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 |
No comments:
Post a Comment