October Birds

Just a quick update on some of our local birds before we go on a much needed trip to the Kruger Park.

African Black Crake

One of the more uncommon birds Little Bittern

a small birds with big lungs, Tawnyflanked Prinia. Just loves to make a noise

female Thickbilled Weaver

male Thickbilled Weaver

Southern Grey Crowned Crane

One of the iconic birds of Africa, Split into two species the Southern and Northern Grey Crowned Crane. In South Africa we get the Southern Grey Crowned Crane.

2 adults and the immature on the right

African Fish Eagle

I just have to share this interaction between the adults and the immature African Fish Eagle

immature coming to get the adult

the immature failed to cause any damage, still has lots to learn

adult on the left and the immature on the right

In and Around the KZN South Coast in July

the last month has been very quiet birding wise, we are just waiting for the migrants to arrive back from equatorial Africa and Europe. The Inter-African migrants are well on their way and should start to return in the next few days and the palearctic migrants should start showing next month. Here are some photo's from the last month.

"Caught in the Act" - Blacksmith Lapwings telling us that summer is on the way

African Darter - aka the Snake Bird due to its habit of swimming under water with only it's neck and head out of the water

Jackal Buzzards having a territorial dispute

Jackal Buzzards still having their dispute

Pied Kingfisher against the orange sky of a brilliant sunrise

male Village Weaver  already in full breeding plumage

male village Weaver displaying to the females at his nest

Wollynecked Storks and Others

The latest range of photo's taken in and around the KZN South Coast.

Yellowrumped Tinkerbird, photo taken in my garden

immature Magpie Mannikin, my garden seems to be a stronghold for these uncommon birds

immature Blackheaded Oriole - the adult will have a darker head with a red eye and red beak

Wollynecked Storks

Wollynecked Stork

Wollynecked Storks - just look how the one one the right is holding it's lifted leg and gripping the other leg

Crowned Eagle

I have been very quiet recently and I apologize for that, it is not that I have not been doing anything just haven't found the time to share anything with you.
for a long time I have been trying to capture my resident pair of Crowned Eagles in flight and never been able to but I finally managed to this the other day.

Crowned Eagles, male on the left and female on the right

Crowned Eagle pair

sub-adult Crowned Eagle

 The Crowned Eagle is not our largest Eagle in South Africa, that honor goes to the Martial Eagle, it is however the most powerful, and a truly awesome bird to have flying around. I was lucky enough to ring an adult female Crowned Eagle 2 weeks ago and what an awesome bird to ring, it takes a 26mm dia ring and its hind talon is in excess of 55mm.

I also had 2 Pied Crows flying around, then this Peregrene Falcon (on the left) chased them away