Another month of guiding guests visiting our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve has passed, and with temperatures at sunrise now touching the 0°C mark near the water and the grass slowly turning brown and less dense there’s no denying that winter is upon us in our corner of the southern hemisphere. Sightings have been excellent as usual and I’ve had some thoroughly entertaining and very memorable drives with my guests.
A quiet corner of the Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Autumn colours in Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Phragmites Reeds thrive at Rietvlei Nature Reserve
Grass influorescence
Doll’s Protea is in fact a member of the daisy family, despite its resemblance to protea flowers
Giant Mantis
Green Milkweed Locust
Painted Lady Butterfly
Brown-veined White Butterfly
Grasshopper of the family Pamphagidae
Nile Monitor
Puff Adder
Rietvlei sunrise
Island View on a misty may morning (photo by Joubert)
We managed to identify 94 bird species while out on guided drives this past month.
African Black Duck
African Darter (photo by Joubert)
Immature African Fish Eagle
African Pipit
African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)
African Snipe (photo by Joubert)
African Stonechat
African Stonechat female
African Wattled Lapwing (photo by Joubert)
Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)
Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)
Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)
Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle in flight (photo by Joubert)
Blacksmith Lapwing
Black-winged Kite
Buffy Pipit
Cape Longclaw (photo by Joubert)
Cape Sparrow (male)
Cape Wagtail
Cattle Egret
Chestnut-vented Warbler
Common Fiscal
Common Moorhen
Common Waxbills
Crowned Lapwing (photo by Joubert)
Crowned Lapwing (photo by Joubert)
Greater Flamingoes
Green-backed Heron (photo by Joubert)
Grey Go-away-bird
Helmeted Guineafowl
Levaillant’s Cisticola
Little Grebe (photo by Joubert)
Long-tailed Widowbird (non-breeding)
Northern Black Korhaan male
Northern Black Korhaan pair
Northern Black Korhaan female
Orange River Francolin
Ostrich at sunrise
Ostriches at sunset
Red-billed Teal
Red-billed Teal
Red Bishop
Red-throated Wryneck
Reed Cormorant
Secretary Bird (photo by Joubert)
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Tawny-flanked Prinia
White-breasted Cormorant
Yellow-billed Ducks
Yellow-billed Ducks (photo by Joubert)
And most of the mammals also played along nicely, although the resident cheetah kept herself well hidden!
Blesbok
Blesbok
Blesbok
Buffalo Calf
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo Cow
Buffalo cow
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo Bull
Buffalo Bull
Buffaloes fighting
Common Duiker
Eland
Eland herd (photo by Joubert)
Red Hartebeest
Red Hartebeest
Red Hartebeest
Black-backed Jackal
Black-backed Jackal
Black-backed Jackal
Slender Mongoose (photo by Joubert)
Yellow Mongoose
Yellow Mongoose
Spotted-neck Otters
Waterbuck bull
Waterbuck cow and calves
Black Wildebeest
Plains Zebra
Plains Zebra
Plains Zebra
List of birds seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2024:
| Scientific | Afrikaans | English |
| Acridotheres tristis | Indiese Spreeu | Common Myna |
| Acrocephalus gracilirostris | Kaapse Rietsanger | Lesser Swamp Warbler |
| Afrotis afraoides | Witvlerkkorhaan | Northern Black Korhaan |
| Alopochen aegyptiaca | Kolgans | Egyptian Goose |
| Amandava subflava | Rooiassie | Orange-breasted Waxbill |
| Amblyospiza albifrons | Dikbekwewer | Thick-billed Weaver |
| Anas erythrorhyncha | Rooibekeend | Red-billed Teal |
| Anas sparsa | Swarteend | African Black Duck |
| Anas undulata | Geelbekeend | Yellow-billed Duck |
| Anhinga rufa | Slanghalsvoel | African Darter |
| Anthus cinnamomeus | Gewone Koester | African Pipit |
| Anthus vaalensis | Vaalkoester | Buffy Pipit |
| Apus barbatus | Swartwindswael | African Black Swift |
| Ardea melanocephala | Swartkopreier | Black-headed Heron |
| Ardeola ralloides | Ralreier | Squacco Heron |
| Asio capensis | Vlei-uil | Marsh Owl |
| Batis molitor | Witliesbosbontrokkie | Chinspot Batis |
| Bostrychia hagedash | Hadeda | Hadeda Ibis |
| Bubulcus ibis | Veereier | Western Cattle Egret |
| Burhinus capensis | Gewone Dikkop | Spotted Thick-knee |
| Butorides striata | Groenrugreier | Green-backed Heron |
| Calendulauda sabota | Sabota Lewerik | Sabota Lark |
| Cecropis cucullata | Grootstreepswael | Greater Striped Swallow |
| Centropus burchellii | Gewone Vleiloerie | Burchell’s Coucal |
| Chalcomitra amethystina | Swartsuikerbekkie | Amethyst Sunbird |
| Circaetus pectoralis | Swartborsslangarend | Black-chested Snake Eagle |
| Cisticola juncidis | Landeryklopkloppie | Zitting Cisticola |
| Cisticola tinniens | Vleitinktinkie | Levaillant’s Cisticola |
| Corvus albus | Witborskraai | Pied Cow |
| Corythornis cristatus | Kuifkopvisvanger | Malachite Kingfisher |
| Crinifer concolor | Kwevoel | Grey Go-Away Bird |
| Crithagra mozambica | Geeloogkanarie | Yellow-fronted Canary |
| Curruca subcoerulea | Bosveldtjeriktik | Chestnut-vented Warbler |
| Dendropicos fuscescens | Kardinaalspeg | Cardinal Woodpecker |
| Dessonornis caffer | Gewone Janfrederik | Cape Robin-Chat |
| Dicrurus adsimilis | Mikstertbyvanger | Fork-tailed Drongo |
| Elanus caeruleus | Blouvalk | Black-winged Kite |
| Estrilda astrild | Rooibeksysie | Common Waxbill |
| Euplectes orix | Rooivink | Southern Red Bishop |
| Euplectes progne | Langstertflap | Longtailed Widowbird |
| Falco peregrinus | Swerfvalk | Peregrine Falcon |
| Falco rupicolus | Kransvalk | Rock Kestrel |
| Fulica cristata | Bleshoender | Red-knobbed Coot |
| Gallinago nigripennis | Afrikaanse Snip | African Snipe |
| Gallinula chloropus | Grootwaterhoender | Common Moorhen |
| Glaucidium perlatum | Witkoluiltjie | Pearl-spotted Owlet |
| Icthyophaga vocifer | Visarend | Fish Eagle |
| Jynx ruficollis | Draaihals | Red-throated Wryneck |
| Lamprotornis bicolor | Witgatspreeu | Pied Starling |
| Lamprotornis nitens | Klein Glansspreeu | Cape Glossy Starling |
| Laniarius atrococcineus | Rooiborslaksman | Crimson-breasted Shrike |
| Lanius collaris | Fiskaallaksman | Common Fiscal |
| Lophaetus occipitalis | Langkuifarend | Long-crested Eagle |
| Lophoceros nasutus | Grysneushoringvoel | African Grey Hornbill |
| Lybius torquatus | Rooikophoutkapper | Black-collared Barbet |
| Macronyx capensis | Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie | Cape Longclaw |
| Microcarbo africanus | Rietduiker | Reed Cormorant |
| Mirafra africana | Rooineklewerik | Rufous-naped Lark |
| Motacilla capensis | Gewone Kwikkie | Cape Wagtail |
| Netta erythrophthalma | Bruineend | Southern Pochard |
| Numida meleagris | Gewone Tarentaal | Helmeted Guineafowl |
| Passer diffusus | Gryskopmossie | Southern Grey-headed Sparrow |
| Passer melanurus | Gewone Mossie | Cape Sparrow |
| Phalacrocorax lucidus | Witborsduiker | White-breasted Cormorant |
| Phoenicopterus roseus | Grootflamink | Greater Flamingo |
| Phoeniculus purpureus | Rooibekkakelaar | Green Wood-hoopoe |
| Plectropterus gambensis | Wildemakou | Spur-winged Goose |
| Ploceus velatus | Swartkeelgeelvink | Southern Masked Weaver |
| Prinia subflava | Bruinsylangstertjie | Tawny-flanked Prinia |
| Psittacula krameri | Ringnekparkiet | Rose-ringed Parakeet |
| Pternistis swainsonii | Bosveldfisant | Swainson’s Spurfowl |
| Pycnonotus tricolor | Swartoogtiptol | Dark-capped Bulbul |
| Sagittarius serpentarius | Sekretarisvoel | Secretarybird |
| Saxicola torquatus | Gewone Bontrokkie | African Stonechat |
| Scleroptila gutturalis | Kalaharipatrys | Orange River Francolin |
| Scopus umbretta | Hamerkop | Hamerkop |
| Sigelus silens | Fiskaalvlieevanger | Fiscal Flycatcher |
| Sphenoeacus afer | Grasvoel | Cape Grassbird |
| Spilopelia senegalensis | Rooiborsduifie | Laughing Dove |
| Streptopelia capicola | Gewone Tortelduif | Cape Turtle Dove |
| Streptopelia semitorquata | Grootringduif | Red-eyed Dove |
| Struthio camelus | Volstruis | Common Ostrich |
| Tachybaptus ruficollis | Kleindobbertjie | Little Grebe |
| Tachymarptis melba | Witpenswindswael | Alpine Swift |
| Telophorus zeylonus | Bokmakierie | Bokmakierie |
| Threskiornis aethiopicus | Skoorsteenveer | African Sacred Ibis |
| Turdoides jardineii | Pylvlekkatlagter | Arrow-marked Babbler |
| Turdus smithi | Geelbeklyster | Karoo Thrush |
| Upupa africana | Hoephoep | African Hoopoe |
| Urocolius indicus | Rooiwangmuisvoel | Red-faced Mousebird |
| Vanellus armatus | Bontkiewiet | Blacksmith Lapwing |
| Vanellus coronatus | Kroonkiewiet | Crowned Lapwing |
| Vanellus senegallus | Lelkiewiet | Wattled Lapwing |
| Zosterops virens | Kaapse Glasogie | Cape White-eye |
List of mammals seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2024:
| Scientific | Afrikaans | English |
| Alcelaphus buselaphus | Rooihartbees | Red Hartebeest |
| Antidorcas marsupialis | Springbok | Springbuck |
| Canis mesomelas | Rooijakkals | Black-backed Jackal |
| Ceratotherium simum | Witrenoster | White Rhinoceros |
| Connochaetes gnou | Swartwildebees | Black Wildebeest |
| Cynictis penicillata | Witkwasmuishond | Yellow Mongoose |
| Damaliscus pygargus | Blesbok | Blesbuck |
| Equus quagga | Bontsebra | Plains Zebra |
| Herpestes sanguineus | Swartkwasmuishond | Slender Mongoose |
| Hippopotamus amphibius | Seekoei | Hippopotamus |
| Hydrictis maculicollis | Kleinotter | Spotted-necked Otter |
| Kobus ellipsyprymnus | Waterbok | Waterbuck |
| Sylvicapra grimmia | Grysduiker | Common Duiker |
| Syncerus caffer | Buffel | Cape Buffalo |
| Taurotragus oryx | Eland | Eland |
If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of Rietvlei – on a hike or on an open vehicle drive – you can book through melanie@rietvleicoffee.co.za / +27(0)74-820-9926.
DeWetsWild 
Sounds like another great trip, Dries! I liked the little praying mantis and the much larger buffalo.
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Such beauty!! I love the picture of the Stonechat…and the zebras too!
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It is a real blessing being able to work in nature, showcase it to people eager to learn, and still so close to home, Siobhan!
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A month of heavenly visits! Given the array of fantastic photographs here, you must be happy with the way things are turning out. How wonderful that Joubert is able to join you too when he can! Bird and Mammal lists are essential for me wherever I visit, so it is good to see yours 🙂 🙂
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I really am very blessed with the way things are going, thank you Anne. Near or far I am getting to spend more and more time doing what makes my heart sing!
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Wow, dit was nou heerlik om saam jou by Rietvlei te kuier. Ek’t begin om neer te skryf wat ek al gesien het. Het toe opgehou toe ek by al jou voëls kom. Dan ook nog die hele lys met name! Ek sal nog ‘n oggend verder moet bestee om als te lees. Baie dankie jy hou my brein beslis wakker en werkende.
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Dit was heerlik om jou saam te neem deur Rietvlei, Ineke!
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