Alan's Interesting Bird Observations
Interesting Observations
These are short snippets which do not warrant their own page.
Fierynecked Nightjar
Caprimulgus pectoralis
A Fierynecked Nightjar was heard calling very close to my home during the nights of 6 and 7 March 2025. This is the first time that I have heard this bird in the suburb. Freckled Nightjars (Caprimulgus tristigma) have been regular visitors, throughout the year, since around 2018.
(updated: 28 March 2025)
Southern Boubou raiding White-eye nest
Laniarius ferrugineus and Zosterops pallidus
A commotion in the White Stinkwood tree in my garden alerted me to a problem - white-eyes, several bulbuls and a Cape Robin were mobbing a Southern Boubou. Pat eventually found that the boubou was trying to get to a white-eye's nest. We did try to help chasing it away, but to no avail. By late afternoon the white-eyes had abandoned the nest, so I assume that the bubous had eaten whatever was in the nest.
(updated: 8 December 2024)
Rameron Pigeon
Columba arquatrix
A single bird visited my garden yesterday afternoon. These used to be regular winter visitors to the garden in the 1990s, but I have not seen them this century. This could be something to do with trees in the neighbourhood being felled for "security" purposes.
(updated: 2 May 2023)
Crested Francolin
Francolinus sephaena
A single bird visited my garden yesterday evening. It could have come from the Klapperkop Nature Area or the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, but I have never seen them in the Klapperkop area.
(updated: 11 April 2023)
Southern Boubou
Laniarius ferrugineus
I love the call of the boubou. Normally, these birds are in pairs with their various vocalizations to maintain contact. Today, I had three birds talking to each other. One flew off, and two others kept talking to each other (almost as they were the pair). The bird who had flown off, then returned to the conversation, next to one of the birds, and then started talking to the third bird with exactly the same vocalizations as the bird it was with. This carried on for at least five minutes, then the pair flew off. Shortly after this, the single bird also flew off.
This was certainly some kind of territorial conversation, but as to whose territory it is, I have no idea.
(updated: 24 August 2022)
Black Cuckoo
Cuculus clamosus
For the last two weeks, this bird has been calling in the neighbourhood.
It has been at least ten years since I last heard this bird in this suburb.
(updated: 7 November 2020)
Klaas's Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx klaas
On 5 November 2020, there was a Klaas's Cuckoo calling in the neighbourhood.
It has been many years since this species was in the area.
(updated: 7 November 2020)
Greater Honeyguide
Indicator indicator
On 14 September 2020, there was a Greater Honeyguide calling in my garden for about ten minutes.
I have not seen nor heard this bird in my garden before.
(updated: 15 September 2020)
Grey Hornbill
Lophoceros nasutus
On 18 August 2020, I saw two Grey Hornbills mating in a tree in my garden. I would assume this means they have a nesting hole reasonably close by.
(updated: 18 August 2020)
Lesser Honeyguide
Indicator minor
On 18 August 2020, there were two Lesser Honeyguides chasing each other around my garden. A short while later, one drank at the birdbath.
(updated: 18 August 2020)
Little Sparrowhawk
Accipiter minullus
On 31 July 2020, a Little Sparrowhawk visited my garden for about ten minutes. It was eventually chased off by a couple of bulbuls.
I haven't seen one of these in my garden for a very long time.
(updated: 31 July 2020)
Lesser Honeyguide
Indicator minor
On 22 March 2020, I saw a Lesser Honeyguide being chased around the garden by an Olive Thrush. While this might not sound unusual, the thrush in question was a fairly young juvenile. This begs the question is the mistrust of honeyguides innate in a host species?
Also, as mentioned below, the thrushes had already stopped singing, which means they had stopped breeding. So why was the honeyguide taunting the thrush?
(updated: 7 April 2020)
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
When we returned from Pilanesberg on 20 March 2020, the bee-eaters who roost in the tree at the bottom of our garden had already left. This is very early, but interestingly enough, the weather was really cold for the following two weeks - the birds knew something!
Overnight on 4 April a small flock (less than 10 birds) did roost for the night, but left the next day.
(updated: 7 April 2020)
Olive Thrush
Turdus olivaceous smithi
We were in Pilanesberg from 15 to 20 March, and when we returned, the thrushes had already stopped singing.
(updated: 7 April 2020)
Olive Thrush
Turdus olivaceous smithi
An Olive Thrush in my area started singing on 9 August 2019. This is very early in the season as these birds usually only start singing towards the end of September.
A second bird (again in my area) started singing around the end of August. It looks as though these birds have decided that spring is very early this year.
(updated: 23 September 2019)
European Bee-eater
Merops apiaster
A flock of European Bee-eaters have been roosting in a tree in the bottom of my garden for the last five years or so.
These birds finally departed on their journey home on Friday 19 April 2019. I haven't been recording dates, but this feels to be a bit later than usual.
(updated: 21 April 2019)
Redbilled Oxpecker
Buphagus erythrorhynchus
A small flock of Redbilled Oxpeckers were seen flying in an easterly direction over the Pretoria suburb of Monument Park on Saturday, 30 April 2019 at around 07:00.
These birds were probably flying from the Groenkloof Nature Reserve.
(updated: 5 April 2019)
Bat Hawk
Macheiramphus alcinus
A Bat Hawk was seen flying over the western part of the Bakubung Resort on Monday, 11 March 2015 at around 18:45. This was well after sunset.
I have not seen this bird recorded on any list of the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.
(updated: 5 April 2019)
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