A group of 20-25 birders set off for the monthly walk from Gate 1 just after 08h00 on a beautiful, cool, calm morning.
Shortly after entering the Gardens, a very vocal Cape Grassbird showed well, as did a Southern Fiscal on the edge of the flower-beds below the pond. Cape Canaries were enjoying the remaining seed heads, and a group of Bronze Mannikins was seen flying onto the lawn. A small flock of Speckled Mousebirds drew our attention, and the single White-backed Mousebird which has been in Gardens for a while now was spotted amongst them.
Heading up past the Otter Pond, we picked up a number of the expected species including Southern Double-collared, Malachite and Amethyst Sunbirds, but only much later did we add Orange-breasted to complete our complement of sunbirds.
Overhead, a Black Sparrowhawk gave a good view as it passed low over us, and a Jackal Buzzard was seen circling high above. We added Forest and Brimstone to our list of canaries, and several Fork-tailed Drongos were spotted hawking insects. Higher up, Cape Sugarbirds made their appearance, and both Spotted Eagle Owls were seen well hidden in the trees near Owl Rock.
Some of the group crossed the Boomslang whilst others scoured the forest floor below, but no Lemon Dove could be located and neither did the Olive Woodpeckers show themselves.
Heading back down the gardens, species such as Bar-throated Apalis and both Common and Swee Waxbills were added. Although it was a birding walk, a large and colourful Oleander Hawk Moth caterpillar Daphnis nerii crossing the path drew much attention and was photographed before being moved to safety off the track. There had been little overhead activity, with most of the aerial feeders now well on their way north, and no soaring raptors about. Nevertheless, with a number of excellent bird spotters in the group, we ended with a very creditable total of just over 40 species after a most enjoyable ramble of about two-and-a-half hours.
Photographs by Daryl de Beer.
Report by Otto Schmidt.
