Attendees:  Barrie Willis & Sue Hansbury, Stan & Val Culley, Bob & Hazel van Rooyen, Jonathan Davidson

Species identified: 34                                                     Text & Photographs: Hazel van Rooyen
White-backed Night Heron

The weather forecast for Sunday 11 March had been doubtful all week and secretly we all thought we must be mad to venture such a distance.  And it was a ridiculously early start to get to Shongweni by 7am but we made it with 15 minutes to spare.  A quick coffee was gulped down whilst waiting for the office to open at 7am – and waiting and waiting.  No sign of life emerged so we proceeded into the reserve. The 1700ha reserve includes the dam, tall cliffs, riverine bush and valley bushveld – it looked promising.  We took a slow drive to the bottom of the dam wall, on the way identifying the calls of Crested and Black-collared Barbets.  A pair of White-necked Ravens guarded the dam wall.  
Breakfast in a Grassy spot

Stan identifying swallows

We spent some time in this green and grassy spot and Stan confirmed that the numerous show of hirondines swooping all around were Black Swift, White-rumped Swift, Rock Martin, Palm Swift and Lesser-striped Swallow.  Several Pied Wagtails fluttered about, picking at tidbits washing over the dam wall and strutting about like knights on the turrets.  Speckled Pigeons, Red-wing Starling and a White-breasted Cormorant also fancied the vantage point provided by the lofty buttresses.
Following the river bank, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Tambourine Doves were heard and Bob flushed a Jackal Buzzard from its perch in a tree.  A Giant Kingfisher flashed down the river, skilfully avoiding the tumbling waters, while an African Fish Eagle sat in the tree-tops viewing its domain. 
African Fish Eagle
Purple-crested Turacos continually called to each other and a Red-fronted Tinkerbird pop-pop-popped incessantly.

This looked a good place for breakfast so we tucked in hungrily – it had been an early start.  Various raptors played in the thermals along the cliff edge opposite, too far away for identification.  From a rock in the middle of the stream a Hamerkop kept watch for frogs and fishy things being washed over the waterfall. 
Hamerkop
Bob’s sharp eyes picked up a pretty Malachite Kingfisher waiting at the river’s edge on the far bank.  A clump of water hyacinth waited for its turn to be washed down in the whirls and eddies to spread its tentacles and suffocate the pretty river – a sign that all was not entirely well on the Shongweni Dam.
Malachite Kingfisher (water hyacinth in background)

I was changing the card in my camera – typical bad timing – when everyone became very animated.  A White-backed Night Heron had flown into the middle of a leafy tree!  Not the best position for photography but by walking round to get a better view we got a decent photo.  Barrie and Sue were the “delighted-est” of us all – having searched for this bird for over 20 years.  With no alcohol in sight to celebrate, promises were made of a brandy or two on getting back home.
White-backed Night Heron
White-backed Night Heron (the back shows white in flight)
After all this excitement, we drove around the dam to inspect the lay of the land and the safari tents on the opposite side.  These looked quite presentable from the outside at least.  The only birds on the dam were a pair of Yellow-billed Ducks and an Egyptian Goose family with eight fluffy ducklings – ah!  There was a walking trail signposted from the canoe club but it was getting too hot and humid for us faint-hearted folk. The area was also very busy with weekenders picnicking and canoeing so we decided to return to our peaceful spot beneath the dam wall where we relaxed and enjoyed our braai, adding Crowned Eagle and Golden-tailed Woodpecker to our list.  
Mlazi River

Mlazi River


































Species identified:

Barbet, Black-collared
Barbet, Crested
Bulbul, Dark-capped
Buzzard, Jackal
Cormorant, White-breasted
Dove, Red-eyed
Dove, Tamborine
Duck, Yellow-billed
Eagle, African Fish-
Eagle, Crowned
Goose, Egyptian  
Greenbul, Sombre
Hamerkop
Heron, White-backed Night
Hornbill, Crowned
Ibis, Hadeda
Kingfisher, Brown-hooded
Kingfisher, Giant
Kingfisher, Malachite
Kite, Yellow-billed
Martin, Rock
Pigeon, Speckled
Prinia, Tawny-flanked
Raven, White-necked
Starling, Cape Glossy
Starling, red-winged
Swallow, Lesser-striped
Swift, Black
Swift, Palm
Swift, White-rumped
Tinkerbird, Red-fronted
Turaco, Purple-crested
Wagtail, Pied
Woodpecker, Golden-tailed
 

(Photographs property of photographer)