September ’24 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Except for one horrific cold front moving over the country over the Heritage Day long weekend we’ve enjoyed pleasant Spring weather and scenery at the Rietvlei Nature Reserve this September. Many plants are already in bloom and a green tinge is flushing over the moister parts of the reserve.

Sacred Ibises coming to roost

Island View at sunset

Rietvlei Dam at sunset

Black Locust Tree blooms

White Evening Primrose

Rietvlei scenery (photo by Joubert)

I expected that we might see some different birds at Rietvlei following the fires last month, as well as some early summer migrants, and on both scores I was not disappointed. The number of species I’ve now recorded at Rietvlei since February has swollen to 148.

Capped Wheatear

African Stonechat

Cape Longclaw

White-throated Swallow

Southern Pochard

Arrow-marked Babbler

Streaky-headed Seed-eater

White-throated Swallow

Ostrich male chasing female

Hadeda

Fiscal Shrike

African Spoonbill

African Stonechat

Cape Sparrow female (photo by Joubert)

Capped Wheatear (photo by Joubert)

Swainson’s Spurfowl (photo by Joubert)

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Yellow-billed Ducks

Spur-winged Geese

Wattled Lapwing

African Snipe

Male Ostrich

Female Ostrich

Sacred Ibises

Spotted Dikkop

Black Heron

Grey-headed Gull

Blue-billed Teal

Long-tailed Widowbird

Ostrich Toe & Nail

I recorded 19 species of mammals during the month of September, most of any month since I joined the reserve’s guiding staff on a freelance basis. No doubt the denuded state of the vegetation so long after the rainy season and the areas opened up by veld fires have aided this. It was also nice to see some reptiles again, the warm spring weather must have woken them from their slumber.

Black-backed Jackal

Buffalo

Eland

Eland herd on the run

Eland Bull (photo by Joubert)

Eland Bulls

Black Wildebeest

Black Wildebeest (photo by Joubert)

Bushpig (photo by Joubert)

Red Hartebeest

Yellow Mongoose

Plains Zebra

Waterbuck cows

Water Monitor

Flap-necked Chameleon

Our inaugural “introduction to wildlife photography” course presented in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography early in the month was another highlight and we hope to offer another session before the year is done. Let me know if you’d be interested in receiving more information!

List of mammals seen at Rietvlei in September 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
Microchiroptera	Insekvretende vlermuis (spesie onbekend)	Insect-eating bat (species unknown)
Potamochoerus larvatus	Bosvark	Bushpig
Raphicerus campestris	Steenbok	Steenbok
Suricata suricatta	Meerkat	Suricate
Sylvicapra grimmia	Grysduiker	Common Duiker
Syncerus caffer	Buffel	Cape Buffalo
Taurotragus oryx	Eland	Eland

List of birds seen at Rietvlei during September 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
Amblyospiza albifrons	Dikbekwewer	Thick-billed Weaver
Anas sparsa	Swarteend	African Black Duck
Anas undulata	Geelbekeend	Yellow-billed Duck
Anthus cinnamomeus	Gewone Koester	African Pipit
Apus barbatus	Swartwindswael	African Black Swift
Ardea melanocephala	Swartkopreier	Black-headed Heron
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
Cecropis cucullata	Grootstreepswael	Greater Striped Swallow
Centropus burchellii	Gewone Vleiloerie	Burchell’s Coucal
Charadrius tricollaris	Driebandstrandkiewiet	Three-banded Plover
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus	Gryskopmeeu	Grey-headed Gull
Cisticola juncidis	Landeryklopkloppie	Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola tinniens	Vleitinktinkie	Levaillant’s Cisticola
Colius striatus	Gevlekte Muisvoel	Speckled Mousebird
Columba guinea	Kransduif	Speckled Pigeon
Corvus albus	Witborskraai	Pied Cow
Crinifer concolor	Kwevoel	Grey Go-Away Bird
Crithagra gularis	Streepkopkanarie	Streaky-headed Seedeater
Cypsiurus parvus	Palmwindswael	African Palm Swift
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 ardens	Rooikeelflap	Red-collared Widowbird
Euplectes orix	Rooivink	Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes progne	Langstertflap	Longtailed Widowbird
Fulica cristata	Bleshoender	Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinago nigripennis	Afrikaanse Snip	African Snipe
Gallinula chloropus	Grootwaterhoender	Common Moorhen
Hirundo albigularis	Witkeelswael	White-throated Swallow
Icthyophaga vocifer	Visarend	Fish Eagle
Jynx ruficollis	Draaihals	Red-throated Wryneck
Lamprotornis bicolor	Witgatspreeu	Pied Starling
Lamprotornis nitens	Kleinglansspreeu	Cape Glossy Starling
Laniarius atrococcineus	Rooiborslaksman	Crimson-breasted Shrike
Laniarius ferrugineus	Suidelike Waterfiskaal	Southern Boubou
Lanius collaris	Fiskaallaksman	Common Fiscal
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
Oenanthe pileata	Hoeveldskaapwagter	Capped Wheatear
Passer diffusus	Gryskopmossie	Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer melanurus	Gewone Mossie	Cape Sparrow
Phalacrocorax lucidus	Witborsduiker	White-breasted Cormorant
Phoeniculus purpureus	Rooibekkakelaar	Green Wood-hoopoe
Platalea alba	Lepelaar	African Spoonbill
Plectropterus gambensis	Wildemakou	Spur-winged Goose
Plegadis falcinellus	Glansibis	Glossy Ibis
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
Quelea quelea	Rooibekkwelea	Red-billed Quelea
Saxicola torquatus	Gewone Bontrokkie	African Stonechat
Scleroptila gutturalis	Kalaharipatrys	Orange River Francolin
Scopus umbretta	Hamerkop	Hamerkop
Sigelus silens	Fiskaalvlieevanger	Fiscal Flycatcher
Spatula hottentota	Gevlekte Eend	Blue-billed Teal
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
Tadorna cana	Kopereend	South African Shelduck
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
Vanellus armatus	Bontkiewiet	Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus	Kroonkiewiet	Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus	Lelkiewiet	Wattled Lapwing
Vidua macroura	Koningrooibekkie	Pin-tailed Whydah
Zosterops virens	Kaapse Glasogie	Cape White-eye

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.