19 May 2022 - Northern Farm
Andre Marx and I conducted an early morning Pentad bash at Northern Farms. Our last visit had been in the Spring, so a late Autumn visit was on the cards, excuse the pun.
We met at the gate at 6:30 just before sunrise, ticking off White-browed Sparrow Weavers.
Our first stop was at the old quarry, where we found Orange-breasted Waxbill's, a really good bird for this Pentad. Natal Francolin was heard calling not too far away, also a good bird for the area. The Wild Dagga was flowering which attracted the two resident Sunbird's - here the Amethyst
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| Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) |
We saw 3 different Marsh Owl's hunting around the farm as the sun slowly rose. This one landed close by, but against the light
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| Marsh Owl (Asio capensis) |
At one of the lakes, I spent time with a Little Rush Warbler that was calling from the reeds, with patience and some phishing, I was able to coax it out into the open, but very briefly
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| Little Rush Warbler (Bradypterus baboecala) |
Another really good bird for the area was this Greater Kestrel, a bird I haven't seen for quite some time. Unfortunately, also against the light
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| Greater Kestrel (Falco rupicoloides) |
On the way back from the Kestrel, an obliging Levaillant's Cisticola
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| Levaillant's Cisticola (Cisticola tinniens) |
Before having to call it a morning and head back to work. 72 species in 2-hours was pretty respectable for an autumn morning in Gauteng.
A landscape of the mist slowly rising with Poplar Tree's in the distance
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| Poplars in the mist |
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