Atlasville, 8 Sep 2006
The African Scops-Owl has been putting in a regular appearance the past ten days, always about 90 minutes after sunset and on the same branch of the camelthorn overhanging my trailer roof every time. This is either a regular nocturnal perch (I haven’t been able to locate it during the day) or may be close to a nest – there are two old woodpecker holes in close proximity. I must check for pellets next week when I am back on site.
Two nights ago the usual call was interrupted by a second Scops calling from a different part of the same tree. I reached for the spotlight and went out to investigate. I couldn’t locate the second caller until both owls suddenly flew up and seemed to be entwined mid-air before separating and settling in opposite sides of the camelthorn, with call and response continuing for nearly another hour. Is this perhaps the start of courtship? Maybe I’ll have a pair of breeding Scops to monitor over my final months in the Hotazel field camp!
Over the past three months as the work has developed a distinct routine I’ve been able to get out for birding walks post-dawn and pre-sunset (and oh, what sunsets. I’ve said in other posts that no African bush story is complete without a sunset), largely by doing all the computer work and admin at night – there’s not much else to do! Except for chasing that Scops-Owl. I must make a plan to get a photo.
I’m racking up quite a number of species photographed too and in the last while have added Martial Eagle, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pearl-spotted Owlet, Gabar Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Greater Honeyguide, Spike-heeled Lark, Double-banded Courser, Yellow Canary, Southern Pied Babbler, Lilac-breasted Roller, Ant-eating Chat, Marico Flycatcher, Brubru, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Great Sparrow, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Swallow-tailed Bee-eater, Laughing Dove, White-backed Mousebird, Pririt Batis, Marico Sunbird, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Short-toed Rock Thrush and Crimson-breasted Shrike. The last three hop around quite happily in my exploration yard despite all the activity.
I’ve seen dozens of Burchell’s Sandgrouse every day, with not a Namaqua Sandgrouse in sight – it is supposed to be a common bird in those parts. Presumably they moved deeper into the Kalahari for the winter. This morning, driving past the main waterhole on my way out and back to Johannesburg, there were the Burchell’s for their morning drink with a single male Namaqua among them, so presumably the southern migration for the summer has begun. No other obvious summer migrants yet though. No Yellow-billed Kite or cuckoos calling – apparently Great Spotted Cuckoo arrives on the farm every October, so maybe I’ll get lucky with that one.
Another surprise was in store on the drive back. Halfway between Biesiesvlei and Lichtenburg foraging in mealie stubble no more than 50 m off the main R52 were 4 Blue Cranes. My first record for North West province. I tend to associate these birds with much greener climes, Western Cape, Dullstroom and Harrismith areas, as well as the Karoo, so seeing them in a mealie field here rather caught me off guard.
