St Lucia Birding Summary: May.

Eastern bronze-naped pigeon, Igwalagwala trail, St Lucia

The biggest surprise of the month was an Eastern bronze-naped pigeon on the Igwalagwala trail. This pigeon is difficult to find even in the best locations for it (Dlinza, Ongoye) so it was a real privilege to see it in a non-typical location. Unfortunately (and not without plenty effort) I was unable to locate the pigeon a second time. 

The wetlands around St Lucia and within the Isimangaliso Wetlands Park are brimming with waterfowl and numbers are increasing all the time. The waterlily covered pans are holding African pygmy-goose, White-faced whistling duck, White-backed duck, African jacana, Red-billed teal, Blue-billed teal, Yellow-billed duck, Little grebe, Black crake, Glossy ibis, Great white egret, Intermediate egret, Squacco heron and the odd Lesser moorhen. 

Birding at the recently breached estuary mouth has been interesting this month with large numbers of birds gathering to take advantage of the feast provided by small tilapia, barbel, freshwater prawns and other species washing onto the beach after being pulled in the strong sea-bound current. Regular birds at the mouth have included Yellow-billed stork, Pink-backed pelican, African fish-eagle, Grey, Goliath, Black-headed heron, Caspian tern, Lesser crested tern, Greater crested tern, African black oystercatcher, Ruddy turnstone, Common whimbrel. 

The mangrove kingfishers have arrived in the mangrove/lagoon hibiscus fringes of the estuary. These rare and localized birds are winter visitors to the area from their summer breeding grounds in the Eastern Cape mangrove forests. Very nice to have them back!

Forest birding has been great again with resident birds being joined by winter altitudinal migrants. We have enjoyed regular sightings of Grey cuckooshrike, Buff-spotted flufftail, Terrestrial brownbul, Yellow-bellied greenbul, African goshawk, Black cuckooshrike, Green twinspot, Rudd’s apalis, Black-throated wattle-eye, Blue-mantled crested flycatcher, Green malkoha, Brown scrub-robin, Woodward’s batis, Olive bush-shrike, Grey sunbird, Olive sunbird, Square-tailed drongo, Tambourine dove, Lemon dove, Livingstone’s turaco, Crested guineafowl, Scalythroated honeyguide, Eastern nicator etc.

Lastly, nocturnal birding has been good with regular sightings of Swamp nightjar, African wood-owl, Fiery-necked nightjar and Spotted eagle owl.

Mangrove kingfisher, St Lucia estuary.