Nesting Time

Breeding season was in full swing, with nesting birds just about everywhere I looked!
Black-backed Puffback was building a nest in my mum's garden, and a pair of Kurrichane Thrush were feeding chicks a few trees away. Meanwhile, the Black-throated Wattle-eye and Fork-tailed Drongo nests were still active in Greystone Park.

Dark-capped Bulbul, Helensvale

Kurrichane Thrush on nest. You can see one of the chicks' head peeking out on the right. The nest was rather messy-looking, and featured feathers, string and even a snake skin (hanging bottom right) in the construction!

Birding in Ewanrigg on the 5th of October was just as good. A Chinspot Batis was feeding chicks in a tree next to the car park, and the Southern White-faced Scops-owl was still nesting close to the gate. Other birds included Red-headed Weaver, African Green-pigeon, Magpie Mannikin, Copper Sunbird, Shikra, White-winged Widowbird, Miombo Blue-eared Starling, Red-breasted Swallow, Whyte's Barbet and Ashy Flycatcher.

Chinspot Batis female at the nest (with a chick poking out).

Miombo Blue-eared Starling

Natal Spurfowl family

The star of the show; Southern White-faced Scops-owl sitting on the nest, a little above head height from the ground!

Male Agama kirkii (Kirk's Rock Agama) in a tree. It obviously cares little for such stereotypical names as 'rock agama'.

The breeding situation was the same at Mukuvisi Woodlands the next day. Distant views of Wahlberg's Eagle nesting in the eucalypts, Little Bee-eater, Laughing Dove, Bronze Mannikin and the usual weavers all featured, but the main award goes to a Spotted Creeper sitting on the nest. What a great thing to see!

Lesser Honeyguide

Little Bee-eater, posing nicely

Miombo Tit

Spotted Creeper doing its best twig impression.

Greengrove Dam was almost dried up, and very quiet. However, we did have a short visit from a Green Sandpiper - a great bird for Harare. Few migrate as far as Zim each year, and in South Africa they are considered a rarity, as far as I know.

Green Sandpiper