Bush lore says when you see tortoises on the move the rains are about to arrive. Well it happened this year My first image of the common breeding intra-African migrant Red-Chested Cuckoo of the summer. Peace and quiet is now a thing of the past!!! My first Woodland Kingfisher of the summer. Another intra-African migrant with a distinctive call A young male Spur-winged Goose popped in to check out the high water level in one of our dams after the recent rains A pair of Little Grebes were also to be found enjoying the high water level in one of our other dams. This is a new record for this species on the Reserve I was told by a neighbour that an African Jacana was also seen on one of the dams. I need to go and locate this bird as it will also be a new species for my Reserve list
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My first image of this amazing species was back in February 2018 in the very same tree in front of our house. I have heard them calling along the river line recently but they are rather elusive. So it was with great excitement that I ventured out into the night with my spotlight and camera when I heard them calling close by. This time I could differentiate two birds with slightly differing vocalisations. Double excitement! When I first went out to check I was not confident i would be able to locate them so only took my spotlight and small happy snappy camera with me. I managed this rough and ready ID image with both owls perched together in the canopy I then came out with reinforcements and managed a few images of the bird perched on the left which was showing better
We have had some good follow up rains overnight with another 36mm having being recorded. This came with some run-ff and our dams are starting to fill nicely early in the season The main Leadwood Dam has been enlarged and deepened to encourage Hippo to come and take up residence. The small coffer dam used during its enlargement is seen in the foreground Lodge Pan also had its wall raised slightly and is now a larger body of water as well Secret Dam was also deepened and the wall has been raised. It will be interesting to see how long it retains water as it used to empty quite quickly in the past This Grey Heron bags a frog I sat and watched as this Hamerkop successfully plucked tadpoles out of the water
We have had our first rain with 18 mm having been recorded. It has been welcome relief to our very dry bush veld. Here is hoping more follow up rain falls soon. With the rain has come some overcast weather which has made the photography a bit challenging. Dark Chanting Goshawk seen here with its typical upright posture A pair of Black Storks. This species is regarded as Near-threatened. The bird in the background looks like a juvenile The algal bloom on the water of the dam makes for a striking contrast My first record of the common Palearctic migrant Steppe Buzzard this season. I re-visited Owl nest site number 2 and was surprised to see two chicks. Previously only one was visible even though I recorded the adult incubating two eggs The single chick of nest site number 3 has moved from the original nesting ledge to a better position which is a little more concealed in this recess and higher up the bank. My first image of the intra-African migrant Yellow-billed Kite. It was seen scavenging along with Vultures on a Giraffe carcass that had been discarded by our male lions
This Little Bee-eater was hawking insects from this perch. As I sat and observed its very agile aerial forays it was joined by another bird. As I watched them the one bird dropped down and entered a nest hole in a low bank which I had not noticed. I waited patiently and after about half an hour it appeared at the entrance and quickly flew back out onto the nearby branch Nest 1 has two chicks progressing nicely even though the one is a bit camera shy At site 2 the chick and parent give me the beady eye The chick at site 3 is quite adventurous and walks up and down on the nesting ledge. I am still worried that the nest is low to the ground and exposed making it a possible easy target for predation, but so far so good A red-billed Firefinch feeding on the ground A White-crested Helmet-Shrike A Retz's Helmet-Shrike for comparison A male Saddle-billed Stork (dark eye and wattles) A female Saddle-billed Stork ( yellow eye). Note the Urohidrosis on the legs of both of these birds A female red-crested Korhaan. Recently I have been fortunate enough to observe the spectacular display flight of the male bird on two occasions. Now to get some images of this unique behaviour.
For the first time in a while the three lions have linked up together again. They were all seen feeding at a Giraffe kill that had been abandoned earlier by the two lionesses. They then all went off to the nearby dam to have a team drink Mullet arrives first. His leg injury seems to have healed as I observed him walking with no signs of a limp Here he is joined by Collar, the dominant male Notch also arrives and joins in. My first image of the three drinking side by side
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April 2024
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