinkish throat and a higher- Rock Martin (Kransswael). The IOC website says: Change
collaborating with the new pitched voice. We will have to Rock Martin (Kransswael) will soon be known as Large English name of Rock Martin Ptyonoprogne fuligula to
owners about their Bird see what the apps say at a Rock Martin Large Rock Martin with the split of Red-throated Rock
Hides etc. later stage. Martin P. rufigula.
We decided this was the The changes come from the
perfect stop over for two IOC. Who is the IOC? The
days. I sent a mail on following is taken from their
Tuesday, asking for prices for website: “The IOC World
camping. On my way home I Bird List is an open access
received a Whatsapp from resource of the international
Farrah Hattingh asking if I community of ornitho-
asked her about accom- logists. Our primary goal is
modation. I apologised, to facilitate worldwide
saying I did not know how I c o m m u n i c a t i o n i n
managed to send the mail to ornithology and conserva-
her. She laughed, she and tion based on an up-to-date
her husband Alex had evolutionary classification
bought the place. What a of world birds and a set of
small world. English names that follow
explicit guidelines for A female African Grass Owl defends the entrance to her nest
Farrah used to be from tunnel system. The white facial disc indicates that this is
Molteno and annually spelling and construction.” African Grass Owl in flight. an adult bird.
organised the purchasing of Many years ago (more than
fruit trees and extremely 18) we used to have African inhabit very dense grassland
good prices. Grass Owls breeding in the in wetlands, but they are also
grass in the camp at the old fully nocturnal. The Marsh
A little about this extra- town dam. I have learned Owl often shares similar
ordinary place. They have a how much of their breeding habitat, but because it
lodge, deluxe camping sites sites have been destroyed - generally starts hunting in
and bush camping. All just as the one at the dam the late afternoon and
camping sights have no has been destroyed by continues into the early
power. Nestled between humans. morning, it is seen quite
Pretoria and Bela Bela, frequently. The Grass Owl,
Zaagkuilsdrift is a renowned I quote: “The African Grass on the other hand, only
haven for birdwatchers. Owl (Grasuil) is evaluated as takes to the wing once it is
Located near Kgomo Vulnerable. However, in dark, so sightings of this bird
Kgomo and the famous South Africa the species is are rare.”
Crake Road, at the heart of regarded as vulnerable
the Pienaarsrivier floodplain. because habitat degradation “There have been some very A Pied Crow attacks an adult
through ploughing, grazing, African Grass Owl chicks with their brown facial disks interesting findings over the African Grass Owl after it
They boast with over 430 draining and burning; the years that the project has was flushed from the grass-
bird species to spot, as well population in the country is huddle in their nest tunnel. Text & Photographs Anton van been running. The owls have land. Photograph: Mike Pope
as a variety of wildlife. You considered to be fewer than Niekerk and Mike Pope. a definite preference for
can download a bird list from 5,000 individuals.” Grass Owls have a brown SA’s website called “Burning Imperata cylindrica grass, “An African Grass Owl
their website. Zaagkuilsdrift facial disc whereas the Issue” about Kyalami’s which has a number of becomes sexually mature at,
is about 300 hectares in size More recent studies show adults’ disc is white. Grass Owls with text and common names. Perhaps on average, two years of age.
and boasts many several that their numbers are They nest in rank grass, an photographs by Anton van the most apt is sword grass, It must then find a mate, but
biomes including riverine dwindling fast. unlined hollow usually at the Niekerk and Mike Pope. It is as team members wearing the pair’s first clutches rarely
forest. This owl species makes its end of a tunnel. These about how burning the shorts for their first survey reach full term. The loss of
unlikely home in wetland tunnels can be quite long. affects these and other two years of nesting
I have seen very few crake habitat. They roost on the ground nesting birds and soon realised; all turned up potential due to fire in an
species and I noted that they ground in drainage lines or in Please if you have an African sets the owls back for at for the next survey wearing already short breeding
have had sightings of quite a areas that have not been Grass Owl breeding on your least two years as the grass is long trousers! The owls also lifespan doesn’t bode well for
few: Temminck's Courser burnt or trampled by cattle. property or know where too short for them to breed utilise Themeda triandra, Grass Owls.
(Trekdrawwertjie); African They have a preference for there is a nest, please do not in. Eragrostis curvula and In addition, as ground-
Crake(Afrikaanse Riethaan), long thick, rank. Grass Owls disturb it. The tunnels are Here are a few snippets: some sedges and wetland nesting birds they face a
Baillon's Crake (Kleinriet- are completely nocturnal sometimes long and the “There are some bird grasses, but their preference host of predators, which in
haan); Corn Crake (Kwartel- and are only seen during the chicks and eggs can be species that even an avid for roosting and breeding is t h e G r e a t e r Ky a l a m i
koning) and Spotted Crake day if disturbed. When inside them and can be always sword grass. The Conservancy include -
(Gevlekte Riethaan). There is flushed they fly up with long crushed if you stand on birder may never see, male and female have not jackals, genets, mongooses,
a chance of seeing so many legs dangling, but imme- them. perhaps because their been observed roosting snakes, dogs, cats and a
numbers are restricted or
Plovers, Ducks, Sandpipers, diately drop again to the Some birders and birding they occur in difficult terrain. together. Males roosting in wide range of birds,
Storks and much more. I did ground nearby. They may be guides have been known to Ons such species is the grass simply utilise a small including Pied Crows.”
not see the Southern Pied found singly, in pairs or in deliberately flush the owls hollow but females create
Babbler (Witkatlagter) in family groups after the just to “tick” or photograph African Grass Owl (Tyto tunnels within the grass Please bird responsibly. It is
Kgalagadi and they often see breeding season. them and have inadvertently capensis), classified as cover, which must therefore good to sometimes keep
Vulnerable in South Africa
your distance and just
it there. crushed an egg. be tall and dense enough to
They closely resemble the with a declining populations. accommodate a tunnel watch.
We enjoyed watching a few Western Barn Owl. Young I read an article on Birdlife Not only do these owls system.” Till next time.