This is a working relationship with the Cape Bird Club and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens with bird walks by the Cape Bird Club members.
I must thank the 20 intrepid birders who arrived to join the January 4 pm walk around Kirstenbosch Gardens despite the ‘al nino’ heat being experienced. The birds, we felt, had more sense as they initially seemed to be in short supply.
However we ambled along around the wetlands area, rushing from one shady spot to another and were delighted by the jewel splashes of Orange Breasted Sunbirds against the deep blue of the Graskop Agapanthus. Next bird of note for the visitors was the Spotted Eagle Owl sitting in the wild almond tree exactly where it was seen on Saturday during a recce.
Even owls feel the heat as one of the ladies in the group showed us a photo taken at the beginning of the week of the owl having a good splash in the pool under the little wooden bridge on the opposite side of the path.We continued on around towards the proteas to look for Sugarbirds which some of the party managed to locate and then on into the enchanted forest which was a delight after the heat of the pathways. By this time the air had cooled slightly and more birds were out singing but still quite elusive. The Boomslang proved popular to those who had not been on it before and then down into the forest once more to enjoy a clutch of 7 Lemon Doves.
Also many usuals like Bar-throated Apalis, Sombre Greenbul, Common Waxbill, and also a Rock Kestrel sitting in the Oak on the side of the pond lawn.
My thanks to Felicity, Linda, Simon and Des from the club who joined us and were able to assist with identification for the non-birders in the group.
Bird list:
Apalis, Bar-throated
Batis, Cape
Boubou, Southern
Bulbul, Cape
Canary, Cape
Dove, Lemon
Fiscal, Common
Flycatcher, Dusky
Goose, Egyptian
Greenbul, Sombre
Guineafowl, Helemeted
Ibis, Hadeda
Kestrel, Rock
Owl, Spotted Eagle
Robin Chat, Cape
Starling, Red Winged
Sugarbird, Cape
Sunbird, Orange Breasted
Sunbird, Southern Double Collared
Swallow, Sawwing Black
Swift, Alpine
Thrush, Olive
Waxbill, Common
White eye, Cape.
Click on any of the images below to see more details.
