Tag Archives: photography

Bird Photography, Birding Spots, Game Reserves

Chobe River and Game Reserve – the Final Visit …. (Part 2)

March 7, 2026 Don Reid 7 Comments

Just to repeat the intro from Part 1….. briefly –

I made my last visit to Kasane in November 2018 for the final formal handover of the Kasane Airport project in northern Botswana to the Client. I had made many adhoc visits to Chobe Game Reserve during the course of the project and decided to spoil myself with one last “grande finale” photographic safari, expertly run by Pangolin Photo Safaris, both on land and on the river, soaking up the incomparable African game-viewing and bird-watching on offer.

Aerial view of the Chobe River while landing at Kasane

I have written several posts about some of my memorable experiences in Chobe over the years, but never got around to ‘finishing the story’ as it were, so bear with me as I reminisce about my final visit to Kasane.

Part 1 covered the Boat Trip on the river, Part 2 is all about ….

The Game Drive…

It was Friday morning and my mind was spinning with the memories of the boat trip the previous afternoon, but now it was time to do the land-based version – same guests, same driver (nicknamed ‘Killer’ – I never asked why), same guide and photography expert (Janine), different transport – a game drive vehicle kitted with bean bags to support cameras both sides.

Janine collected me at 5am, drove to the Pangolin Lodge, newly built and overlooking the flood plains of Chobe, picked up the other couple and off we went. The early start was a good idea as we were well ahead of the other game drive vehicles, a crucial advantage which paid off in spades – as you will see…

Janine started by suggesting that the small group, being seasoned game drivers, should look for special sightings and photo opportunities only – Killer asked what we would really like to see and as one we answered “Leopard!”

So we bypassed the “ordinary stuff” initially and bumped along the sandy track that follows the southern shore of the Chobe River, its banks wide and dry at this time of year.

Killer suddenly brought the vehicle to a halt, as he did we saw what he had spotted a split second before – a beautiful female Leopard lying on all fours and ignoring us with a slightly disdainful expression

As Janine gave exposure instructions (under expose a tad for the dark background), we all rattled off a number of shots, fearing the leopard would move away.

And that’s what she did, moving behind a bushy tree to her right, where we could just make out the Impala kill which she proceeded to drag a little, then lick and eventually chew with some satisfaction.

Once sated, she left the prey and came back to check us out, sitting upright and staring straight at us, with a look that said ‘now they could make a tasty dessert’ .

A few minutes later she moved away from her kill and from us and we eventually moved on ourselves, fairly trembling from the excitement of such a magnificent sighting.

Anything after that was bound to be tame by comparison, but we pushed on, just enjoying the feel of the bush and its multitude of wildlife, including, as we were soon to discover, one of the most dangerous of all.

A Black-backed Jackal drew our attention and although quite far off, we tried a few shots – it too was looking at us but with none of the charisma of the leopard, more of a ‘nice doggy’ sort.

Black-backed Jackal, Chobe Riverfront game drive

A group of Warthogs approached and some of them got into mock fighting mode, meeting each other head on. This one continued grazing in peace

Chacma Baboons are always a delight to watch, such as this youngster riding like a jockey on Mother’s back

Chacma Baboon, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Moving along the track, which gets inundated in the rainy season, there was a sudden call of ‘Snake!’ and we shouted ‘Stop!’ in unison.

Killer knew better and only came to a halt at a safe distance, knowing the snake to be one of the most dangerous and venomous around and capable of raising itself to two-thirds of its length to strike – not a comfortable thought when you are in an open safari vehicle.

The driver of an open safari vehicle is particularly vulnerable, being at an ideal strike level with a convenient (for the snake) forearm often resting on the open sill of the door….

It was of course a large Black Mamba, most feared of snakes, and it was already raised about 1 metre high and looking mean.

Black Mamba, Chobe Riverfront game drive

There was just time for one snatched shot before it lowered to the ground and slid off into the bush, leaving us once again in an elevated state of excitement.

Not long after another reptile crossed our path, this time a non-threatening Water Monitor, looking quite prehistoric

Water Monitor, Chobe Riverfront game drive

By now we had gone well past the usual picnic spot, so Killer stopped at a ‘Stretch point’ where we had coffee and biscuits before heading back along the upper road.

Stretch point on Chobe Riverfront Game Drive

On the way back various wildlife presented some further photo opportunities

Banded Mongoose, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Three young Impala, still in ‘Nursery school’, made for a charming sight with their oversized ears alert to our presence

Impala nursery school, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Puku are not found in South Africa, occurring mostly in the wet grasslands and floodplains of central Africa, so are a particular pleasure to see as they graze, often ankle deep in the water

The Birds

Birding was secondary to game-chasing on this trip, nevertheless I was able to spot a broad selection of the birds that I have become accustomed to when traversing the Chobe Waterfront

This Hamerkop posed nicely in the early morning light, giving it a handsome golden appearance

**Red-billed Spurfowl**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Spur-winged Geese are often seen in the distance, but this one gave us close up views as it swam along the river’s edge

Spur-winged Goose, Chobe Riverfront game drive

Yellow-billed Kites visit southern Africa in our summer and are widespread across the region, usually seen singly in the air as they cruise not far above the ground. What we encountered was very unique, with upwards of 30 Kites gathered in one small area along the river bank, some just resting, others making short flights and returning to the same spot.

Yellow-billed Kite, Chobe Riverfront game drive

**Crested Francolin**, (photo taken in Kruger Park)

The African Fish-Eagle occurs all along the river at intervals which allow each one enough territory in which to hunt for their fish prey, which are abundant

**African Fish-Eagle**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

And then it was the turn of …… BEAUTY

**Southern Carmine Bee-eater**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

And the …… BEAST

**Marabou Stork**, Chobe Riverfront game drive

**Squacco Heron** (photo taken elsewhere)

**Kori Bustard**, (photo taken in Kruger Park)

**Collared Pratincole**, Chobe River trip

And that’s the end of this tail … er tale

Time to go ……

Leaving Chobe Game Reserve after the game drive on my last morning along the familiar sandy, bumpy track, through the Sedudu gate and out on to the tar road back to Kasane, it momentarily struck me that this was possibly the last time I would see this place and an almost tangible sadness washed over me for a few seconds, only to be replaced with the happy thought of all the memories I had gathered over more than 3 years. Maybe one day I’ll return …..

Bird in the Lens, Bird Photography, Birding Spots, Game Reserves

Chobe River and Game Reserve – the Final Visit …. (Part 1)

February 16, 2026 Don Reid 6 Comments

The last major project that I was involved in before finally retiring from Quantity Surveying in 2019, was the Kasane Airport project in northern Botswana. Monthly visits spread over 3 years meant I spent an accumulative 60 days or more in Kasane, which is the gateway to the Chobe Game Reserve, and I used every free moment to spend time exploring this special place and on the Chobe River, soaking up the incomparable African game-viewing and bird-watching on offer.

So where is this leading? Well, I made my last visit to Kasane in November 2018 for the final formal handover of the airport terminal buildings to the Client. During the visit I found time to join a photographic safari, expertly run by Pangolin Photo Safaris, both on land and on the river, which left me with a head full of special memories and a memory card full of treasured images.

Aerial view of the Chobe River while landing at Kasane

The Occasional Birding

Before getting to the organised safaris, I found other opportunities to wander…… and wonder at the birdlife

While trying to check in at my booked accommodation, a Trumpeter Hornbill wailed nearby, sounding like a baby crying – perhaps it already knew my booking had somehow been mysteriously cancelled and there were no rooms available.

Trumpeter Hornbill (Male) (Photo taken inKruger Park)

Undaunted, I headed to Thebe Lodge, which I had frequented before and which lies on the Chobe River. The extensive grounds had previously proved to be a compact yet lively birding destination in their own right, so I was more than happy to find comfortable accommodation for my three-night stay.

I didn’t waste a moment and paid a quick visit to the nearby sewage works ponds (as one does) which produced Ruff and Lesser Grey Shrike amongst others, then followed that with a walk around the lush Thebe Lodge grounds in light rain, which was a relief from the oppressive summer heat.

The Thebe Lodge grounds were alive with birdlife, feasting on the flying ants which were emerging all over. The strident calls of the ‘frontline’ songsters such as White-browed Robin-Chat and Tropical Boubou were backed up by a further layer of quieter calls of Dark-capped Bulbuls, Grey Go-away Birds, Mourning Doves and Water Thick-Knees.

White-browed Robin-Chat (Photo taken in Kruger Park)

In the rapidly fading light I made out Violet-backed Starlings and Fork-tailed Drongos participating in the flying ant frenzy

The next morning, before breakfast and my project commitments, another walk around the lodge grounds produced about 20 species with two Kingfishers prominent – Brown-hooded and Woodland Kingfishers.

Common Scimitarbill and Green Woodhoopoe were active and at the riverside Broad-billed Rollers were harassing a Woodlands Kingfisher.

There was no shortage of birdlife in the verdant garden bush of the lodge grounds with Terrestrial Brownbul, Southern Brown-throated Weaver and Grey-backed Camaroptera all showing nicely.

Boat Trip

During previous trips I had done a couple of boat outings on the river, fairly basic ones in a small boat but nevertheless exciting and memorable.

However, the Pangolin Photo Safaris trip from 3.30 to 6.30pm in the afternoon was a whole different experience, being transported on a purpose-built aluminium boat with swivel chairs and special camera mounts for each of the 6 or so passengers and an expert photographer guide to show us how.

Our guide, Janine, started by explaining that we would be looking for more than pretty photos and would be exploring various techniques while looking for unusual angles and actions. Canon cameras with telephoto Sigma lenses were provided for the trip as part of the deal for those who had not brought their own camera. I had my Nikon camera but decided to use the Canon along with the others on the boat, which would allow me to follow Janine’s guidance

I struggled with the settings at first, being used to my then Nikon camera, but as we headed out I started getting used to the Canon buttons and dials while Janine gave us running advice on exposures, speeds, etc – a lot to take in and utmost concentration was needed!

Janine’s exposure advice, particularly relevant to bird photography, which I took away with me and have used ever since was –

Background darker than subject : reduce exposure; ie dial exposure compensation to negative side. This avoids an over-exposed subject and creates an even darker background for better contrast
Background lighter than subject : increase exposure; ie dial exposure compensation to positive side. This avoids an under-exposed subject and although it also increases the exposure of the background this can be adjusted while editing in eg Lightroom.

Janine and Killer (his nickname!) the boatman proved to be an amazing team on the boat, taking us on a route along the river and its side channels, seeking and finding many photo opportunities for the super-keen group of photographers on the boat.

Let’s take a look at what they came up with and how we progressed :

Jacana Magic

The first side channel produced one of those special moments you never forget – an African Jacana with two tiny juveniles with outsized feet, walking about on the surface of the lily covered water. Janine encouraged us to get off the swivel chairs and crouch low in the boat so as to get level with the subject. Beyond cute!

Darters and Cormorants

Stopping near a dead tree in the river which was being used by African Darters and White-breasted Cormorants, Janine talked us through the technique used to blur the subject in flight while retaining focus on This which involved setting the shutter to a very slow speed, waiting for the bird to take off, finger poised on the shutter button, then panning smoothly while locking on to the bird in flight and releasing the shutter.

This was a lot more difficult than it sounds and my attempts turned out too blurry, as the photo shows. Ideally part of the bird should be in focus, contrasting with the rest of the body which is blurred. But that’s what makes photography an ongoing challenge – there’s always a chance of doing it better next time….

It’s a lot easier taking a conventional perched photo of the birds…

A Reed Cormorant with a small fish catch then caught our attention as it landed not far from the boat

I was quite pleased with this “landing“ shot of the cormorant, with just a hint of splash from the tail feathers

Pods of Hippos

Approaching a pod of Hippos grazing on the bank, we waited at a distance – Hippos can be very intimidating, even dangerous so are best given enough space. These two kept an eye on us while munching away at the yummy grass.

As Killer slowly edged the boat closer, some of the hippos decided to seek the safety of the water – as we had hoped – creating some “splash” to liven up the photo.

Further on, Janine guided us through the technique used to create those “High-Key” photos of a hippo almost submerged in the water – achieved by over-exposing by up to 3 steps so that subject and water come out bright and light.

Baboons doing their thing

By now we were well up the river and heading to the sloping shoreline where a troop of baboons were active, which promised a few interesting photos of these photogenic animals – they didn’t disappoint and provided plenty of entertainment and kodak moments for the group.

Further experiments with over-exposed portraits produced good results as Janine had forecast, bringing out the orange-brown eye colour as the baboon watched us intently.

More Birds

The boat headed further upstream (towards the west, with Namibia just across the water to the north), past Chobe Game Lodge (think Liz Taylor and Richard Burton) looking for interesting birds. One target was Giant Kingfisher but it didn’t show so we had to be content with the many Pied Kingfishers along the banks.

Cattle Egrets take on more colour during breeding season and the plumes on the back appear

African Fish-Eagles are often prominent along the river, usually perched on a branch with a good view of the water. The juvenile differs markedly from the adult, which has led me to incorrect ID’s on more than one occasion.

African Fish-Eagle (Juvenile), Chobe River Trip

Oxpeckers are a favourite of mine, especially when perched on their host for the moment

This front-on photo of a White-crowned Lapwing appealed to me – and to Janine who encourages different views of familiar subjects (The heading image is the same photo cropped)

Impala with an M

This is the closest you will come to seeing a famous McDonald’s “M” in wild Botswana

The end of our trip came all too soon but there was the exciting prospect of going on an early morning game drive through Chobe with the same team – more about that in Part 2

But before that, Chobe River has some of the most glorious sunsets you will find anywhere – best enjoyed with a suitable beverage to hand…

Atlasing, Birding South Africa

Atlasing Tales 12 – North and South, Winter and Spring

November 3, 2025 Don Reid 6 Comments

These tales record some of the more memorable experiences while atlasing – in this case two atlasing outings 4 months apart in time and 1250 kms apart in distance –

And in case you’ve forgotten or have not heard of Atlasing, there’s a brief synopsis at the end of the post

North in Winter

One of my last atlasing trips in Gauteng, before our move to Mossel Bay in October 2023, was a mid-winter outing to the farming area about 30kms south-east of Pretoria, not far from the town of Bapsfontein.

Good friend Koos, also an avid atlaser, had suggested the outing and he picked me up around 6.15 am with 40 minutes to go before sunrise. We headed east along Lynnwood road extension, which was already busy with Saturday morning commuters and keen cyclists heading out along their favourite route.

At the T-junction with the R25, we turned southwards towards Bapsfontein, then east again at the Witpoort road. The road changed to gravel and heavy mist enveloped the car, slowing our progress considerably until we reached the northern boundary of our target Pentad

Pentad 2600_2830

A side road signposted “Knoppiesdam“ invited exploration and after turning off we came to a ‘gate’ – one of those unique rural designs consisting of strands of barbed wire attached to thin poles each side, one side fixed, the other side secured by loops of strong wire (known in Afrikaans as ‘bloudraad’ or “bluewire”) which allow the gate to be detached and secured as needed. The ‘gate’ has no frame so you have to pull it over to the side and lay it flat on the ground while the vehicle drives through, then attach it again before moving on.

While I was opening the gate to let Koos drive through and closing it again, an Ostrich (of the farm variety, so not recorded) approached and started doing a mating dance of sorts – this is not the first time I have experienced this when stopping near Ostriches – Koos reckoned it was my woollen beanie that caused the unwanted attention this time around!

A short distance after the gate we came to the dam where we found a group of fishermen setting up for the day and a substantial body of water largely hidden by the heavy morning mist.

As usual the first birds listed were those calling in the early morning, some visible others not – Swainson’s Spurfowl has a particularly raucous call that carries a long way in the relative peace and quiet of the countryside and was my first record of the day. That was followed quickly by several other species – Kurrichane Thrush, Red-eyed and Laughing Dove, good old Hadada Ibis and a few others.

Swainson’s Spurfowl *Pternistis swainsonii* Bosveldfisant), (taken in Kruger Park)

We lingered and listened intently while walking the shoreline of the dam as the mist slowly dissipated, revealing a few Red-knobbed Coots and Common Moorhen as well as a Little Grebe.

Little Grebe *Tachybaptus ruficollis* Kleindobbertjie

As we headed to the car Koos spotted a pair of large birds flying overhead but away from us – clearly Flamingoes! But which species – Greater or Lesser ? Fortunately they changed direction while still visible and gave us a view of their large bills, which were light coloured compared to the dark colour of the Lesser Flamingo, confirming that they were indeed Greater Flamingoes.

On the way back to the main road, more fine spotting from Koos produced two Little Bee-eaters high up in the trees.

Little Bee-eater *Merops pusillus* Kleinbyvreter, (taken in Kruger Park)

Back on the main road, the habitat of open fields with short grass and stones prompted me to comment that ‘this is Wheatear territory’ – my words were barely cold when the first Capped Wheatear was spotted, along with Red-capped Lark, Crowned Lapwing, Wattled Lapwing and African Pipit – all species that share a fondness for this habitat.

Capped Wheatear *Oenanthe pileata* Hoëveldskaapwagter

The road left the pentad so we headed quickly southwards to join up with the R50 Delmas road which took us back to the pentad. The R50 is a busy road with heavy trucks that rumble back and forward constantly, making it awkward, even dangerous to try and pull off onto the verge to check for birds. At the first opportunity we turned off onto a gravel side road to escape the traffic and were soon back into a more relaxed atlasing mode.

Long-tailed Widowbirds (almost unrecognisable in their drab winter non-breeding plumage) were next up – the males lose their long tails and most of their black colouring (summer plumage shown in the first photo below), but retain their colourful ‘epaulettes’ to differentiate them from the all-brown females (the second photo below)

Long-tailed Widowbird *Euplectes progne* Langstertflap – male in full breeding plumage

Long-tailed Widowbird *Euplectes progne* Langstertflap – female

White-winged Widowbirds (equally drab females and non-breeding males) were encountered .

White-winged Widowbird *Euplectes albonotatus* Witvlerkflap (Female)

Just after finding a Namaqua Dove, always a pleasing species to encounter, we saw a large dam some distance from the road and found a track leading to it. Hoping that we were not intruding on someone’s farm we headed a short distance down the track to the dam only to find that a few large trees had been chosen as a roost by numbers of Black-headed Herons. We watched their comings and goings for a while and picked up a few other species before heading back to the road.

Black-headed Herons at heronry, Bapsfontein Area

Black-headed Heron *Ardea melanocephala* Swartkopreier

Smaller roadside pans and dams that we stopped at further along the road held a few species such as Reed Cormorant, Malachite Kingfisher, African Snipe and Lesser Swamp Warbler, to close out the morning’s atlasing with a total of 39 species recorded in the pentad

African Snipe *Gallinago nigripennis* Afrikaanse snip

South in Spring

For my first atlasing trip proper since arriving in Mossel Bay permanently, I chose a pentad in the area between the Oudtshoorn and Herbertsdale roads.

Pentad 3405_2155

Bang on 6am I stopped in lovely rolling country with a few small farm dams and with many birds calling and I spent the next half hour listing those I could identify along with some that showed themselves.

Most prominent were the first of dozens of Common Quail that I was to hear (and encounter as described below) throughout the morning, along with Cape Spurfowl, Little Rush Warbler calling from the reeds of one of the dams and Common Moorhen.

Cape Spurfowl *Pternistis capensis* Kaapse Fisant

I could pick out Blue Cranes in a distant field – a common bird in the southern Cape but always a pleasure to see.

Blue Crane *Anthopoides paradiseus* Bloukraanvoel

Knysna Warbler calling from dense bush – I didn’t bother to try and see it as it hardly ever shows – was species number 22 after as many minutes of atlasing, after which the pace slowed somewhat, nevertheless I kept adding new species regularly.

Moving on from my first stop, the habitat changed from farming land to short grassveld, which produced three Larks in quick succession – Long-billed Lark, Large billed Lark and Cape Clapper Lark, the latter calling and displaying beautifully.

Large-billed Lark *Galerida magnirostris* Dikbeklewerik

Up ahead small birds at the edge of the road attracted my attention and a look through the binos had me grabbing my camera – there were two Common Quails pottering about in the grass tufts at roadside! This is a species which I have heard dozens of times but have only had one short glimpse in all the years of atlasing, so this was an opportunity not to miss.

Common Quail *Coturnix coturnix* Afrikaanse kwartel

I was still some distance from the quail, which is a small bird about the size of a Lark, so I tried to edge the car closer for a better photo opportunity. However they were on to me and moved further along at the same pace as the car, so I turned the car slightly sideways to get a view with the camera and took as many shots as I could. Fortunately, I managed to get a few reasonable shots – my first ever photos of this species in the bag!

After crossing over the R327 I proceeded on the Kleinberg Road and soon stopped to scan a large farm dam which lies some distance from the road. I set up my spotting scope and used the maximum zoom (60 X) to identify the many waterfowl on the dam, which included Red-knobbed Coot, Cape Shoveler and Little Grebe – all common in the area.

Cape Shoveler *Anas smithii* Kaapse Slopeend

Less common, in fact it turned out to be a new species for the pentad, was a pair of Black-necked Grebes, swimming in the middle of the dam. I have only ever found them further east at the lakes beyond the village of Wilderness so was really pleased to record them so close to Mossel Bay. They were way beyond my camera’s reach so the photo below is from a visit to Strandfontein near Cape Town.

Black-necked Grebe *Podiceps nigricollis* Swartnekdobbertjie

The dam edges had both fresh water Cormorants present – White-breasted and Reed Cormorant as well as Blacksmith Lapwing.

I continued along the road adding Red-capped Lark and Capped Wheatear before entering the next pentad, which signalled the close of the atlasing of the pentad with a total of 53 species.

Red-capped Lark Calandrella cinerea Rooikoplewerik

Atlasing?

Atlasing is the regular mapping of bird species in a specific area called a “pentad”. Each pentad has a unique number, based on its geographical position according to a 5 minute x 5 minute grid of co-ordinates of latitude and longitude, which translates into a square of our planet roughly 8 x 8 kms in extent.

As a registered observer / Citizen scientist under the SABAP2 program (SA Bird Atlas Project 2), I record all of the species I see or hear in a particular pentad over a period which can be anything between 2 hours and 5 days, for submission to the project database at the ADU (Animal Demography Unit) based in Cape Town.

Birding Australia, Holiday Trips

Australia 2025 : Mackay – a Wet Introduction : Part 2

October 4, 2025 Don Reid 8 Comments

Mackay : The Wettest place we have experienced!

As mentioned in Part 1, we had inadvertently chosen the wettest time of year to visit Mackay, when most of the annual rain falls over the area, but the rain we experienced was way beyond the norm

My walks around the wetlands area close to the house more than satisfied my desire to see and photograph as many new birds as the weather allowed, which Part 1 covered in some detail.

However, Gerda and I were keen to see more of Mackay proper, but without our own transport, outings were limited to shortish ones that could be fitted in between the morning and afternoon school runs that Liesl undertook every day.

One of the local attractions we managed to visit a couple of times was …..

The Botanic Gardens

Our first visit was accompanied by light rain falling, so we headed to the café for tea and cake which we enjoyed out on the deck with broad views over the lagoon.

From our table I could already see that there were various waterbirds present including a Pelican, Moorhens, Swamphens, Cormorants, etc and there was a moment of excitement when a Whistling kite flew overhead, clutching in its beak several twigs obviously bound for a nest under construction somewhere in the tall trees on the opposite bank of the lagoon.

We followed tea with an interesting stroll through the rainforest area – in light rain of course – which had some fascinating, exotic-looking plants and trees, then a longer walk through some of the other garden areas.

Here’s a selection of some of the ‘rainforest’ plants and flowers that are on display

A quiet, lush pathway leading back to the entrance of the gardens

Birds of the Botanic Gardens

A selection of the birds I was able to photograph in the overcast rainy conditions …..

Australian Pelican *Pelecanus conspicillatus*, Botanic Gardens, Mackay Queensland

White-breasted Cormorant *Phalacrocorax carbo*, Botanic Gardens, Mackay Queensland

Peaceful Dove *Geopelia placida*, Botanic Gardens, Mackay Queensland

Dusky Moorhen *Gallinula tenebrosa*, Mackay Queensland

I was particularly thrilled to get photos of an Australasian Figbird feeding on small red berries in the trees near the main entrance, carefully plucking the berries before juggling them into position for easy swallowing

Australasian Figbird *Sphecotheres vieilloti*, Botanic Gardens, Mackay Queensland

The Beaches

Other exploratory trips between school runs were focused on visiting some of the fine beaches along the eastern coastline of the town.

Lamberts Beach

We drove to Lamberts Beach and stopped at the Island Lookout point where we had views up and down the coast and beach – rugged in places with a few of the islands visible in the distance despite cloud and mist.

A plaque at the lookout point showed the names and positions of the offshore islands

Black’s Beach

Towards the end of our stay in Mackay we were thankful to see a bit of sunshine one morning – that was just the inspiration we needed to get out and about, which we did with our youngest grandchild Ellie joining us for the short drive to Black’s Beach north of the house.

We had the picnic area and beach to ourselves after the group that was there left shortly after we arrived.

A play area with swings made it ideal for kids and the table and benches under a canopy roof invited a picnic meal – maybe next time!

However swimming appears to be a risky business judging by the signage – we were aware of the Jellyfish, but not the Crocodiles!

Ellie and I had a walk on the beach which is wide and flat but clearly gets swamped at high tide.

There were signs of the Sand Bubbler Crabs that create patterns with tiny round balls of sand around their burrows in the wet sand

I was fascinated to find out that these small crabs sift the sand through their mouthparts, filter out the nutrients, and discard the remaining cleaned sand as small, processed pellets, which are left in radial patterns around their burrows.

Ellie and I had a competition to see who could draw the best ‘finger picture’ in the firm sand – I reckon she won this one by a mile!

Ellie’s imaginative jellyfish – not bad for a 4 year old!

Don’s Seabird – yes I know what you are thinking – stick to your photography…

On the way home from the trip to the beaches, we had a wonderful sighting of two Wedge-tailed Eagles in a newly cut caneland next to the main road – walking in the field then flying up and circling low as we watched in awe of these massive raptors.

The Suburbs

On the days when it was too rainy to walk the wetlands, I took shorter walks around the suburb in the vicinity of the house, which paid off with a couple of new birds almost each time I ventured out.

There were also times when the birds came to the small garden of the house, so I tried to keep my camera at the ready for such occasions, leaping up and rushing to the nearest vantage point if I spotted anything unusual.

Birds of the Beaches and the Suburbs

Here are some of the more significant birds I came across …..

Oriental Dollarbird

Heading back from one of our beach visits, Ellie called out “Oupa there’s a bird” and I stopped to have a look. Well what a surprise when I realised it was the unusually named Oriental Dollarbird which I had been hoping to see!

Back at home I checked out the bird books and found it is related by genus to our Broad-billed Roller, which it resembles in many of its main features

Why Dollarbird? Apparently in flight it shows round silver “dollars” at the tips of the underwing area

Oriental Dollarbird *Eurystomus orientalis*, Mackay Queensland

Torresian Crow

I initially took the large black Crow-like birds that I was seeing regularly in Mackay to be Australian Ravens, which was a bird seen many times during our previous visits. But reading some posts on the local birder’s facebook page I picked up that the Torresian Crow was common in the Mackay area – also that the easiest way to separate it from the Ravens was through its call.

So I made a point of listening to their calls when I next saw them and was able to confirm the ID and add another new bird to my growing list.

We came across a group during our visit to Black’s Beach and I was happy to get some images despite the difficulty of photographing a black bird against an overcast but bright background – thank goodness for Lightroom editing software which allows exposure adjustments of the subject and the background separately

Torresian Crow *Corvus orru*, Mackay Queensland

Pied Butcherbird

During another suburban walk I spotted what looked to me like Butcherbirds – it took a second look to realise this was a different species to the Grey Butcherbird I had seen several times before. It fortunately stayed in place while I struggled to get my camera working properly as I had inadvertently adjusted settings while it was in the plastic bag protecting it from the rain

Torresian Imperial Pigeon

During a visit to the local public swimming pool where Stephan likes to train, I did a few lengths myself, then scouted around the gardens surrounding the pool. A flock of large-ish white and black birds drew my attention flying from one tree to another.

I was fairly certain they were pigeons but had no binos or camera to confirm the species – later research convinced me they were Torresian Imperial Pigeons, which I subsequently spotted a few times in different parts of Mackay.

This is another species that seems to go under a few different names, Pied Imperial-Pigeon being the one that local facebook posts seemed to use and which lead to some doubt on my part at first, but I settled on the name that Birds of the World used.

Torresian Imperial Pigeon *Ducula spilorrhoa*, Mackay Queensland

Yellow Honeyeater

Another new species I spotted at the swimming pool for the first time, then saw a few times in other parts of Mackay, was the Yellow Honeyeater. I was eventually able to photograph one during a wetland walk, when it flew across the pathway and settled in a nearby tree.

Red-tailed Black Cockatoo

This spectacular species became a regular sighting, especially late afternoon when they returned in flocks to their roost while calling loudly

The visit to Black’s Beach provided a good photo opportunity where a small group were working their way through the trees

The red tail, just visible in the image below, is prominent in flight

Red-tailed Black-Cockatoo *Calyptorhynchus banksii*, Mackay Queensland

Sahul (Olive-backed) Sunbird

The only representative of the Sunbird family in Australia is this striking species which visited the garden a few times.

After a few attempts I was able to get some reasonable photos as a pair moved through the garden

It turned out that this was not a lifer but new to my Australian list – I discovered that I had in fact seen it in two diverse places before in years gone by – Mauritius and Kuala Lumpur

Sahul Sunbird / Garden Sunbird / Olive-backed Sunbird *Cinnyris frenatus* (female), Mackay Queensland

Sahul Sunbird / Garden Sunbird / Olive-backed Sunbird *Cinnyris frenatus* (male), Mackay Queensland

Little Friarbird

Heading homewards at the end of another rainy walk through the suburbs, I spotted what I thought was a Helmeted Friarbird, a species I had come across a couple of times partly hidden in sidewalk trees. This one looked a little different and closer inspection of the photos I took confirmed it was a Little Friarbird – another lifer

Black-fronted Dotterel

Another unexpected sighting during one of my short suburban walks between rain showers, was a pair of small plovers in the short grass at the end of a cul de sac which adjoined farmland.

As I approached they darted off to some small heaps of soil with shallow pools of water between formed after the rains, which the birds had clearly decided suited them well.

I was keen to get a photo of the Dotterels so the following day after lunch, when the rain held off for a while, I returned to the same spot. Happily, they were still around and I was able to get some shots even though they were quite wary and flew a short distance each time I edged closer.

Black-fronted Dotterel *Thinornis melanops*, Mackay Queensland

The Dotterel looked very familiar – the reason being it carries the same genus name as our Three-banded Plover and shares many of its features

And just to end off this post, this pair of Magpie-Larks proudly watching over their youngsters kept me interested in their progress from the first day in Mackay to the day of our departure, when this photo was taken and the young ones about to fledge by the looks of it.

What worried me was the precarious and exposed position of the nest on top of a lamp post just outside the house, and in particular whether the mostly mud constructed nest would hold together in the incessant rain. Incredibly it did and I’m sure the youngsters took their first flight shortly after our departure.

Magpie-Lark breeding on top of lamppost, Mackay Queensland

Bird migration, Birding South Africa, Waders

Small Birds taking BIG Journeys : Part 4

July 3, 2025 Don Reid 3 Comments

To repeat the intro to my previous posts on this subject …. Many of the migrant waders – or shorebirds as they are also known – display the most Jeckyll and Hyde characteristics of all birds, living two dramatically different lives and spending time in habitats which are far removed from each other.

Separating these two lives are amazing journeys that take these small yet hardy birds halfway across the world – and back again.

South African birders get to know migrant species during their stay in the southern hemisphere, typically during the months from October to April, so let’s find out a bit more about their ‘other’ lives by delving (again) into the typical annual life cycle of these waders.

This time it’s the –

Wood Sandpiper (Bosruiter) Tringa glareola

Affectionately called ‘Woodies’, this species is so named because they breed on swamps and peat bogs in the coniferous taiga forests of the Northern Hemisphere – who would have thought this is also a ‘Forest bird’ !

Identification and Distribution

Identification of the Wood Sandpiper is relatively easy – compared to some of the other LBW’s (Little brown waders) – and is often the first wader that novice birders will get to know as it is one of the most common freshwater waders

What to look out for –

medium size (19 – 21cm; 55 – 65g) slim, fairly long-legged, graceful
straight bill about the same length as the head, white brow extends behind eye
grey-brown above with eye-catching white ‘spotting’ , grey below

Distribution –

The orange area on the global distribution map (from Cornell Birds of the World) shows where breeding occurs in the Northern Hemisphere while the blue area, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, is where they go to ‘get away from it all’ and prepare themselves for the next round of raising a family.

The southern African distribution map (from The Firefinch Birding app) shows the species presence across most of the region but absent from the Kalahari and arid west.

Life in the North

The preferred breeding habitat is the open swampy area and peat bogs in coniferous forests, scrubland between those forests and tundra

Their diet is mainly small aquatic insects, caught by pecking or probing while walking in shallow water

Wood Sandpiper, Marievale Bird Sanctuary

Breeding

The nest is usually a small scrape on the ground lined with moss, stems and leaves, in dense vegetation, but also frequently in trees in old nests of other species

Eggs (usually 4) are laid and incubated for about 3 weeks – from 7 to 10 days after hatching the male cares for the young on its own

Fledging some 3 to 4 weeks later, the fledglings are independent soon thereafter, facing the many dangers that young birds are subject to.

Migration

The birds we see in Southern Africa are thought to originate from Russia, first adults leave early July, arriving in the south from late July / August with juveniles following mainly in September and October.

Migration is undertaken at night with birds capable of single flights of up to 4000km. Overland routes are followed by small flocks or singly, mainly via the Rift Valley

Life in the South

Of the 3 million+ Woodies that head to Africa, some 50 – 100,000 end up in southern Africa, where they seek out suitable freshwater habitats. These can be anything from shallow sewage ponds to marshes, flood plains and muddy edges of streams and rivers, down to the size of a puddle.

Sometime after arrival, adults start a post-breeding moult which continues for up to 4 months, during which time all feathers are replaced with new ones.

Generally, a solitary bird except where food is abundant when they may gather in loose groups

Wood Sandpiper with Little Stint, Leeuwfontein Pan near Belfast

They start departing from late February with the majority having left by end April, heading north to their breeding grounds where the cycle will start all over again…

References : Cornell Lab of Ornithology Birds of the World; Roberts VII Birds of Southern Africa; Firefinch app, Collins Bird Guide; Waders of Southern Africa

Birding South Africa, Flowers, Holiday Trips

Prince Albert – Birding and other Delights

December 2, 2024 Don Reid 8 Comments

Always on the lookout for a chance to get away for a few days, Gerda’s birthday seemed like a good excuse and Prince Albert a good option being just a couple of hours away yet much more in terms of “a change being as good as a holiday”

Wednesday 11^th September 2024

Packing was left to the morning of our departure and went smoothly albeit slowly and by midday we were heading to our first stop – no prizes for guessing – our favourite Eight Bells Inn for a light lunch in the enclosed patio (bit too windy and cool for outside) with the familiar views and friendly staff.

On the way to the R328 we stopped at the Hartenbos Vleis for a quick scan of the birdlife and came up with an African Jacana – still a Western Cape Rarity – and African Swamphen among the usual Teals and Ducks. A Ruff was an interesting sight being one of the early palearctic migrant arrivals.

African Jacana (Western Cape rarity), Hartenbos Vlei

A number of Spoonbills on the far side of the vlei took to the air, providing an opportunity for some in flight photos, one of which I used for the heading image above after tweaking it to darken the background.

Back on the road after Eight Bells, we enjoyed the rest of the classic road trip through the Robinson Pass and Meiringspoort then along the hills and dales of the beautiful stretch of road heading to Prince Albert through the Kredouw Pass and the Prince Albert Valley

We hadn’t been to Dennehof Guesthouse before, but it was easy to find on the main road just before reaching the town proper and we were met by Albert (not the Prince) who showed us the room and provided info on dining options and things to do.

We have been to Prince Albert many times but there are always new places and eateries to hear about in this quiet yet dynamic Karoo dorp. Dennehof has a nice feel to it – not too pretentious with a mix of simple whitewashed buildings in the Karoo style making up a pleasant complex.

There was time before dusk to sit on the stoep and soak up the atmosphere, watched by the resident Spotted Eagle-Owl

The passing bird life included –

White-backed Mousebird
Purple Heron flying overhead probably to its roost
Sparrows, Cape and House, flitting about energetically
Karoo Thrush singing its cheerful song at close of day

Pied Barbet calling plaintively

Dinner was chicken and salads that we brought with us.

Thursday 12th September 2024

Albert had said we could arrive for breakfast up to 9.30 am so being Gerda’s birthday we did exactly that. The setting is a delight – out in the garden in a glazed conservatory (where so many murders happen apparently) with a view of the adjoining wetland busy with Red Bishops and Masked Weavers doing their thing.

The breakfast was above average and imaginative with a fruit and muesli mix that had us licking the bowl, followed by a herby omelette as good as they get – if for nothing else, I will return for that omelette. The coffee wasn’t half bad either.

That set us up nicely for the day which we planned as we went, starting with a slow drive down the main street of Prince Albert, followed by a short trip to the Olive farm north of the town which took us through some of the greenest Karoo countryside we have ever seen.

Along the way we stopped at the sewage works (as birders are wont to do) and at the low water bridges which, for the first time in our experience, had water flowing over them. The first of the two was productive for my atlasing list, adding half a dozen species in quick time –

Chestnut-vented Titbabbler
Karoo Scrub-Robin
Pririt Batis

Fiscal Flycatcher
White-throated Canary that came to drink from the shallow stream

Even a Three-banded Plover unexpectedly dropping in for a wade

We were treated to the unusual sight (for this arid part of SA) of water flowing over the low water bridges on the outskirts of the town

Just after the second bridge we turned into the Olive farm and, as it was lunchtime, we ordered tea and a waffle which we enjoyed outside under the trees (all part of the birthday celebration of course).

On the way back we turned off at the Karoo View signpost and drove a few kms to see the remnants of the flowers still in the open veld, then made a short stop at Karoo Souk which is a small group of craft shops, before heading back to Dennehof for a welcome rest.

Later, still in celebratory mode, we ventured out for a meal at the Yellow House restaurant which was up to the occasion and provided a nice ending to a very pleasant day.

Friday 13th September 2024

Another nice breakfast although we didn’t go for the full monty after last night’s big meal. After breakfast I added a few species to the atlas card including Alpine Swifts and Palm Swifts flying by and a Long-billed Crombec moving through the garden. That made four Swifts in all after seeing Little and White-rumped Swifts on the first day.

We had decided to drive to the fig farm at Weltevrede but first followed Albert’s suggestion of a drive along the ‘Bush pub’ road in search of a Karoo Eremomela. The bird eluded us but we did see a few other area specials such as –

Mountain Wheatear

Lark-like Bunting
Dusky Sunbird
Rufous-eared Warbler

And no less than three species of Canary –

White-throated Canary
Black-throated Canary
Black-headed Canary

It was time to head to the fig farm, so we turned back to town and took the road past the cemetery signposted ‘Weltevrede 25 km’.

We took it slow, stopping for birds – and flowers – and there were plenty of both to attract our attention.

At around 6 kms the road passes between tall rocky cliff faces which, according to Albert and Inge, is a site where Ground Woodpecker has been seen.

We spent some time stopping to scan the rocks carefully for any sign of the Woodpecker and even more so on the way back, to no avail. The spectacular drive made up for that mild disappointment and we arrived at the farm where we found we were the only visitors – very different from our previous visit which was during the peak of fig picking and drying.

After treating ourselves to fig tart we headed slowly back – Black-headed Canaries were the most frequent sightings along with Pale Chanting Goshawk and Karoo Chat.

Pale Chanting Goshawk, near Prince Albert

We weren’t particularly keen to go out that evening but after a relaxing time at the room we had a bit more energy and ‘lus’ for Jeremy’s Restaurant which was a great choice and suited to our reduced appetite. We both had Taglietelle puttanesca not having ever had it and it was wonderfully simple and delicious, cooked by Jeremy himself. We treated ourselves to Spekboom ice cream which was different but not overly so and we left in a good frame of mind.

Saturday 14th September 2024

Up a bit earlier to fit in packing and breakfast before checkout time, we enjoyed the fruit and omelette once again, then greeted Inge and Albert like family and set off through town to Gays dairy for some of their lovely cheeses before heading out on the road back. This time we had time to stop and savour the flowers and birds – often both at the same spot.

Lunch venues are limited on this route so we looked for a place in De Rust, ending up at Herries which is the local pub and turned out to be a good choice even though we just had tea and a sandwich in a venue that almost demands you have at least a beer or two if not a klippies and coke.

The rest of the trip was uneventful with stops in George at the nurseries and a ‘koffie vir oulaas’ at Elvis Brew, a favourite coffee spot near the George Airport, before heading homewards, well satisfied yet again with our choice of Prince Albert for a short breakaway.