What a beautiful morning

Yesterday morning I met up with Japie Claasen and clients at the sunflower fields south of Sun City at just after 07:00. Shortly after starting along the road, we had views of a Lanner Falcon being mobbed by two Black-shouldered Kites. What a start. Not long after that, a pair of Yellow-throated Sandgrouse were seen within 20m of the roadside, allowing great views. We all had a good look before Japie headed further along the road. Being in a Landcruiser gave me some freedom, so I entered the fields on a small track (luckily the turf was fairly dry). I managed to find a few more pairs of Sandgrouse deeper in to the fields, with one pair allowing some great views at about 4m from the vehicle!!

It was at about this stage that Japie moved on to Pilanesberg NP to try his luck that side. I investigated further into the fields, all the while being presented with great views of Buffy Pipit, African Pipit, Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, Longtailed Paradise Whydah, Black-thoated Canary and a pair of Temminks Courser.

I was then alerted to the unique call of the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse and saw a group of around 50 sandgrouse fly over me towards the fields. With a bit of searching back and forth, I ended up right next to a mine shaft entrance gate, opposite which was an open "gravel" area with a few semi-dry depressions of water.

In and around this spot, I managed to see close on 20 more sandgrouse, and I assumed this to be a roosting spot or something along those lines.

Based on this info, I gave Japie directions to the site, and in his call this afternoon, he mentioned arriving at the site this morning to see roughly 50 sandgrouse fly off to the fields. After a quick count, at least another 40 birds were still on the ground!!! He arrived at this spot at about 08:15.

Anyone wanting directions let me know.

More Sandgrouse sightings

I recently found some time to head into the sunflower fields south of Sun City to search for the Yellow-throated Sandgrouse.

I was presented with a good sighting within minutes of arriving, and this turned out to be the first of many. All of the sightings were seen from the road verge, as after all the glorious rain we have received recently, there was no chance at all of even walking into the fields due to the mud. A few groups were seen flying over, and all in all I must have seen near on 50 individuals.

A number of people have had the opportunity recently to visit the site, and I've heard good results for all the visits.

On my visit, the fields also presented good views of Greater Kestrel, Booted Eagle and Chestnut-backed Sparrowlark, with the surrounding village offering awesome views of Scaly-feathered Finch.