A small group of birders (14 people) had a peaceful walk on a calm, warm, spring day. The gardens were looking colourful and the birds were moving around.
First birds were an Egyptian goose trying to walk into the buildings from the car park, then the owls – one on the nest in the flower basket and the male sitting in the tree nearby.
We found most of the common birds in the first hour, lots of Olive Thrush and Southern Double-collared Sunbirds around. There was a brief glimpse of an African Paradise Flycatcher near the Del as we walked past, then near the end of the walk we went back to look for Paradise Flycatchers, we couldn’t see or hear them, but then suddenly there were at least 3 chasing one another in a tree. The Paradise Flycatchers have only recently returned to Kirstenbosch after migrating North for our winter.
We didn’t walk to the top of the Protea gardens, but managed to find a Cape Sugarbird quite easily. Then as a bonus, there were good views of a Cape Grassbird in the same bush.
Swee Waxbills were feeding on the lawns, then a few Bronze Mannikins were seen. But it was only at the end of the walk that we found a couple of Common Waxbills. There were also multiple sightings of Forest Canaries, always fun to see.
After searching the trees at the top of the Del for the other pair of Spotted Eagle Owls, we were walking away when someone from another group found a single Owl up there.
The forest around the Boomslang was very quiet, only a couple of Hadada Ibis on the ground.
My bird list for the walk was 30 species.
Photographs by Philip Green, Felicity Ellmore and Linda Hibbin.
Report by Felicity Ellmore.
