Birding in Kruger

This is the time of the year where birding success starts to increase. Many of the migrants have already returned with Wahlberg’s eagles already nesting. The migrating birds will continue to arrive and woodland kingfishers will make their appearance next month and entertain us with their characteristic call that is indicative of summer. The last migrants, like the lesser spotted eagle, will only make their appearance in January. As with the last two years the Burchell’s Coucal again predicted the coming of the first rains. Although often considered a myth, the coucal is known as the ‘rain bird’ because it tends to call just before it starts raining. In my experience, it’s not very accurate throughout the raining and breeding season. However, for 3 years in a row now it started raining (with the first rains) the day after I heard the coucal call for the first time in the season. That to me seems pretty accurate. Breeding plumages also adorn the males, particularly the weavers. It was great seeing the bright head of the redheaded weaver as it meticulously stripped leaves off the branches leading towards its nest. Pintailed whydahs and whitewinged widows are also changing their plumage. With a recent group of birders we manage to spot 137 different birds in the few days we were in the park. That’s not bad at all considering that many of the migrants still have to return. I’m looking forward to the birding during these summer months.

 

Happy Birding!

                                                       

Simon Vegter

 

 

2 New Lifers

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “lifer,” it’s a term particularly used by birders for seeing a specific bird for the first time in your life. I’m using it with other animals as well, and lately I’ve ended up with two new lifers. The first one was an Olive Bush Shrike. At the famous God’s Window lookout point, my attention was first drawn to the bird by its beautiful liquid call as two birds were contacting each other among the dense bush. After locating the source of the call, I was facing a most beautiful Olive Bush Shrike for the first time in my life. The next lifer was seen in the Kruger Park along the Sabie river. Although I’ve heard of reports of otters being seen in the park, sightings of them are extremely rare. While watching lions drinking water from the river, I noticed 4 creatures swimming in the river. On closer inspection I noticed they were Cape Clawless Otters. We followed them for a while as they scrambled in and out of the water before finally disappearing amongst the reeds. I was elated with this unusual sighting – a first for me. The following morning my elation returned as we found the same group of otters further downstream. We had even better views of them this time around as they were being very playful in the water. I could not believe my fortune. I haven’t seen otters in more than 30 years and then I find them on two consecutive days (although they were the same group). Life is always exciting out there in the bush, and the saying is true, “you just never know what you are going to get.”

Enjoy your life(r).

Simon Vegter