Kyalami Estates - January Roundup

31 January 2023 - Kyalami Estates

It felt like a slower start to the year, as we had a few weekends away - but I did manage to record 53 species, including a few Intra-African and Palearctic migrants. I was pleased to hear the Freckled Nightjar on a few early evenings during the month, as well as a Green Pigeon close to my house - but it proved very frustrating to try and see.

A garden highlight was a male Cardinal Woodpecker, while I was making a fire for an afternoon braai (it's a braai, because BBQ is a chip flavour!)

Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)

At the main park this displaying Southern Grey-headed Sparrow initially looked like a different species, as you don't always see all this rufous plumage

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus)

This pair of Southern Fiscal's have produced off-spring this summer

Southern Fiscal (Lanius collaris)

Southern Masked Weavers are still displaying

Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)

After many attempts, I finally managed to catch the resident White-throated Swallow as it hawked insects at speed, inches above the grass

White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis)

Down at St Ledger Dam, the Striated (Green-backed) Herons have also had breeding success and I managed to photograph the adult and two juvenile birds

Adult Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

Juvenile Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

Southern Red Bishops are still active - here a few low key images

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

and then the more regular images

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix) and young

I tried a different style for these Thick-billed Weaver's - photographing through the foreground foliage

Juvenile Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

Male Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

Here a male still taking care of his nest and also displaying for a female

Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

And a low key image of this male

Female Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

I applied the low key style to some bees on a flower in the reeds

Bee's and Flower

As well as this plant growing out of a fallen tree

Growing out of the deceased

The Damselfly numbers have slowly increased and both Slate Sprite

Slate Sprite (Pseudagrion salisburyense)

and Common Threadtail were present, but not many Dragonflies at all

Common Threadtail (Elattoneura glauca)