St Lucia Birding Update- August.

Lesser flamingo at the Lake St Lucia estuary mouth.

With Spring upon us, bird activity is increasing with many more vocal to attract mates or demarcate territories/breeding sites. Combined with the sparse foliage at this time of year (making the forest birds easier to spot) makes for some great birding.

To start with on the Eastern shores, Isimangaliso: Some controlled burns have taken place recently and the recently burnt areas are attracting Denham's bustard, Wooly-necked stork, Senegal lapwing and Secretary bird. Also of interest, a few Rufous-bellied heron individuals are still consistently seen at Nsombiza pan, Collared pratincole have started perching alongside wetlands (and also in the road) and there have been a couple of sightings of Rosy-throated longclaw during the month.

Area's with Casuarina trees are attracting a wide variety of seed-eaters including mixed flocks of Pink-throated twinspot, Green twinspot, Red-backed mannikin, Grey waxbill, Yellow-fronted canary, Bronze mannikin and Red-billed firefinch. Have also enjoyed some nice sightings of Brown-backed honeybird in the Casuarinas.

Wetlands close to St Lucia are still holding African pygmy goose, White-backed duck, Intermediate egret, African spoonbill, African jacana, White-faced whistling duck to name a few. Fingers crossed some summer visitors arrive to add themselves to the mix.

Celtis leaf beetle larvae are once again abundant on the freshly sprouted leaves of the White stinkwood (Celtis africana) and providing a feast for many birds such as African Emerald cuckoo, Grey cuckooshrike, Black cuckooshrike, Klaas' cuckoo and Green malkoha.

Spring is imminent in the forest and there has been a marked increase in activity in the birds. Many are becoming more vocal and others can be seen displaying or collecting nesting material. The Narina trogon males started calling mid-way through the month...Otherwise we have enjoyed good sightings of all the forest 'specials' during the month including Buff-spotted flufftail, Green malkoha, Rudd's apalis, Blue-mantled crested flycatcher, Woodward's batis, Livingstone's turaco, Purple-banded sunbird, Brown scrub-robin, Olive-bush-shrike, Southern-banded snake-eagle etc. 

The recently-returned Yellow-billed kites are once again terrorising gulls, fisherman and tourists on the beach. 

The Lesser flamingo have been providing nice photographic opportunities at the Lake St Lucia estuary mouth. Other birds seen regularly at the mouth the last month include Kelp gull, Greater crested & Caspian terns, African Black oystercatcher, Pied avocet, Goliath heron, Western osprey, Yellow-billed stork, Purple heron, White-faced whistling duck and an assortment of resident waders.

Nocturnal birding has been good this month with regular sightings of Swamp nightjar, Fiery-necked nightjar, African Wood-owl and Spotted eagle-owl.

Also of interest:

- a pair of Palm-nut vulture have been seen regulary at a stand of Raffia palms close to St Lucia. Fingers crossed it may be a potential nesting site.

- after being observed mating, the Crowned eagles on the nest appear to be incubating an egg at present.

Finally, there have been some great birding this last month on the Western shores, Isimangaliso including Allen's gallinule.