Birding update for St Lucia: May '25

Gorgeous bush-shrike in St Lucia

The weather this month has been very different to April with beautiful, warm days, plenty sunshine and very little rain. As a result, flooded areas have dried and it is possible to reach Cape Vidal in a sedan car once again. The Pan and Vlei loop on the Eastern shores and uMphate loop and uMdoni loop on the Western shores, however, are still not passable due to deep sections of water over the road. Another big obstacle on the Eastern shores this month has been the large herd of elephants which have regularly blocked the road for hours at a time! 

Elephants blocking the road, Eastern shores, Isimangaliso

Birding has been fantastic again this month with the full compliment of Winter visiting species now present. In the forest we have enjoyed sightings of Winter-visiting: White-starred robin, Chorister robin-chat, Spotted ground-thrush, Black cuckooshrike, and Olive bush-shrike along with great sightings of the many forest residents including Narina trogon, Green malkoha, Rudd's apalis, Woodward's batis, Black-throated wattle-eye, Eastern nicator, Gorgeous bush-shrike, Green twinspot, Grey waxbill, Livingstone's turaco. 

We have enjoyed regular sightings of Olive bush-shrike this month

The Narina trogon have-quite strangely- been very vocal in  the forest this month. Very unusual to hear them calling this time of year as they usually only call during the Spring and Summer breeding months. ​

Narina trogon, Igwalagwala trail, St Lucia

Much of the action in the forest has still been centred around the fruiting Natal fig trees which are attracting noisy flocks of over 30 Trumpeter hornbill at times along with Livingstone's turaco, Purple-crested turaco, White-eared barbet, Black-bellied starling, Yellow-bellied greenbul, Sombre greenbul and Yellow-rumped tinkerbird.

Livingstone's turaco in fruiting Natal fig tree.

We have also enjoyed regular sightings of Buff-spotted flufftail during the course of the month.

Wetland birding has continued to improve with African pygmy-goose becoming more abundant on the waterlily-clad wetlands as the month progressed.

African pygmy-goose, St Lucia

Other waterfowl present on the wetlands include Red-billed & Blue-billed teal,  White-faced whistling duck. Yellow-billed duck, White-backed duck, Common squacco heron, Intermediate egret, Purple heron, Great white egret, African jacana and Black crake.  On the Eastern shores, the Rufous-bellied heron has been seen a few times this month hunting in the Wetlands along side the road just past Amazibu hide.

Rufous-bellied heron on the Eastern shores

At the estuary, we have enjoyed great sightings of Mangrove kingfisher during the course of the month. The tern roost is still holding 4 to 5 species of tern including Greater crested, Lesser crested, Sandwich, Common and Caspian. Other birds regular at the mouth included Sanderling, White-fronted plover, Eurasian whimbrel, African oystercatcher, Goliath heron, African fish-eagle and Kelp gull to name a few.   

Mangrove kingfisher at the Lake St Lucia estuary.

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The Palm-nut vulture have also treated us to some great sightings on the beaches surrounding the estuary mouth during the course of the month.

Palm-nut vulture overlooking the Lake St Lucia estuary mouth.

The Eastern shores has delivered some great sightings during the month with regular sightings of Southern-banded snake-eagle, African cuckoo-hawk & Senegal lapwing the highlights. An unusual and special sighting at the end of grassland loop during the month was African cuckoo finch.

African cuckoo-hawk, Eastern shores, Isimangaliso