09 May 2022

Kyalami Estates - April Round-up

30 April 2022 - Kyalami Estates

We are truly into Autumn with lower temperatures and leaves changing colour on many of the trees. 

There are still a few intra-African migrants around, but the true migrants have all headed north. Nevertheless, it was still a pretty good month with 56 species recorded with a couple of good birds in that mix. Arrow-marked Babblers and Little Sparrowhawk were seen in the Poplar Forest near the St Ledger Dam, along with Black-backed Puffback. The Freckled Nightjar's were still heard calling early morning and late evening in the earlier part of the month. Grey-headed Gulls passed by overhead, whilst African Black Duck and both Malachite and Brown-hooded Kingfishers were seen. An African Harrier-Hawk is still around and I had two unidentified Brown Eagles overhead, that more probably Brown Snake Eagles (one had been seen a few days after my sighting in Beaulieu, a nearby suburb). 

I didnt photograph any birds in the garden this month, but on walks to the main park I had the usual suspects; Tawny-flanked Prinia

Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava)


Cape Turtle Dove are quite secretive and skulky in our Estate

Cape Turtle Dove (Streptopelia capicola)


Speckled Mousebird giving me its beady eye

Speckled Mousebird (Colius striatus)


The Weavers and Bishops are now all in winter or non-breeding plumage; Southern Masked Weaver

Male Southern Masked Weaver (Ploceus velatus)


Southern Red Bishop

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)


Just a hint of colour left


Thick-billed Weaver

Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)



The White-throated Swallows will be departing shortly with their newly fledged youngsters

White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis)



Sacred Ibis fly over on occasion

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)


Down at St Ledger Dam in the Poplar Forest, I had a flock of Arrow-marked Babblers 

Angry Bird - Arrow-marked Babbler (Turdoides jardineii)



Which were being harassed and hunted unsuccessfully by two Little Sparrowhawks

Juvenile Little Sparrowhawk (Accipiter minullus)


A rather large fresh water Crab at St Ledger

Crab sp.


Not many butterflies around, so I was pleased to see an African Leopard

African Leopard (Phalanta p. aethiopica)


The Damselflies will also soon disappear for the winter, but there are still Common Threadtail's

Common Threadtail (Elattoneura glauca)



and Slate Sprite's around

Slate Sprite (Pseudagrion salisburyense)




I quite liked this Mushroom that sprung up on our pavement

Mushroom sp.



A view of the Jozi and Sandton CBD on a particularly stormy day

Jozi CBD Skyline







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