The Twitch of the Tree Pipits

Luck was on my side yesterday, 22 February, when I downloaded emails. I had a long list of goodies to take care of in Rustenburg, and was preparing to leave.

My eye caught an email from Lisl van Deventer reporting a Tree Pipit seen in the Kgaswane Nature Reserve, Rustenburg. I immediately replied to this mail asking for more info, and received an immediate response from Lisl. Binoculars were picked up, bird books were found, and the idea of seeing a South African special foremost in my mind. While rushing to finish off a few things at work, I received a call from Etienne Marais, suggesting we meet up at Kgaswane. Great idea!


Two hours later, I arrived at the day visitor picnic site, to find Etienne's car, but no Etienne. I assumed he was somewhere in the surrounding scrub searching for the Pipit, and set about checking the area for bird life. Within minutes of arriving, I noticed a pipit-like bird land in a tree (pretty obvious!!), but had poor views against the light. Etienne appeared, and we headed off in search of the critter I had just seen.


Tree Pipit - Stuart Groom

We did not have a long wait, and were fortunate to have awesome views of two Tree Pipits sitting exposed on some bushes. Happy that we had found the two birds recorded by Lisl and party on Saturday, we were surprised to see a third bird fly in. Amazed at our luck, we were again surprised to see yet another individual arrive in view. Four Tree Pipits!!

Over the next 30 minutes we had crippling views of a number individuals, until they very willingly landed in the same tree. Surprised we were again, six Tree Pipits sitting together, with another just alongside in another tree.


Seven confirmed Tree Pipits!!!!!! We believed with all the movement that there may well have been up to ten Tree Pipits in the area!!!!!!

Five Tree Pipits - Stuart Groom

What a phenomenal morning!!!

Unusual sighting at Entabeni Game Reserve

Nature is a beautiful and amazing thing!! In the same breath, though, nature is not always fair!!

While out with Lee Gutteridge of Entabeni Nature Guide Training (www.natureguidetraining.co.za) this morning, we came across a lone Blacksmith Lapwing at a dam close to their camp. What made this sighting unusual was the little group of four ducklings that were following the Lapwing closely. The ducklings were no larger than a tennis ball, and thus very young. The dam hosts White-faced, White-backed and Yellow-billed Ducks, and our assumption was that the ducklings were Yellow-billed Ducks, as a pair landed in the vicinity of the ducklings while we were watching.

The Lapwing seemed a little flustered at all the attention, and would move a few steps whenever the ducklings approached. The attention couldn't have been too annoying, or the Lapwing would have found another spot on the dam to rest. While discussing all the angles of the scenario, we wondered if the parents were not in the area when the eggs hatched, forcing the ducklings to "latch" on to the first creature they saw, the poor Lapwing. Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

After watching this interaction for 15 minutes, two Yellow-billed Ducks flew in and landed roughly 15 metres away from the surrogate "mom" and ducklings. We thought this answered a lot of questions, but within minutes, the adult Ducks swam away from the youngsters. We watched for a little longer, before moving off to continue on the drive, with a promise to return to the dam.

On our return, we quickly scanned the area, and saw the Lapwing looking relaxed, and alone. Not one of the four ducklings were visible. The Yellow-billed Ducks also seemed to have moved off completely.

The Lapwing/Duckling mystery continues.......