Kyalami Estates May Round-up

31 May 2024 - Kyalami Estates

The days are getting shorter and temps are slowly starting to drop - winter is another month away. 

May was a productive month, from a biodiversity perspective and I also recorded 45 species which is on par with last year. 

A few birds from the garden included; Amethyst Sunbird feeding or drinking from the flower of the Giant Strelitzia

Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

Cape Robin-chat which is not so bold despite the density of people in the Estate

Cape Robin-Chat (Dessonornis caffra)

A Cardinal Woodpecker entertained us one weekend while braai'ing

Male Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens)

Whilst Southern Grey-headed Sparrow's tend to make an appearance when I fill the feeders. This one framed by the leaves of a Wild Pear and a crisp blue winter sky

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus)

In the main park, Grey Go-away Birds are common

Grey Go-away Bird (Crinifer concolor)

And the Bishops are now all in winter plumage

Southern Red Bishop (Euplectes orix)

Whilst Mannikin's are still feeding on grasses for the last available seeds

Juvenile Bronze Mannikin (Spermestes cucullata)

The mature habitat and big old trees around St Ledger is still the best place in the Estate for birding and more often than not turns up something unexpected. 

There is a flock of Arrow-marked Babbler's that call the Poplar forest home and more often than not, they are found foraging on the floor in the dense leaf litter carpet - they always sound like they are having a good time

Arrow-marked Babbler (Turdoides jardineii)

It is also the most reliable place to find raptors, specifically Accipiter's, that love the massive Bluegum Trees and the dense Poplar forest - Ovambo are occasional and this month I was fortunate to connect with one

Ovambo Sparrowhawk (Accipiter ovampensis)

Along with a Black-winged Kite giving me the eyeball as it passed by overhead

Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus)

Brown-hooded Kingfisher can be heard calling around the Estate in summer months

Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris)

Reed Cormorant are found at all the bigger dams within the Estate - I went for a creative backlit image for this one

Reed Cormorant (Microcarbo africanus)

However, the most interesting find and 'bird of the month' was this western sub-specie (anderssoni) of Golden-tailed Woodpecker I found vigorously feeding in the Poplar forest. Note the dark and closely streaked throat, that is not present on the nominate

Western ssp Golden-tailed Woodpecker (Campethera a. anderssoni)

A single Southern Grey-headed Sparrow followed it closely, as it flew from tree-to-tree - maybe just out out curiosity?

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (Passer diffusus)

As always, I check for butterflies on my walks - African Grass Blue

African Grass Blue (Zizeeria k. knysna)

Common Leopard

Common Leopard (Phalanta phalantha)

and a really small Pioneer Caper White

Pioneer Caper White (Belenois aurota)

Still a few Damselflies

Damselfly sp.

and the odd Dragonfly

Dragonfly sp.

This is a common Honey Bee

Honey Bee

This is similar, but has been up-sized considerably - Sumo Bee?

'Monster' Bee

Carpenter Bee

Carpenter Bee (Xylocopa caffra)

and a Hover Fly

Hover Fly sp.

This just a creative floral image with a dispersing seed

Dispersing seed

and I got out with the full moon (nooooooo I was not affected) - two different takes

Full moon

Aloes, Aloes everywhere!

25 May 2024 - The Aloe Farm

I had heard about the opportunities to photograph Sunbirds at The Aloe Farm, so when my good friend Glynn Harrington invited me to join him one crisp winter's morning, I jumped at the chance.

It was an hour's drive from Midrand and I met Glynn at the entrance just on opening time, along with a few other photographers. There were flowering Aloe's inside and outside the nursery, so it was tough to choose where to start in amongst the riot of orange, red and yellow flowers.

The majority of Sunbird's present were Amethyst, but they were very active in the cold early morning temperatures, so patience and staying one area was the strategy. Here is a selection of male Amethyst's in different plumage's.

Male Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

A few females

Female Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

and a juvenile

Juvenile Amethyst Sunbird (Chalcomitra amethystina)

White-bellied Sunbirds were the next numerous, but were often chased off by the more aggressive or territorial Amethyst's - here a few images of the male

Male White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

and female

Female White-bellied Sunbird (Cinnyris talatala)

I was disappointed not to find any Marico Sunbirds, but in between the Sunbirds, there were other distractions - Blue Waxbill

Blue Waxbill (Uraeginthus angolensis)

Along with Cape Weaver's which also enjoy feeding on Aloes

Cape Weaver (Ploceus capensis)

In the gardens, I found Southern Boubou

Southern Boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus)

And White-throated Robin-Chat which is always good to see

White-throated Robin-Chat (Dessonornis humeralis)

Later in the year, White-fronted Bee-eaters have a small breeding colony in one of the sandbanks on the nursery - I managed to find two on the overhead lines

White-fronted Bee-eater (Merops bullockoides)

Looking up, Cape Vultures from the nearby Magaliesberg colony were seen cruising by overhead

Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres)

It was a great morning out with many photographic and creative opportunities and I will be sure to visit again, especially if other Sunbird species occur more regularly.