03 May 2025 - Northern Farm
I hadn't been to the Farm for sometime, so this was a long overdue visit. Arriving around sunrise when there was still mist in the valleys and the Farm was just waking up
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| Farm landscape |
As a creature of habit, I followed my usual route and made my first stop at the 'quarry' where I always seem to spend more time than planned. I heard and then found the vocal Cape Grassbird
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| Cape Grassbird (Sphenoeacus afer) |
I tracked down a calling Swainson's on a fence pole further down the track
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| Swainson's Spurfowl (Pternistis swainsonii) |
Common Reed Warbler's were pretty active as the sun started rising. It's amazing how the light subtly changes the colour of the plumage
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| Common Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) |
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| My favourite image of the series |
As were Levaillant's Cisticola
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| Levaillant's Cisticola (Cisticola tinniens) |
A lone Cape Robin-Chat started calling from the top of a tree
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| Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffra) |
The Wild Dagga were in flower and these are real magnets for both White-bellied
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| Female White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala) |
And plenty Amethyst Sunbird's
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| Female Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) |
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| Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina) |
My late friend Andre Marx anniversary was the 1st May and I was rewarded with his spirit bird, the African Yellow Warbler, in the same general area as where I have seen it before. A special, emotional and warming moment which was certainly the highlight of my day!
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| African Yellow Warbler (Iduna natalensis) |
Down near the small dam, Purple Heron in the Willow Tree
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| Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) |
A single Brown-hooded Kingfisher enjoying the warm rays
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| Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris) |
Along with a few Yellow-fronted Canaries in the same tree
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| Yellow-fronted Canary (Crithagra mozambica) |
Good numbers of Lesser Swamp Warbler in the reeds
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| Lesser Swamp Warbler (Acrocephalus gracilirostris) |
Whilst a few Little Grebes floated serenely on the dam
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| Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis) |
As it warmed up, Palm Swift's overhead amongst some of the other Hirundines
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| African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus) |
A couple of flyby's of Yellow-billed Duck, the most common of the waterfowl on the Farm
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| Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata) |
Walking back to my Hilux, a skulking Neddicky
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| Neddicky (Cisticola fulvicapilla) |
and a pair of Grey-headed Sparrow's
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| Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus) |
Continuing on my drive, the only other species of interest was a small flock of Pied Starlings whose occurrence on the Farm is sporadic to say the least
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| Pied Starling (Lamprotornis bicolor) |
I then made my way back to the Clubhouse to enjoy a fresh Brekkie Roll and coffee together with the many mountain bikers who had finished their laps around the farm.
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