CAR count update with OPEN BILL STORK sighting

Well, at long last!  An OPEN BILL STORK!  I just had a feeling that I would see one today and low and behold, we saw not one but 2 Open Bill Storks at the very first spot of water we came to on our CAR count route.  I have been looking out for these rare visitors to our shores for some time.  Open Bill Storks have been spotted around South Africa for the last two months and everyone has been all atwitter about it.  They are usually found on the north Eastern  boarder of South Africa and are only rarely seen this far south.  For some reason, quite a large flock have arrived and made their presence known.  I have personally been driving around looking for them and at last, there they were, standing in a small body of water on the side of the road just outside of Villiersdorp.  A great start to the day. (Pic courtesy of Warwick Tarboton)

Donella Young and I set off early this morning from Villiersdorp and worked on the new route that we as a club can tackle from now on.  The first 4km of the route were the most productive with plenty of blue cranes, a Southern Black Korhaan, quite a number of Spurwing Geese and 2 Black Headed Herons as well as the much anticipated Open Bills.  Almost at the end of the route we came across a rather large pan and found a lone Black Stork (above) sitting in the middle of it. (Again, pic from Warwick Tarboton).

Blue cranes my pic.  Spurwing Goose and Pale Chanting Goshawk pic from Warwick Tarboton.

Many other birds were seen along the route such as the Namaqua Dove, a couple of Bokmakieries, a Common Greenshank, a pair of Southern Pale Chanting Goshawks, Pintail Whydahs, lots of swallows, a couple of Jackal Buzzards, and this family of Cape Spurfowl.  There were about 10 of them all together, very sweet.

Pics of Cape Spurfowl my own.

On returning to Villiersdorp, we found a Rufous-chested Sparrowhawk in the big oak tree outside Donella's house.  He was quite happily jumping from branch to branch looking for nests to raid.  He wasn't much concerned with us standing right beneath him and let us get some nice pics.  This is a pic I took.

This CAR count will need to be done again in winter and is usually done on the last Saturday of July.  I hope that some of you from the club will join me in doing this important contribution to big bird research.

** For amazing bird pictures, please look at www.warwicktarboton.co.za **