Kyalami Estates April Round-up

30 April 2024 - Kyalami Estates

Not a particular productive birding month as I recorded only 7 species, down 8 species from the same month last year. The only highlight was a Cardinal Woodpecker in the garden, whilst the regular intra-African Hirundines were still present.

In the main park, Blacksmith Lapwing's were still present, together with the African Wattled Lapwings

African Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus senegallus)

The Prinia family were busy in the hedges on the park boundary and 'posed' for some nice photo opportunities

Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava)

Cape Robin-Chat in the Wild Pear

Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffra)

And Bronze Mannikin's were still enjoying the seeds on the grass heads

Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata)

Hadeda's are numerous and irritating at the same time, especially those who have decided to roost in the trees in your garden

Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)

At St Ledger, the resident Malachite Kingfishers were seen a few times

Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristata)

I found this unidentified Skink in our garden

Skink sp.

Along with Carpenter Bees

Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa caffra)

this unidentified Bee

Bee sp.

And what I assume to be a Hover Fly - I was pretty impressed to catch it in flight

Hover Fly?

I did encounter a few Butterfly species - African Plain Tiger

African Plain Tiger (Danaus c. orientis)

Common Leopard

Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha)

Painted Lady

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)

A Skipper species which are tough to pin down

Skipper sp.

and one of the Blues - probably African Grass

Blue sp.

This diminutive Moth sp. was around in numbers, but tough to get in the open as they landed and then crept under leaves to remain hidden

Moth sp.

A couple of interesting flowers

And backlit Bullrush releasing seeds for a more creative take

Backlit Bullrush

I had some fun and quite like these backlit Damselflies in the early morning light

Backlit Damselfly sp.

I need to make a concerted effort to get up to speed with Damselfly ID's - but here are a selection from this month - they really do make great photographic subjects, which requires a degree of patience too

Damselfly sp.

April was however a good month from a biodiversity perspective

An early morning at the Farm

18 April 2024 - Northern Farm

The sun was just rising as I made my way through the Farm gates, I stopped for a family of Greater-striped Swallows in sweet golden light on the way to the quarry. The male was calling from a fence pole - I just love their call

Greater-striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata)

I always end up spending more time at the quarry than planned as it is a pretty productive location at the farm. I had a pair of Black Duck fly over

African Black Duck (Anas sparsa)

A couple of Glossy Ibis came in to land at the small dam

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

Amethyst Sunbirds were enjoying the flowering Wild Dagga bushes

Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

Levaillant's Cisticola's were pretty active

Levaillant's Cisticola (Cisticola tinniens)

I was lucky again to spend at least 10-minutes with this obliging Little Rush Warbler

Little Rush Warbler (Bradypterus baboecala)

I heard a Grassbird calling and managed to locate it in the open, for a change

Cape Grassbird (Sphenoeacus afer)

Some Yellow-billed Ducks flew by with a couple of Whistling Ducks amongst the flock

White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata)

I checked another dam that was slowly drying up and found a flock of around 10 Little Stint's that were put up by an Accipiter that flew by at speed

Little Stint (Calidris minuta)

A Wood Sandpiper was standing quietly on the banks of one of the canals that are flowing

Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola)

Whilst a White-bellied Sunbird was gleening in an Acacia like a Warbler

Male White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

Time had passed by quickly, so I had to pick up my pace. I made my way to the big Fish Eagle dam where a Black-winged Kite was perched where the Fish Eagle should be

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

I inadvertently flushed a Dwarf Bittern from the reeds near the lower causeway. I tried to relocate it and in doing so found a Shelduck perched on the rocks near the hide. I drove to the hide and managed a few images of the male before it flew off - a great record for the Farm

Male South African Shelduck (Tadorna cana)

On the way back to the gate, I passed on of the other dams where a Goliath Heron was perched motionless in the reeds

Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath)

Back at the car park, the Sparrow Weavers were still active

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali)

Whilst a Cape Starling watched from above

Cape Starling (Lamprotornis nitens)

Another good few hours at the farm which always delivers great birds and often an unexpected species to keep one alert.