St Lucia birding update: January '23

Green malkoha

The Lake St Lucia estuary mouth has been on fire this month! The three African skimmer have remained throughout the month and are most often seen in amongst the terns in the roost. The tern roost itself is very large at the moment and boasts plenty of Greater crested, Little and Common terns as well as the odd Sandwich, Lesser crested, Caspian and White-winged tern. The biggest surprise was a Roseate tern found at the roost towards the end of the month. With only an estimated 250 breeding pairs in South Africa this is always a special tern to see - especially in Kwazulu-Natal. The other St Lucia celebrity- the Crab plover- has also remained throughout the month and has been very obliging, allowing birders fantastic  close up views. Unfortunately it has not been seen for 3 consecutive days now. Fingers crossed it returns! Another uncommon bird for Kwazulu-natal seen at the mouth the last month has been a Hartlaub's gull. Other birds seen at the mouth area during the month have included Yellow-billed stork, Black oystercatcher, Goliath heron, Palm-nut vulture, Sanderling, Common ringed plover and Ruddy turnstone. The beach, dune scrub and reedbeds to the North of the mouth have produced regular sightings of Southern brown-throated weaver, Sand Martin, Rufous-winged cisticola, Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Brimstone canary, Eurasian whimbrel, Grey plover, Common sandpiper and the odd Red-headed quelea.

Birding in the forest has been superb with sightings of Woodward’s batis, Rudd’s apalis, Green malkoha, Green twinspot, Narina trogon, African pygmy-kingfisher, Lemon dove, Tambourine dove, African emerald cuckoo, Brown-scrub-robin, Grey, Olive and Purple-banded sunbird, Crested guineafowl, African Broadbill and Blue-mantled crested flycatcher and Buff-spotted flufftail.

Birding in the wetlands has been relatively quiet but still productive with White-backed duck, African pygmy-goose, Intermediate and Great white egret, White-faced whistling duck, Red-billed teal, African jacana, Striated heron, Black-crowned night-heron, African spoonbill, Purple heron, Malachite kingfisher, Spurwing goose all regular.   Also of note: Rufous-bellied heron was  seen in the Wetlands on vlei loop - Eastern shores Isimangaliso.

Amazingly, a Sooty falcon has returned to the same spot- a dead Eucalyptus tree 16km West of St Lucia on the R618- for the 3rd consecutive year! They certainly seem to be creatures of habit. It tends to show more nicely in the early mornings and late afternoon before it gets too hot ( when it retires into trees with thicker foliage)

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