Georges and Mireille Olioso, le Mail, 26230 Grignan (France)
After Western, Northern and Eastern Cape provinces in 1997 then the Kruger and St Lucia in 2002, we made a new trip to South Africa. This year, we went to North West Province and Limpopo. We stayed one week at Kwa Maritane, a lodge in the Pilanesberg N.P. and two in Mabalingwe N. R.
These two lodges are very nice and birds and mammals are numerous near the chalets.
The weather was also very fine, but a little cold most mornings in the first week. There was no rain but for one day during the second week. We visited 4 sites.
1-Pilanesberg National Parc
A very nice place, with varied habitats (one big and other smaller lakes, grasslands, bushveld, etc.). Big mammals are numerous and Elephants, Giraffes, Rhino, Hippo and Lions easy to watch. There are also some Crocodiles and numerous water turtles. Common birds are Little Grebe, Black-shouldered Kite, Swainson’s and Crested Francolins, Blacksmith and Crowned Plover, Grey Lourie, Pied Kingfisher, Black-collared and Crested Barbets, Rufous-naped Lark, etc. We saw also some other good birds like Kori Bustard, Coqui Francolin, Whiskered Tern, Giant Kingfisher, Common Scimitarbill, Black-faced Waxbill, African Quailfinch, etc.
Very good restaurant at Kwa Maritane Lodge !
2-Mabalingwe Nature Reserve
Also very nice lodge. Habitats are least varied. Mammals are also numerous and we saw an African Wild Cat. This place is very good for small birds (Jameson’s and red-billed Firefinch, Violet-eared and Blue Waxbills, Cut-throat, Scaly-feathered and Melba Finches and Golden-breasted Bunting). We saw also Verreaux’s, Wahlberg’s and Fish Eagles and Black-breasted Snake-Eagle, Striated Heron, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Purple Roller, Sabota Lark, Marico Sunbird, etc.
Good buffet breakfast at the restaurant !
3-Nylsvley Nature Reserve
We stayed only 5 hours, but 2 or 3 days should be better ! This place was very dry but we saw some water birds like Goliath Heron, Comb Duck, Black Rail and African Reed-Warbler. We heared (not saw) 1 Kurrichane Buttonquail...
4-Rust de Winter Nature Reserve
We made 2 visits. Numerous water birds with Comb Duck, African Pygmu Goose, Fish Eagle (a pair building a nest), African Jacana, Black Crake, African Rail, African Purple Gallinule, etc. A very good place. En route between Mabalingwe and Rust de Winter we saw (3 times) a Secretarybird.
Species Lists
Species order is Roberts 7 (Roberts Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa).
Burchell’s Coucal Centropus burchellii. Seen 6/09 and 9/09 Pilanesberg. 2, 21/09 Rust De Winter and 1 22/09 Nylsvley.
African Palm-Swift Cypsiurus parvus. ± 10 7/09 Pilanesberg. One 21/09 Rust De Winter and 2 22/09 Nylsvley.
African Black Swift Apus barbatus. 4, 6/09 Pilanesberg.
Little Swift Apus affinis. Seen 7/09 and 8/09 Pilanesberg and 17/09 Mabalingwe. Some breeding pairs under the bridges Pienaarsrivier 21/09 and 23/09.
Grey Lourie Corithaixoides concolor. Very common and very tame in the lodges.
Barn Owl Tyto alba. One every morning Kwa Maritane.
African Grass-Owl Tyto capensis. One 5:30 a.m., 23/09 between Warmbaths and Radium.
Spotted eagle-Owl Bubo africanus. One 18/09 Mabalingwe.
Pearl-spotted Owlet Glaucidium perlatum. Two singing 20/09 Mabalingwe. One 22/09, camp site, Nylsvley, 7 a. m.
Feral Pigeon Columba livia. Rare but Warmbaths. Also Pretoria.
Speckled Pigeon Columba guinea. Common Mabalingwe. Least common Kwa Maritane and Pilanesberg.
Laughing Dove Streptopelia senegalensis. The commonest and more widespread species. Very abundant early morning along the roads.
Cape Turtle-Dove Streptopelia capicola. Common and widespread.
Red-eyed Dove Streptopelia semitorquata. Not seen in Pilanesberg…
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove Turtur chalcospilos. More heared than seen ! Mabalingwe and Rust De Winter.
Namaqua Dove Oena capensis. Pair 19/09 Mabalingwe, male 22/09 Nylsvley and female 21/09 Pienaarsrivier.
Kori Bustard Ardeotis kori. Two 8/09 Pilanesberg.
Northern Black Korhaan Eupodotis afraoides. Two in flight near Rust De Winter 23/09.
Red-crested Korhaan Eupodotis ruficrista. male 19/09 Mabalingwe and 21/09 near Rust de Winter.
African Rail Rallus caerulescens. One seen twice 21/09 Rust De Winter.
Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostris. One 18/09 and 19/09 Mabalingwe. Two 21/09, Rust De Winter and 3 here 23/09. 22/09, pair and juvenil Rust De Winter.
African Purple Gallinule Porphyrio madagascarensis. Some 21/09 Rust De Winter (with a pair + 1 pullus).
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus. Rarely seen. One 7/09 Pilanesberg, another 17/09 Mabalingwe Gorcum Dam, 4, 21/09 and 6, 23/09 Rust De Winter ; 3, 22/09 (pair with a very young pullus) Nylsvley.
Red-kobbed Coot Fulica cristata. 82 together 23/09 Rust De Winter.
African Snipe Gallinago nigripennis. One 23/09 Rust De Winter.
Greenshank Tringa nebularia. Only seen in Pilanesberg with maximum 2, 7/09.
Gabar Goshawk Melierax gabar. One 23/09 Rust De Winter.
Shikra Accipiter badius. One (male probable), 18/09 Mabalingwe.
Verreaux’s Eagle Aquila verreauxii. Adult 13/09 and 18/09 Mabalingwe.
Wahlberg’s Eagle Aquila wahlbergi. One 15/09 Mabalingwe.
Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius. One 8/09 Pilanesberg. One between Pienaarsrivier and Rust De Winter 21/09. One in flight 23/09 between Radium and Warmbaths.
Dabchick Tachybaptus ruficollis. Common. >30 Mankwe Dam, Pilanesberg, 6/09 and at least 60, 7/09 (total of birds seen on all the dams). At least 50 Rust De Winter 21/09 and 23/09.
Great Crested Grebe Podiceps cristatus. Only seen Rust De Winter where there is a pair with 3 pulli 21/09.
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis. Pilanesberg, one 6/09 and 7/09 Mankwe Dam.
African Darter Anhinga rufa. Widespread but not common. Maximum 8 Mankwe Dam (Pilanesberg) 7/09.
Reed Cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus. Very common and widespread.
White-breasted Cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus. Widespread. Three large pulli, Mabalingwe, 18/09.
Little Egret Egretta garzetta. Uncommon. Pilanesberg, max. 2, 7/09. One in flight between Warmbaths and Mabalingwe 20/09 and one 21/09 and 23/09 Rust De Winter.
Great Egret Ardea alba. Some birds in Pilanesberg. Two 22/09 Nylsvley. Rust De Winter, 2, 21/09 and 1, 23/09.
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. Widespread in small number. Maximum 8, 6/09 Pilanesberg Mankwe Dam.
Black-headed Heron Ardea melanocephala. One Pilanesberg 9/09. Between Warmbaths and Radium, one 21/09 and two 23/09.
Goliath Heron Ardea goliath. One Nylsvley 22/09.
Purple Heron Ardea purpurea. One 21/09 Rust De Winter.
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis. Only Rust De Winter and Warmbaths ; maximum 9 here 21/09.
Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides. One 23/09 Rust De Winter.
Striated Heron Butorides striata. At least one every days Mabalingwe.
Little Bittern Ixobrichus minutus. Male 21/09 Rust De Winter.
Hamerkop Scopus umbretta. seen Kwa Maritane (there is a new nest here), Pilanesberg, Rust De Winter and between Pienaarsrivier and Warmbaths.
Hadeda Ibis Bostrychia hagedash. Widespread and noisy.
Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus. Rare here. Some in flight between airport and Pretoria 3/09, then 1 Pilanesberg 7/09.
African Spoonbill Platalea alba. Some Pilanesberg with maximum 5, 7/09. Adult 22/09 Nylsvley.
Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis. At least 3, 22/09 Nylsvley.
Black-headed Oriole Oriolus larvatus. Kwa Maritane and Mabalingwe.
Fork-tailed Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis. Common and widespread.
Brubru Nilaus afer. One 9/09 Pilanesberg.
Black-backed Puffback Dryoscopus cubla. Common and noisy. Seen everywhere.
Black-crowned Tchagra Tchagra senegala. One Mabalingwe. Three together 23/09 Rust De Winter.
Brown-crowned Tchagra Tchagra australis. Only one Pilanesberg and some Mabalingwe.
Southern Boubou Laniarius ferrugineus. Seen every days in small number.
Crimson-breasted Shrike Laniarius atrococcineus. Very tame. Seen every days in small number.
Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike Telophorus sulfureopectus. One 20/09 Mabalingwe.
Grey-headed Bush-Shrike Malaconotus blanchoti. Seen twice Mabalingwe, 14/09 and 19/09.
Chinspot Batis Batis molitor. Widespread and common
Cape Crow Corvus capensis. 2, 10/09 between Thabazimbi and Doornfontein.
Pied Crow Corvus albus. Seen everywhere in small number.
Common Fiscal Lanius collaris. Not common ! 22/09, 2 between Warmbaths and Nylstroom and 1 Nylsvley. One 24/09 R21/09 and R1 junction near Pretoria.
Magpie Shrike Corvinella melanoleuca. Common everywhere along the roads.
Southern Black Tit Parus niger. Only Mabalingwe where a pair was seen every days.
Pearl-breasted Swallow Hirundo dimidiata. ± 15, Pilanesberg 7/09 and 8/09.
Greater Striped Swallow Hirundo cucullata. Only one 3/09 Kwa Maritane.
White-throated Swallow Hirundo albigularis. Seen only 8/09 and 9/09 Pilanesberg.