Early winter birding in the Highveld Grasslands

05 May 2024 - Suikerbosrand

This was my first visit to Suikerbos this year and I was joined by my son Jaden and our two good friends Gary and Marius. We met for coffee at the Mugg and Bean before sun-up and it was cold. From there a quick drive to check out Eendracht Rd where there was a lot of frost and not many birds.

We headed to Suikerbosrand Reserve and after paying our entrance view, drove to Reception where we enjoyed a productive walk finding Mocking Cliff Chat

Female Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

Male Mocking Cliff Chat (Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris)

Familiar Chat

Familiar Chat (Oenanthe familiaris)

Ashy Tit is always a good find, as they are not always guaranteed. Although this pair really did play hard to see.

Ashy Tit (Melaniparus cinerascens)

Bar-throated Apalis - this one with a very thin breast-band

Bar-throated Apalis (Apalis thoracica)

And after a bit of work, Fairy Flycatcher which are often found here in the winter months. True to form, this one was really active and didnt sit still for a second.

Fairy Flycatcher (Stenostira scita)

It was then onto the loop road, stopping for a dark morph Mountain Wheatear

Mountain Wheatear (Myrmecocichla monticola)

And on the top the expected Eastern Long-billed Lark

Eastern Long-billed Lark (Certhilauda semitorquata)

Followed by Sentinel Rock Thrush, another winter visitor to the reserve

Male Sentinel Rock Thrush (Monticola explorator)

Wailing Cisticola were also present on the top

Wailing Cisticola (Cisticola lais)

One of the Lizards seen occasionally made an appearance - ID to be confirmed

Lizard sp.

Dropping back down, we found Jackal Buzzard on the pylons

Jackal Buzzard (Buteo rufofuscus)

In the Acacia biome, a distant Acacia Pied Barbet

Acacia Pied Barbet (Tricholaema leucomelas)

And African Red-eyed Bulbul

African Red-eyed Bulbul (Pycnonotus nigricans)

Along with Levailant's Cisticola

Levaillant's Cisticola (Cisticola tinniens)

As we progressed, it slowly warmed up and we thawed out - but overall and enjoyable morning, some good birds along with lots of chirps and laughs and a few lifers for Marius!