So, after a long gap between posts whilst I have been on holiday (plus some time spent feeling unmotivated), I've finally got around continuing the posts about my trip to Zimbabwe in late 2013.
Enjoy!...
Ewanrigg Botanical Gardens Ringing, 15 September:
A quiet day, where we didn't catch much worth reporting - weavers, Speckled Mousebirds, waxbills... The best catch of the day was a lovely White-browed Scrub-robin.
 |
| White-browed Scrub-robin |
We therefore decided to pack up and do a bit of birding around the gardens. A huge fig tree was fruiting, attracting dozens of Dark-capped Bulbul, Purple-crested Turaco and African Green-pigeon, plus a few Whyte's Barbet. Sunbirds were around but hard to pin down as the aloes were not in bloom.
Near the front gate a Southern White-faced Owl had a nest in the hollow of a dead branch only two meters off the ground! (Photos in upcoming post...)
 |
| African Green-pigeon |
 |
| African Grey Hornbill |
 |
| Female Copper Sunbird, a species sought-after by visiting birders, as it doesn't occur in South Africa. |
 |
| Even at the driest, hottest time of year, the gardens are a haven of greenery. |
A quick inspection of the underside of loose rocks in the aloe gardens produced a couple of small scorpions.
 |
| Uroplectes flavoviridis |
Borrowdale Brooke and Greystone Park atlassing, 09-27 September:
I spent much of my free time atlassing the pentad square where I was staying. This square included Greystone Park, Borrowdale Brooke and my parents' houses, so it was very convenient for me!
I completed three cards (each covering 5 days) between these dates, with 85-110 species noted for each card.
Some of the more interesting sightings were;
African Black Duck, Little Egret, Marabou Stork, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, African Cuckoo-hawk, Wood Sandpiper, African Cuckoo, White-breasted Cuckooshrike, Miombo Tit, Southern Hyliota, Yellow-breasted Apalis (at Greystone Park, where it has not been seen before, to my knowledge), nesting Fork-tailed Drongo, Magpie Shrike (resident in BB, but always nice to see), Black-crowned Tchagra, Copper Sunbird Red-throated Twinspot and Black-throated Canary (first one I've personally seen in BB).
 |
| Blue Waxbill in Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Black-throated Canary singing in Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Black-shouldered Kite, Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Fork-tailed Drongo on recently constructed nest, Greysone Park |
 |
| Yellow-breasted Apalis at Greysone Park |
 |
| Southern Masked-weaver male, Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Purple-crested Turaco (finally got one in flight!), Greystone Park |
 |
| African Paradise-flycatcher male, Greystone Park |
 |
| One of my favourites - African Stonechat female at Borrowdale Brooke. |
 |
| I have very few nice Pied Crow pictures, despite them being common as dirt in Harare. This one's perched on someone's satellite dish in Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Common Waxbill, Greystone Park |
 |
| Kurrichane Thrush (with a rather dirty ring on its leg) collecting food for its chicks at Greystone Park |
 |
| Recently fledged Laughing Dove, Borrowdale Brooke |
 |
| Immature Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Borrowdale Brooke |
I'm always keeping my eye out for other interesting critters whilst birding, and I do find a few occasionally.
 |
| Angoni Vlei Rat, rescued from a cat in Borrowdale Brooke. The rat seemed to be uninjured. |
 |
| Southern (Blue-headed) Tree Agama in Helensvale |
No comments:
Post a Comment