Ken Borland

Crooks Corner, which provides an amazing diversity of birds thanks to the combination of tropical riverine forest and sandveld, is one of those mystical, frontier places where you expect anything to turn up and is the north-eastern tip of Kruger National Park, at the end of the S63 Luvuvhu River Drive.

The confluence of the Limpopo and Luvuvhu rivers is called Crooks Corner because it was here, where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet, that scoundrels and rogues of a century ago would hide out and merely skip across the sandbars into another country when justice came a-looking.

There’s always something interesting in the dense forest or along the rivers at Crooks Corner, but the surrounding area is also great for birds and having that sense of expectation that something unusual is lurking just around the next bend is always exciting.

Heading back from Crooks Corner, away from the rivers in the direction of the Pafuri Border Gate with Mozambique, the road goes through an area of open Lala Palm savanna and then into Mopane forest that is fringed by Fever Trees.

Some little pools had formed below these Fever Trees which I initially drove past. But a hunch – you must always follow them! – made me go back and study the inundated areas more closely.

There were some baboons foraging on the ground and there, perched on a stick rising about a metre above the ground, was the distinct shape of a tiny heron.

Closer examination revealed the scarce Dwarf Bittern – only the second one I’ve seen. (The first was at Ndumo, also on the edge of a quiet pool in a well-wooded area).

The Dwarf Bittern is famous for its nomadic lifestyle, arriving in a place after good rains have led to local flooding, having an uncanny ability to find such areas within days of them being inundated.

It’s an enigmatic, secretive bird – partly nocturnal – and a much sought-after but seldom-seen tropical visitor.

Being mid-January, there were plenty of other pools scattered around the sandveld and the sweetveld grasslands on basalt, and just before the S63 Luvuvhu River Drive, Yellowbilled and White Storks, Water Dikkop and Little Bee-Eater were congregated around the water-filled depressions.

Turning on to the S63, the hundreds of Whitebacked Vultures either in the trees or circling in the sky soon became evident. There were 66 in two adjacent dead trees alone, with a few Lappetfaced Vultures among them.

Longtailed Starlings scratching around, Whitefronted Bee-Eaters swooping off the banks of the river, the odd Whitecrowned Plover on the sandbanks and Greenbacked Heron are the other typical birds of the S63, while a juvenile African Hawk Eagle was flying above the riverine forest.

The grassland around the Lala Palm savanna boasted Whitewinged Widow and a Steelblue Widowfinch was in a Fever Tree on the fringes of the forest, where a group of stately Ground Hornbill were strolling along and a Gymnogene was quartering nearby.

The viewpoint at Crooks Corner offered up Pied Kingfisher and Greenshank, while a Giant Kingfisher was hunting in front of the Pafuri picnic site and a Great White Egret was in the Luvuvhu River. Looking over the river from the main bridge, Rock Martin (and not Brownthroated as you’d expect over water), Little Swift and Wiretailed Swallow were all zooming about, while a Tropical Boubou was on the bank.

The beautiful Melba Finch was in the Acacia thickets as I was leaving Pafuri, the road back to Punda Maria passing through undulating grasslands studded with Baobabs, where all sorts of interesting sightings have been made.

Klopperfontein is always worth visiting and there was a solitary Hippopotamus lying in the dam, while a male Knob-billed Duck and a younger bloke had some territorial skirmishes. Ruff, Redbilled Teal and African Jacana were the other waterbirds present, while European Roller, Swainson’s Francolin, European Bee-Eater, Longtailed Shrike, Pintailed Whydah and Redbacked Shrike are common in the grassland around the dam and drift.

The Amur Falcon is the most common raptor in this habitat and one was sitting quite low down doing some serious maintenance on its heavily-barred tail.

A pair of Whiteheaded Vulture flew overhead and Wahlberg’s Eagle was also patrolling around, but the most fascinating hunter in action was a European Cuckoo sitting on top of a low shrub. It somehow spotted a caterpillar at 90° from it, about five metres away, and immediately swooped on to it. From there it flew briefly into a tree to devour its favourite food before making another sortie on to some rocks and boulders to catch another caterpillar. For a normally shy bird, this was a wonderful sighting.

The H1-8 tar road goes through open savanna grassland with stunted Mopane and is good for raptors, with Steppe Buzzard and Brown Snake Eagle prominent on this occasion. A Striped Cuckoo also posed beautifully.

Heading back towards Punda Maria on the H13-1 takes one through mature Mopane forest and Purple Roller and a very confusing juvenile Blackchested Snake Eagle on top of a dead tree were seen. A small flock of Redbilled Helmetshrike flew into a Tree Mopane making their typical growling calls.

There are also patches of mixed woodland along the H13-1 and seemingly in the middle of this forest stood a gorgeous Saddlebilled Stork on an exposed branch. There must have been a spruit nearby, and the threatened member of the Avian Big Six looked mildly embarrassed by how beautiful it was with its combination of black, white, red and yellow.

Groundscraper Thrush was another bird which I did not expect to see high up on top of a dead tree, but perhaps the lack of short grass below forced it up into the heavens.

A Bennett’s Woodpecker and an African Hoopoe were together at a dead log, the Woodpecker on top and the Hoopoe at ground level.

Two lovely female bushbuck welcomed me back to camp after an idyllic day and Chinspot Batis, House Martin, Bateleur, Grey Hornbill, Blackbacked Puffback and Greybacked Camaroptera (on the Flycatcher trail behind the reception) are easily seen at Punda Maria, one of the best bird-watching camps in Kruger, an island of sandveld within the sea of Mopane. The camp also has a waterhole just outside the fence which has a marvellous hide overlooking it and Hamerkop, Marabou Stork, Bronze Mannikin and Common Waxbill (both feeding on the seeds of the rank vegetation around the water) were there, along with plenty of Buffalo, a few Elephant and some antelope.

The beautiful Gumbandebvu Hills and their magnificent sandveld woodlands surround Punda Maria and provide great birding. Driving around close to camp provided a flock of 15 Brownheaded Parrot and then numerous others of this threatened gem, indicating that many of the wonderful trees in the area were probably fruiting.

One of the big herds of Buffalo around Punda Maria was enjoying a marvellous mudbath – one individual was having such an awesome spa-day that it had all four feet in the air and was bellowing like a Lion!

Redbilled and Yellowbilled Oxpeckers were together with this herd, with the scarcer Yellowbilled tending to be on the young Buffalo and the Redbilled on the adults.

Redbilled Hornbill, Greater Kudu, Plumcoloured Starling, Nyala, Carmine Bee-Eater (using the telephone line in front of the staff quarters), and Blackheaded Oriole are also inhabitants of this beautiful area, which is most effectively explored by taking the circular Mahonie Loop (S99), one of my absolute favourite drives in Kruger.

All sorts of exotic calls ring out from the broadleafed woodland and a Whitebrowed Scrub Robin was on top of a tree, calling away, while a Jacobin Cuckoo was a bit more shy at the Witsand waterhole. Black Widowfinch, Green Pigeon, Browncrowned Tchagra, Paradise Flycatcher and Marabou Stork were also spotted.

The Dzundzwini Loop south-east of Punda Maria (S58) provides a break from the tall stands of Mopane with more marvellous mixed woodland.

A beautiful Woodland Kingfisher was sitting on a low shrub, unusually for a bird that is normally perched on trees, while another tropical intra-African migrant, the equally spectacular Broadbilled Roller, was up in the high branches as one would expect. Continuing the theme of weird birding pairs, a Crested Francolin was sitting in a bush with a whole bunch of Grey Louries!

Waterbuck and Tawny Eagle were present at the Dzundzwini Spring, marked by a big Sausage Tree at the base of the hill.

The H1-7 tar road that takes one from Punda Maria to Shingwedzi goes through a mixture of palm savanna and open Mopane shrubveld and a Blackcrowned Tchagra was singing beautifully, as only they can, while just a single Monotonous Lark was also calling away, perhaps trying to hail his mates.

The call of the Tawnyflanked Prinia was also heard all around the wetlands of the Shisha River System but a sighting was proving elusive until I finally spotted one in a Mopane tree.

Thulamila Koppie is a short drive from Punda Maria camp and again offers a mixture of woodland trees. The road to the top of the koppie – at 604m – is quite steep but it had been freshly graded on this day and Jameson’s Firefinch was amongst other finches and waxbills enjoying what had been thrown up by the maintenance team.

Sightings list

Elephant

Buffalo

House Martin

Bateleur

Grey Hornbill

Hamerkop

Rattling Cisticola

European Swallow

Brownheaded Parrot

Grey Lourie

Natal Francolin

Slender Mongoose

Forktailed Drongo

Yellowbilled Oxpecker

Redbilled Oxpecker

Greater Blue-Eared Starling

Redbilled Hornbill

Warthog

Cape Turtle Dove

Impala

Greater Kudu

Plumcoloured Starling

Nyala

Blackheaded Oriole

Plains Zebra

Common Rough-Scaled Plated Lizard

European Roller

Swainson’s Francolin

European Bee-Eater

Amur Falcon

Longtailed Shrike

Pintailed Whydah

Whiteheaded Vulture

Southern Masked Weaver

European Cuckoo

Redbilled Teal

Blacksmith Plover

Hippopotamus

African Fish Eagle

Knob-billed Duck

Grey Heron

Marsh Terrapin

Chacma Baboon

Wahlberg’s Eagle

Common Moorhen

African Jacana

Egyptian Goose

Redbacked Shrike

Laughing Dove

Steenbok

Blue Wildebeest

Cinnamonbreasted Rock Bunting

Steppe Buzzard

Brown Snake Eagle

Purple Roller

Blackchested Snake Eagle

Redbilled Helmetshrike

Saddlebilled Stork

Bushbuck

Chinspot Batis

Southern Greyheaded Sparrow

Spotted Flycatcher

Striped Skink

Blackeyed Bulbul

Carmine Bee-Eater

Lilacbreasted Roller

Southern Yellowbilled Hornbill

Giraffe

White Helmetshrike

Groundscraper Thrush

Arrowmarked Babbler

African Hoopoe

Bennett’s Woodpecker

Redbilled Buffalo Weaver

Tree Squirrel

Woodland Kingfisher

Broadbilled Roller

Crested Francolin

Emeraldspotted Wood Dove

Redbilled Woodhoopoe

Whitebacked Vulture

Moreau’s Tropical House Gecko

Blackbacked Puffback

Brownhooded Kingfisher

Whitebrowed Scrub Robin

Yellowfronted Canary

Jacobin Cuckoo

Black Widowfinch

Green Pigeon

Browncrowned Tchagra

Paradise Flycatcher

Whitebellied Sunbird

Blue Waxbill

Marabou Stork

Bronze Mannikin

Common Waxbill

Vervet Monkey

Waterbuck

Tawny Eagle

Blackcrowned Tchagra

Tawnyflanked Prinia

Monotonous Lark

Crested Barbet

Striped Cuckoo

Longbilled Crombec

Water Dikkop

Little Bee-Eater

Yellowbilled Stork

Yellowbilled Kite

White Stork

Lesser Striped Swallow

Lappetfaced Vulture

Redeyed Dove

Longtailed Starling

Whitefronted Bee-Eater

Redbilled Quelea

Whitecrowned Plover

African Pied Wagtail

Common Sandpiper

African Hawk Eagle

Greenbacked Heron

Speckled Mousebird

Diederick Cuckoo

Whitewinged Widow

Nile Crocodile

Gymnogene

Hadeda Ibis

Threebanded Plover

Steelblue Widowfinch

Ground Hornbill

Pied Kingfisher

Greenshank

Dwarf Bittern

Giant Kingfisher

Great White Egret

Melba Finch

Leopard Tortoise

Ruff

Helmeted Guineafowl

Jameson’s Firefinch

Van Son’s Thicktoed Gecko

Burchell’s Coucal

Greybacked Camaroptera

Whitefaced Duck

Rock Martin

Little Swift

Wiretailed Swallow

Tropical Boubou

 

 

The S3 Sabie River Road between the Paul Kruger and Phabeni Gates of Kruger National Park takes you through some dense woodland alongside the acacia thickets and grassveld that characterise the south-central parts of the reserve, and is ideal habitat for the Gabar Goshawk, a typical small raptor of the well-treed regions.

Although the road is along the river, there aren’t too many vantage points to look at the water, but there is nevertheless plenty of life to be seen thanks to the gallery forest that fringes the Sabie.

Apart from the Gabar Goshawk hunting from a perch within the trees, other raptors seen on a grey, rainy morning were Whitebacked Vulture and Gymnogene, while the proximity to the water and ample food meant Elephant, Impala, Bushbuck, Giraffe, Warthog and Waterbuck were common along the gently ascending road.

The Bearded Robin is generally uncommon in Kruger Park, but the Sabie River is one of the best places to see it, hopping around in the undergrowth.

Typical woodland birds like the Emeraldspotted Wood Dove, Arrowmarked Babbler, Southern Black Tit, Scimitarbill and African Hoopoe are easily seen, while Whitefaced Duck were spotted flying above the river.

The other side of the Sabie River is less untouched wilderness and more human development, which does at least provide better access to the river, allowing Hippopotamus, Water Dikkop, Blacksmith Plover, African Pied Wagtail, Greenbacked Heron and Pied Kingfisher to be viewed.

The woodlands around the Sabie River are also great for Brownhooded Kingfisher and Blackbacked Puffback.

Sightings list

Hippopotamus

Little Swift

Water Dikkop

Blacksmith Plover

Glossy Starling

Emeraldspotted Wood Dove

Helmeted Guineafowl

Rattling Cisticola

Elephant

Forktailed Drongo

Impala

Arrowmarked Babbler

Blackeyed Bulbul

Southern Black Tit

Bushbuck

Giraffe

Cape Turtle Dove

Scimitarbill

African Hoopoe

Goldenbreasted Bunting

Grey Heron

Warthog

Gabar Goshawk

Whitebacked Vulture

Gymnogene

Waterbuck

Whitefaced Duck

Bearded Robin

African Pied Wagtail

Greenbacked Heron

Hadeda Ibis

Pied Kingfisher

Brownhooded Kingfisher

Blackbacked Puffback

The Marievale Bird Sanctuary is a Ramsar-site whose vast reedbeds and multitude of open pools are home to thousands of waterbirds.

Perhaps the most regal of its denizens is the African Marsh Harrier, an uncommon raptor that spends most of the day gliding over the pools and reedbeds on the hunt for rodents and other tidbits.

The African Marsh Harrier spends half of its day in the air and it likes to get an early start, so there it was as the sun was rising on Human Rights Day setting off on the breakfast run as it quartered low over the reedbeds.

My wife and I had a fine view of this long-winged beauty as we sat with our morning tea on the balcony of our little chalet overlooking the wetland. Blackcrowned Night Heron, Grey Heron, Greyheaded Gull, Redknobbed Coot, Cape Shoveler, Whitewinged Tern, Whitebreasted Cormorant, Cattle Egret, Spurwinged Goose, Greater Flamingo and Glossy Ibis were all easily spotted from our chalet on the edge of the water.

Soon we were on our way, heading for the causeway over the Blesbokspruit. This tarred section is a wonderful spot because there are pools of water close-by on both sides of the road, as well as vegetation right up to the causeway.

On the way there, Redshouldered and Longtailed Widows were busy in the grasslands, Southern Masked Weavers were almost ubiquitous and the sexually dimorphic Amur Falcons were dotted along the power and telephone lines along the road.

A lone Swainson’s Francolin was out and about in the brisk morning air – 15° was the temperature for most of the day – and popping into the Hadeda Hide en route produced Little Egret and Reed Cormorant.

Both Yellow and Blackthroated Canary were enjoying the seeds of the many Docks (Rumex spp) along the road, before we turned west on to the causeway and the waterbirds came thick and fast.

Common Moorhen were swimming around the pools, Pied Kingfisher were hovering and diving for breakfast, Cape Reed Warblers were singing merrily as they worked their way through the reeds, African Jacana were standing stately on the lilypads and Whitethroated Swallow, along with Brownthroated Martin, were zooming about.

Purple Gallinule and Malachite Kingfisher were also around and, as we exited the car and walked towards the Otter Hide, a sleek, sinuous dark head rose from the water – it could have been considered reptilian except it had whiskers, and a little black nose and eyes – a Spottednecked Otter just where it should be!

A handsome Hottentot Teal was also swimming around and Black Crake and African Darter were spotted too.

The open waters between the causeway and the picnic site also produced Redbilled Teal and Dabchick.

The northern section of Marievale takes you through productive wetlands on your left and open grassland on your right. Here Blackshouldered Kite and Hadeda Ibis were on one side of the car, while Squacco Heron, Little Bittern and Whiskered Tern flew around on the other.

Great Crested Grebe were swimming on the large expanse of water in front of the Duiker Hide, while the Flamingo Hide, back by the picnic site, also has a wide vista of open water and reedbeds in front of it. Large flocks of European Swallow are found here, but there were also Blackwinged Stilt and a rather tame African Reed Warbler, who was at much closer quarters.

Popping into the Hadeda Hide again on our way back to our chalet yielded the archetypal wetland Cisticola, the Levaillant’s. From regal raptors to skulking little LBJs, Marievale Bird Sanctuary has it all.

Sightings list

Grey Heron

Greyheaded Gull

Redknobbed Coot

Cape Shoveler

Whitewinged Tern

Whitebreasted Cormorant

Cattle Egret

Spurwinged Goose

Greater Flamingo

Glossy Ibis

Blackcrowned Night Heron

Egyptian Goose

Blacksmith Plover

Sacred Ibis

African Marsh Harrier

Redshouldered Widow

Longtailed Widow

Little Egret

Reed Cormorant

Laughing Dove

Rock Pigeon

Southern Masked Weaver

Yellowbilled Duck

Swainson’s Francolin

Stonechat

Cape Turtle Dove

Amur Falcon

Fiscal Shrike

Yellow Canary

Blackthroated Canary

Common Moorhen

Pied Kingfisher

Cape Reed Warbler

African Jacana

Whitethroated Swallow

Purple Gallinule

Cape Wagtail

Brownthroated Martin

Malachite Kingfisher

Spottednecked Otter

Hottentot Teal

Black Crake

African Darter

Greater Striped Swallow

Dabchick

Redbilled Teal

Blackshouldered Kite

Hadeda Ibis

Squacco Heron

Redeyed Dove

Redfaced Mousebird

House Rat

Little Bittern

Whiskered Tern

European Swallow

Great Crested Grebe

Blackwinged Stilt

African Reed Warbler

Southern Greyheaded Sparrow

Levaillant’s Cisticola

 

Patience is what comes to mind when I think of Nylsvley Nature Reserve, an ephemeral floodplain between Modimolle (Nylstroom) and Mookgophong (Naboomspruit) in the Waterberg region of Limpopo province.

Although Nylsvley is the largest floodplain in South Africa, covering up to 16 000 ha when fully inundated, the cycle of flooding is erratic, dynamic and unpredictable. It is probably only totally flooded once a decade, while every third year or so, below-average rain in the catchment area on the eastern slopes of the Waterberg Mountains causes the floodplain to remain bone-dry.

This was my third visit to Nylsvley and finally a good year in terms of flooding, my arrival in mid-March obviously helping.

Nylsvley is famous for its waterbirds, many of which – your bitterns, crakes, rails and warblers – are skulking at the best of times, so a lot of patience is required to spot these shy species.

And then you have the tropical specials, which are not only skulking, but also few and far between on the ground. One of these is the Lesser Gallinule, a summer visitor to isolated parts of northern South Africa and a bird I have been wanting to see for many years.

Vogelfontein, on the northern edge of the reserve, is the most famous part of Nylsvley – more than a hundred waterbird species have been recorded in this area of flooded rank grassland, with hides, a road and raised dykes for better viewing, making it South Africa’s richest wetland.

But staying overnight at Nylsvley enabled me to visit the centre of the reserve for the first time and, in particular, the Jacana Hide, which is upstream from Vogelfontein. A walkway takes you through flooded reedbeds, before the vista opens up at the hide, giving you a view down the channels of the Mogkalakwena River.

Heading to the hide from the parking lot, the portents were good as I was privileged to not only see a handful of African Clawless Otter but also to see them indulge in the sort of natural behaviour that usually comes with a David Attenborough voice-over.

 

Before the metal walkway through the reeds starts, there is a grassy track and there, out in the open on this path, were these otters waggling their hindparts in some sort of dance. It was all a bit reminiscent of Miley Cyrus with sniffing of rear ends going on too as they whirled around each other, the slick, sleek black bodies of the otters merging together.

After nearly a minute they disappeared back into the water and reeds on either side of the track, but there was a strong urine-like smell at the spot where they performed, so I presume they were indulging in the ritualised latrine dance described by Somers in 1997.

Upon arriving at the Jacana Hide, thrilled by the mesmerising otters, I discovered two other people there, photographers, and they mentioned that they had seen Lesser Gallinule there the previous day.

Convinced that this must be my lucky day, I hunkered down for a long stay, eager to catch a sighting of a bird notorious for only making brief emergences from the thick, rank vegetation it favours.

Not that I was bored. There was a steady flow of traffic and I decided to rename Jacana Hide the Squacco Heron Airport as these birds that are normally easily overlooked were continually coming and going overhead, like aeroplanes approaching or taking off.

There were also Purple Heron, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Little Bee-Eater, African Fish Eagle, Malachite Kingfisher, African Reed Warbler, Whitefaced Duck, Pied Kingfisher, Cape Reed Warbler and Spurwinged Goose around. Even a Bearded Woodpecker paid a visit to the trees surrounding the main pool.

And then, with the sun getting low behind the thorn trees, the plump purple body of a Gallinule emerged on to a sandbank in front of the hide.

Great excitement.

But hold on, the bigger Purple Gallinule is common at Nylsvley and, if you’re not entirely sure of the size difference, one needs to look at the frontal shield – a hard piece of skin extending from the base of the upper bill over the forehead.

Both the Purple and Lesser Gallinule have bright red bills, but the Purple has a red frontal shield as well, while the scarcer Lesser has a bright blue to apple-green frontal shield.

I find size differences to be rather a subjective issue and I prefer to use more definite identification points, so I was focusing in on this Gallinule’s head, hoping to see a different colour than red above the beak.

Sadly, it was clearly red and my bird was the common Purple Gallinule.

Oh well, keep waiting.

The light was starting to get poor as the sun dipped ever lower and I was starting to give myself five minutes more … at five-minute intervals.

Eventually, another Gallinule emerged on to the sandbank. Was it the same one? Hang on, there seems to be something different about this one … it’s smaller.

With excitement growing, up went the binoculars for a detailed examination, honing in on the frontal shield. Which was hard work because of the poor light and the bird’s annoying habit of foraging whilst facing away from the hide!

Eventually, with frustration starting to overtake excitement, the Gallinule went for a stroll along the sandbank and turned to face the hide!

And there it was … a blue frontal shield!

My first Lesser Gallinule and it eventually gave me a wonderful sighting, fit for a lifer, as it paraded along the sandbank as a reward for my patience.

With the sun setting, it was time to return to camp after an exhilarating afternoon, completed by a couple of Southern Pochard flying in and then a friendly Common Large-Spotted Genet visiting my braai that evening.

Vogelfontein is also a highly-rewarding spot, especially when it is flooded.

I knew conditions were good when I spotted a Little Bittern clambering along the barbed wire fence alongside the road, using it as a hunting perch with water below right up to the road.

There were conspicuous Black Crake next to the road as well and Hottentot Teal, Wood Sandpiper and Threebanded Plover in the pools that had formed in the grassland. Whitewinged Widows were zitting around energetically.

My first stop was Kingfisher Hide and, as I alighted from the car, I happened to look skywards to enjoy a beautiful sunny day. There up above, soaring, dipping and diving about were a number of Blackwinged Pratincole, another lifer!

They were wonderful to watch, gliding around in a clear blue sky, flashing their forked, white tails and bellies. Some Amur Falcons were sharing the heavens with them.

Walking along the raised dykes on the other side of the road, numerous good sightings were made, including Blackcrowned Night Heron, Great White Egret, Burchell’s Coucal, Black Egret, both Grey and Blackheaded herons, Squacco Heron, Woodland Kingfisher, African Jacana, European Bee-Eater and Willow Warbler.

Away from the wetlands, the woodlands around Nylsvley – both broad-leaved and Acacia – are excellent for birding.

A Black Cuckooshrike was right next to the campsite, in a bird party with Chinspot Batis, Paradise Flycatcher and Diederick Cuckoo.

Some Bluecheeked Bee-Eaters were patrolling the dirt road to the entrance gate, along with Burchell’s Starling and Flappet Lark.

One has to exit the Nature Reserve and drive along the railway line to get to Vogelfontein, but there is good Acacia birding along this drive, with Purple Roller, Brownheaded Kingfisher, Spotted Flycatcher, Southern Black Tit and Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver present.

Sightings list

Crested Francolin

Neddicky

Redeyed Dove

Black Cuckooshrike

Laughing Dove

Swainson’s Francolin

Glossy Starling

Chinspot Batis

Paradise Flycatcher

Forktailed Drongo

Grey Hornbill

Diederick Cuckoo

Burchell’s Starling

Cattle Egret

Redbacked Shrike

Speckled Mousebird

Bluecheeked Bee-Eater

European Swallow

Cape Turtle Dove

Purple Roller

Brownhooded Kingfisher

Helmeted Guineafowl

Crowned Plover

Southern Grey headed Sparrow

Spotted Flycatcher

Grey Lourie

Little Bittern

Stonechat

Common Waxbill

Black Crake

Blacksmith Plover

Southern Masked Weaver

Whitethroated Swallow

Hottentot Teal

Wood Sandpiper

Threebanded Plover

Greater Striped Swallow

Whitewinged Widow

Blackwinged Pratincole

Amur Falcon

Blackcrowned Night Heron

Great White Egret

Burchell’s Coucal

Black Egret

Grey Heron

Blackheaded Heron

Squacco Heron

Tawnyflanked Prinia

Reed Cormorant

Longtailed Shrike

Plains Zebra

Woodland Kingfisher

African Jacana

European Bee-Eater

Willow Warbler

Rattling Cisticola

Orangethroated Longclaw

Common Moorhen

Southern Black Tit

Redwinged Starling

Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver

Cape Dwarf Gecko

Blackeyed Bulbul

Yellowbilled Hornbill

Tsessebe

Flappet Lark

Purple Heron

African Clawless Otter

Levaillant’s Cisticola

Little Bee-Eater

African Fish Eagle

Malachite Kingfisher

African Reed Warbler

Bearded Woodpecker

Whitefaced Duck

Pied Kingfisher

Cape Reed Warbler

Spurwinged Goose

Purple Gallinule

Lesser Gallinule

Southern Pochard

Hadeda Ibis

Common Large-Spotted Genet

Kurrichane Thrush

Tree Squirrel

Longbilled Crombec

Cardinal Woodpecker

Southern Tree Agama