Winter has definitely arrived. The best possible proof is the appearance of the Fairy Flycatcher, our famous altitudinal migrant from the top of the Berg. Two were dashing about in newly regenerating forest just below the swimming pool. Although always called a flycatcher this is a bit misleading because its behaviour always suggests a warbler, […]
Another new bird has turned up at The Cavern – the Dark-crowned Yellow Warbler. It’s probably been here all along because it’s typical of scruffy vegetation in the Mistbelt and berg foothills, but is uncommon and fairly secretive. The predicted heavy rain mercifully fell only at night – no interruptions to our outings. The kingfishers
It’s that time of year when snakes awake with romance in mind. A green “creeper” in a Buddleja salviifolia bush slithered to the ground and set off through short grass in the direction of we birders. It was a Natal Green Snake on a mission. This is not usual behaviour. A few moments later another
The aloes were at their best, and so were the Gurney’s Sugarbirds and Greater Double-collared Sunbirds. Nearly all the latter were males. Where were the girls? Amethyst Sunbirds were notable for their absence, these are certainly altitudinal migrants here.
The big game was good value. Elands in ones and twos were seen often, as were their distinctive droppings and manic damage to Buddleja bushes. Bushbuck were moving into the gardens, and a group of six mountain reedbuck posed near the stables. We also saw a small grey mongoose. The really cold weather – snow
Pre-breakfast walks are never the same. We may walk roughly the same short routes, but birds move around, there’s always the hope of something different. Of course, there are favourite spots never to be missed out. Number one is “Sunshine Corner”. No sign-board tells you where it is, but it’s at the top of the
The highlight of this weekend was the return of the Fiery-necked Nightjar. It’s long been on the Cavern list without a single appearance in at least 15 years. Arguably it has the finest call of any bird in the world, a clear rippled whistle that carries for miles. In mid evening it struck up, for
It’s a quiet time of year for birds. The aloes are still flowering, but the main flush is past. Gurney’s Sugarbirds were still present, but no longer jousting over prime spots. But every change sees something happening. The trees and bushes that produce small fruits do so most abundantly now. There’s a very good reason.
It’s Aloe time, and this year the Aloe arborescens around the balcony are better than ever. This has to be the place to see Gurney’s Sugarbird in their dozens, some of them at arm’s length, and singing a lovely rippling song. Lots of aerial dogfights, one wonders why in the midst of plenty. Just as
While searching for the elusive and uncommon Half-collared Kingfisher (we found not one, but two!) we flushed a little heron. As it flew determinedly past us, a greeny-grey blob with dangling legs, it was those bright orange, dangling legs and big feet that immediately identified it as a Green-backed Heron. A real WOW as this
