Kyalami Estates - March Round-up

31 March 2023 - Kyalami Estates

The end of summer has arrived as we now transition to autumn with cooler and shorter days and golden colours and great early morning light. 

Some migrants have left whilst a few still remain. A few good species were recorded in the total of 56 for the month. 

An early autumn skyline of Sandton and Jozi from our main park

Sandton Skyline 

The Freckled Nightjar's were heard occasionally during the month whilst the Striated Heron young were quite showy down at St Ledger Dam

Juvenile Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

Adult Striated Heron (Butorides striata)

The Red-knobbed Coots seemed to have remained at this Dam too

Red-knobbed Coot (Fulica cristata)

A Malachite Kingfisher also put on a show of its own at St Ledger

Malachite Kingfisher (Corythornis cristata)

Late migrants lingered like this Willow Warbler. They are really difficult to photograph in SA compared to Kuwait on passage!

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus)

and intra-African Greater-striped Swallow

Greater-striped Swallow (Cecropis cucullata)

Along with Yellow-billed Kite's

Yellow-billed Kite (Milvus aegyptius)

My friend Kevin Ravno stayed overnight while he was up for a wedding and we had a morning photographing the resident species of our Estate - so excuse the gluttony of images of the common Estate species - but it was a fun morning photographing together. We had an African Paradise Flycatcher that was not cooperative and a three Lesser Honeyguide's were being harassed by some of the residents

Lesser Honeyguide (Indicator minor)

We got down low for a pair of Cape Wagtails

Cape Wagtail (Motacilla capensis)

and Cape Starlings - but I love the framed image in the Karee Tree

Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis nitens)

as well as Common Moorhen

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

African Olive Pigeons were active with this one coming to drink from the feeder stream between the two dams at the main park

African Olive Pigeon (Columba arquatrix)

I also had a Common Waxbill drop down to drink in a quieter area

Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild)

I got this Cape White-eye with a morning snack

Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens)

I was surprised with a fly-over of a flock of Spur-winged Geese - my first record for the Estate

Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus gambensis)

We found a pair of Spotted Thick-knee's on the verge walking back from the park

Spotted Thick-knee (Burhinus capensis)

We spent quite some time photographing the Southern Red Bishops - most of the males now transitioning to winter plumage

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

and Thick-billed Weavers - many images of this species which are a joy to watch

Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

Juvenile Thick-billed Weaver (Amblyospiza albifrons)

I also recorded a few invertebrates - a Clover Blue

Clover Blue (Zizina o. antanossa)

A Dragonfly sp

Dragonfly sp.

And good numbers of Slate Sprite

Slate Sprite (Pseudagrion salisburyense)

Here an abstract with dew drops where I was hoping for a Damselfly to land

Morning dewdrops

From here on out, birding will get quieter, especially after the migrants depart and the days get colder