24 and 25 November 2009

After the recent good rainfall, being the initial, but rather late, start to our rainy season Brian and I decided to revisit Lekgakmeetse.  This reserve is an Important Bird Area (IBA) and part of the "Birds in Reserves" system, and includes areas of the Drakensberg foothills, indigenous woodland and montane grasslands.

Many of the birds were identified by call initially, then often being lucky enough to confirm what we had heard.  Of particular note were Gorgeous Bush Shrike and Yellow Streaked Greenbul (Bulbul) in the heavy bush areas.  Three types of Honeyguide, namely Scaly Throated, which was calling from its habitual site in a blue gum tree; Lesser Honeyguide and later Brown Backed (Sharp Billed) Honeyguide.  This latter bird was in a mixed bird party which was enjoying a feast of emerging termites.

On the way up the Orrie Baragwanath Pass we were fortunate enough to glimpse a Crowned Eagle, and later in the day to find it again at the same place, which is probably one of its roosting sites.

In the montane grasslands we found both Yellow Breasted and Cape (Orange Throated) Longclaws, Wailing Cisticola and the large Croaking Cisticola, both calling characteristically and sitting out in the open.

In the forested areas we found a total of 7 Robin species: White Starred, Chorister, Red Capped (Natal), White Browed (Heuglins), White Throated Robin Chat and Eastern Bearded and Brown Scrub Robin.  I have long had doubts about the occurrence of Brown Scrub Robin in our area, although it is relatively common in Natal in the coastal forest areas.  However, by following various calling birds we were eventually rewarded with good visual sitings.  Another good forest siting was that of a Little Sparrrow Hawk        which sat out clearly for some time before finally dashing off.

Another bird, which is on an old bird list for Lekgalameetse, is the Cape Parrot, but in all my years of visiting the area I've seen nothing nor heard anything of it, even though the habitat is the same as Magoebaskloof where it is known to reside.  In the late evening 1 or 2 circled over the Church Forest, screeching loudly, and presumably roosted there.  It (they?) did not call again in the morning and we were unable to confirm if it was indeed the Cape or Grey Headed Parrot, the latter normally found in savannah areas.  According to Sasol, the 2 species do not overlap, so my feeling is that the Cape Parrot is still there.

In all we recorded 106 species for the 30 hours spent in the Reserve.