eBird Global Big Day

08 May 2021 - Glen Austin Pan, Midrand

This was the first time for me taking part in eBird Big Day in South Africa and I joined the Rockjumper Team to submit a collaborative total. In Kuwait, it would have coincided with spring migration, but in South Africa we were in autumn and migrants had already departed.

Nevertheless, I was at Glen Austin Pan just after sunrise. I chose this site as it would give the best diversity and is fairly close to where I live. It also has the potential to produce something special, but today was not the day for that.

On arrival I had a Rufous-naped Lark warming up in the early morning sun.

Rufous-naped Lark (Mirafra africana)

Walking down to the pan, there were Black-headed Heron passing by overhead

Black-headed Heron (Ardea melanocephala)

Along with Sacred Ibis

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus)

This is a good site for Grey-headed Gull's

Grey-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)

However, this pan has pretty good waterfowl representation, albeit in small numbers. Yellow-billed Duck are the most numerous

Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata)

This is also a reliable site for Cape Shoveler and I had both male and female fairly close in

Male Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii)

Female Cape Shoveler (Spatula smithii)

For me the special of this pan is the White-backed Duck and this morning I was fortunate with one fairly close by

White-backed Duck (Thalassornis leuconotus)

There are also Maccoa Duck in small numbers and normally quite a way off. This immature female obliged by sticking close with a few Yellow-billed Ducks

Immature female Maccoa Duck (Oxyura maccoa)

Of course there are many Common Moorhen and Red-knobbed Coot's

Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata)

Along with the many Egyptian Geese, there were a handful of the massive Spur-winged Geese - like the airbus of the sky

Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis)

As it warmed up, Brown-throated Martin's arrived and were feeding above the pan

Brown-throated Martin (Riparia paludicola)

Whilst in the grass habitat alongside the pan, Levaillant's Cisticola were active.

Levaillant's Cisticola (Cisticola tinniens) habitat

I spent a few rewarding hours at the pan and then headed home where I added a couple more species from our Estate ending with around 40 species for the day. Not a big number by any stretch, but satisfying to being a part of something much bigger.

Of interest, 7,281 species were recorded by 53,845 birders world-wide. In 1st place was Peru with 1,352 species, South Africa in 17th place with 511 species and Kuwait in 98th place with 98 species and beaten again by UAE with 120 species.