During the feeding period I managed to photograph four tagged Vultures. I sent the info away and thanks to Jill Ovens and Dr Lindy Thomson their details are provided below Cape Vulture A 331 is a rehabilitated bird, tagged at Moholoholo on the 6th August 2020 White-backed Vulture A 716 was tagged in the Timbavati on the 10th November 2021 White-backed Vulture A 726 was tagged on Rietspruit Game Reserve on 18 November 2021, It has been named Phillip after an employee at Rhino Revolution. Note the nice clean tag White-backed Vulture A 387 was tagged on 23 February 2021 at Lissataba
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Recently a Giraffe died of natural causes and it was interesting to see the scavenging process unfold. The first couple of days were heavily overcast and presumably this curtailed vulture thermal activity somewhat. The Hyena did a bit of scavenging at night and opened up the carcass and started to extract some of the intestines via the anus. Eventually the vultures arrived and feeding started in earnest. Every night the hyena would return and we could hear them vocalising as it was within earshot of our house. The circling vulture activity as they descended to the site probably attracted our lion pride who arrived at the scene early the next morning. For some reason they were not keen to feed and soon moved off leaving the vultures to carry on in peace. Now a couple of days later all that remains is a small pile of skin and bones A juvenile White-backed Vulture plays king of the castle This position was constantly contested and here a Cape Vulture surveys the scene The smaller Hooded Vultures were not present for the first day or two but finally arrived and were allowed access Crops were getting full. Here a juvenile White-backed Vulture has managed to have a good feed An adult White-backed Vulture takes a break from the action Even this Hooded Vulture eventually has something to show for its efforts A Cape Vulture is about to enter the fray down below A blood soaked White-backed Vulture takes a break from the action It was very pleasing to see several Cape Vultures in attendance, more than I have seen on previous carcasses A Cape Vulture taking a break The Hooded Vultures did a lot of scavenging on the periphery away from the constant hustle and bustle closer to the carcass where there was ongoing jockeying for position and access A white-backed Vulture showing the patch that is not always visible Some final grooming of the primary feathers before take-off
The Woodland Kingfishers have been here for a week or two and I have managed to get a couple of images. Today however was the first time I heard one vocalising. So what with some good rainfall and the migrants appearing, Summer is truly here. A mix then of some migrants and some residents Woodland Kingfisher Red-chested Cuckoo in full voice Red-chested Cuckoo African Hoopoe Dark Chanting Goshawk Steppe Buzzard Red-billed Oxpecker removing ticks
I first recorded a Broad-billed Roller in Ndumo Game Reserve, northern Kwazulu-Natal in November 1997. I have waited a long time to re-connect with this magnificent Roller A call I could not place had me rushing outside to see what I could find. This Broad-billed Roller was being harassed by a pair of Cape Glossy Starlings that have a nearby nest and were being very territorial. The overcast conditions were not the best but I managed to get my first ever image of one of these very striking birds Its yellow bill, cinnamon brown upper-parts and lilac-purple underparts are diagnostic. A flash of the ultra-marine primaries are also showing. A real kaleidoscope of amazing colours! It poses dramatically as it inspects a potential nest hole in this dead tree
Hyena cooling off Hyena slinking off Banded Mongoose Bushbuck ram Bushpig Bushpig Bushpig Nyala female with thirsty lamb 99, 100 .... coming ready or not
A male Red-headed Weaver has started building a nest under the overhang of our thatch roof on our deck. This was a sequence taken on his first and second day of construction
The Red-billed Buffalo-Weavers are back at the nest site they started last season. Initially one male was present but another soon arrived and a fight broke out. I presume it was to establish the pecking order. Ist male arrives at the nest site Another male arrives and immediately all hell breaks loose out at the base of the tree on the edge of the water pan
The Willow Warblers are back. I came across a couple of these Paleactic migrants leaf gleaning in the canopy Willow Warbler Male Red-headed Weaver Female Red-headed Weaver Male Chinspot Batis Cardinal Woodpecker Black-backed Puffback African Pygmy-Kingfisher Grey Heron
We are desperate for rain to kick-start the growing season as the bush is very dry. The trees have started with their Spring flush of leaves but the grass, whats left of it, is very brown and the grazers are struggling. In stark contrast to this the birds are supplying a welcome splash of colour Orange-breasted Bushshrike A male Collared Sunbird A male Green-winged Pytilia Yellow-fronted Canary
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