200 species seen in a day!
On 10 Jan, three birders set out to try and see 200 species in a day, in the wider Pretoria area.
This milestone may be straightforward for well-drilled power-birders who rely on hearing birds, but Dave and Steve wanted to see each bird well, and Dave was also busy testing a new application for I-pac, which may revolutionise bird record-keeping.
As it turned out, we recorded just on 220 species, of which 201 were seen.
SOme of the highlights of the day:
- A superb male Pallid Harrier about 5km along the Zaagkuildrift Road
- Olive Tree Warbler seen towards Kgomo-Kgomo
- Sharp-billed HOneyguide calling from the top of a tree at the same
locality.
- Several Monotonous Lark calling just north-east of Hammanskraal. (near
where the Dusky was last year!)
- Four owl species, including African Grass Owl seen hunting at dusk.
- Tinkling Cisticola in the Seringveld - NOTE that the new Sasol has the map for this species completely wrong!
- 10 Raptor species, including Greater Kestrel, Black Sparrowhawk and
Gymnogene.
- Great Reed Warbler calling from thorn thickets near the elands river on
the Uitvlugt Loop.
- About 300 Glossy Ibis coming in to roost at Dickin's Pan, 30 Blackcrowned
Night Herons on the secondary pan.
Regards and best birding in 2003.
Etienne Marais
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200 species seen in a day!
On 10 Jan, three birders set out to try and see 200 species in a day, in the wider Pretoria area.
This milestone may be straightforward for well-drilled power-birders who rely on hearing birds, but Dave and Steve wanted to see each bird well, and Dave was also busy testing a new application for I-pac, which may revolutionise bird record-keeping.
As it turned out, we recorded just on 220 species, of which 201 were seen.
SOme of the highlights of the day:
- A superb male Pallid Harrier about 5km along the Zaagkuildrift Road
- Olive Tree Warbler seen towards Kgomo-Kgomo
- Sharp-billed HOneyguide calling from the top of a tree at the same
locality.
- Several Monotonous Lark calling just north-east of Hammanskraal. (near
where the Dusky was last year!)
- Four owl species, including African Grass Owl seen hunting at dusk.
- Tinkling Cisticola in the Seringveld - NOTE that the new Sasol has the map for this species completely wrong!
- 10 Raptor species, including Greater Kestrel, Black Sparrowhawk and
Gymnogene.
- Great Reed Warbler calling from thorn thickets near the elands river on
the Uitvlugt Loop.
- About 300 Glossy Ibis coming in to roost at Dickin's Pan, 30 Blackcrowned
Night Herons on the secondary pan.
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