Trifecta

11 December 2021 - GECKO Conservancy

Anton van Niekerk and I conducted a pen ultimate Grass Owl survey for this year at a GECKO site I hadn't visited before.

We met in the late afternoon in the shadow of an oncoming storm and walked the first field, flushing a pair of Marsh Owls

Marsh Owl (Asio capensis)

Overhead we had a Black-winged Kite

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

and on the flowers, many Pioneer Caper White's were present

Pioneer Caper White (Belenois aurata)

At the adjacent site which had a smaller area of suitable Imperata habitat, we hit the trifecta. Owl + Ring + Egg. A24 is a female ringed 2-years ago and now breeding not too far from where she was originally ringed. I only managed a shot as she dropped back into the grass

African Grass Owl (Tyto capensis)

We then tried one last site, after sitting out the heavy thundershower - but without luck, other than a Yellow-billed Duck on a small dam

Yellow-billed Duck (Anas undulata)

But, this was a great outcome from this quick survey and Anton will check again before the end of the year, to see if the single egg is now more than one.