I can’t believe how quickly August has flown past but I am very grateful that tomorrow represents the start of the Spring season in South Africa!
It’s time for another update from our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve where I’ve guided several drives this past month. Early in the month the reserve suffered a terrible fire that started along a public road on its eastern border and was then pushed into the reserve by a strong wind. Thankfully no infrastructure was damaged and no animals killed, and the grasslands of the highveld are very resilient to fire – already the green growth is sprouting!
Shortly after the fire we found this African Hoopoe searching for charred insects, with some success!
African Hoopoe searching for burned insects on charred grassland
African Hoopoe searching for burned insects on charred grassland
African Hoopoe searching for burned insects on charred grassland
African Hoopoe searching for burned insects on charred grassland
African Hoopoe searching for burned insects on charred grassland
The warmer weather has encouraged mating behaviour in the reserve’s Ostriches and we’ll have a boom in their population pretty soon!
Ostrich male “dancing” for the female
Ostrich male “dancing” for the female
Ostrich male “dancing” for the female
The female relents…
Mating ostriches
Mating ostriches
Rietvlei’s bird population as always provided wonderful viewing and photography opportunities. I ticked 83 species in August.
African Snipe
Bokmakierie
Cape Longclaw
Capped Wheatear
Common Moorhen
Common Moorhen
Common Moorhen
Common Dikkop (aka Thick-knee)
Crimson-breasted Shrike
Crowned Lapwing
Crowned Lapwings and Pied Starlings at an ants nest
Karoo Thrush
Levaillant’s Cisticola
Long-tailed Widowbird
Ostrich face
Reed Cormorant
Rufous-naped Lark
Southern Red Bishop
Southern Red Bishop female
Southern Boubou
Speckled Mousebirds
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Swainson’s Spurfowl
Wattled Lapwing
The fact that Rietvlei sustains healthy populations of large African mammals within sight of the capital city’s southern suburbs is a wonderful boon to residents of Pretoria and surrounding towns and cities.
Blesbok
Buffalo family
Buffalo cow
Eland
Eland
Eland
Red Hartebeest
Red Hartebeest
Black-backed Jackal
Slender Mongoose
Spotted-necked Otter
Spotted-necked Otter
White Rhinos walking in the road
White Rhinoceros ear
White Rhinoceros tail
Waterbuck
Waterbuck
Black Wildebeest
Plains Zebra and Blesbok
Plains Zebra foal
Along with Hannes Rossouw Photography we’re presenting an introductory wildlife photography session for new photographers early in September at Rietvlei and interest has been so healthy that we’ll soon organise another session or two – get in touch if you’d like to be added to the mailing list!
List of mammals I’ve seen on Rietvlei in August 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 |
| Hydrictis maculicollis |
Kleinotter |
Spotted-necked Otter |
| Kobus ellipsyprymnus |
Waterbok |
Waterbuck |
| Syncerus caffer |
Buffel |
Cape Buffalo |
| Taurotragus oryx |
Eland |
Eland |
List of birds I’ve seen on Rietvlei in August 2024:
| Scientific |
Afrikaans |
English |
| Accipiter ovampensis |
Ovambosperwer |
Ovambo Sparrowhawk |
| 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 |
| Anas sparsa |
Swarteend |
African Black Duck |
| Anas undulata |
Geelbekeend |
Yellow-billed Duck |
| Anthus cinnamomeus |
Gewone Koester |
African Pipit |
| Ardea melanocephala |
Swartkopreier |
Black-headed Heron |
| Asio capensis |
Vlei-uil |
Marsh Owl |
| Bostrychia hagedash |
Hadeda |
Hadeda Ibis |
| Burhinus capensis |
Gewone Dikkop |
Spotted Thick-knee |
| Centropus burchellii |
Gewone Vleiloerie |
Burchell’s Coucal |
| Certhilauda semitorquata |
Grasveldlangbeklewerik |
Eastern Long-billed Lark |
| Ceryle rudis |
Bontvisvanger |
Pied Kingfisher |
| Circaetus pectoralis |
Swartborsslangarend |
Black-chested Snake Eagle |
| Cisticola juncidis |
Landeryklopkloppie |
Zitting Cisticola |
| Cisticola tinniens |
Vleitinktinkie |
Levaillant’s Cisticola |
| Colius striatus |
Gevlekte Muisvoel |
Speckled Mousebird |
| Corvus albus |
Witborskraai |
Pied Cow |
| Crinifer concolor |
Kwevoel |
Grey Go-Away Bird |
| Curruca subcoerulea |
Bosveldtjeriktik |
Chestnut-vented Warbler |
| Dendropicos fuscescens |
Kardinaalspeg |
Cardinal Woodpecker |
| Dessonornis caffer |
Gewone Janfrederik |
Cape Robin-Chat |
| 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 |
| Falco peregrinus |
Swerfvalk |
Peregrine Falcon |
| Fulica cristata |
Bleshoender |
Red-knobbed Coot |
| Gallinago nigripennis |
Afrikaanse Snip |
African Snipe |
| Gallinula chloropus |
Grootwaterhoender |
Common Moorhen |
| Halcyon albiventris |
Bruinkopvisvanger |
Brown-hooded Kingfisher |
| Icthyophaga vocifer |
Visarend |
Fish Eagle |
| 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 |
| Megaceryle maxima |
Reusevisvanger |
Giant Kingfisher |
| 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 domesticus |
Huismossie |
House Sparrow |
| Passer melanurus |
Gewone Mossie |
Cape Sparrow |
| Phalacrocorax lucidus |
Witborsduiker |
White-breasted Cormorant |
| Phoeniculus purpureus |
Rooibekkakelaar |
Green Wood-hoopoe |
| Platalea alba |
Lepelaar |
African Spoonbill |
| 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 |
| Riparia paludicola |
Afrikaanse Oewerswael |
Brown-throated Martin |
| Sagittarius serpentarius |
Sekretarisvoel |
Secretarybird |
| Saxicola torquatus |
Gewone Bontrokkie |
African Stonechat |
| Scopus umbretta |
Hamerkop |
Hamerkop |
| Sigelus silens |
Fiskaalvlieevanger |
Fiscal Flycatcher |
| Spilopelia senegalensis |
Rooiborsduifie |
Laughing Dove |
| Stenostira scita |
Feevlieevanger |
Fairy Flycatcher |
| 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 |
| Trachyphonus vaillantii |
Kuifkophoutkapper |
Crested Barbet |
| 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 |
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 