Africa Wild

Episode 6 Birding isn’t all that bad

The last few years I started looking at our winged friends when visiting the Park, it has made my trips to Kruger a bit more colourful and also it makes my wish list a lot bigger when I plan a new trip. This past year I was able to tick a few lifers and then there were a sighting or two where I was able to take a kiekie of a bird I have seen before but haven’t been able to capture on film.

Sept 2013
Lifer #1 Jameson’s Firefinch


Lifer #2
Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike


Lifer #3
Black-crowned Tchagra


Lifer #4
Gold-breasted Bunting


Lifer #5
African Cuckoo


March 2014
Lifer #6 African Pipit


Lifer #7 Marico Sunbird


July 2014
Lifer #8 African Stonechat


Lifer #9 Crested Guineafowl


December 2104/January 2015
Lifer #10
Spotted Flycatcher


Lifer #11
Ayre’s Hawk-Eagle


Lifer #12
African Black Duck


Lifer #13
Yellow-throated Longclaw


Lifer #14
Retz’s Helmet-Shrike


And then the elusive Crowned Hornbill, who I have seen in March 2013 at Sabie Park, but weren’t quick enough to take a pic of. Then I saw on in July 2013 from the Skukuza deck and again no kiekie. I sat this holiday outside on the stoep one afternoon at Sabie Park and heard them, right above me but my camera was in the car so I ran for dear life, only getting strange looks from my family and when I got back out of breathe but just too late for any photo. So when my mum and me left the house for an afternoon drive and I spotted them again I stalled the car, jumped out and face buried behind the camera I were able to take a few kiekies… Here is one as proof of my sighting:


To be continued…

hey anreksie..

my donder sussie.........

that is a very impressive collection of lifer kiekies indeed



you know i really enjoyed hooking up with you guys at the golf club that afternoon..

i did not want to leave...............

Fantastic birds, Heksie

The Crowned Toko and the Retz’s Helmet-Shrike are my favs, boths with lovely red bills

Ayre's Hawk-eagle


I hope you won't post lifers only

leachy wrote:

hey anreksie..

my donder sussie.........

that is a very impressive collection of lifer kiekies indeed



you know i really enjoyed hooking up with you guys at the golf club that afternoon..

i did not want to leave...............

I have a few more trips planned this year, so we are definitely going to have a lekker braai and kuier some more
WE had a lot of fun there at the golf club, identifying a go-away bird as a green pigeon and many other birds which it wasn't, seems that we shouldn't go birdwatching after a few doppe

Toko wrote:Fantastic birds, Heksie

The Crowned Toko and the Retz’s Helmet-Shrike are my favs, boths with lovely red bills

Ayre's Hawk-eagle


I hope you won't post lifers only

I was having a few KPA's with friends one afternoon in Marloth Park, heard the Ret'z Helmet-Shrikes, first thought they were red-eyed Bulbul but they don't stya in that area, jumped up and down with this sighting.
My other birdies are yet to come, this is mos a mengelmoes

what a lot of lifers
I still have to see some

magnificent

That's what I call a super list of lifers

Happy to hear that the birds have convinced you too

Sjoe, some rare birds there, Heks!

The osprey is a fish eagle, I think?


You and I would have a problem synchronising our ideas of game drive times

And maybe the Ayer's hawk eagles are African Hawk-eagles

Some great lifers!