South Africa – Wakkerstroom [2]

Atlasville, 12 Dec 2011

I spent the day yesterday birding in the Wakkerstroom district. A dawn departure saw me drive down to Wakkerstroom, where I completed a circuit around the Wakkerstroom and Dirkiesdorp area on gravel roads of around 110km, then returned home, arriving after dark. The total bird species for the day was 76.

This was a bit lower than could be expected at this time of year, with all the summer migrants around, but reasonable given that everything was spotted at around 30-40kph, or while stopped to photograph something else.

Highlights of the day were Secretarybird, Jackal Buzzard, Amur Falcon, Denham’s Bustard, Grey Crowned Crane, Southern Bald Ibis, Buff-streaked Chat, Ground Woodpecker, Eastern Long-billed Lark, Red-capped Lark, Rudd’s Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Plain-backed Pipit, African Pipit, Cape Longclaw, Banded Martin, Pied Starling, Sentinel Rock Thrush, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Levaillant’s Cisticola and Diederik Cuckoo.