November '22 St Lucia birding update

Black-rumped buttonquail close to St Lucia

We have had plenty rainfall this month in St Lucia (close to 300mm) which has been an obstacle to birding at times but we have enjoyed some great sightings nevertheless.

In the grasslands it has been great to have our resident grassland birds joined by Intra-african and Palearctic summer visitors such as Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Red-backed shrike, European roller and Common buzzard again. The Red-breasted swallows can be seen swooping alongside roadside culverts (where they nest) and almost every small bush seems to have a calling Rufous-naped lark. Displaying cisticola’s (Croaking, Rattling and Zitting) can be heard everywhere as well as the odd Black-bellied bustard giving its characteristic ‘champagne popping’ call. A highlight in the grasslands this month was an up close sighting of Black-rumped buttonquail at night time- affording once-in-a-lifetime views.

The wetlands continue to hold numerous African pygmy-goose and White-backed duck along with Red-billed and Blue-billed teal, White-faced whistling duck, Spurwinged goose, Great white & Intermediate egret, African Spoonbill, Malachite kingfisher, African jacana and Little grebe. Wetland edges have produced Collared pratincole, Yellow-throated longclaw, Rufous-winged cisticola and Fan-tailed widowbird. Also of interest- the Rufous-bellied heron continues to show at Amazibu hide and a Green sandpiper was discovered on the Umfolozi floodplain not far from St Lucia.

At the Lake St Lucia estuary mouth, bird numbers have swelled due to the arrival of Palearctic waders and summer-visiting terns. The tern roost has been difficult to access at times due to the current mouth conditions especially on the high tide when the sand spit opposite the mouth is submerged. With all the rainfall, the Umfolozi river has been flooding (into the estuary mouth) washing barbel and other freshwater fish into the ocean and providing a rich food source for piscivorous birds such as Yellow-billed stork, Grey heron, Goliath heron and Western Osprey. These birds can usually be seen hunting at the mouth on the low tide when the river water rushes out to sea. Waders/ shorebirds seen at the mouth this month include Sanderling, Curlew sandpiper, Grey plover, Common whimbrel, Little stint, Common greenshank, Common sandpiper, Bar-tailed godwit, Pied avocet, Ruddy turnstone, African Black oystercatcher, White-fronted plover, Eurasian curlew and Common-ringed plover. The waders are best seen on the low tide when mud flats are exposed due to dropping water levels. Dune scrub between the estuary and ocean has been producing Brimstone canary, Yellow-throated longclaw, Blue-cheeked bee-eater and African pipit.  

It’s been busy in the forest again with breeding in full-swing for the majority of birds. We have enjoyed regular sightings of Buff-spotted flufftail, Narina trogon, Green malkoha, African broadbill, Woodward’s batis, Blue-mantled crested flycatcher, Brown scrub-robin, Rudd’s apalis, Eastern nicator, Gorgeous bush-shrike, African emerald cuckoo, Livingstone’s turaco, Klaas’ cuckoo, Tambourine dove, Green twinspot, Red-backed mannikin and Black-throated wattle-eye.

At forest edge, the summer-visiting African pygmy-kingfishers have returned along with Broad-billed roller and summer-visiting cuckoo species such as Diederick’s, Klaas' and Red-chested cuckoo.

Nocturnal bird sightings have included Swamp nightjar, Fiery-necked nightjar, African Wood-owl, Black-crowned night-heron, Barn owl and Spotted eagle-owl. 

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