Glen Austin Pan delivers

21 June 2025 - Glen Austin Pan

I'm still in the first month of my Big Bird Challenge, so enthusiasm is still high.

I had a quick visit to Glen Austin Pan, one of my local patches, as this site can always surprise with an unexpected species.

I managed to add Purple Swamphen (the new name)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio madagascariensis)

Glossy Ibis

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

One of the many Grey-headed Gull's

Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

and some Brown-throated Martin's that were feeding on the wing overhead

Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)

Cape Shoveler's could be considered resident

Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii)

And then, what is that small white 'blob' in the middle of the Pan - no ways, a Black-necked Grebe! There are historical records of this species having been recorded at the Pan, but this was the first time I had ever seen one, so I was thrilled. I have now recorded all 3 Grebe species at Glen Austin Pan

Black-necked Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

Urban Parks

20 June 2025 - Lonehill Park

I had to drop my wife off at work in Lonehill and to avoid the rush hour traffic back to Midrand, I spent an enjoyable hour walking around Lonehill Park.

The Park is dominated by the large granite boulders in the Nature Reserve which accomodate good number's of Dassies

Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)

Walking around the Park, I found African Wattled Lapwing

African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus)

Rose-ringed Parakeet's in warming up in the early morning winter sun

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

A couple of Red-headed Finches around a feeder

Red-headed Finch (Amadina erythrocephala)

And a Southern Fiscal enjoying breakfast

Southern Fiscal (Lanius collaris)

However, most of my time was spent at the small dam where I enjoyed a pair of African Black Duck's in the golden morning light

African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)

Also present were good numbers of Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

Reed Cormorant's

Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)

And a few Sacred Ibis or Bin Chicken's as the Aussies call them - maybe a more appropriate name

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)

Both Red-knobbed Coot

Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata)

and Moorhen were present

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

A small flock of noisy Hadeda's passed by overhead as I walked back to the car, after what was an enjoyable hour in the crisp winter air under a blue skies

Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)

Crunching in the Frost

18 June 2025 - Beaulieu Bird Sanctuary

I spent an hour in the crisp winter's air and with frost on the ground walking around this little urban sanctuary.

From the car park, I found a small flock of Spotted Thick-knee's huddled together after a cold night, I quite like this image of one of them dashing across the frost covered leaf litter

Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)

In a dead tree, a Black-collared Barbet was also warming up in the sun

Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus)

A couple of Fiscal Flycatchers entertained me walking to the entrance of the Sanctuary

Fiscal Flycatcher (Sigelus silens)

Not too much to be seen inside, but I was thrilled to find a pair of Goliath Heron's standing together in the reeds. Hopefully they will remain and make this Sanctuary their home

Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)

A couple of Yellow-billed Duck accompanied by an imposter flew by

Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata)

A few Sacred Ibis were also flying back and forth over the dam

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)

I picked up a Yellow-fronted Canary

Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica)

And when I left, a Streaky-headed Seedeater dropped in for a drink

Streaky-headed Seedeater (Crithagra gularis)

From the Ridge to the Waterfall

16 June 2025 - Northcliff Ridge and Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens

As with any challenge, you are all in during the first month, trying to get the easier birds out of the way. Northcliff Ridge offers the 'Big 4', whilst for 'Black' Eagle in Gauteng, there is only one place to go.

This morning, my good mate Richard Crawshaw joined me and we were at Northcliff Ridge at sunrise. It was 'closed' due to construction, but we were able to make a plan with the local security company to get access for a short while. While waiting for access, a small flock of Guineafowl passed by, this image taken through a gap in the fence and enhanced with a vignette 

Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)

Sunrise from the ridge is always a treat - here Sandton in the distance

Sunrise over Sandton

Whilst searching for the Big 4 - Cape Rock Thrush, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Lazy Cistic and Striped Pipit, we did find one of the many resident Dassie's

Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis)

African Palm Swift's overhead

African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus)

along with Red-winged Starling (record image for the challenge - they all count, if the ID is clear)

Red-winged Starling (Onychognathus morio)

But were then surprised by an unexpected and truly obliging pair of Orange-breasted Bushshrike's

Pair of Orange-breasted Bushshrike (Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus)

Female

Male

I snapped a Speckled Pigeon on a rooftop

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)

and found a few busy Zitting Cistic's in the little bit of grassland on the ridge

Zitting Cisticola (Cisticola juncidis)

There were no flowering Wild Dagga, so no chance of Sunbird. Not a peep from any Lazy Cistics and no sign of the usual Rock Thrush. However, we did strike gold with really good views of the Striped Pipit - so, one out of 4 on the Ridge

Striped Pipit (Anthus lineiventris)

We then headed for the Bot Gardens which is a relatively short drive from Northcliff. Walking to the Waterfall, African Grey Hornbill

African Grey Hornbill (Lophoceros nasutus)

While waiting for the Eagles which were still incubating the eggs we had both Black Spa

Black Sparrowhawk (Accipiter melanoleucus)

and Long-crested Eagle overhead

Long-crested Eagle (Lophaetus occipitalis)

Finally, the pair of magnificent Eagles made their appearance and it was a joy and privilege to watch them performing overhead. No harassment from the resident Pied Crows or Peregrine Falcon today. I needed the Peregrine for my challenge, so will need to come back for that

Verreaux's Eagle (Aquila verreauxii)

Bringing in some nesting material

Whilst having lunch at the restaurant, I photographed some interaction between two Twin-dotted Borders

Southern Twin-dotted Border (Mylothris r. haemus)

and have yet to ID this butterfly that landed on shrub nearby

ID pending

In the first few months, you really need to try and get the dead cert species, so you don't have to stress about getting them in the closing month's of the challenge.