Outing report: Umdoni Park, Pennington,13 May 2018

Attendees: Sandy Olver, Stan & Val Culley, Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Graham & Sue Salthouse, Doug & Angie Butcher, Hazel Nevin, Stanley Gengan, Ros, Sandi & Eleanor from Port Natal Club, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

Species: 41                                                                            Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Knysna Turaco (photo: HvR)

On the whole, our visit today was very quiet, although in the end we attained a tally of 41 species.

The people (photo: Doug Butcher)

Starting off with a walk from the Environmental Centre up the road, Red-capped Robin-Chat and White-bellied Sunbird were in evidence and the usual Trumpeter Hornbills flew around.  

The White-eared Barbets were not in their normal place but appeared later close to the houses.

White-eared Barbets (photo: HvR)

Wild Pink Tibouchina (photo HN)

Of interest throughout the park, especially in the Red Milkwoods were tent moth nests which look like bundles of spider webs.

Tent Moth nests (photo: Hazel Nevin)

Bark Spider (photo: Hazel Nevin)

Good sightings were had of Knysna Turacos and one group of people saw both Knysna and Purple-crested in the same tree.  Collared, Olive, Grey and Amethyst Sunbirds were all busy in the trees surrounding the houses and Southern Black Tit, Black-backed Puffpack, Lesser Honeyguide, Black Cuckooshrike and Paradise Flycatchers were seen in the large fig tree.

Knysna Turaco (photo: HvR)

Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird (photo: Hazel Nevin)

After breakfast we walked across the golf course (where we sighted a juvenile African Fish Eagle) to the Otter view. 

Searching the skies for raptors (photo: HvR)

Otter view (photo: HvR)

 Usually we see raptors here but the skies were clear today.  











Even the Green Twinspot didn't put in an appearance at the bird bath, although the Lemon Dove and Red-capped Robin Chat did.

Red-capped Robin-Chat (photo: Doug Butcher)

Stan caught this beautiful Blue Duiker in his lens.

Blue Duiker (photo: Stan Culley)

It was an enjoyable day with excellent company.

(All photos property of photographer)

Species:
Bullbul, Dark-capped
Robin-Chat, Red-capped
Sunbird, White-bellied
Wagtail, Pied
Drongo, Square-tailed
Ibis, Hadedah
Hornbill, Trumpeter
Dove, Red-eyed
Sunbird, Collared
Boubou, Southern
Starling, Black-bellied
Greenbul, Sombre
Turaco, Knysna
Sunbird, Olive
Stork, Woolly-necked
Dove, Tambourine
Sunbird, Grey
Woodpecker, Golden-tailed
Sunbird, Amethyst
Barbet, White-eared
Tit, Southern Black
Puffback, Black-backed
Honeyguide, Lesser
Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped
Cuckoo-Shrike, Black
Flycatcher, Paradise
Greenbul, Yellow-bellied
Turaco, Purple-cested
Eagle, African Fish
Drongo, Fork-tailed
Wood-hoopoe, Green
Oriole, Black-headed
Flufftail, Buff-spotted
Batis, Cape
White-eye, Cape
Dove, Lemon
Weaver, Dark-backed
Weaver, Spectacled
Flycatcher, Southern Black
Mannikin, Red-backed
Weaver, Thick-billed

UPCOMING OUTING: UMDONI PARK, PENNINGTON

Dear Members and Friends

Sunday, 13 May at 07:00am BirdLife Trogons will visit Umdoni Park, Pennington.  Bring chairs, breakfast and 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 this blogspot or phone Hazel before setting off.  

Please let Hazel know on 072 355 8837 if you will be attending the outing.

Directions:  Take N2 to Durban, take exit 93 for the R102 to Sezela.  Turn right onto R102. Travel 4.8 km, turn right onto Pennington Drive.  After 655m turn right onto Minerva Ave. Continue straight to Umdoni Park and meet at the Environmental Centre.

Sept GPS to DDMMSS.S = S30 23 32.2 E30 41 21.7

Kind regards
Hazel van Rooyen
Secretary
BirdLife Trogons Bird Club

Outing Report - Umdoni Park, Pennington - 27 August 2017

White-eared Barbet (photo: Lennart Erikson)

Species count: 49 (see end)                                                                  Text: Hazel van Rooyen

Attendance: Sandy Olver, Hazel Nevin, Stan & Val Culley, Clive & Margie Cowan, Lennart Eriksson, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen

It was a small but eager bunch of birders that arrived at Umdoni Park on Sunday.  Having started out from Uvongo in sunshine, motoring up the highway clouds began to accumulate and we hoped that the promised rain would hold off for us.  I’m happy to report that it did and we had a lovely morning’s birding, quite content that the rain held off until we were homeward bound.

Umdoni Park (photo Lennart Erikson)

On arriving at the Environmental Centre, sunbirds – Amethyst, Collared and Olive - were much in evidence.  Later on a Grey Sunbird was also spotted by Stan, displaying its red pectoral tufts.  At the start of our first walk, a tiny Impithi buck was foraging by the roadside, keeping one eye on us humans.  Toad Trees were in blossom and little red Wild Freesias showed themselves amongst the grassy verges.  Some brightly coloured fungi caught Hazel Nevin’s eye.

Fungus (photo: Hazel Nevin)

This walk produced plenty “top of the tree” White-eared Barbets and Trumpeter Hornbills. 

Trumpeter Hornbills (photo: Hazel van Rooyen)

Birds preferring the seclusion of the woodland were Green-backed Cameroptera, Yellow-bellied Greenbull, Red-capped Robin Chat and Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird. 

Red-capped Robin Chat (photo: Hazel Nevin)

A Paradise Flycatcher flitted in the more open trees at the edge of the golf green and at the retirement complex a Purple Heron and White-fronted Cormorant presided over the small pond.  Half of us then followed the fence back to the cars spotting a Southern Boubou on the way, whilst the others followed the route along the golf course, listening (unsuccessfully) for the oft-heard call of the Scaly-throated Honeyguide.
 

Group photo (H van Rooyen)

Breakfast was hauled out and Stan put some seed on the feeder, hoping for Green Twinspots but these were a no-show.  Lennart kept everyone highly entertained regaling a recent too-close encounter between himself, his car and a cow and on that high (or messy) note he had to leave.  The Cowans also had other duties calling.

After breakfast we crossed the golf course (nothing on the dam)

Pond on the golf course (photo: Lennart Erikson)

and took “Molly’s Road” to the wonderful viewpoint overlooking the Nkumbane River.  Here we paused for quite a while, enjoying the view.  An African Black Duck was spotted in the river and we were just saying we hadn’t seen any Yellow-billed Kites, when one appeared on the horizon.  The Crowned Eagle sailed obligingly overhead and a flock of Crowned Hornbills crossed over the gorge.  To add a touch of perfection  an African Fish Eagle called in the distance. 

Crowned Eagle (HvR))

 We could have stayed longer but with a satisfied feeling we trundled back to the Centre, admiring the beautiful fig tree outside the weekend bungalows.  Sandy spotted African Green Pigeons amongst the hornbills feeding close by and a Terrestrial Bulbul kicked up a fuss in the woodland.

We noticed the devastation from chopping and burning all the Strelitzia nicolai.   Sandy has sent a quote from Pooley’s Trees to Mary McKenzie of Pennington Conservancy, saying that many bird species enjoy the nectar from the Strelitzia,  birds and monkeys eat the aril and soft parts of the flowers,  frogs hibernate in the leaves,  Banana Bats roost in the furled leaves and the Strelitzia Nightfighter butterfly uses it as a food source.  Hopefully she can put a stop to this wanton destruction.  No wonder more monkeys are descending on the Pennington gardens where they make a nuisance of themselves and the residents get upset. 

At this point, Sandy and Hazel N had to be on their way, leaving the Culleys and van Rooyens to enjoy their braai and relax before the drive home.  A Thick-billed Weaver found the seed and had a good meal while Ashy Flycatchers and Cape White-eyes enjoyed the bird-bath, splashing delightfully. 

Tambourine Dove (HvR)

Thick-billed Weaver (HvR)

 

Ashy Flycatchers (HvR)

A Tambourine Dove came by to see what the fuss was about.  As we packed the cars, the final note came from a Brown-hooded Kingfisher as if to say “Don’t forget to add me to your list”.

A most enjoyable day - thanks everyone.

49 species

Apalis, Bar-throated Barbet, White-eared Boubou, Southern Brownbul, Terrestrial Bulbul, Dark-capped Bush Shrike, Gorgeous Cameroptera, Green-backed Canary, Yellow-fronted Cormorant, White-breasted Coucal, Burchell’s Crow, Pied Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Tambourine Drongo, Fork-tailed Drongo, Square-tailed Duck, African Black Eagle, African Fish Eagle, Crowned Flycatcher, Ashy Flycatcher, Paradise Fly-catcher, Southern Black Goose, Egyptian Greenbull, Sombre Greenbull, Yellow-bellied Heron, Purple

Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, Trumpeter Ibis, Hadedah Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Kite, Yellow-billed Oriole, Black-headed Pigeon, African Green Prinia, Tawny-flanked Puff-back, Black-backed Robin, Brown Scrub Robin-Chat, Red-capped Starling, Black-bellied Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Collared Sunbird, Grey Sunbird, Olive Swallow, Lesser-striped Tinkerbird, Yellow-rumped Turaco, Knysna Turaco, Purple-crested Weaver, Dark-backed Weaver, Spectacled Weaver, Thick-billed White-eye, Cape

Photos property of photographers