18/09/2011 two

As i said in my earlier post i had visited other sites to bird.At the time of my last visit the BS had looked shabby but spring has arrived and the green shoots are coming through and the reeds have shot up to just under knee height.Spring doe's make everything look better but i think this is a just on the surface. Still large amounts of animal dung lying around in the picnic area.Water levels in the main pan are still high.The pan at number 1 hide is half empty, not sure if this is too get rid of the green seed which had choked it over winter or because water has stopped running in.Water levels at hide number two have receded but are still a little high but the water is clean. I managed to get around to the grassland via the walkway next to the eastern fence. I have been coming here for ages and never knew it existed.Walk down to hide 1 go left through the veld to the fence,turn right and walk up,a nice small dam is situated on the right and ruff,sandpiper,snipe,plover,waterfowl are all seen here.Walk up past the willow trees and the whole back of the reserve is accessible with herds of antelope and zebra which are pretty tame.A good visit which produced some spring specials.

                                                      LIST

Spur winged goose                                                             Red knobbed coot

Dabchick                                                                             Common moorhen

Yellow billed duck                                                             Hottentot teal

Sacred Ibis                                                                          Hadeda Ibis

Glossy Ibis                                                                          Cape Reed Warbler

Levaillant’s cistacola                                                          Long tailed widow bird

Fiscal shrike                                                                         Southern masked weaver

Egyptian goose                                                                    Reed cormorant

Ruff                                                                                     Marsh Sandpiper

African Stone Chat                                                              Black smith Plover

Three banded plover                                                           doves and pigeons