The Malmossies were out to do their best this year again, although the
composition of the team was different this year, and consisted of myself,
Pauline Leinberger and Peter Thompson.  Here is a short report on how we fared.

We started in the bushveld in the Zaagkuildrift area very early on Saturday
morning with absolutely no nightjars, few owls and other night birds.  After
that slow start things picked up rapidly and we recorded species the fastest we
ever have in the early morning period, probably as a result of the excellent
condition of the thornveld habitat and surrounding areas.  By 09:30 we had over
140 species and moved on to the Rust der Winter area and then to Rooiwal which
did not disappoint as usual, providing all the wagtails, many swallows and
martins and valuable additions in the way of ducks and waders.  From there we
made our way to the Seringveld and Cullinan area ticking broadleafed species and
missing several that had been present the week before, before moving to the
highveld.  We wanted to improve on our performance in the highveld grassland
area but alas, it was not to be!  Storm clouds had been gathering in the late
afternoon and hit the Pretoria area with a vengeance at about 5pm and while
having to contend with fierce winds and two rain storms, the last of which was a
torrential downpour, we saw our BBD effort being literally and figuratively
blown away!  A potential 240+ species resulted in 231, exactly what we achieved
last year.  We were content with that but knew that the elements had deprived us
from our best ever score.  You have to prepare for storms in November of course,
but I realised on Saturday that the worst place to be in those circumstances is
in the highveld.  Lesson learned!

As always you miss some obvious species on the day, either because not everyone
in the team is able to make the identification, or because you simply don't
encounter the species.  This year we missed Black-collared Barbet, Black-headed
Heron (!), Common Sandpiper, Kurrichane Thrush, and a whole host of highveld
birds, including Bokmakierie, the cloud cisticolas, and some larks.  Like the
Raiders we also did not record a single accipiter species, the first time that
has happened.  Then there are the special sightings; this year brought Olivetree
Warbler, Eastern Red-footed Kestrel, and - the star bird of the day - a Black
Sparrowhawk in the gloom at Dickens Pan.

We will no doubt try something different next year when BBD looms again.

Andre Marx

Team Reports Available:

• The Malmossies - by Andre Marx
• Raiders of the Lost Lark - by Etienne Marais
• Bosveld Bokmakieries deur Stephan Terblanche
• Pretoria Ringers deur Leon Kay
  
• 1999 Reports archive