28/05/2013

I popped past on Saturday and could not get into the sanctuary as there was a power failure. Te security guard was unable to open as she did not have keys for the gate motor which was a little frustrating.

I went back on Sunday and the water levels are extremely high. There is a large flock of Flamingo's. I counted at least 45 individual birds. I am not sure how long they will be around for but i am expecting them to start there migration to Kenya soon. A few white faced ducks,common moorhen and spur winged geese around but nothing much happening.

Good sightings of some really good birds at Suikerbos though. Fairy flycatcher,black eagle,steppe buzzard,capped wheatear,and another european roller.

21/03/2013

Awesome morning,the light was great early today with the late autumn sun giving rich colours. The malachite kingfishers are still around.18 degrees at 07.00am.Rondebult manages to surprise me every now and then showing willow warbler,african goshawk,red throated wrynec,african rail on occasion and today it was a pair of breeding South African Shelduck.A Rondebult lifer for me and really close.

Female South African Shelduck

Male South African Shelduck

The Malachites are still hanging round hide number 1

                                                    African Reed Warbler

                                            Juvenile Common Moorhen

                                                            Hunting Squacco

                                                          Greater Flamingo

9/3/2013

Rondebult was very quite today.The water levels are extremely high with the weeds really making it difficult in front of hide one and two obscuring the view of the bird life.The green seeds are starting to cover the water surface again and in particular at hide umber two. Not many pics today but a couple of nice sightings in particular this Malachite Kingfisher adult in front of hide number one.The squacco heron was seen at hide number three. While there i met a polish chap Peter.Had a nice chat about lens and cameras and his enthusiasm was great.

15/02/2013

The sanctuary is looking quite shoddy as we head into late summer,all the wading areas in front of all the hides are covered in grass and waist high weeds,coupled with very high water levels there are no waders at all. I did manage to see a flock of little stints as they flashed past and head towards the smaller water pans at the back of the reserve. This area is supposedly out of bounds to folk but i see no harm in taking a walk up next to the boundary fence east of hide number one.The few visitors to this area will not impact at all and some good sightings are common. In fact ruff,three banded plover,african snipe,black crake are common around these shallow ponds which are seasonal.

Black Crowned Night herons are common here and there are a few breeding pairs so young are regularly sighted.

 The african reed warbler pictured here are continually flitting around.

 This little egret has been hanging around hide number one for over a month and i got some good pics in my last visit here.

 Little stint. starting to gather before they migrate.

 Yellow billed duck

Visit www.birdsouthafrica.co.za for more pics by Warren. Also try out www.birdsouthafrica.blogspot.com for trip reports for South Africa.

12/01/2013

Good weather for the first few hours and then the clouds rolled in and the light got to bad to take pics.Water levels are still very high and the smell at hide number two is pretty bad.Sightings this morning produced nothing new. The water at hide number one has not retreated which is good news. Got some pics of a little egret hunting in front of hide number one. Really interesting fact is that there has been no water here for over 18 months and yet this egret was catching fish at a furious rate.I have some pics with the fish in the egrets beak,not sure if they are very large tadpoles or baby barbel[catfish]the one pic under enlargement shows a flat head with long body looks like a barbel but not sure. I know barbel will bury themselves deep in the mud as the water dries out and then come out when the water has come back.Not sure if this is the case here.
                                                                            Little Egret

 Hottentot Teals

                                                              Cattle Egret Juvenile

                                                           Little Egret Hunting

                                                             Little Egret with Lunch

                                                          Malachite Kingfisher Juvenile

                                                          Little Egret Hunting

                                                  Pin Tailed Whydah Female

                                            Breeding Reed Cormorant

 White Throated Swallows

                                          White Faced Duck

 White Throated Ducks.

Hooked up with Chris Speight and Johan Nel. These guys specialise in bike racing photography and where paying there first visit to the sanctuary. I got the impression that they really enjoyed themselves and where full of praise for the work done here and the condition of the sanctuary. Really good to get positive feedback from new folk visiting. Showed me some settings on my camera and really gratefull to them for there help.

27/12/2012

Spent a few hours here this morning,water is clean although the levels are very high.Hide no 1 has water for the first time in 18 months,now just some time for the weeds to die down and it should be a productive hide once again.The trash from xmas and boxing day is an eyesore,even though huge bins are supplied for refuse they are not utilized by visitors .From what i understand you are not allowed to consume alcohol here but from the amount of bottles lying around this is not enforced.

Once again i must recommend that visits over public holidays should be avoided as the hooligan brigade are always there and make a visit a tad uncomfortable.

     

17/11/2012

Very quite today,the water levels have risen quite substantially since my last visit.The water is clean but there is a little smell around of rotting vegetation. I counted 13 greater flamingos which consisted of adult and juvenile.all the normal ducks expected to be found here during summer.Very little warbler activity in fact heard and saw the cape reed warbler only.List for this morning are.
Burchells coucal,white faced,yellow billed duck,Grey,Black Headed and Black crowned night heron,whiskered tern,red billed teal,southern pochard,cape shoveller,greater flamingo,levaillants cisticola,white throated and greater striped swallows,african purple swamp hen,little bittern,spur winged goose,all three ibis,bishops,myna and the doves.

                                              Hottentot teal female left and male right

                                                        Female Red Billed Teal

                                                  Southern Pochard Breeding Male

                                               Whiskered Tern Breeding Male

                                              Male and Female White Throated Swallow