21/04/2012

Swamphen

                                 I see swamphen every time i visit in front of hide number two.

                      Male Cape Shoveler

 Female Cape Shoveler

 Cape Wagtail

                                                                                                                              Common Myna

 Lesser Swamp Warbler

  Reed Cormorant enjoying a frog breakfast.

 This time of year Spur Winged Geese abound at the sanctuary and will provide a lot of good photo op's

  White Faced Duck

Winter here is always quite but will give good sightings of the more common birds.The areas in front of hide two,three and four have been cleared and the one perch in front of hide number three has been moved giving good morning lighting.Did not spend much time here today given I only arrived at 08.00 am and it was pretty busy.The dam in front of Hide number three is completely covered in green seed but there are huge numbers of coot, Egyptian geese,white faced duck,ibis,spur winged geese,little grebe and yellow billed duck giving much photo action but nothing else.Hide number two is the most productive from a pure birding point of view, given that the hide is right next to the shallows and the weeds have been cleared, close up views of swamphen, african rail,plovers and warbler are possible in the winter and the summer will produce sandpiper,swallow,little bittern and many more. Saturday produced some nice sightings.

11/03/2012

Arrived at 6.30 this morning. 16 degrees c and the water temp is 20 degrees c. Low water levels at hide number 3. lots of red knobbed coot and Egyptian geese. Hide number 2 produced African Purple swamphen close up and a reed cormorant having a frog breakfast.White throated swallows seem to have moved on but lots of Barn Swallow and white rumped swift. The dumping on the entrance road has got worse.The leaves on the white stinkwood are starting to turn yellow although i expect them to be in leaf for at least another 8 weeks.

Hooked up with a chap from Boksburg Camera Club and a couple had come through from Heidelberg. Also took a look at the Edenvale Camera Clubs site as i see them often at the reserve. Must say i think i could compete with there pictures given i am a birder who takes pics and not a photographer who takes pics of birds. 

07/03/2012

Autumn time here in Joburg and the mornings are getting a little chilly although considering the heat wave we have just come through anything under 25 degrees c is chilly.Strike season as well so i headed out to practice my photography skills. The new pathways to hide 3 and 4 are complete, dumping is still taking place on the new entrance road leaving a bad impression and lousy smell.A new lady guard today what a pleasant change from the other one who was always hitting me up for food and cold drinks and even cash on occasion. The water levels in front of hides 3 and 4 are very low showing islands that where never there before, the water is completely covered in the green seeds and a little algae. Eventually visited hide number 5,awesome view of the whole sanctuary and some nice birds spotted. I think this stretch of water will be good for some good sightings in the future.Not great for photography but awesome for birding.
today's pics

AFRICAN REED WARBLER

 AFRICAN SPOONBILL

 LITTLE BITTERN

 RED KNOBBED COOT

 SPUR WINGED GOOSE

 THICK BILLED WEAVER MALE BREEDING PLUMAGE

 WHITE FACED DUCK

25/02/2012

Arrived at 5.45am this morning cloudy but i expect it will clear soon,temp is 22 c and water levels are still low.They are laying new pathways to the hides which is great to see money been spent.Would rather they concentrated on the water levels and weeds but hey money spent here is always welcome. Have the place to myself which is great.Not much action but still managed to get a few pics.

Black Crowned Night Heron

                                                          RED BILLED TEAL

                                                                      SACRED IBIS

                                                        WHITE THROATED SWALLOWS

                                                         YELLOW BILLED DUCK

                                                                         Black Heron

This Black Heron was around for a good 50 minutes hunting and eventually took over the swallows perch which did not go done well with them at all. On my way out met a couple who had read my blog and decided to visit awesome.
                                                                                                                        

12/02/2012

More changes at the Bird Sanctuary today,no entry signs have been installed at the old entrance just past the traffic light.You have to travel about 250 meters further on and the entrance is on your right hand side.The road has been resurfaced.Work on the curbs is still ongoing and there is still a lot of rubbish lying around.

The sanctuary was empty when i arrived and the algae is quite thick on the big pan on your right.Water levels are very low with a number of small islands making an appearance. Lots of waterfowl around with sightings of Cape Shoveller,Red Billed Teal,Hottentot Teal,Yellow billed Duck,Fulvous Duck,White Faced Duck,Little Bittern,African Purple Swamphen,Little Grebe,Red Knobbed Coot,Common Moorhen and Great Reed Warbler.The weeds in front of the hides has grown quite high restricting photo opportunities.

28/01/2012

Have not been for awhile ,I tend to stay away during the Christmas break as it becomes a little busy and besides it allows me to go further afield .I must say that the grounds are neat and tidy and the new path to hides number 5 and 6 is complete. Disappointingly the pan in front of hide number one is bone dry and has become overgrown. For birders and photographers alike this is sad as this hide has produced awesome sightings and images over the years. The pan in front of hide number 2 has some rather large and unsightly patches of algae and when the wind turns a slight tinge to the air.Water levels are prefect for waders and juveniles and has attracted teals and ducks.Did arrive late at about 10.00 as i went to Marievale first.See www.birdsouthafrica.blogspot.com for that trip report.Some nice pics but nothing new and exciting.Percy Mitchell got some incredible images of  a malachite kingfisher fishing last weekend. A complaint was laid that the guards was no where to be seen last weekend and therefor access to the hides was not possible. The keys to the hides is with the guard at the main gate.
a couple of images from today.
                                                             White Throated Swallow

                                                           Blacksmith Lapwing Juvenile

                                                                       Fulvous Duck

                                                                     Hottentot Teal

                                                                                Little Grebe

                                                                        Red Billed Teal

04/12/2011

Just popped in for an hour and a half, water levels are down.not much action but did get a lifer in a willow warbler.good pics of white throated swallow as always and the greater flamingos have still not arrived. saw burchells coucal,little bittern,swallows,swift,brown throated martin,spur winged goose,levaillants cisticola,thick billed weaver,swamp hen,common moorhen dabchick,coot,hottentot teal,yellow billed duck and back again black winged stilt which have been absent for awhile.
                                                               WILLOW WARBLER

                                                            BLACK WINGED STILT

                                                       JUVENILE BLACK WINGED STILT

and the ever present white throated swallows