First outing for the year – Umhlanga

Gone Birding

My first birding outing for 2017 started off very quietly as we walked through the forest of the Umhlanga Nature Reserve.

On our last visit there we had seen Tambourine Dove and Black-throated Wattle-eye all within 10 minutes of being in the reserve. This time, nothing, but some nest building Yellow Weavers and a Tawny-flanked Prinia as we crossed over the wetlands. There were no birds to be seen and they were equally quiet.

Bronze Mannikin – note the juvenile coming in for a landing as well Yellow Weaver – this bird was frantically working on this nest, much wing flapping going on
Eventually I heard something interesting, something that I knew! Well, sort of know. It sounded to me like an Emerald Spotted Wood Dove, but knowing you don’t find them in the forest I then went to the forest doves and realised it was a Tambourine Dove. After…