This report was provided by Jill Wheater.
With the mist hugging the mountains, 16 keen birders set off towards Elgin, spirits high at the prospect of visiting Jessie Walton’s farm. It was good to see some new faces and we look forward to welcoming you to BLO in the future.
Arriving at Jessie’s farm in the damp mist, we all dived into flasks of hot beverages and rusks before heading off into the magnificent grounds surrounding her house. A year on from our last visit, the fynbos has firmly established itself and the shrubs were lush and blooming; sunbirds everywhere enjoying the large protea flowers and many other interesting flowering plants. The botany we will leave for another day! But there is an enormous variety of flowers to see, enticing nectar seeking birds.
Jessie walked us around the gardens listening and identifying birds as she went – Malachite Sunbirds everywhere, their iridescent coats gleaming in the early morning sunlight, Southern Double Collared Sunbirds, Cape White-eye, Common Waxbill, Cape Sugarbird, and the Olive Thrush and Levaillant’s Cisticola calling from the shrubbery. The air was full of bird calls and clicking frogs, the morning light perfect for excellent photography.
As we headed back for a well-earned second breakfast, admiring the lacey cobwebs glinting in the sun, the mist had cleared, and the dam was alive with Yellow-billed Ducks, African Black Duck, Reed Cormorant and Little Grebes. A Black-headed Heron was seen flying overhead, a Black Crake calling in the reeds and a shy, Black-crowned Night Heron could be seen hiding from the action.
Jessie’s farm is renowned as a special place to see owls and on our way down to the nursery we were lucky enough to have clear sightings of Spotted Eagle-Owls. Camouflage broken, there was much excitement as two of the owls were in full view. As we left, they were softly calling to each other and we tiptoed away, in awe of the spectacle we had just witnessed.
The nursery is another special place; towering trees creating a sanctuary for many birds including the Cape Weaver, the Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Speckled Mousebird, Fork-tailed Drongo, and a special sighting of an African Olive Pigeon.
Leaving the nursery, we headed off to the bird hide and a walk around the dam. There were plenty of elegant African Darters and a Hamerkop could clearly be seen on the branches of the dead tree. A Giant Kingfisher flew by, and a Little Rush Warbler could be seen on the far side of the dam. Our concentration was interrupted by Jessie shouting for someone with a camera – on the far side of the dam she had seen a Greater Honeyguide! Sadly, no photo but what a sighting.
On the way to the dam, we were lucky enough to see an Olive Woodpecker and a distinctive hole in the trunk of the tree indicated a nesting place. As we walked back to our cars the Woodpecker was spotted, insect in its beak, landing at the hole and a tiny beak popping out to snatch the morsel! We stood statue-still! What a gift to watch this feat of nature. Big lenses out in the hope of more action! The tiny beak appeared a few times, looking for more food and the distinctive cry of the baby Woodpecker could be heard. We all waited patiently, staring at the hole, oblivious to another large Spotted Eagle-Owl calmly sitting almost above our heads!
A wonderful morning of birding and many thanks to Johan for his superb organization and to Jessie Walton for her generous hospitality and steadfast commitment and dedication to the preservation of this wonderful natural environment.