Kyalami Estates - July Round-up

31 July 2021 - Kyalami Estates

We are now into mid-winter and as expected bird numbers are low, with generally only resident birds recorded. July yielded 53 species and as always there were a few highlights; Black-headed Oriole, Lesser Honeyguide, Red-throated Wryneck, Green Pigeon, Burchell's Coucal, African Harrier-Hawk, Sacred Ibis and a White-breasted Cormorant.

I managed to photograph a number of birds in my garden and these included; Amethyst Sunbird

Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

A crappy record shot of the Black-headed Oriole

Black-headed Oriole (Oriolus larvatus)

Black-throated Canary

Black-throated Canary (Crithagra atrogularis)

Cape Robin-Chat

Cape Robin-Chat (Cossypha caffra)

Dark-capped Bulbul

Dark-capped Bulbul (Pycnonotus tricolor)

Speckled Mousebird

Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)

Grey Go-Away-bird, the comedians around the garden

Grey Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides concolor)

Cape Sparrow, both male and female

Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus); female on the left

Rose-ringed Parakeet

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)

Courting Laughing Dove

Laughing Dove (Spilopelia senegalensis)

Red-eyed Dove

Red-eyed Dove (Streptopelia semitorquata)

and Speckled Pigeon

Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea)

Around my feeders there was a fair bit of action; Black-collared Barbet

Black-collared Barbet (Lybius torquatus)

Cape Sparrow

Female Cape Sparrow (Passer melanurus)

A trio of Grey Go-away-bird's

Grey Go-away-bird (Corythaixoides concolor)

Cape Glossy Starling

Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens)

Southern Masked Weaver, already in breeding plumage

Male Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

Red-headed Finch

Red-headed Finch (Amadina erythrocephala)

and the always welcome and smaller Cut-throat Finch

Male Cut-throat Finch (Amadina fasciata)

On walks to the main park, I also managed to photograph a Lesser Honeyguide, which are normally quite tough to see

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

An adult Reed Cormorant drying it's wings

Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)

Southern Fiscal on a cold morning

Southern Fiscal (Lanius collaris)

Southern Masked Weaver nest building and already in breeding plumage; getting an early start in mid-winter

Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

Southern Red Bishop, still in non-breeding plumage

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

The awesome Thick-billed Weaver

Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

and a White-throated Cormorant that was present at one of the dams for 4-days and obliging enough to allow for a few portrait pics

White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus)

The view over Sandton and Jozi from the main park - never get tired of it

Sandton and Jozi Skyline