HOG RANCH 5th April 2013
On Friday afternoon, Rupert Watson phoned to see if I would like to go
for a bird walk at Hog Ranch. As this is on our estate and less than a
kilometre away it seemed very attractive.
I was around at his place at 6.30am, and after admiring the raging
river coursing through his garden walked up to Hog Ranch.
Before we entered the place we could see a Red-backed Shrike and a
Common Whitethroat. On entering we had a very pleasant time over the
next couple of hours birding amongst the Giraffes and Wart Hogs. Then
returned back to his garden and called it a day at 11.00am. At home I
only had one bird that was calling outside that was an addition to the
day, and that was a Black-headed Oriole, my 84th species for the day!
Other highlights included a smart Common Cuckoo, a pair of Little
Bee-eaters, a pair of African Hoopoes, Eastern Honeybird, a rather
lost Rufous-naped Lark, a remarkable gathering of forty Black
Saw-wings, with compact groups of adult males involved in strange
clustered diving displays, many Garden Warblers, but few Willow
Warblers.
Best to all
Brian