Kirstenbosch Bird Walk – 09 November 2021 led by Penny Dichmont.

The second-last walk of the year place on 9th November on a very pleasant, late spring day. A group of 21 birders gathered at Gate 1 just before 08h00, including a CBC member who was joining the walk for the first time, after being a member of the club for three decades!
Someone asked about the owls which had nested in the flowerpot in the Visitor Centre (near Gate 1) and were told that the chicks had been moved away to a safer spot. The water feature, directly below the nest, had posed a danger to the young chicks.
A Cape Batis was recorded as we set off, followed soon afterwards by a juvenile Bronze Mannikin. We went along the lawn parallel to the main path which leads up to the Otter Pond, rather than on this paved path. This stretch proved to be very productive, especially a bed with aloes in it, and eight species were recorded in about five minutes, including Common and Swee Waxbills, Forest and Cape Canary, Klaas’s Cuckoo and Pin-tailed Whydah.

From there we turned down to the Dell. Our aim was to observe both Paradise and Dusky Flycatchers on the nest. So as not to disturb these birds, we visited the nests in staggered groups. The Paradise Flycatcher nest was well-hidden and it took some time to explain to the group individually where it was. Sadly, the bird was not to be seen, so we gave up after a while and moved to the Dusky nest, higher up in the Dell.

The Dusky was using exactly the same tree as last year, and looked very snug in its well-constructed little nest, fringed by ‘curtains’ of bark. In the photograph included in the report, the bird (which seemed unperturbed by us) is looking straight at the photographer.
The group behind us, led by Dennis and Gigi Laidler, was also unsuccessful in seeing the Paradise Flycatcher. However, they had had some good sightings a few minutes earlier. We had observed them, staring intently at a tree near the entrance to the Dell, about 20 metres away. We heard later that they had enjoyed good views of an Olive Woodpecker, as well as African Olive Pigeon and Fork-tailed Drongo.

A pair of owls caused some interest at this point. A few weeks earlier, a Spotted Eagle-Owl had been nesting in a deep fork of a Kiggelaria africana, in which it had been barely visible. One of the Kirstenbosch volunteer guides told us that, shortly before the eggs had been due to hatch, a downpour of rain had flooded the nest and the nest was abandoned. Apparently, the birds had been seen sitting side by side in the Kiggelaria a few days afterwards.
On the Sunday CBC Bird Count, two days before our walk, one of the owls was also seen in the Kiggelaria (just above the Dell), and another was seen in the large Cape Holly, next to Colonel Bird’s Bath. On our Tuesday walk, we managed to find an owl in the Cape Holly, with help from Matteo (in Grade 7) and others, after we had joined up with the other group. A sharp-eyed birder found the second owl, sitting directly above the flat rock where the owls has bred many years ago. This caused some interest as to whether the owl would return to the “Owl Rock” for a second breeding attempt.

We continued above the Dell, seeing Rock Kestrel, Cape Sugarbird, Malachite Sunbird and Cape Spurfowl and on the way. A Black-headed Heron, which has been seen regularly in the garden recently, flew off from a lawn bordered by proteas. Other interesting sightings included Black Saw-wing, Speckled Mousebird, Brimstone Canary, Common Chaffinch and a fleeting glimpse of a Sombre Greenbul.

On the Boomslang, we observed a dramatic altercation between three African Harrier-Hawks and a Pied Crow. We continued through the Enchanted Forest, hoping to see a Lemon Dove. As we exited the forest and reached a paved path, I spotted a plump dove some distance to the right, in shade. Although no colours were visible, I was fairly confident that it was a Lemon Dove. Unfortunately, the bird flew off after about ten seconds and landed in a tree briefly, before dropping out of sight. However, it faced us long enough for two of us at the front to see the rich reddish-brown, cinnamon underparts – leading to the inevitable discussion about why the aptly named Cinnamon Dove had been renamed Lemon Dove.
It was now 10h00 and most of the group left and headed back to Gate 1. I offered to take those who still wanted to see the Paradise Flycatcher back to the Dell. This time we were successful! The photographer, who had been standing there two hours earlier, said that she had been waiting all this time to see the bird and the female had just flown in a short while earlier. It was lucky timing for us, and one of the highlights of the walk, especially for those who had never seen a Paradise Flycatcher on the nest.

We rounded the morning off with coffee at Vida e-Caffé and consolidated our bird tally. To our surprise, it was a very pleasing 39 species, including two which were heard only. Thanks to all who helped compile the bird list and who contributed photographs.

Photographs by Phil Green, Ken and Marilyn Buchanan and Penny Dichmont.

Report by Penny Dichmont.

 

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