An unexpected arrival in Cape Town, in the form of a female Little Crake ( Porzana parva) triggered a wave of national media coverage and local  ‘twitcher’ interest when it appeared last week on a local pond in Clovelly not far from our home in Simon’s Town.

Its arrival in the austral autumn represented a classic case of ‘reverse migration’ for a winter migrant never before recorded further south than Ethiopia in Africa.

Aside from the excitement of a new bird for the South African list, the bird itself proved to be confiding and  visually  co-operative providing  hundreds of avid birders with open and repetitive views of what would generally be referred to as a ‘skulker of note’.

Attached are a few shots taken yesterday to give you an idea of what the delightfully endearing little lady looks like. Enjoy !

                                                                                                       Rarity of the day: Spectacled Petrel!

Soon after radioing in our intended course of 240 degrees and estimated time of return to Scarborough, as a ‘sound’ precaution in terms of safety procedure, we set off on our heading for the outbound run to the trawling grounds.

Shortly, after passing to the south of the Slangkop lighthouse, we received a radio call from ‘Osprey’,  in prompt response to Dave’s call for sighting assistance regarding the fishing fleet, confirming the presence of a working trawler no more than 10 miles to the north of our intended bearing.

After checking the radar we switched to 280 degrees and soon after not one, but three working trawlers, appeared ahead of us in close proximity to one another on the distant horizon.

With swell and wind conditions very much in our favour, we realised we would be spoilt for choice in deciding where to start within the trawler selection, on top of which two pole boats targeting tuna were headed our way as well.

On the way out, with the water temperature up to the current line at around 16 C, only high flying Swift Terns cut across our line of travel, but once into the warmer water of close to an almost tropical 22 C, pelagic seabirds started to appear in increasing numbers.

First off were the seemingly ubiquitous White-chinned Petrels careening at leisure in the steadily stiffening north westerly breeze.

Here and there distant Cory’s Shearwaters, a wintering migrant to the South Atlantic, lifted off the surface ahead of the boat when all of a sudden a single Great Shearwater practically side swiped the port side as it banked away from us as the first of several close-up sightings for the day. Great Shearwaters are synonymous with the return of Long-fin Tuna to Western Cape waters in angling circles, and its presence as the first sighting of the season was warmly received by our skipper and deemed a good birding omen for the day!

In this regard we were not to be disappointed, even though time of year is not optimum for the regular crowd of wintering pelagic seabirds to our latitudes, as we started off with great views of Shy Albatross across the age class spectrum winging their way towards and across us as we made our way up the first trawlers wake.

Here and then rafts of White-chinned Petrels, Shy and Black-browed Albatross lazed about on the surface waiting for the gong-like clang of the trawlers steel otter doors to strike the stern gantry signifying the start of the net retrieval process.

Sure enough, at exactly 10.00a.m. the ‘tory’ bird scaring lines and blaze-orange plastic cones were recovered by the crew and the warps tensioned to herald the end of the first trawl of the day. Soon thereafter the well-filled net broke surface under a swirling melee of seabirds accompanied by porpoising Cape Fur Seals participating in the feeding bonanza.

Such activity ushered in our first Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross for the day and a sprinkling of Sooty Shearwaters in amongst the hundreds of White-chinned Petrels squabbling over titbits breaking away from the heavily sagging net as it was winched aboard.

Other regular attendees of this four hourly feeding opportunity included adult and immature Cape Gannets and Kelp Gulls along with a steadily increasing number of Black-browed Albatross and an influx of several Sub-Antarctic Skuas in klepto-parasitic mode weaving their way in and out of the collective throng.

Sabine’s Gull   Wilson’s Storm Petrel   Cory’s Shearwater   Immature Shy Albatross

Add to this a steadily increasing number of the tern-like Sabine’s Gull , swooping and dipping for tit-bits in the company of a steadily growing number of Wilson’s and European Storm Petrels, and you have some idea as to the composition of seabirds within the unfolding scene as we drifted back along the trawler’s wake.

Switching to the next trawler provided us with good views of a single Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross, as an adjunct to several Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross sightings already recorded, amongst the many Shy and Black-browed Albatrosses orbiting about the trawler.

As we made our way towards the third trawler through hundreds of White-chined Petrels squatting on the surface, and loose flocks of mixed Wilson’s and European Storm Petrels pattering about across the trawlers wake, Anne Gray spotted a Spectacled Petrel as the ‘rarity’ highlight of the day. In no time Dave was able to close the gap to secure definitive shots of this striking petrel as it presented itself for all to see in close proximity to the boat.

By now the steady breeze was starting to gust from the north, and the swell complexion of the sea had begun to pick-up noticeably, as we headed steadily into the wind with a tuna pole boat close beside us.

Storm petrels in ever increasing numbers zigzagged about us and pattered with impunity into the wind and across the wave crests, much to my personal delight. These one-ounce birds known to the mariners of old as ‘Mother Carey’s Chickens’ seemed to thrive in high winds as titbits float to the surface between the breaking crests of the swells. Trying to get sharp images of them in flight on camera proved impossible, as the boat pitched and yawed about, but most of us tried with predictably poor photographic results.

At this time a single ‘white-rumped’ Arctic Tern appeared above the stern, followed shortly thereafter by an Parasitic Jaeger in hot pursuit, as the tern attempted to flee the scene with a prey item in its bill.

Shortly afterwards, a Pomerine Skua passed through the milling flock of seabirds to herald our decision to head back to the shelter of Hout Bay across a now rapidly rising sea driven by a gusting northerly wind of increasing intensity.

At this point the ‘sister’ pelagic boat of the day in the form of ‘Decadence’ reported an odd looking seabird between us, which turned out to be another Spectacled Petrel, and soon afterwards a radio prompt triggered the sighting of the only Giant Petrel of the day. Unfortunately, the steadily rising wind and distance precluded us from picking up on the bill colour making positive identification between North and South Giant Petrel impossible.

And so we set off for Hout Bay, picking up on two more Pomerine Skuas on the way, and stopping for an obliging raft of Cory Shearwaters on the current line for all to view at leisure as they loafed on the surface in association with half a dozen Cape Fur Seals.

Another highlight in an otherwise dolphin and whale free day was two separate sighting Sunfish on the surface for all on board to see as they flapped about leisurely in the clear water providing good photographic opportunities.

For the rest we quartered our way slowly back to Hout Bay across a now choppy sea, without incident bar constant spray, with only the usual mix of inshore seabirds for company.

Species list with approximate numbers for the day is as follows:

Shy Albatross 150

Black-browed Albatross 50

Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 10

Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross 2

Giant Petrel (species unknown) 1

White-chinned Petrel 1000 plus

Spectacled Petrel 2

Sooty Shearwater 20

Cory’s Shearwater 30

Great Shearwater 20

Wilson’s Storm Petrel 200

European Storm Petrel 100

Sub-Antarctic Skua 10

Pomerine Jaeger 3

Parasitic Jaeger 2

Sabine’s Gull 30

Arctic Tern 1

Swift Term 30

Kelp Gull 100

All and all a great day at sea dominated by White-chinned Petrels as unquestionably the most abundant species present on the trawling grounds.

Highlight of the day for most were the two obliging Spectacled Petrels, which afforded all on board close-up views, thanks to the alacrity and competence of our highly experienced skipper.

Thanks to Anne Gray for organising the trip and Dave Christie as skipper and host and caterer, as I understand he rose early to make the sandwiches and to ensure the snacks and refreshments were sufficient to cover our victualing needs for the day.

For more information on pelagic birding trips out of Cape Town, contact Patrick on info@avianleisure.com or visit our website www.avianleisure.com

Young Lion Pride, by Diane Weiman

An accomplished pastel, wildlife artist, her paintings are well known for their lifelike realism and sensitivity.  Diane’s paintings are not simply portraits of animals and birds but bring a sense of special moments in nature to the viewer as she depicts the subject in its natural environment. Her art is represented in corporate offices, game lodges and private homes. Diane’s original paintings and limited edition prints are to be found in the U.S.A, the U.K, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Spain. Diane is a committed supporter of wildlife conservation.

Have a look at more of Diane’s work

Great Spotted Cuckoo

Jacobin Cuckoo Diderick Cuckoo   Red-chested Cuckoo   Immature Klaas’s Cuckoo

Slightly later as spring unfolds towards summer, the loud, strident calls of the Red-chested Cuckoo, with its pulsating ‘quid pro quo’ call, ring out with musical clarity across the more well-wooded suburbs with Kirstenbosch and Harold Porter Botanical Gardens being perennial favourites for these charismatic cuckoos.

Yes, as SA birders we are fortunate to have 17 cuckoo species within our sub-region out of the 23 species recorded for Africa. An abundance of choice compared to only the Grey (Common) Cuckoo of Europe with its characteristic call of cuckoo clock fame and fable.

Within the iridescent  collective the three emerald-backed smaller cuckoos are the most striking and usually the most conspicuous, particularly the highly vocal Diederic Cuckoo,  as competing males orbit and call in ‘dee-dee-dideric’ mode around weaver colonies with parasitic intent.

Klaas’s Cuckoo tends to escape notice unless calling, while the highly vocal Emerald Cuckoo with its ‘Pretty Georgie’ call is synonymous with the indigenous forests of the Garden Route and northwards along the Drakensberg foothills. Both species have a preference for favoured call sites making visual location occasionally possible, albeit frustratingly time consuming in the case of the Emerald Cuckoo, as one diligently sifts through the forest canopy in the hope of a clear view…

But for me it is heading north of the Western Cape to the rolling savannah of mixed acacia and broad-leafed woodland of the Kruger Park in October/November that holds the greatest appeal as the wave of intra- African migrants arrive in large numbers following the start of the summer rains.

This is the best time to look for the larger cuckoos as they career about in swift and dashing flight in pursuit of one another between bouts of repetitive calling from favoured call sites. It is an exciting birding time as these small, raptor-like and highly charismatic cuckoos liven up the bushveld scene with their loud, ringing courtship calls or far carrying penetrative phrases.

While the Black Cuckoo lapses into mournful and repetitive call mode with an occasional bout of ‘whirling’, others such as the hyper-active ‘black and white’ Jacobin and Le Vaillant’s (Striped) Cuckoos with distinctive crests and similar sounding strident calls are the most conspicuous and vocally entertaining.

African Cuckoo

Add to this the small goshawk- like appearance of the African Cuckoo as this normally shy and retiring cuckoo slips silently out of concealment to zig-zag away through the woodland in rapid flight or on occasion presents itself  for a clear sighting as it ‘hoop-hoops’ in African Hoopoe mode soon after arrival.

Thick-billed Cuckoo

Then there is the highly secretive and easily overlooked Thick-billed Cuckoo of moister woodland with its high pitched ‘weee-we-wick’ Klaas’s Cuckoo type call that has become the ‘Holy Grail’ for many a frustrated birder trying to track down this elusive species for their ‘life list’ in habitats where the host species, the Retz’s Helmet Shrike, is known to occur.

For me the Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo of the low altitude forests of Zimbabwe has the most enthralling and captivating call as it picks up in crescendo and pitch before breaking into a descending series of evenly paced Red-chested Cuckoo ‘quid pro quo’ notes to complete the call sequence.

Finally, by far my favourite local cuckoo in overall terms is the not-so-frequently encountered Great Spotted Cuckoo of which two races are known to occur in the savannas of Southern Africa. One is a nonbreeding visitor from north of the equator and the other an intra- African breeding migrant Clamator glandarius choragium which targets starlings and crows as preferred host species.

Great to look at and highly charismatic in courtship behaviour, they fly about in highly vocal display or forage in closely bonded pairs at the start of the breeding season, before fading into concealment and complete silence in keeping with the rest of the cuckoo family once the breeding cycle is over.

PJC/AvianLeisure/ 06/02/12

Of all the pipits the one with the most evocative call is undoubtedly the Rock Pipit as its repetitive and far-carrying signature note and supporting trill drifts down the slope of a rocky Karoo hill during the height of the summer rainfall season. This is the best time to try for a sighting as the species is easily overlooked when not calling outside of the breeding cycle.

African Rock Pipit

Originally referred to in the early literature as Kopje Lark and Large Yellow-tufted Pipit, the latter referred to features are not overtly obvious unless one is close enough to the bird and the light is good at the time.

Seeing a calling bird out in the open in display mode is always a visual treat as can be seen from these two images of an obliging bird calling in Lesotho at the top of Sani Pass.

PJC/AvianLeisure/06/02/12

African Goshawk    White-browed Robin Chat     Rufous-naped Lark     Dickinson’s Kestrel    Kori Bustard      Southern Carmine Bee-eater    Quail Finch female    Quail Finch, male     African Scops Owlet   Yellow-billed Oxpecker    Sable Antelope    Yellow-mantled Widowbird    Little Bee-eater    Zimbabwe Granite Hill    White Helmet-Shrike    Grey-backed Camaroptera     Chirinda Apalis     Augur Buzzard    Lazy Cisticola    Swynnerton’s Robin    Cabanis’s Bunting

For Kim Frost from Denmark, who was accompanied by his ever supportive non-birding wife, Sunneva, it was the opportunity to boost his ‘Southern Africa’ bird list to over 700 species, given the impressive number of highly localised species found within the varied habitat types unique to Zimbabwe.

And so we set off on our seventh birding trip together on a flight from Johannesburg to the town of Victoria Falls on the banks of the mighty Zambezi in the north-west corner of the country.

Here the broad Zambezi cascades over an ancient basalt dyke with a thunderous roar, accompanied by plumes of towering spray, as the now dissected river wends its way through a maze of cataracts and spillways, before re-uniting in a tidal race of conflicting currents and white water rapids coursing through the deep-cut gorges far below.

From afar the ‘smoke that thunders’, as the spray billowing above the falls was described locally well ahead of David Livingstone’s arrival, is conspicuously evident varying only in relation to the level of flow in response to seasonal fluctuations in the rainfall pattern along the river’s course from its far off source in Zambia.

Having visited this mystical source, in the form of a serene and diminutive wellspring in the heart of a tropical forest on the very edge of the Congo basin, during an exploratory birding trip to north west Zambia in 1998, I was struck by the contrast between the tranquillity of the crystal clear trickle of the emergent stream in relation to the awesome power and frenzied ferocity of the river as its foaming white waters surged purposefully eastwards through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean.

I was somewhat apprehensive about what I would find in the riverside town and surrounding national park following my last visit over a decade ago. This concern was a direct result of the publicized political and economic uncertainty regarding Zimbabwe’s future during the intervening years. To say I was pleasantly surprised with what I found  was an understatement – much of what I remember was unchanged, the birding was as good as ever, and the locals cheerful and enthusiastically accommodating as always no matter the request…

Zimbabwe’s fairly recent decision to convert to a US Dollar based currency system had made a significant difference and improved life dramatically for all in the country as dollars flowed back from Zimbabweans working outside of the country along with a steady uplift in dollar based tourist activity.

The surrounding countryside was well wooded and extremely lush following the recent spell of sustained cyclonic weather. Birds were evident everywhere as we headed towards the town centre some 20mins from the airport.

We checked into the Victoria Falls Hotel, affectionately still referred to locally as the ‘Grand Old Lady’ of the riverside town for the standard of accommodation, outstanding hospitality and friendly staff.

In all respects, we were not to be disappointed as our imaginations drifted back historically to a time of Victorian opulence, pomp and ceremony to do with the heydays of colonial expansion in Africa, and the classic traditions of an era now long passed, as we admired the fixtures and fittings within the recently refurbished hotel.

Throughout the hotel memorabilia of the British Empire remained as tangible reminders of a time long gone but service and room standards appeared to be little changed in contemporary terms to those stringently upheld in the past.

Our sumptuous buffet meal that evening under the stars at the ‘Jungle Junction’, relating back to the pre- World War 2 days of flying boats arriving with passengers for the night, was superb in every respect, complemented further by the standard of traditional entertainment and a pleasingly inexpensive and expansive wine list.

Yet it was the birds in the immediate vicinity of the hotel that took centre stage, with Little Sparrowhawk and African Goshawk in clear view in the gardens, Schalow’s Turaco’s squirreling their way through the fig trees on crimson wings and the persistent wailing of Trumpeter Hornbills in the gorge below, adding a tropical touch to the start of the scenically spectacular Falls walk.

Birds were everywhere and in close proximity. An African Crake crossed the path in front of us while raucous Natal Francolins and melodious White-browed Robin Chats competed for vocal attention within the thickets around us. Other memorable sightings along the trail included Village and Purple Indigobird, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Black-collared and Crested Barbet, Red-billed Wood-Hoopoe, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, White-browed and Senegal Coucal, Grey-headed Bush Shrike, Red-faced Cisticola, Tawny-flanked Prinia, Red-billed and Jameson’s Firefinch to mention a few…

After a traditional English breakfast we returned to the airport to connect with our charter flight to Hwange National Park for a three night stay at Little Makalolo – a compact and delightful bush camp run by ‘Wilderness Safaris’ in the heart of the exclusive concession area.

The 4X4 track along an ancient flood plain leading away from the landing strip to the bush camp was not without interest, with Rufous-naped Larks calling from the tops of termite hills, and Flappet Larks in audible display flight above us as we approached the fringing edge of the woodland. Other typically grassland species included Buffy and African Pipit as well as Desert Cisticola.

That afternoon, after a short siesta to avoid the heat of the day, we set off on the first of several game drives intended to give us the best possible mix of bird and mammal species within the limited time frame at our disposal. Prior to our arrival the south western sector of the country had experienced an extremely dry spell of cripplingly hot weather. All this had changed two weeks ahead of our arrival in keeping with Africa’s highly erratic oscillation between highs and lows within the weather pattern. A low pressure system associated with the Intra Tropical Convergence Zone had settled in for several days of non-stop rain resulting in the emergence of a verdant landscape of rolling grasslands, flooded roads and ephemeral pans in every direction.

The effect of this inundation was a complete transformation of the surrounding habitat from an arid and dusty wasteland to a vast floodplain, literally pulsating with life, following the overnight climatic transformation that precipitated alate (winged termite) irruptions in every direction.

This in turn had drawn hundreds, if not thousands, of termite-targeting birds to the floodplain to participate in the feeding frenzy in collective harmony. Across the size spectrum, from eagles to waxbills, they all converged with vigour on the emerging termites.

Never in my life have I been treated to a spectacle of such avian magnitude with over a thousand birds aloft at any one time with many more grounded or perched through sheer over indulgence. Others in mixed species groups hopped and padded about points of emergence snapping up termites before they could take to the wing.

Sightings included Black and Yellow-billed Kites in every direction and Amur Falcons too numerous to estimate, satiated  Steppe and Lesser Spotted Eagles in abundance with visually  distended crops along with ‘grounded’ Tawny Eagles and Hooded and White-headed Vultures here and there. Steppe Buzzards circled above and Dickinson’s Kestrels monitored the unfolding situation from exposed perches, while Marabou and Abdim’s Storks spiralled in ‘kettles’ above us.

Elsewhere, White and Wooly-necked Storks paraded about the open grassland in the company of Secretarybirds, Grey Crowned Cranes and Kori Bustards, in significant numbers to the extent they reduced their visual worth, along with family groups of Southern Ground Hornbills striding leisurely along the fringing woodland.

Still the show went on with Bateleurs, across the age-class spectrum, sweeping magnificently by at regular intervals along with a single spectacular sighting of a low flying adult Martial Eagle shearing its way through the aerial collective of raptors and storks.

Lilac-breasted, European and Purple Rollers along with Carmine and European Bee-eaters, Magpie and White-crowned Shrikes took full advantage of the termite bonanza, hawking from the crowns of dead lead-wood trees dotted about the floodplain, along with mixed groups of African Grey, Bradfield’s and Southern Yellow-billed Hornbills.

At the lower end of the size scale it was the unexpected view of a pair of African Quail Finch competing aggressively with inch long Matabele ants for downed alates in the wheel ruts of the 4X4 track that captivated my attention. This was the first time ever I have enjoyed really close-up views of these extremely attractive little birds, normally encountered on the wing as they ‘explode’ with a sing note from under ones feet for a distant flight into obscurity…

At dusk a single European Hobby circled above the palm trees and a male Pennant-winged Nightjar, complete with primary pennants, appeared unexpectedly in ethereal display during sun-downer time above one of the larger hippo carrying pans on the floodplain.

This close of play crepuscular treat was followed by excellent sightings of Bat-eared Fox and an extremely obliging Leopard grooming itself at leisure just off the track on the way back to camp.

On the nocturnal front Square-tailed Nightjar were found to be relatively common on the floodplain, while Fiery-necked Nightjar in number occurred in the woodland along with Verreaux’s  Eagle Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet and African Scops Owl.

Other highlights in Hwange included repetitive views of African Golden Oriole and African Cuckoo throughout the mixed woodland, Coqui Francolin, Arnot’s Chat, White-crested and Retz’s Helmet-Shrike, Southern Black Tit, Yellow Throated Petronia, Yellow-fronted Canary, Shaft-tailed Whydah, Wood Pipit, Bronze and Three-banded Courser as unexpected daytime sightings, White-breasted Cuckoo Shrike, Arrow-marked Babbler,  Red and Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Lizard Buzzard, Meyer’s Parrot, White-browed Sparrow Weaver, Groundscraper Thrush, Pale Flycatcher, Blue Waxbill and Whiskered Tern circling above the smaller pans in full breeding plumage. Red-crested Korhaan were in comical display mode as they somersaulted about and, on the shorebird and general waterbird front, African Wattled Lapwing, Painted Snipe, Little Stint, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank, White-faced Whistling Duck, Red-billed and Hottentot Teal, Comb Duck and Southern Pochard were relatively common.

Additional mammal sightings included African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, African Wild Dog, Black-backed Jackal, Chacma Baboon, Eland, Burchell’s Zebra, Blue Wildebeest, Giraffe, Impala, Banded Mongoose and unquestionably Africa’s most regal antelope, the Sable Antelope.

Our departure charter flight connected with the scheduled Air Zimbabwe flight from Vic Falls to Harare where we were met by David Gray for the next stage in our safari.

After checking into a comfortable guesthouse, situated within easy walking distance to a number of good restaurants, we set off for the first of a number of recently inundated marshlands in the company of Alex Masterson, unquestionably the foremost authority on crakes and rails in Zimbabwe.

The next stage involved a spell of ‘bog-trotting’, to take stock of whatever the recent rains had brought to the area in the way of migrant marsh and wetland bird species, along with a number of highly localised ‘specials’ such as Black Coucal, Yellow-mantled Widowbird and Rosy-throated Longclaw.

We were not to be disappointed, and soon after starting in we picked up on a Western Marsh Harrier quartering across the marsh and a single Saddle-billed Stork at the water’s edge.

Next up was an obliging Cuckoo Finch followed by a Yellow-throated Longclaw, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Red-chested Flufftail, Purple and Black-crowned Night Heron, Variable Sunbird, Little Bee-eater, Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Groundscraper Thrush, Croaking and Le Vaillant’s Cisticola for the late afternoon walk.

The next day saw an early start deliver up good views of African Crake, Black Coucal, Little Bittern, Broad-tailed Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, Marsh Owl, Scarlet-chested and Amethyst Sunbird, Little Bee-eater before switching marshlands to another site.

This change to a more rank environment produced African Rail, Streaky-breasted Flufftail, Orange-breasted Waxbill, African Stone Chat, Red-faced Cisticola, Little Rush Warbler, White-winged Widowbird, African Reed Warbler, Common Waxbill, Bronze Mannikin, Red-collared Widowbird, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Greater Striped and Red-breasted Swallow.

A late afternoon drive to the granite studded hills around Christian Bank produced sightings of Boulder Chat, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and good views of the prinia-like Lazy Cisticola.

An unexpected fly-over was an Osprey with a fish firmly grasped in its talons.

The following day we teamed up with David Dalziel to bird a patch of pristine ‘miombo’  Brachytegia woodland, a habitat type characteristic of Zimbabwe around Harare itself.

This outing to the Mukuvusi Woodlands produced the following sightings in quick succession once an active bird party had been successfully  located, starting with African Black Duck and African Cuckoo-Hawk on arrival, Spectacled Weaver, Brown and great views of  Green-backed Honeybird, as well as Lesser and Greater Honeyguide, Whyte’s Barbet, Miombo Grey Tit, Spotted Creeper, Southern Hyliota, Black Cuckooshrike, Green-capped Eremomela, Cardinal Woodpecker, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird, Southern Black Flycatcher, Southern Masked Weaver, Collared and Amethyst Sunbird, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Willow Warbler, Chin-spot Batis and African Yellow White-eye.

From here a short mid-morning stop at Gosho Park near Marondera produced excellent views of an extremely accommodating Racquet-tailed Roller and a Black-eared Seedeater before heading eastwards to the scenically spectacular Vumba Mountains above Mutare for a three night stay.

 Meandering at leisure with Peter through the warren ways of many paths that criss-cross this area of pristine forest is a delight in itself. Having birded the area intensively since the late ‘70’s, when Peter was ‘ringing’ assistant to the late Alec Manson, who lived at ‘Seldomseen’ and added considerably to the Zimbabwe ornithological record, there is little Peter doesn’t know about the many localised birds and their habits in the Vumba forests.

My first walk with Peter was in the early 80’s and certainly he hasn’t lost his touch as he showed us round his ‘patch’.

Sightings included White-tailed Crested Flycatcher, Red-faced  Crimsonwing, Livingstone’s Turaco, White-eared Barbet,  Barratt’s Warbler, Tree Pipit, Yellow-bellied Waxbill, Orange Ground-Thrush, Olive Sunbird, Red-capped Robin Chat, Swynnerton’s Robin, African Emerald Cuckoo, Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Tambourine Dove, Cape Robin Chat, Kurrichane and Olive Thrush, White-browed Robin Chat, Starred Robin, Chirinda Apalis, Bar-throated and Yellow-breasted  Apalis, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler,  Robert’s Warbler, Singing Cisticola, Wailing Cisticola, Yellow-streaked and Stripe-cheeked Bulbul, Eastern Saw-wing, Buff-spotted Flufftail, Olive Bush Shrike, Golden and Thick-billed Weaver, Collared and Bronzy Sunbird. Mammals encountered included Samango Monkey and Sun Squirrel in the forest canopy while Long-crested Eagle, White-necked Raven and Augur Buzzard soared overhead at regular intervals.

Lower down the slopes, in the vicinity of Mutare and up towards Cecil’s Kop, we recorded an impressive bird list in miombo woodland and patches of mixed cultivation in the town with Buluwezi as our guide.

Sightings were many and included the following highlights: Cabanis’s Bunting, Red-faced Crombec, Grey Penduline Tit, Cinnamon-breasted Tit, Collared Flycatcher, Striped Pipit, Spotted Treecreeper, Black-backed Puffback, African Firefinch, Chinspot Batis, African Yellow White-eye, Brubru, Black-headed Oriole, Red-backed Mannikin, Black-winged and Yellow Bishop, Garden Warbler, Red-faced and Lazy Cisticola, Orange-winged Pytilia, Black-crowned Tchagra, Stierling’s Wren Warbler, African Paradise Flycatcher, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Common Scimitarbill, Striped Kingfisher and Mottled Swift circling above Cecil Kop.

Staying at ‘Seldomseen’ in one of the well-appointed  self-catering cottages, bearing in mind a number of excellent restaurants and a great tea garden exist close by for those less inclined to cook for themselves, and birding with either Peter or Buluwezi  ranks in my book as one of the ‘Top 10’ birding experiences in Southern Africa.

As can be seen from the species  list, compared to the latest field guide maps, many of the birds mentioned are found only in this very special high altitude area, making it a ‘must do’ for any dedicated ‘lister’.

All in all a highly rewarding nine day trip to Zimbabwe in terms of the varied and at times spectacular scenery, mammal and of course great birding in particular. All this with very few logistical hassles along the way, and great support from local guides throughout as well as overnight establishments chosen for this tailored route along roads less travelled that pushed Kim’s ‘Southern African’ total up to an impressive 706!

In Kim’s words:

‘This trip to Zimbabwe was our seventh birding tour with Patrick as enthusiastic ‘cicerone’ was the best ever. With 44 out of 48 possible new birds an immense logistic achievement!

Looking forward to next years tailored birding trip with Avian Leisure!’

Our conclusion: Zimbabwe in spite of its current political and economic difficulties comes highly recommended as a birding destination well worth visiting…

For more info on birding in Zimbabwe please contact me direct on patrick@avianleisure.com.

PJC/Avian Leisure/ 16/01/12.

Roberts Nests and Eggs, Warwick Tarboton, Front Cover

Originally published as an introductory  guide to the nests and eggs of Southern African birds in 2001, the latest version provides a far more comprehensive and illustrative biological guide with an expanded photographic content embracing the nesting habits of over 720 of the sub-region’s breeding birds.

As such it constitutes an essential companion to any one of the many field guides available in South Africa for birders seeking information beyond the key diagnostic features of birds observed in the field.

Such added information goes a long way in expanding the enjoyment of an initial sighting and answers many of the questions associated with the breeding cycle relating to time of year, nest type and favoured situation, egg colouration, clutch size, incubation periods and the brood parasites and their hosts.

Available in a durable and practical plastic field guide type cover, with text directly opposite the many full colour illustrations covering the nests and eggs, followed by plates depicting the eggs themselves within each of the principal bird families.

This long awaited comprehensive reference is a ‘must buy’ for any birder with a desire to know more about our resident birds and their cycles of breeding behaviour. It comes highly recommended and is on sale now through any of the larger book stores and on-line service providers.

Comparative eggs in Warwick Tarboton’s new ‘Nests and Eggs’

Carp's Tit

As such the Southern Black Tit tends to favour the broad-leafed woodland in areas of higher rainfall to that preferred by Carp’s Tit, which is found in arid savannah and open thornveld along the eastern edge of the Namib Desert.

Southern Black Tit

Outside of the obvious distinction associated with known distribution patterns and habitat preference the Carp’s Tit has slightly more white in the wings and blackish underparts compared to the barred undertail and black edged primaries of the Southern Black Tit.

 Examples of a Carp’s Black Tit photographed in the Erongo Mountains of Namibia compared to a Southern Black Tit in Kruger Park illustrate the subtle difference between the two.

This often repeated scenario illustrates the need to always carry a reputable identification reference with you as you never know precisely what will turn up where when it comes to a new and unexpected sighting in the field. Having a reputable field guide readily to hand gives you the chance of carefully assessing the distribution of the sighting as the next step after you have checked out the comparative illustrations between potentially confusing species.

White-quilled Korhaan Southern Black Korhaan

With the illustration and range map checked out you can then proceed to the text to confirm your unfolding view as the final step in the identification process.

Two birds that cause problems for birders along the line of overlap are the two black korhaans illustrated below. Although they look alike the distribution maps are fairly explicit, on top of which the primary feathers of either a black or white nature in flight provide a definitive answer. As this latter aspect is not always apparent it is best to use the distribution map and text covering habitat preference to arrive at the correct solution.

As can be seen the Southern Black Korhaan is depicted in lush green surroundings of the winter rainfall region of the Western Cape, while the Northern Black Korhaan, now known as the White-quilled Korhaan, is shown in semi-arid to arid habitat associated with a summer rainfall pattern extending northwards to Namibia.

Viewed closely the upper parts of both birds can be compared as the only discernable difference beyond the primary feather variation as a definitive feature. In the Southern Black Korhaan the black bars are broader than the brown and, in the White-quilled Korhaan, the buff-brown and black bars are of equal width.

For the rest there is little difference in the illustrative comparison with the comparatively recent split being based on a combination of genetic, vocal and plumage criteria.

Hopefully, this snippet will clear up some of the confusion between these two look-alikes…