On Sunday 16th August, I followed a
recommendation from Brian Finch and visited a high altitude (c. 2400- 2700m asl)
grassland site some 11 kms west of Molo. The grassland was relatively
short and tussocky with thistle plants. There was a small dam in the site
as well. The dam had 2 Yellow-billed Duck, 4 or 5 African Snipe and 3 Cape
Wagtails. The grassland highlights included Common Quail, 3 Black-winged
Plovers, 2 African Wattled Plovers, 2 pairs of Sharpe’s Longclaws (well
seen feeding in the short grass areas), 3 Aberdare Cisiticolas (1 perched on a
fence post and 2 perched on the top of the thistle plants), several Jackson’s
Widowbirds and perhaps the biggest surprise at this altitude was a displaying
Flappet Lark. There were no high altitude Sunbirds visible but the
Leonotis flowers were over. But 2 Superb Starlings and 2 Greater
Blue-eared Starlings flying over was unexpected. All in all a very
interesting visit and I only hope the grassland remains free of any ploughing
as this particular site was not that extensive.
Regards to all
Nigel Hunter