March 2009 Atlassing

I have been trying to get into the habit of regularly atlassing my home pentad in terms of the protocol, and during March was able to submit 3 lists, which involved a total of eight hours observation, with an average of 41 species, mostly within the immediate area of my home.

The 8th March saw Hilary & myself taking a late afternoon drive out to Marievale (2620_2830), in anticipation of once again witnessing the dusk arrival of millions of Barn Swallows to roost. Whilst there were a lot of swallows around, it was nowhere near the numbers we have previously seen arriving and circling around overhead in dark clouds of birds, to almost simultaneously drop down onto the reedbeds to roost. We were however treated to the sight of many hundreds of both White-winged & Whiskered Terns congregating at sunset, to roost on the mudflats among the reedbeds. It was quite a spectacle.
Our 2 1/2 hours spent in the pentad, delivered 55 species, which included Black & Purple Herons, Common & Wood Sandpipers, Lesser Swamp & Little Rush Warblers. The area also seemed to be alive with African Rail. We did not manage to get any visuals, but they were calling from all directions around us.

On 10th March, being out that side of Johannesburg on business, I managed to put in two hours at Florence Bloom BS (2605_2800), where most of the expected urban species were recorded.

The 21st March saw us heading out to Suikerbosrand NR, and whilst we did do some atlassing,
it was more of a social days birding with some friends. Two full protocol lists for pentads 2625_2810 and 2625_2815 were submitted, as well as two ad hoc lists for pentads 2630_2815 and 2630_2810.
The species observed during the day included the following, to mention but a few: Black-throated Canary, White-winged Widow, Steppe Buzzard, African Pipit, Spike-heeled Lark, Northern Black Korhaan, Wattled Lapwing, Mountain Wheatear, Fiscal Flycatcher, Bokmakerie and Familiar Chat.
On leaving SBR late afternoon, in the area to the east of the dam at 26* 27.779 ' S and 23* 13.240' E, the transmission wires and large Bluegum trees in the area were literally 'dripping' with Amur Falcons, among which we were able to ID a few Red Footed Falcons. We observed them for at least 10 minutes, after which, as if on a signal from somewhere, they all took flight and circled overhead, gradually moving off in an easterly direction, until they disappeared from view.
There is a large roost in Heidelberg town, so perhaps this was their final destination for the evening.