Outing to the Tygerberg Nature Reserve – 21 July 2024 led by Keith Roxburgh.

 

A small group of 12, led by Keith Roxburgh, enjoyed a visit to the Tygerberg Nature Reserve on Sunday 21 July. This reserve, covering an area of 300 ha, supports one of the last remnants of the highly threatened Swartland shale renosterveld vegetation, and boasts an extensive network of paths, offering safe and varied walking opportunities.

After the recent rain, we stuck to the upper paths, and avoided the muddier lower reaches of the reserve. This meant that we did not walk near the dam, and all our observations were of bush birds and raptors. We saw a total of 33 bird species, which is a very good total given the time of year. We benefitted greatly from Keith’s impressive knowledge of the reserve and its birds. As we ascended the hill the views of the mountains in both directions became more and more spectacular, and although we could feel the effects of recent snow falls on the breeze, the views made the short climb up the hill well worthwhile.

We had good sightings of four raptor species: Black Sparrowhawk, Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk, Rock Kestrel and Jackal Buzzard, and witnessed an interesting aerial interaction between a Rock Kestrel that was less than welcoming to an adult and juvenile Jackal Buzzard.

Spring was definitely in the air, with some male Southern Double-collared Sunbirds flashing their yellow ‘epaulettes’ and the Red Bishops’ colours starting to show. A pair of Cape Grassbirds busily gathered nesting materials. The Bokmakieries were in fine voice, with their duets providing a pleasant soundtrack to the walk, intermingling with the calls of, among others, Cape Spurfowl, Karoo Prinia, Cape Sparrow, Cape Robin-chat, Karoo Scrub Robin, Whi3te-throated and Brimstone Canaries, Common Waxbills and Acacia Pied Barbet, and near the end of the walk there was a surprise flash of blue from a Rosy-faced Lovebird.

Photographs by Stephen Judge, Jens Kuhn and Kathy Sutton.

Report by Kathy Sutton.