March and April knell in the autumn season in our part of the world, and while we still had lots of rain in both months temperatures have also declined noticeably of late with the sun rising ever later and setting ever earlier. Misty mornings are the order of the day now at our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve and the colours in the leaves are matched by a large number of autumn butterflies. I’ve had the pleasure of guiding several groups on drives through the reserve the past two months, and in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography we also hosted learners from Joubert’s high school’s photography club on a wildlife and nature photography workshop.
Rietvlei sunrise
Rietvlei scenery
Eyed Pansy
Dotted Blues
Broad-bordered Grass Yellows
Broad-bordered Grass Yellows
Net-winged Beetles
Sooty Blue
Citrus Swallowtail
Giant Bullfrog juvenile
Heavily gravid female Common Green Mantis
Rain storm passing over Rietvlei
Sunset at Rietvlei
Rietvlei sunset
Rietvlei sunset
As mentioned, we’re experiencing many misty mornings at this time of the year and, while it makes early morning game-viewing tricky the multitude of wet spiderwebs illuminated by the first rays of sunlight are a sight to behold!
Waterbuck in the mist
Eland in the mist
Spiderwebs on a misty morning
Spiderweb (photo by Joubert)
Spiderweb
Spiderweb (photo by Joubert)
Spiderweb (photo by Joubert)
African Stone-Chat in a misty sunrise
A most remarkable sighting this past month was of a Black-headed Heron that had caught a Brown House Snake!
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Black-headed Heron with a snake it caught
Rietvlei is still delivering lots of interest for bird lovers, not least of which was a flock of cuckoo finches that spent several weeks in the reserve before moving on.
African Darter
African Fish Eagle
Pair of African Fish Eagles calling
African Paradise Flycatcher
African Snipe
African Stone-chat
Banded Martin
Black-winged Kite
Black-winged Kite
Burchell’s Coucal
Cape Glossy Starling
Cape Grassbird
Cape Longclaw
Cape Robin-Chat
Cape Wagtail
Cattle Egret
Crowned Lapwing (photo by Joubert)
Cuckoo Finch male
Dark-capped Bulbul
Fiscal Shrike
Green-backed Heron
Jacobin Cuckoo
Levaillant’s Cisticola
Long-tailed Widowbird male in flight
Malachite Kingfisher (photo by Joubert)
Marsh Owl
Northern Black Korhaan female
Orange-breasted Waxbill
Smiling Ostrich
Pin-tailed Whydah male
Female Pin-tailed Whydah
Reed Cormorants
Southern Masked Weaver
Swainson’s Spurfowl chicks
African Wattled Lapwing
White-breasted Cormorants
Zitting Ciscticola
Ostrich family gathering (photo by Joubert)
Rietvlei’s densely vegetated grasslands is still making it very difficult to see any of the smaller kinds of mammals that call the reserve home, but thankfully the large population and wide variety of larger animals are still playing their part to make our guided drives and walks most memorable.
Black-backed Jackal
Black-backed Jackal
Black Wildebeest
Blesbok
Blesbok
Blesbok running across Otter Bridge (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo bull looking fearsome (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo cow
Buffalo calf (photo by Joubert)
Buffaloes crossing a road in Rietvlei (photo by Joubert)
Buffalo rushing through the long grass (photo by Joubert)
Young eland cows
Eland bull
Eland bull
Spotted-neck Otter
Plains Zebra portrait
Waterbuck
Waterbuck cow
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.
List of birds we saw at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during March and April 2025 (109 species):
| 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 sparsa | Swarteend | African Black Duck |
| Anas undulata | Geelbekeend | Yellow-billed Duck |
| Anhinga rufa | Slanghalsvoel | African Darter |
| Anomalospiza imberbis | Koekoekvink | Cuckoo-Finch |
| Anthus cinnamomeus | Gewone Koester | African Pipit |
| Apus apus | Europese Windswael | Common Swift |
| Apus caffer | Witkruiswindswael | White-rumped Swift |
| Ardea melanocephala | Swartkopreier | Black-headed 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 |
| Caprimulgus pectoralis | Afrikaanse Naguil | Fiery-necked Nightjar |
| Cecropis cucullata | Grootstreepswael | Greater Striped Swallow |
| Centropus burchellii | Gewone Vleiloerie | Burchell’s Coucal |
| Ceryle rudis | Bontvisvanger | Pied Kingfisher |
| Chalcomitra amethystina | Swartsuikerbekkie | Amethyst Sunbird |
| Chrysococcyx caprius | Diederikkie | Diederik Cuckoo |
| Cinnyris talatala | Witpenssuikerbekkie | White-belled Sunbird |
| Circaetus pectoralis | Swartborsslangarend | Black-chested Snake Eagle |
| Circus ranivorus | Afrikaanse Vleivalk | African Marsh Harrier |
| Cisticola fulvicapilla | Neddikkie | Neddicky |
| Cisticola juncidis | Landeryklopkloppie | Zitting Cisticola |
| Cisticola tinniens | Vleitinktinkie | Levaillant’s Cisticola |
| Colius striatus | Gevlekte Muisvoel | Speckled Mousebird |
| Corvus albus | Witborskraai | Pied Cow |
| Corythornis cristatus | Kuifkopvisvanger | Malachite Kingfisher |
| Crinifer concolor | Kwevoel | Grey Go-Away Bird |
| Crithagra mozambica | Geeloogkanarie | Yellow-fronted Canary |
| 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 albonotatus | Witvlerkflap | White-winged Widowbird |
| Euplectes ardens | Rooikeelflap | Red-collared Widowbird |
| Euplectes axillaris | Kortstertflap | Fan-tailed Whydah |
| Euplectes orix | Rooivink | Southern Red Bishop |
| Euplectes progne | Langstertflap | Longtailed Widowbird |
| Falco biarmicus | Edelvalk | Lanner Falcon |
| Fulica cristata | Bleshoender | Red-knobbed Coot |
| Gallinago nigripennis | Afrikaanse Snip | African Snipe |
| Gallinula chloropus | Grootwaterhoender | Common Moorhen |
| Hirundo albigularis | Witkeelswael | White-throated Swallow |
| Hirundo rustica | Europese Swael | Barn 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 |
| Lanius minor | Gryslaksman | Lesser Grey Shrike |
| Lophoceros nasutus | Grysneushoringvoel | African Grey Hornbill |
| Macronyx capensis | Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie | Cape Longclaw |
| Merops apiaster | Europese Byvreter | European Bee-eater |
| Microcarbo africanus | Rietduiker | Reed Cormorant |
| Mirafra africana | Rooineklewerik | Rufous-naped Lark |
| Motacilla capensis | Gewone Kwikkie | Cape Wagtail |
| Muscicapa striata | Europese Vlieevanger | Spotted Flycatcher |
| Neophedina cincta | Gebande Oewerswael | Banded Martin |
| Numida meleagris | Gewone Tarentaal | Helmeted Guineafowl |
| Oena capensis | Namakwaduifie | Namaqua Dove |
| Ortygospiza atricollis | Gewone Kwartelvinkie | African Quail Finch |
| Oxylophus jacobinus | Bontnuwejaarsvoel | Jacobin Cuckoo |
| 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 |
| Phylloscopus trochilus | Hofsanger | Willow Warbler |
| Ploceus capensis | Kaapse Wewer | Cape Weaver |
| Ploceus velatus | Swartkeelgeelvink | Southern Masked Weaver |
| Prinia flavicans | Swartbandlangstertjie | Black-chested Prinia |
| Prinia subflava | Bruinsylangstertjie | Tawny-flanked Prinia |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Tadorna cana | Kopereend | South African Shelduck |
| Tchagra senegalus | Swartkroontjagra | Black-crowned Tchagra |
| Telophorus zeylonus | Bokmakierie | Bokmakierie |
| Terpsiphone viridis | Paradysvlieevanger | African Paradise Flycatcher |
| Threskiornis aethiopicus | Skoorsteenveer | African Sacred Ibis |
| Trachyphonus vaillantii | Kuifkophoutkapper | Crested Barbet |
| Turdoides jardineii | Pylvlekkatlagter | Arrow-marked Babbler |
| Turdus smithi | Geelbeklyster | Karoo Thrush |
| Urocolius indicus | Rooiwangmuisvoel | Red-faced Mousebird |
| 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 |
List of mammals we saw at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during March and April 2025 (14 species):
| 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 |
| 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 |
DeWetsWild 
What a stunning and interesting selection of photos. The heron with the snake is particularly interesting. I loved the misty morning photos too.
Thank you very much, Carol! You can imagine my guests – and my – excitement at finding that heron with his snake!
Your wildlife and bird photos are beautiful, but you also have a knack for landscapes. Those misty morning shots are my favorite landscapes!
Thank you for your kind words, John! I am lucky in that I am able to keep practicing in places as beautiful as Rietvlei!
Another embarrassment of riches, Dries. I’m smiling.
I’m so glad you came on a tour of Rietvlei with me, Janet, even if for the moment it is still virtually!
Great selection of wildlife photos – Rietvlei is such a pleasure to visit – will have to make a plan when we visit Pretoria again
There’s always something to see at Rietvlei and I never tire of the place. Sounds like it is the same for you, Don.
Dankie, Dries, vir die Afrikaanse name – dit is kosbare kennis!
Baie dankie vir die gawe terugvoer, Tannie Frannie!