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.

Big Bird Challenge cont.

14 June 2025 - Hoogland Spa

Following my morning at the Aloe Farm and The Mill, I detoured to Hoogland Spa on the way home. This was my first visit to this site which is well-known for Short-toed Rock Thrush.

It was late in the morning when I arrived and already pretty hot. After parking, I added Mocking Cliff Chat

Male Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

Large Rock Martin

Large Rock Martin (Ptyonoprogne fuligula)

And Familiar Chat

Familiar Chat (Oenanthe familiaris)

I then did the walk through the hills that should produce the Rock Thrush - not a peep or sound. I dipped photographically on Lazy Cistic which I heard and then saw briefly A pair of Pearl-breasted Swallows also did not play ball - so some early frustrations already.

On the way back to the car, I did add Wryneck. Just a confirmation image - nothing more!

Red-throated Wryneck (Jynx ruficollis)

And then on the drive out Neddicky (got that earlier at the Aloe Farm)

Neddicky (Cisticola fulvicapilla)

and the last bird of this outing, Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

But, I was still happy with the outcome, as I did manage a few target species

 

The Big Bird Challenge

14 June 2025 - Aloe Farm

Its always fun to set yourself a new goal or objective and to this end I entered myself in the 365-day Big Bird Challenge. In essence a photographic big year with entrance fees going to a conservation initiative. Of course, with the available time I have and the few trips I have planned, I set myself a target to photograph 400 species in a calendar year.

It seems a little low, but only once you start, do you realise its perhaps not as easy or straight forward as you think. It will certainly give my birding a whole new perspective, as normally birds you see or hear, you just check off on your list for the day, weekend or holiday/outing - now you actually have to track each one down and for me get a decent image.

Obviously I started in my Estate and will post those at the end of this month, but for the first weekend, a morning at the Aloe Farm in Magaliesberg seemed a reasonable place to start, as the Aloes were in full flower and spectacular.

The main attraction of course is the myriad of Sunbirds, predominantly made up of White-bellied and Amethyst who seem to fight over certain Aloe species when there is more than enough for all. The Amethyst's were stunning in amongst the assault of colours

Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

As were the White-bellied

Male White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

A Neddicky also enjoyed the Aloes

Neddicky (Cisticola fulvicapilla)

In previous visits last year, I never connected with Marico, so I was on a mission to find one today. Nowhere to be seen on the Aloe, but I did finally find a few away from the Aloes altogether, but enjoying the Wild Dagga in natural habitat - they are really cool

Male Marico Sunbird (Cinnyris mariquensis)

A dark form Brown-throated Martin on the telephone line was unexpected

Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)

Of course there are many other species on the Farm/Nursery, including Cape Weaver

Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis)

And Southern Masked Weaver's

Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

Southern Boubou's are quite confiding at the Farm, not so in the Estate where I live

Southern Boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus)

A lone Kurrichane Thrush in the leaf litter was good to see

Kurrichane Thrush (Turdus libonyanus)

Numbers of Red-faced Mousebird's hanging around and enjoying the early morning rays

Red-faced Mousebird (Urocolius indicus)

The Skeerpoort Vulture Colony is on the south side of the Magaliesberg, but one or two were seen from the Farm

Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)

Before leaving to The Mill for some supplies followed by Hoogland Spa, a Tree Squirrel caught my eye - good to see, but doesn't count for the challenge

Tree Squirrel (Paraxerus cepapi)

My challenge has now truly started and it is a matter of just keeping up the cadence and not forgetting the common species whilst also chasing those that you may miss in the coming months