South Africa – Marievale Bird Sanctuary [13]

Atlasville, 04 Oct 2011

I know I have been very busy with various work projects yet still can’t believe that it has been over 2 years since my last visit to Marievale, which I regard as my ‘home patch’ when it comes to birding.

I left home at sunrise today, arriving at Marievale at 06:30. I spent just over 3 hours covering most of the reserve and totting up a species count of 55. The larger waterbirds were represented by Purple Heron, Squacco Heron and Black-headed Heron, but no sign of some of the usual Goliath Heron, Grey Heron and Black-crowned Night Heron. Both White-winged Tern and Whiskered Tern were seen, but no sign of the usually abundant Grey-headed Gull.

As expected, ducks and geese were well represented by Spur-winged Goose, Egyptian Goose, Southern Pochard, Cape Shoveler, Red-billed Teal, Blue-billed Teal and Yellow-billed Duck. The five birds that I would regard as ‘ever-present’ at Marievale were all seen, Red-knobbed Coot, Common Moorhen, African Swamphen, Reed Cormorant and Levaillant’s Cisticola, as well as the much less common African Rail, Black Crake, Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe. Another that you rarely miss at Marievale is the Blacksmith Lapwing, whose chicks are just starting to leave the nest.

Of the resident waders, African Snipe, Wood Sandpiper and Three-banded Plover were all present, but it is the time of year when the migrant waders are starting to appear too. Those seen today were Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint and Ruff.

Others seen included White-throated Swallow, African Pipit, Cape Longclaw, Black-winged Kite, Long-tailed Widowbird, African Stonechat, Common Waxbill, Spotted Thick-knee and Lesser Swamp Warbler.