Outing report: Skyline NR & Uvongo River Conservancy, 22 July 2018

Attendees: Graham & Sue Salthouse, Stan & Val Culley, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Doug & Angie Butcher, Margaret Jones, Hazel van Rooyen (12)

Species: Total 39                                                 Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Knysna Turaco (photo: Doug Butcher)

A dozen keen birders constituted a good turnout for a wintry Sunday morning.  Having "meeted and greeted" we started our walk through a slice of forest and past the old garden.  One can imagine how it had looked in by-gone days when it had been loved and cared for by the various families that had owned it down the years, from the first owner who purchased it from the Knox-Gores with visions of making a home for his future wife who was on her way by sea from the UK and then met someone else on board ship, to the gentleman who turned it into an arboretum of exotic botanical plants and planted turpentine trees from Australia as windbreaks.  After a few other changes of ownership it was handed to Margate Borough and thence to its current custodianship with the Natal Parks Board (now Ezemvelo Wildlife) who are slowly returning it to its original natural state, preserving indigenous trees and rare coastal grassland.

Jack fruit in SA? (photo: HvR)

First spotted was a White-eared Barbet perched on the top-most branch of a dead tree and a Knysna Turaco flashing its brilliant colours in the early morning sunshine.  A Black-headed Oriole sang happily whilst Amethyst and Olive Sunbirds flitted in the mid-canopy.

Female Amethyst Sunbird (photo: HvR)

The forest gave way to grasslands which didn’t yield much except for Black-bellied Starling in the distant tree-tops and a lone Hamerkop flying overhead. 

Aloe maculata (photo: HvR)

Walking through the grassland (photo: HvR)

The dam at the bottom of the property was quite dry but further along a pond just about supported a few sad lily pads.

No ducks on this dam! (photo: HvR)

The remainder of the walk produced Sombre Greenbul, Bronze Mannikin, Greater Honeyguide and an African Fish Eagle called from the direction of the river.

The whole reserve had been cleared and thinned out recently but there was still a lot of dead wood lying around.  The remains of a weaver's nest below caused some discussion.

Immature Greater Honeyguide moulting into adult plumage (photo: Stan Culley)

Forest or Spectacled Weaver nest? (photo: HvR)

Returning to the parking we enjoyed some breakfast before driving around to the Uvongo River Conservancy. 

Breakfast (photo: HvR)

Although the river comprised mere puddles amidst the sand a Goliath Heron and Egyptian Goose were seen.  Also spotted were Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, African Green Pigeon and Green Woodhoopoe amongst others.

BirdList (Total: 39 species)

Skyline (21 species)

Uvongo River Conservancy (27 species)

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Bulbul, Dark-capped Dove, Red-eyed Drongo, Fork-tailed Drongo, Square-tailed Eagle, African Fish Greenbul, Sombre Hamerkop Honeyguide, Greater Hornbill, Crowned Ibis, Hadedah Mannikin, Bronze Oriole, Black-headed Starling, Black-bellied Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Turaco, Knysna Wagtail, African Pied Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Village

Barbet, Black-collared Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Dark-capped Canary, Yellow-fronted Dove, Red-eyed Eagle, African Fish Flycatcher, Southern Black Goose, Egyptian Heron, Goliath Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Hornbill, Crowned Ibis, Hadedah Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Mannikin, Red-backed Mousebird, Speckled Oriole, Black-headed Pigeon, African Green Prinia, Tawny-flanked Starling, Red-winged Sunbird, Collared Thrush, Olive Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple-crested Wagtail, African Pied Weaver, Spectacled White-eye, Cape Woodhoopoe, Green

UPCOMING OUTING: Skyline NR & Uvongo River Conservancy

Dear Members & Friends

Sunday 22 July at 07:00 am BIRDLIFE TROGONS will visit Skyline N.R. and Uvongo

Conservancy.  We will start at Skyline N.R. then go on to Uvongo Conservancy for another walk and lunch.  Bring chairs, breakfast & something to braai for lunch.  ALL WELCOME. There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.comor phone Hazel before setting off. For further details telephone**  Hazel van Rooyen on 072 355 8837 or visit the blog.  ** Please note we cannot respond to text messages or “call me” requests.

PLEASE LET HAZEL KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE OUTING

From the R620 turn inland at the robots in Uvongo. Turn immediately left then keep right into Pioneer Road. Follow this road which becomes Uvongo Drive. After crossing the R61 Skyline N.R. is well signed on the right.

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

Outing report: Uvongo River Conservancy & Skyline Nature Reserve, 24 September 2017

Yellow Weaver (photo Doug Butcher)

Attending:  Doug & Angie Butcher, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

Species: 38  (see end)                                                                          Text: Hazel van Rooyen

After a damp week and a very wet Saturday, we took a chance on the weather and for once believed the weather-man when he said ‘more sun than clouds’.  Although we only caught intermittent glimpses of the sun, at least the rain kept away and the wind only blew in later.  Whilst waiting in the parking area for others to arrive we spotted Southern Black Flycatcher, Red-capped Robin Chat, Black-headed Oriole, Olive Sunbird and Olive Thrush, amongst others.

As we walked up the hill, curious Crowned Hornbills came to see what we were up to and the calls of Trumpeter Hornbills echoed through the forest.  Amethyst Sunbirds enjoyed the nectar of the crane-like flowers of Strelitzia Nicolai (Natal Wild Banana). The trail is very pretty and fairly well kept with paving stones in a lot of places and sturdy wooden bridges.  The little dams looked healthy with lots of lily-pads and plenty of water gurgling  in the rocky streams.  The first dam was home to a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks and Egyptian Geese which flew off at our approach. 

Yellow Weaver (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

At another dam Yellow and Thick-billed Weavers were building nests (aren’t they always so busy!).  At the edge of the dam, Angie noticed a Rafia Palm standing taller than the surrounding forest.  "Their blue-green leaves are the longest of any plant worldwide and can be over 9 metres long.  The tree dies after producing large oval fruit that take two years to mature.  These form part of the diet of the Palm-nut Vulture".[1]   Usually we only see these trees further up the North Coast.  

Thick-billed Weaver (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Rafia Palm (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Doug spotted this beautiful bug (photo Doug Butcher)

The forest opened into grassland which was sprinkled with spring flowers.   Black Saw-wing swooped and turned and an African Harrier Hawk flew over-head.  Returning to the cars for breakfast we passed this Cycad (I think) which was bursting with juicy red seeds.

After our breakfast, we drove around to the other side of the river where we had another walk, spotting most of the same birds, plus Southern Black Tit, Village Weaver, Speckled Mousebird, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Little Egret, Southern Boubou, Green Wood-Hoopoe and a White-eared Barbet which we have never seen this far south before.

White-eared Barbet (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Speckled Mousebird on Strelitzia Nicoli (photo Hazel van Rooyen)

Although not a big specie count the types we did see were quite numerous, especially Olive Sunbirds and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbirds.

Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, White-eared Boubou, Southern Bulbul, Dark-capped Cameroptera, Green-backed Canary, Yellow-fronted Dove, Cape Turtle Dove, Red-eyed Drongo, Fork-tailed Duck, Yellow-billed Egret, Little Flycatcher, Southern Black

Goose, Egyptian Hawk, African Harrier- Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Trumpeter Ibis, Hadedah Ibis, Sacred Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kite, Yellow-billed Mannikin, Bronze Mousebird, Speckled Oriole, Black-headed Prinia, Tawny-flanked Robin-Chat, Red-capped

Saw-wing, Black Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Olive Thrush, Olive Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Tit, Southern Black Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple,crested Wagtail, Pied Weaver, Thick-billed Weaver, Village Weaver, Yellow Wood-hoopoe, Green

All photos property of photographer

---

[1] Sappi tree spotting for Kwazulu-Natal

UPCOMING OUTING: Skyline NR & Uvongo River Conservancy

Dear Members & Friends

 

Black-backed Puff-back (photo Stan Culley)

Sunday 24 September at 7am. BIRDLIFE TROGONS will visit Skyline N.R. and Uvongo River Conservancy.  We will start at Skyline N.R. then go on to Uvongo Conservancy for another walk and lunch.  Bring chairs, breakfast & something to braai for lunch.  ALL WELCOME. There is a R20pp charge for non-members of BirdLife Trogons.  Outings may be cancelled due to weather, check www.birdlifetrogons.blogspot.com or phone Hazel before setting off. For further details telephone**  Hazel van Rooyen 072 355 8837 or visit the blog.  This is a favourite double venue of the club.  Some species seen previously are: Lemon Dove, Lesser and Scaly-throated Honeyguides, African Black Duck and Giant, Brown-hooded, Pied and Malachite Kingfishers.  African Finfoot was also seen on one occasion.

 

** Please note we cannot respond to text messages or “call me” requests.

 

PLEASE LET HAZEL KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE OUTING

 

From the R620 turn inland at the robots in Uvongo. Turn immediately left then keep right into Pioneer Road. Follow this road which becomes Uvongo Drive. After crossing the R61 Skyline N.R. is well signed on the right.

 

Kind regards

Hazel van Rooyen

Secretary

BirdLife Trogons Bird Club