Water Birds

[Sico]

One of the nicer things about living on the East Rand is the amount of water we have around here, and with that the variety of water birds.
I popped in at a pan this morning to see what was knocking about and saw some quite nice species.
Purple Gallinule - normally a very shy bird, I saw 7 of them rooting through the water plants.

Whitefaced duck - one of my favourite species of waterfowl.

Yellowbilled duck

Southern Pochard - a new one for me, I only saw this lone male.

Red-Crested Pochard - also a new one, which had me stumped, reason being it is indigenous to Europe. This is obviously an established escapee (often seen in Gauteng apparently)

Common Moorhen

Grey-headed Gull - raucous and plentiful out here, I think these are probably the dominant waterbird in the East

Crowned Lapwing

Three-banded Plover - not all that uncommon, but not often seen out in the open

[mailjvdb]

Nice! I also enjoy birding! We are fortunate enough to have sighted more than 100+ bird species on our property over the years. I especially like the ducks Very elusive around here though, and they take off at the slightest disturbance. Any Kingfisher species in your area?

[imperial exotix]

Nice I like the Red-Crested Pochard the head reminds me of the jenday conure.
Cool post

[Sico]

Yeah, I have Malachite and Pied and Woodland in my own garden on my small dam, although they aren't often around, and I have seen the same up at some of the other dams around here. I am sure there are more species as well.

[Sico]

A couple more from today
Spurwinged Goose

Egyptian Goose

Maccoa Duck

Hottentot Teal

Dabchick

Squacco Heron - unusually not shy at all this one

African Spoonbill - female had just been feeding one of her two young, and was trying to walk away from them pestering her

Blacksmith Lapwing

Wattled Lapwing - The male Standing, female sitting. You can see the difference in wattle size


Lastly, Greater Flamingo - there were about 40 birds on the pan today, the scarlet on their wings is amazing, they will look stunning when in full plumage.

[Kev]

I am a fairly big birder and live opposite the Huddle park golf course where i have seen a lot of interesting birds over the years.
I must say I haven't seen the Red-Crested Pochard or the flamingos around, but I'm not that far east.
I have seen a dwarf bittern, the night heron, African shell duck, black headed oriole and even a lilac breasted roller to name a few.

It's nice to know you can walk down the road an loose yourself in nature without leaving the city.
Just don't take a camera into Huddle... you will get mugged!

Thanks for sharing!

[MrG]

Great images Sico, I am just getting into birding and got myself the bird call cd, a few books and latest charts. I have photograph a few and wants to get more everytime I go out. I just discover a quiet little dam in Magalies and have erected a hide that I cover with shadow netting to photograph from.(my secret place )
Just a few images I took a while back ...

Modderpote


Veeryer


Incoming


Nesbou


Taking off..

[Boskobra]

Nice photo's Sico, and as always Foble.
I will never forget the Egyptian Goose and the Whitefaced duck, had them in my proffesional hunting course end exam as 2 of the 5 birds needed to be identified. Like drilled in to my memory forever.
I will see if i can take some pictures of the birds by us and post.

Thanks

[Coral]

nice pics.having a second look at that maccoa duck and its actually a nort american ruddy duck.our maccoa ducks {male} has a black head and brown body with a blue bill.the females are greyish in colour.they are quite nice