By Pete Irons

Mousecoloured flycatchers were also drawn to the burned patches by the dozen, and they became a "trash bird" by the end of the morning. It was also a good day for woodpeckers, with goldentailed, cardinal and a very co-operative Bennett's all showing up. We came close to having a full house of eremomelas, with only yellowbellied not showing.... and I was so confident they would, having seen them there in June. Anyone wanting to check out this genus should certainly go to Leeuwfontein. A couple of yellowthroated sparrow was another nice sighting. A little bee-eater gave us plenty to Ooh and Aah! about, but sight of the day has got to go to the dozens of Marico sunbird males which were out displaying their beautiful shimmering colours in the morning sun without much regard for the group of awe-struck onlookers.

The social side of the outing was excellent. We had a visiting birder and her husband from Missouri, USA, with us, and being a small group really did get everybody chatting. We broke from the usual picnic routine and took lunch at a country restaurant, Adams Country Arms, on the way back to town. We were joined by Leon Labuschagne, the Officer-in-charge of Leeuwfontein.

Leon's reserve list now stands at about 150 birds, many of which have been thanks to our three BIRP outings to date. Watch this space for the announcement of the next outing to Leeuwfontein sometime in midsummer.