Outing to the Rondevlei Nature Reserve,

Year end Picnic.

16 December 2024 – Led by Linda Hibbin.

I arrived at 07h45 and some eager birders were at the reserve already. We waited by the picnic tables watching Cape Bulbuls and listening to the call of the Common Reed Warbler as others joined the group. Just after 08h00 we wandered down towards the tea room to look at the birds there. We had a lovely time watching a young African Spoonbill with its parent. There were also Southern Pochards, Yellow-billed Duck as well as all the usual suspects. The Brown-throated Martins, White-throated and Barn Swallows were flying low over the water. The group was increasing in number still and we set off slowly to walk to the other hides.

We were joined by two Chinese birders. One was here to study Common and African Black Swifts. After tea they interviewed Otto Schmidt and he told them about his connection to, and interest in, Common Swifts.

As the group was so large – we certainly had over 40 birders – we slowly split into smaller groups and went to the different hides at different times. We mostly saw the same species with the highlight, for me, being the African Rail and the two juvenile Malachite Kingfishers. We found a couple of Whiskered Terns and a White-winged Tern but they were quite far away. There were also Common Terns at the last hide.

We saw a couple of Great White Pelicans at the last hide and a Purple Swamphen, with a junior in tow.

Apparently the Goliath Heron was sighted doing a fly-over, but not by many in the group.

We had a very convivial picnic under the trees by the entrance to the reserve – a lovely end to this year’s outings.

Photographs by Felicity Ellmore.
Report by Linda Hibbin.