Karen Country Club bird walk, Friday 9 June 2017
On a perfect sunny morning, Friday 9 June, a larger group than usual set off for the Karen Country Club bird walk – myself, Alastair Campbell, Sverre Tom Radøy og Christine Præsttun & daughters, Lucy Gardner, Will Connock, Andy & Jane Ward, and Karen Plumbe.
Again we found the wetlands to be too overgrown to be very productive for waterbirds, though in the surrounding bush and woodland Grey-capped Warbler, Yellow-breasted and Black-collared Apalis, Yellow-whiskered Greenbul, Ruppell’s Robin Chat, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird and Tropical Boubou were already in fine voice. Through the early morning mists we saw the silhouette of a Grey Crowned Crane perched atop a tree, while other trees produced Black-headed Heron, White-headed Barbet and Lesser Honeyguide. Cinnamon-chested Bee-eaters were present in good numbers, here and elsewhere.
At the dam the water levels were quite high, and Yellow-billed Ducks and Little Grebe were plentiful, along with a family of Egyptian Geese and the usual presence of Three-banded Plovers along the rim. A Wire-tailed Swallow (as usual) and immature Reed Cormorant were perched on the jetty, and remained unperturbed by our close attention.
The small pond at the 5th was open enough for us to get clear views of Common Moorhen, Black Crake and Red-knobbed Coot, and to admire the nest-building skills of the Grosbeak Weaver. Even better though was the new wetlands by the cottage development, which has matured into a very attractive site, with African Jacana trotting across the lilies, Holub’s Golden Weaver, and, in a tree above, the Purple Heron, which has clearly transferred its allegiance from the larger wetlands.
Other noteworthy sightings during the walk included Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Pale Flycatcher, African Goshawk, Cape Robin Chat, female Black Cuckooshrike, African Paradise Flycatcher, Collared and Northern Double-collared Sunbirds, and Hartlaub’s Turaco. Despite the fine morning there were few swallows or swifts to be seen, except for the occasional Black Saw-wing, and the entire walk did not feature a single pigeon or dove – seen or heard.
All in all, a very pleasant morning yielded 53 species – see full list below.
John Dawson
Birds seen and heard on Karen Club bird walk, 9 June 2017
Egyptian Goose
Yellow-billed Duck
Little Grebe
Sacred Ibis
Hadada Ibis
Black-headed Heron
Purple Heron
Reed Cormorant
Black Kite
African Goshawk
Black Crake
Common Moorhen
Red-knobbed Coot
Grey Crowned Crane
Three-banded Plover
African Jacana
Hartlaub’s Turaco
Red-chested Cuckoo
Speckled Mousebird
Cinnamon-chested Bee-eater
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
White-headed Barbet
Lesser Honeyguide
Black-backed Puffback
Tropical Boubou
Black Cuckooshrike
Common Fiscal
African Paradise Flycatcher
White-bellied Tit
Black Saw-wing
Wire-tailed Swallow
Singing Cisticola
Black-collared Apalis
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Grey-capped Warbler
Grey-backed Camaroptera
Common Bulbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Dark-capped Yellow Warbler
Olive Thrush
Cape Robin Chat
Ruppell’s Robin Chat
White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Collared Sunbird
Bronze Sunbird
Northern Double-collared Sunbird
Variable Sunbird
Grosbeak Weaver
Baglafecht Weaver
Holub’s Golden Weaver
Bronze Mannikin
African Pied Wagtail
(53 species)