What a great year 2016 was! My lifer
count started with a Marsh Warbler in Sodwana Bay on the 5th
of January and ended with a Pectoral Sandpiper at Sappi Stanger on December 18th. I managed to add 56 new
species to my South African list this year taking me to 466. I
decided to keep a year list for interest sake and I was quite happy
to end the year on 400 species which is much more than I expected to
get. Majority of the species seen this year came from KwaZulu-Natal
but the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape contributed greatly along with
the Western Cape and the Free State adding a few birds to my total. Trying to make a top 10 list was difficult but I think the birds I chose were my favourites. This order could change though, I couldn't decide on exactly which birds should go where. I
have highlighted my top 10 favourite lifers of 2016 below:
10. Black-bellied Storm-petrel, 13
August 2016, Durban Pelagic Trip, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
This was the third Storm-petrel that I
had seen off Durban and one of the least common. It came into view
for a few minutes behind the boat on the pelagic trip and I only
managed to get two ridiculously bad photos from behind. I'm quite
glad that I got to see this little bird.
9. Western Marsh Harrier, 16 January
2016, Sappi Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
My dad and I went out to Sappi Stanger
to try find the Spotted Crake that had been reported there two weeks
earlier. We dipped on the Crake but saw a female Western Marsh
Harrier which had been reported the day before instead. This was a
complete surprise as I didn't ever think of seeing this bird at any
stage, let alone in KZN. This bird should probably have been placed a
bit higher on my list considering it is a Southern African National
Rarity but my views of this bird weren't particularly good as I only
saw her flying away from from me and I only managed to get one poor
record shot.
8. Antarctic Prion, 13 August 2016,
Durban Pelagic Trip, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
This bird is an uncommon Winter visitor
to KZN's shores. They are notoriously difficult to photograph as they
fly centimetres above the water and they are really small. We saw a
few them on the pelagic trip and I managed to get a few decent photos
of them when they came close enough. Trying to photograph them was
definitely a lot of fun and I am quite chuffed with how some of the
pictures came out.
7. Cape Sugarbird, 13 July 2016,
Loerieheuwel, Eastern Cape, South Africa
This is one of those birds that I just
had to see. Even though I had been into the Western Cape twice and
into the Eastern Cape multiple times over the years, I had never seen
one. That was until we decided to go to the Baviaanskloof in July. We
stopped on the side of the road near Loerieheuwel by some Fynbos.
After a short while, a male Cape Sugarbird flew over the road and
disappeared from view before I could get a photograph. I saw on the
SABAP2 website that these birds had been recorded in the Zuurberg
which is close to Addo where we were staying. On arrival, we made our
way to a small clump of Proteas and to my disbelief, a Cape Sugarbird
landed on one of them in front of me and posed for six photos before
flying off. My day was made.
6. Bearded Vulture, 1 July 2016,
Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
As we made our way up the famous Sani
Pass, my expectations were high. We had only at the base of the pass
when I shouted: “Huuuuuge bird!” and I was out the car before the
car had stopped moving, photographing my first Bearded Vulture! The
bird flew over our car before flying further away into the distance.
I gave chase on foot but my efforts were futile as he flew closer to
the side of the mountain and away from the road. It became quite
difficult to see the vulture against the mountainside. I had always
wanted a picture of a bird of prey flying with a mountain in the
background and I finally managed to get one of this vulture before he
flew too far away. I couldn’t have asked for a better subject for a
photograph that I had wanted my whole life.
5. Drakensberg Rockjumper, 1 July
2016, Sani Pass, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
These charismatic little endemic birds
were quite interesting to watch and photograph. I came across a few
of them at the top of Sani Pass. The one female was very confiding
and allowed the most amazing photo opportunities. On the first
afternoon, I spent some time photographing them near the lodge and I
was really happy with the photos that I managed to get. It started
snowing on the next day and I had always wanted to photograph birds
in snow so I decided to go out and see if the Rockjumpers would
oblige. At this stage it had warmed up a little and the temperature
was now sitting on a cool -5 degrees Celsius. I spent a few hours
sitting in the snow with confiding birds hopping around close by. I
got some of my favourite photos to date and I couldn't have asked for
much better views and photos of this endemic species.
4. Spotted Crake, 20 February 2016,
Sappi Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
News broke of a Spotted Crake at Sappi
Stanger on January 1st and I really wanted to go see it. I
got my first chance two weeks later but unfortunately dipped. On the
the 20th of February, my dad and I went to try again. The weather was
miserable. When we arrived, there was lighting and thunder in the
background and it was quite dark. The rain then came pelting down and
I thought my chances of finding the crake were over. We decided to go
to the hide to see if anything was there. The rain eventually
subsided and the birds started appearing. After 30 minutes, I saw a
small odd looking bird out the corner of my eye and after having a
closer look, I shouted: “C-cr-cr-cr-crake!”. Then for a few
seconds the sound of cameras was heard before he disappeared and was
replaced by a Greater Painted-snipe four seconds later. Another
lifer. We waited a bit longer and the crake reappeared right in front
of the hide where he/she paraded for about ten minutes. We even saw
it preening and feeding. Just seeing this species in the open was
amazing so this sighting was quite spectacular.
3. Pygmy
Falcon, 25 March 2016, Lake Grappa Guestfarm & Ski School,
Northern Cape, South Africa
I always thought it would be cool to see Southern Africa's smallest
Falcon and after not seeing one in the Northern Cape in April 2014, I
made it my goal to see one in March this year. I certainly wasn't
disappointed. I found two Sociable Weaver nests near our chalet about
one hundred metres from each other and I spent a large amount of time
at these nests hoping to see a falcon. Then after three days of
searching, I found a beautiful female perched on a dead tree between
the two nests. I spent the next few days in the general area and I
suddenly started seeing the male and the female often. I even got to
see the female feasting on a Sociable Weaver. The female seemed quite
feisty as she didn't allow the male to come close when she was eating
and he had to live with the scraps that she left behind. I followed
them around and I found the nest that they were sleeping in one
evening. They posed for photographs at really close range which was
awesome! There were good numbers of Acacia Pied Barbets in the same
tree as the nest and the female Falcon would often try and catch a
Barbet before she went into the nest.
2. Soft-plumaged Petrel, 13 August
2016, Durban Pelagic Trip, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
I'm sure everyone has one, two or a few
birds that they really want to see in there lifetime whether they are
outright rarities or common garden birds. For me, those birds are
Sooty Albatross or Light-mantled Albatross, Barau's Petrel,
Soft-plumaged Petrel, African Pitta, Southern Banded Snake Eagle,
Wattled Crane, Pel's Fishing Owl and one of the great Albatrosses.
All of the above birds were pretty much out of my reach and I wasn’t
expecting to see any of them any time soon. Due to university
commitments, the number of days I can choose for pelagics is limited.
In the month of August, there aren't many tests and there were two
places left on the August pelagic one week before the departure date.
I made a last minute decision to book my spot to see albatrosses and
other seabirds again. I was super excited as this was my second
pelagic trip and my first winter trip. I also knew that we had a
chance of seeing a Soft-plumaged Petrel. A few minutes after the chum
went into the water, a small fast flying bird came speeding past the
side of the boat. The call of “Soft-plumaged Petrel!” was heard
and as the bird returned, the sound of camera shutters echoed
throughout the boat. I was ecstatic! I also managed to get a few
decent photos which is an added bonus.
1. Pectoral Sandpiper, 18 December
2016, Sappi Stanger, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
I was having a peaceful Sunday morning
when a notification came up on Facebook concerning a Pectoral
Sandpiper that had just been found in Stanger, about an hour's drive
away from home. Sappi Stanger produced the goods again. I thought
that my birding year was over by this stage with family commitments
coming up in the next few days but then this bird showed up and I
just had to go see it. After a bit of convincing, my dad said he
would go with me. It sure was worth it as just seconds after reaching
the sight, I was photographing my first Pectoral Sandpiper. This was
my second Southern African National Rarity of the year. It sure was a
great way to end the year.
My 66 lifers of 2016:
411. Marsh Warbler
412. Eurasian Golden Oriole
413. Western Marsh Harrier
414. Sedge Warbler
415. Baillon's Crake
416. Sand Martin
417. Yellow-crowned Bishop
418. African Wattled Lapwing
419. Spotted Eagle Owl
420. Yellow Bishop
421. White-starred Robin
422. Horus Swift
423. Spotted Crake
424. Greater Painted-snipe
425. Fulvous Whistling Duck
426. Victorin's Warbler
427. Lark-like Bunting
428. Lesser Kestrel
429. Greater Kestrel
430. Lesser Flamingo
431. Ashy Tit
432. Rufous-cheeked Nightjar
433. Karoo Long-billed Lark
434. Scaly-feathered Finch
435. Yellow Canary
436. Cape Bunting
438. Pririt Batis
439. Pygmy Falcon
440. Black-faced Waxbill
441. Ruddy Turnstone
442. African Rail
443. Groundscraper Thrush
444. Western Yellow Wagtail
445. Bearded Vulture
446. Drakensberg Rockjumper
447. Large-billed Lark
448. Cape Rock-thrush
449. Grey-winged Francolin
450. Rufous-breasted Sparrowhawk
451. Layard's Tit-babbler
452. Fairy Flycatcher
453. Cinnamon-breasted Bunting
454. Cape Sugarbird
455. Orange-breasted Sunbird
456. Cape Siskin
457. Spike-heeled Lark
458. Karoo Korhaan
459. Sickle-winged Chat
460. Mangrove Kingfisher
461. Soft-plumaged Petrel
462. Antarctic Prion
463. Black-bellied Storm-petrel
464. Subantarctic Skua
464. Subantarctic Skua
465. Common Buttonquail
466. Green Malkoha
467. Pectoral Sandpiper
