Outing to the Majik Forest, Durbanville.

 

 

A magic forest in Durbanville, next to the main road? Yes indeed (my map said ‘here there be dragons’)-11.6 Km of trails, shared by mountain bikers, hikers etc. Deciduous, Coniferous trees, thick bush, interspersed with open ‘grassland’, with suburbia and traffic a distant memory.

Our Tygerberg Bird Club ‘loanee’ leader, well-known local birder Kevin Drummond Hay, led 35 of us (some wearing garlic necklaces) into another world..

We started with a gentle ramble and saw plenty of birds to keep the beginners on their toes- Cape Robin, Bar Throated Apalis ‘tripping ‘ away and hiding as usual, Swee Waxbills spotted by Zoe doing point duty as always, Black Sparrowhawk o/h, Dusky Flycatcher and many more.. full list attached courtesy of John Magner.

At this stage we were one loose group; this was about to change as our leaders alter ego (the Grand old Duke of York) took over and we started yomping up a verticalish trail in single file dodging mountain bikers, dogs, kids, hikers etc- all in good spirit.
We eventually puffed our way to our 1st surprise, a very pretty dam with some of the regular dam inhabitants: Coot, Moorhen, Reed Cormorant, et al.
We were generously given a short break there to reassemble as a group, then we yomped off up the ‘real ‘ hill to a beautiful large dam at the ‘top’…all members present and correct, well done all! We were rewarded with great sightings of Little Bittern (well done Cynthia) and Black Crowned Night Heron (spotted by Daryl), both of which were Majik ‘lifers’ for Kevin…

We then abseiled, sorry, walked down to the entrance for tea and bird list conducted by Kevin: 44 species which was a very good haul considering we were in the middle of suburbia.

A heartfelt thanks was given to Kevin before we all headed off back behind the Gordyn…

Photographs by Lynette de Beer.

Report by Vic Smith.

The bird list for today.

1. Cape Wagtail, 2021-04-18 11:01
2. Southern Masked Weaver, 2021-04-18 11:01
3. Southern Red Bishop, 2021-04-18 10:08
4. Laughing Dove, 2021-04-18 10:03
5. Little Bittern, 2021-04-18 10:01
6. Helmeted Guineafowl, 2021-04-18 09:59
7. Reed Cormorant, 2021-04-18 09:54
8. Black-crowned Night Heron, 2021-04-18 09:53
9. Southern Fiscal, 2021-04-18 09:49
10. Lesser Swamp Warbler, 2021-04-18 09:47
11. Black Saw-wing, 2021-04-18 09:29
12. African Darter, 2021-04-18 09:27
13. Black Sparrowhawk, 2021-04-18 09:19
14. Common Moorhen, 2021-04-18 09:18
15. Red-knobbed Coot, 2021-04-18 09:18
16. African Sacred Ibis, 2021-04-18 09:18
17. Karoo Prinia, 2021-04-18 09:13
18. Bar-throated Apalis, 2021-04-18 09:11
19. Olive Thrush, 2021-04-18 09:05
20. Cape Robin-Chat, 2021-04-18 09:04
21. African Dusky Flycatcher, 2021-04-18 09:02
22. Cape Sparrow, 2021-04-18 09:00
23. Cape Weaver, 2021-04-18 08:58
24. Hadada Ibis, 2021-04-18 08:57
25. White-breasted Cormorant, 2021-04-18 08:57
26. Pied Kingfisher, 2021-04-18 08:56
27. Cape Bulbul, 2021-04-18 08:55
28. Acacia Pied Barbet, 2021-04-18 08:47
29. Red-faced Mousebird, 2021-04-18 08:46
30. Fiscal Flycatcher, 2021-04-18 08:46
31. African Olive Pigeon, 2021-04-18 08:44
32. Cape Canary, 2021-04-18 08:41
33. White-backed Mousebird, 2021-04-18 08:41
34. African Black Duck, 2021-04-18 08:39
35. Swee Waxbill, 2021-04-18 08:37
36. Egyptian Goose, 2021-04-18 08:35
37. Cape Batis, 2021-04-18 08:34
38. Common Starling, 2021-04-18 08:30
39. Blacksmith Lapwing, 2021-04-18 08:30
40. Cape White-eye, 2021-04-18 08:28
41. Purple Heron, 2021-04-18 08:27
42. Speckled Pigeon, 2021-04-18 08:27
43. Red-eyed Dove, 2021-04-18 08:26
44. Pied Crow, 2021-04-18 08:26