Kyalami Estates - October Round-up

31 October 2022 - Kyalami Estates

Spring is slowly making way for summer and it is evident in all the breeding activity now taking place. October was still a modest month, with only 53 species recorded and this count was supplemented by the returning intra-Africa migrants, namely; White-throated + Greater-striped Swallow, White-rumped Swift and both Diederick and Red-chested Cuckoo.

The only Palearctic migrant that has returned so far is European Bee-eater.

As always, I recorded birds in my garden like this skulking Burchell's Coucal. I am always amazed at how such a large bird can remain undetected in such close proximity. Even in this dim view, the red eye is visible

Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchelli)

From my balcony, I managed to photograph both African Palm Swift

African Palm Swift (Cypsiurus parvus)

and White-rumped Swift

White-rumped Swift (Apus caffer)

In the main Park, I had the usual suspects - African Olive Pigeon

African Olive Pigeon (Columba arquatrix)

Hadeda Ibis

Hadeda Ibis (Bostrychia hagedash)

The returning pair of White-throated Swallows that have completed their nest building - we now wait on the babies to fledge

White-throated Swallow (Hirundo albigularis)

I caught this Tawny-flanked Prinia carrying some nesting material - my favourite image from our Estate for October

Tawny-flanked Prinia (Prinia subflava)

A surprise fly over of an African Hawk Eagle

African Harrier-Hawk (Polyboroides typus)

The Southern Red Bishops are all in summer plumage and frenetically building nests in between displaying

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Down at the St Ledger Dam, it was the same for the Cape Weavers, who love the Willow Trees

Male Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis)

I managed to track down the resident Malachite Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristata)

There is another colony of Red Bishops at this dam too

Female Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

and the Black-backed Puffback which is more often heard than seen in and around the Poplar Forest

Black-backed Puffback (Dryoscopus cubla)