Monday 1 January 2018

Where are we........

Magoebaskloof Birders' Cottages are located on Dragonwyck Farm, a small farm focussing on  avocado production and propagating indigenous plants. The farm has patches of escarpment forest on it.
The birding on the farm is good, we have  ticked 107 of the 130 birds listed for the 2350_3000 SABAP2 pentad. ( https://goo.gl/atsZ7o )

The Magoebaskloof Birders' Cottages are within an easy drive to the following excellent birding areas.
Swartbosch Forest and Lesodi Trail
Woodbush Forest
Haenertsburg Grasslands
Randfontein Road, dry bushveld area in the Haenertsburg rain shadow.
Kudus Valley road down to the lowveld
Serala Wilderness Area, highland grassveld.

More distant day drives can be undertaken to the Polokwan Game Reserve and Hans Merensky Game Reserve.

The nine pentads ( https://goo.gl/bvYDjjsurrounding Magoebaskloof Birders' Cottages have a total species list of 437 birds.

In this blog I will attempt to record visits to surrounding birding spots. We will map the routes and highlight good birding sites and birds seen.




Sunday 19 November 2017

Dragonwyck Farm bird list

Dragonwyck Farm Bird List
Species name Afrikaans Taxonomic name
No    
1 Apalis, Bar-throated Bandkeelkleinjantjie Apalis thoracica
2 Batis, Cape Kaapse Bosbontrokkie Batis capensis
3 Batis, Chinspot Witliesbosbontrokkie Batis molitor
4 Bee-eater, European Europese Byvreter Merops apiaster
5 Boubou, Southern Suidelike Waterfiskaal Laniarius ferrugineus
6 Brownbul, Terrestrial Boskrapper Phyllastrephus terrestris
7 Bulbul, Dark-capped Swartoogtiptol Pycnonotus tricolor
8 Bush-shrike, Black-fronted Swartoogboslaksman Telophorus nigrifrons
9 Bush-shrike, Grey-headed Spookvoel Malaconotus blanchoti
10 Bush-shrike, Olive Olyfboslaksman Telophorus olivaceus
11 Buzzard, Forest Bosjakkalsvoel Buteo trizonatus
12 Buzzard, Jackal Rooiborsjakkalsvoel Buteo rufofuscus
13 Camaroptera, Green-backed Groenrugkwekwevoel Camaroptera brachyura
14 Canary, Cape Kaapse Kanarie Serinus canicollis
15 Canary, Forest Gestreepte Kanarie Crithagra scotops
16 Canary, Yellow-fronted Geeloogkanarie Crithagra mozambicus
17 Cormorant, Reed Rietduiker Phalacrocorax africanus
18 Coucal, Burchell's Gewone Vleiloerie Centropus burchellii
19 Crested-flycatcher, Blue-mantled Bloukuifvlieevanger Trochocercus cyanomelas
20 Crow, Pied Witborskraai Corvus albus
21 Cuckoo, African Emerald Mooimeisie Chrysococcyx cupreus
22 Cuckoo, Black Swartkoekoek Cuculus clamosus
23 Cuckoo, Red-chested Piet-my-vrou Cuculus solitarius
24 Cuckoo-shrike, Grey Bloukatakoeroe Coracina caesia
25 Dove, Lemon Kaneelduifie Aplopelia larvata
26 Dove, Red-eyed Grootringduif Streptopelia semitorquata
27 Dove, Tambourine Witborsduifie Turtur tympanistria
28 Drongo, Square-tailed Kleinbyvanger Dicrurus ludwigii
29 Duck, African Black Swarteend Anas sparsa
30 Eagle, African Crowned Kroonarend Stephanoaetus coronatus
31 Eagle, Long-crested Langkuifarend Lophaetus occipitalis
32 Firefinch, African Kaapse Vuurvinkie Lagonosticta rubricata
33 Fish-eagle, African Visarend Haliaeetus vocifer
34 Flufftail, Buff-spotted Gevlekte Vleikuiken Sarothrura elegans
35 Flycatcher, African Dusky Donkervlieevanger Muscicapa adusta
36 Flycatcher, Spotted Europese Vlieievanger Muscicapa striata
37 Goshawk, African Afrikaanse Sperwer Accipiter tachiro
38 Greenbul, Sombre Gewone Willie Andropadus importunus
39 Greenbul, Yellow-streaked Geelstreepboskruiper Phyllastrephus flavostriatus
40 Ground-thrush, Orange Oranjelyster Zoothera gurneyi
41 Guineafowl, Helmeted Gewone Tarentaal Numida meleagris
42 Hamerkop, Hamerkop Hamerkop Scopus umbretta
43 Harrier-Hawk, African Kaalwangvalk Polyboroides typus
44 Hawk, African Cuckoo Koekoekvalk Aviceda cuculoides
45 Heron, Black-headed Swartkopreier Ardea melanocephala
46 Heron, Purple Rooireier Ardea purpurea
47 Honeyguide, Scaly-throated Gevlekte Heuningwyser Indicator variegatus
48 Hornbill, Southern Yellow-billed Geelbekneushoringvoel Tockus leucomelas
49 Ibis, Hadeda Hadeda Bostrychia hagedash
50 Indigobird, Village Staalblouvinkie Vidua chalybeata
51 Kingfisher, Brown-hooded Bruinkopvisvanger Halcyon albiventris
52 Kingfisher, Giant Reusevisvanger Megaceryle maximus
53 Kingfisher, Pied Bontvisvanger Ceryle rudis
54 Kingfisher, Striped Gestreepte Visvanger Halcyon chelicuti
55 Kite, Yellow-billed Geelbekwou Milvus aegyptius
56 Mannikin, Bronze Gewone Fret Spermestes cucullatus
57 Mannikin, Red-backed Rooirugfret Spermestes bicolor
58 Martin, Rock Kransswael Hirundo fuligula
59 Mousebird, Speckled Gevlekte Muisvoel Colius striatus
60 Olive-pigeon, African Geelbekbosduif Columba arquatrix
61 Oriole, Black-headed Swartkopwielewaal Oriolus larvatus
62 Owl, Barn Nonnetjie-uil Tyto alba
63 Palm-swift, African Palmwindswael Cypsiurus parvus
64 Paradise-flycatcher, African Paradysvlieevanger Terpsiphone viridis
65 Parrot, Cape Parrot Woudpapegaai Poicephalus robustus
66 Pipit, Striped Gestreepte Koester Anthus lineiventris
67 Prinia, Tawny-flanked Bruinsylangstertjie Prinia subflava
68 Puffback, Black-backed Sneeubal Dryoscopus cubla
69 Pygmy-Kingfisher, African Dwergvisvanger Ispidina picta
70 Quelea, Red-billed Rooibekkwelea Quelea quelea
71 Raven, White-necked Withalskraai Corvus albicollis
72 Robin, White-starred Witkoljanfrederik Pogonocichla stellata
73 Robin-chat, Cape Gewone Janfrederik Cossypha caffra
74 Robin-chat, Chorister Lawaaimakerjanfrederik Cossypha dichroa
75 Robin-chat, Red-capped Nataljanfrederik Cossypha natalensis
76 Saw-wing, Black (Southern race) Swartsaagvlerkswael Psalidoprocne holomelaena
77 Sparrowhawk, Black Swartsperwer Accipiter melanoleucus
78 Sparrowhawk, Little Kleinsperwer Accipiter minullus
79 Spurfowl, Natal Natalse Fisant Pternistis natalensis
80 Starling, Red-winged Rooivlerkspreeu Onychognathus morio
81 Sunbird, Amethyst Swartsuikerbekkie Chalcomitra amethystina
82 Sunbird, Collared Kortbeksuikerbekkie Hedydipna collaris
83 Sunbird, Greater Double-collared Groot-rooibandsuikerbekkie Cinnyris afer
84 Sunbird, Southern Double-collared Klein-rooibandsuikerbekkie Cinnyris chalybeus
85 Swallow, Barn Europese Swael Hirundo rustica
86 Swallow, Greater Striped Grootstreepswael Hirundo cucullata
87 Swallow, Lesser Striped Kleinstreepswael Hirundo abyssinica
88 Thrush, Olive Olyflyster Turdus olivaceus
89 Trogon, Narina Bosloerie Apaloderma narina
90 Turaco, Knysna Knysnaloerie Tauraco corythaix
91 Turaco, Purple-crested Bloukuifloerie Gallirex porphyreolophus
92 Twinspot, Green Groenkolpensie Mandingoa nitidula
93 Wagtail, African Pied Bontkwikkie Motacilla aguimp
94 Wagtail, Cape Gewone Kwikkie Motacilla capensis
95 Wagtail, Mountain Bergkwikkie Motacilla clara
96 Warbler, Barratt's Ruigtesanger Bradypterus barratti
97 Waxbill, Blue Gewone Blousysie Uraeginthus angolensis
98 Waxbill, Common Rooibeksysie Estrilda astrild
99 Waxbill, Swee Suidelike Swie Coccopygia melanotis
100 Weaver, Spectacled Brilwewer Ploceus ocularis
101 Weaver, Thick-billed Dikbekwewer Amblyospiza albifrons
102 White-eye, Cape Kaapse Glasogie Zosterops virens
103 Whydah, Pin-tailed Koningrooibekkie Vidua macroura
104 Widowbird, White-winged Witvlerkflap Euplectes albonotatus
105 Woodland-warbler, Yellow-throated Geelkeelsanger Phylloscopus ruficapilla
106 Wood-owl, African Bosuil Strix woodfordii
107 Woodpecker, Olive Gryskopspeg Dendropicos griseocephalus

Yellowwood Trail on Dragonwyck Farm. Magoebaskloof

Yellowwood Trail Signpost
The yellowood trail on Dragonwyck farm in Magoebaskloof (www.mbcottage.co.za )
is a short walk through a small plantation of Podocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus henkelii trees and on into a patch of  escarpment forest.
Podocarpus falcatus plantation.
The Cape Parrots can be found in the Podocarpus falcatus trees when they are fruiting. I have yet to see them eating Podocarpus henkelii fruits. To my eye the henkelii trees seem to provide a lot more food, but then I am not a Cape Parrot. My aim one day is to put a nesting box on one of the very big Podocarpus falcatus trees.


Podocarpus falcatus 
Podocarpus falcatus 




























The Podocarpus henkelii plantation provides excellent habitat for the Orange Ground Thrush and the Olive Thrush. Their dense canopy has created a clear forest floor.

Clear forest floor under the Podocarpus henkelii trees.
The path then leads into what I can only presume was an attempt to build a road in the past. The road starts and ends without any connection to existing roads.

Path into the patch of escarpment forest.
As with all forest birding you have to be in the right place when a bird party passes through.
In my experience, if you hear the Olive Woodpecker then you can expect to see a bird party associated with it. The bird parties here usually include the following birds:-
Black-fronted Bush-Shrike,Cape Batis,  Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Grey Cuckooshrike .