Tag Archives: outdoors

Sandmen Butterflies

Genus Spialia

The Sandmen is a familiar and widespread genus of tiny butterflies, with some species occurring in almost every corner of South Africa in almost every habitat, from forests to semi-deserts, while others have extremely limited ranges and very specific habitat requirements. They all look very similar and are difficult to identify to species level in the field. Adults have a wingspan of only 2-3cm and fly low to the ground, settling often on fresh dung, flowers, leaves, rocks or on the bare ground and regularly returning to the same spot. Their larvae feed on a wide range of indigenous plants.

South Africa is home to 14 species of Spialia Sandmen:
Boland Sandman (S. sataspes)
Bushveld Sandman (S. colotes)
Common Sandman (S. diomus)
Confusing Sandman (S. confusa)
Delagoa Sandman (S. delagoae)
Dwarf Sandman (S. nanus)
Forest Sandman (S. dromus)
Grassveld Sandman (S. agylla)
Mafa Sandman (S. mafa)
Mite Sandman (S. paula)
Mountain Sandman (S. spio)
Star Sandman (S. asterodia)
Wandering Sandman (S. depauperata)
Wolkberg Sandman (S. secessus)

Sandman Butterfly

Marsh Owl

16 Replies

Asio capensis

The Marsh Owl inhabits wetlands, covered by reeds and sedges, and tall grasslands, occasionally venturing into areas of thorny savanna, and are quite nomadic. Where it occurs it is seen more easily than most other kinds of owls as they are often active from early dusk till well after first light, especially when feeding chicks. They’re also much more social than others of their kind and may congregate in groups of more than 50 birds outside of the breeding season. Marsh Owls hunt mostly on the wing, gliding low to the ground and taking prey ranging in size from termites and snails to bats, rodents, snakes, lizards, frogs and birds up to the size of pigeons. They often store their captured prey in a larder to consume later.

Marsh Owls nest in shallow depressions on the ground, well hidden at the base of dense vegetation, usually during the dry season. They form monogamous pairs and the female takes sole responsibility for incubation of the clutch of 2-6 eggs while the male brings her food at the nest. The chicks stay in the nest for only about two-and-a-half weeks, even though they won’t be able to fly for several weeks more, staying well hidden in dense vegetation at ground level until they fledge. They probably remain dependent on their parents until they’re about 3 months old. Fully grown Marsh Owls measure about 35cm in length and weigh approximately 300g.

The IUCN considers the Marsh Owl to be of least concern. It is widely distributed in Madagascar and east, central and southern Africa, with isolated populations on various parts of West Africa and Morocco. Here in South Africa they’re mainly found in the grasslands of the Highveld (Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga and North West) where the Rietvlei Nature Reserve on Pretoria’s southern outskirts is an excellent location to find and view them.

Marsh Owl in flight (photo by Joubert)

Marsh Owl in flight

Marsh Owl hunting over a wetland

Marsh Owl – bird being cared for at Dullstroom Bird of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre

Marsh Owl

March ’24 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

7 Replies

Since late February I’ve been guiding hiking groups and game drives in our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve on a freelance basis. Regular readers of our blog will know that we are rather fond of Rietvlei, so it is especially rewarding to be showcasing this special reserve in this way. I thought I might start doing a monthly round-up of what Rietvlei revealed while I explored it with my guests (assisted by Joubert who accompanied me on several of the trips).

Storm clouds building up over Rietvlei

A quiet corner of Rietvlei Dam

Doll’s Protea is in fact a member of the daisy family, despite its resemblance to protea flowers

An exotic fruit tree with a very pronounced browsing line!

Black Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and Eland share a hillside in Rietvlei

Black Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and Blesbok share a hillside in Rietvlei

Big herd of Eland

Green Milkweed Locust nymphs

Green Milkweed Locust

Red-veined Dropwing Dragonfly

Blue Pansy Butterfly

Broad-bordered Grass Yellow

African Leopard Butterfly

Black-tipped Acraea

Sandman Butterfly

Natal Acraea

Spotted Joker

Sooty Blue / African Grass Blue butterfly

Common Hottentot Skipper (male)

Long-tailed Blue Butterfly

Honey Bee on a Verbena flower

Sharptooth Catfish feeding on duckweed (photo by Joubert)

Nile Monitor

Speckled Rock Skink

Baby Speckled Rock Skink

Leopard Tortoise

All counted I managed to see and identify 111 species of birds at Rietvlei in the month of March, including a couple of summer visitors that will soon depart for warmer climes. You can find the complete list at the end of this post.

European Bee-eaters

Red Bishop male

Red Bishop female

Bokmakierie

Dark-capped Bulbul

Zitting Cisticola

Reed Cormorant

Diederik Cuckoo

African Black Duck

Carolina Wood Duck male in eclipse plumage

Carolina Wood Duck female (photo by Joubert)

Yellow-billed Duck

Yellow-billed Ducks

Black-chested Snake Eagle

Long-crested Eagle

Cattle Egret

Peregrine Falcon

Cuckoo Finch male

Spotted Flycatcher

Cape Grassbird

Helmeted Guineafowl chick (photo by Joubert)

Black-headed Heron

Green-backed Heron

Giant Kingfisher

Malachite Kingfisher

Northern Black Korhaan male

Eastern Long-billed Lark

Rufous-naped Lark

Blacksmith Lapwing

Crowned Lapwing

African Wattled Lapwing

Cape Longclaws

Cape Longclaw

Common Moorhen

Speckled Mousebird

Juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron

Ostrich face

Ostriches

Marsh Owl

Southern Pochard female

Southern Pochards

Southern Pochard (photo by Joubert)

Common Fiscal

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Pied Starlings pecking flies from the back of a rhino

Pied Starling

African Stonechat female

African Stonechat

White-throated Swallow

Red-billed Teals

Spotted Thick-knee

Cape Wagtail

Willow Warbler

Common Waxbills

Pin-tailed Whydah

Red-throated Wryneck

A recently independent Black-chested Snake Eagle has put on some amazing displays.

Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle

The males of various kinds of widow-birds were still displaying in their feathery finery early in the month, desperately trying to mate with as many females as possible before the end of the summer breeding season. By the end of the month they were rapidly transitioning into their drabber winter garb.

White-winged Widowbird

Long-tailed Widowbird

Long-tailed Widowbird female

Long-tailed Widowbird

Long-tailed Widowbird having lost much of its breeding plumage (photo by Joubert)

The biggest birding highlight of the month for me was my first ever sighting of an Orange River Francolin, taking my tally to 611 species of bird seen in South Africa.

At the end of the summer season Rietvlei’s mammals are in excellent condition and during the month of March I recorded 16 species. The tall grass made it difficult to spot the smaller species though and the list might grow as we progress through autumn and winter.

Black-backed Jackal

Black-backed Jackals

Black Wildebeest

Blesbok

Buffalo calf

Buffalo family

Buffalo calf

Buffalo bull

Buffalo cows and calf

Buffalo bull

Buffalo cow

Buffalo bull

Cheetah

Eland

For their size eland are remarkable jumpers!

Hippopotamus

Red Hartebeest

Waterbuck

Plains Zebra

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 seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during March 2024:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Acridotheres tristis	Indiese Spreeu	Common Myna
Acrocephalus gracilirostris	Kaapse Rietsanger	Lesser Swamp Warbler
Afrotis afraoides	Witvlerkkorhaan	Northern Black Korhaan
Aix sponsa	Carolina Eend	Wood Duck
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
Anomalospiza imberbis	Koekoekvink	Cuckoo-Finch
Anthus cinnamomeus	Gewone Koester	African Pipit
Apus apus	Europese Windswael	Common 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
Calendulauda sabota	Sabota Lewerik	Sabota Lark
Caprimulgus pectoralis	Afrikaanse Naguil	Fiery-necked Nightjar
Cecropis cucullata	Grootstreepswael	Greater Striped Swallow
Centropus burchellii	Gewone Vlieloerie	Burchell’s Coucal
Certhilauda semitorquata	Grasveldlangbeklewerik	Eastern Long-billed Lark
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
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
Coturnix coturnix	Afrikaanse Kwartel	Common Quail
Crinifer concolor	Kwevoel	Grey Go-Away Bird
Crithagra gularis	Streepkopkanarie	Streaky-headed Seedeater
Cypsiurus parvus	Palmwindswael	African Palm Swift
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 afer	Goudgeelvink	Yellow-crowned Bishop
Euplectes albonotatus	Witvlerkflap	White-winged Widowbird
Euplectes ardens	Rooikeelflap	Red-collared Widowbird
Euplectes orix	Rooivink	Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes progne	Langstertflap	Longtailed Widowbird
Falco biarmicus	Edelvalk	Lanner Falcon
Falco peregrinus	Swerfvalk	Peregrine Falcon
Fulica cristata	Bleshoender	Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinago nigripennis	Afrikaanse Snip	African Snipe
Gallinula chloropus	Grootwaterhoender	Common Moorhen
Glaucidium perlatum	Witkoluiltjie	Pearl-spotted Owlet
Hirundo albigularis	Witkeelswael	White-throated Swallow
Hirundo rustica	Huisswael	Barn Swallow
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
Laniarius ferrugineus	Suidelike Waterfiskaal	Southern Boubou
Lanius collaris	Fiskaallaksman	Common Fiscal
Lanius minor	Gryslaksman	Lesser Grey Shrike
Lophaetus occipitalis	Langkuifarend	Long-crested Eagle
Lybius torquatus	Rooikophoutkapper	Black-collared Barbet
Macronyx capensis	Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie	Cape Longclaw
Megaceryle maxima	Reuse Visvanger	Giant Kingfisher
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
Netta erythrophthalma	Bruineend	Southern Pochard
Numida meleagris	Gewone Tarentaal	Helmeted Guineafowl
Nycticorax nycticorax	Gewone Nagreier	Black-crowned Night Heron
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
Plectropterus gambensis	Wildemakou	Spur-winged Goose
Ploceus velatus	Swartkeelgeelvink	Southern Masked Weaver
Prinia flavicans	Swartbandlangstertjie	Black-chested Prinia
Prinia subflava	Bruinsylangstertjie	Tawny-flanked Prinia
Psittacula krameri	Ringnekparakiet	Rose-ringed Parakeet
Pternistis swainsonii	Bosveldfisant	Swainson’s Spurfowl
Pycnonotus tricolor	Swartoogtiptol	Dark-capped Bulbul
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
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
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

List of mammals seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during March 2024:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Acinonyx jubatus	Jagluiperd	Cheetah
Alcelaphus buselaphus	Rooihartbees	Red Hartebeest
Antidorcas marsupialis	Springbok	Springbuck
Canis mesomelas	Rooijakkals	Black-backed Jackal
Ceratotherium simum	Witrenoster	White Rhinoceros
Chlorocebus pygerythrus	Blouaap	Vervet Monkey
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
Syncerus caffer	Buffel	Cape Buffalo
Taurotragus oryx	Eland	Eland

African Reed Warbler

4 Replies

Acrocephalus baeticatus

As its name suggests the African Reed Warbler is a small (∼10g in weight, ∼13cm in length) insectivorous bird closely associated with reedbeds and wetlands and even garden ponds, farm dams, sewage works and sugar-cane fields.

African Reed Warblers are monogamous and territorial and breed during spring and summer. Their nest is a cup-shaped construction of grass and reed leaves attached to emergent vegetation or willow twigs drooping over the water. Both parents incubate the clutch of 2 or 3 eggs for about a fortnight, with the chicks leaving the nest when they’re around two weeks old.

African Reed Warblers are found at suitable habitat throughout South Africa throughout the year and over much of Sub-Saharan Africa and Arabia as well. The IUCN considers the African Reed Warbler to be a subspecies of the Common Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) which is also found in Europe and parts of Asia and which it lists as being of least concern.

African Reed Warbler

African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)

African Reed Warbler

African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)

African Reed Warbler

African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)

African Reed Warbler

Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko

11 Replies

Afrogecko porphyreus

A nocturnal gecko that is endemic to South Africa and occurs only in pockets of our Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, the Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko is commonly found in rocky areas, fallen trees and in and around houses within the fynbos biome. It would appear that they’re not territorial and are often found in close proximity to several other individuals of the same species where food is plentiful. Females lay two small eggs under bark or in a crack in a rock, but several females may lay their eggs in the same spot. The baby geckos emerge about two months later and grow quickly. Fully grown Marbled Leaf-toed Geckos measure about 5cm long excluding their tails.

Marbled Leaf-toed Gecko

Perennial Glasswort

3 Replies

Salicornia perennis

The Perennial Glasswort is a creeping, low growing – up to only about 30cm high – succulent plant adapted to growing in soil with extreme salinity, occurring along coastlines of Africa, Europe and North and South America. It thrives in areas subject to calm tidal inundation, like the salt marshes of the Langebaan Lagoon in our West Coast National Park, where the plants cover large swathes of muddy ground and are often entirely covered by sea water when the tide is high.

Perennial Glasswort

Salt marsh in the West Coast National Park, dominated by Perennial Glasswort

Blue-billed Teal

7 Replies

Spatula hottentota

A shy bird that is easily overlooked, the Blue-billed Teal inhabits permanent freshwater wetlands with densely vegetated banks and lush emergent vegetation like rushes and reeds. They’re omnivores and their diet includes a wide variety of aquatic plants and invertebrates and occasionally even frogs. Blue-billed Teals are usually encountered in pairs or small flocks.

Blue-billed Teals breed mainly towards the end of summer and into early autumn. The male plays little to no role in the incubation of the eggs or the rearing of the chicks. It’s the female that constructs the bowl-shaped nest of grass and down on the ground, that incubates the clutch of up to 12 eggs for about 4 weeks and that rears the chicks, which fledge by about 2 months of age. Fully grown they’re about 35m long and weigh approximately 250g, making it one of the smallest duck species in our country.

The Blue-billed Teal is rather uncommon in South Africa, with a limited distribution and populations concentrated in Gauteng and adjacent parts of the Free State and Mpumalanga, parts of Kwazulu-Natal and coastal pockets in the Eastern and Western Cape. Beyond our borders they’re found in a band across central and eastern Africa as far north as Ethiopia, with further populations in Madagascar and northern Nigeria and neighbouring parts of Niger and Chad. According to the IUCN this species is of least concern.

Blue-billed Teals

Blue-billed Teal

Blue-billed Teals

Blue-billed Teal

Blue-billed Teals

Blue-billed Teal

Natal Plum

17 Replies

Carissa macrocarpa

The Natal Plum – also known as the Big Num-num – is an evergreen shrub species that thrives in coastal bush and forests stretching from the district of Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) in the Eastern Cape to southern Mozambique. Its usual growth form is a densely leafed, spiny shrub up to about 4m high. It is a popular garden plant in frost-free areas as it lends itself perfectly to being trimmed into a hedge, its pure white blossoms smell of citrus flowers and the large fruit are edible in their entirety – it is even used in jams – and extremely rich in vitamin C, magnesium and phosphorous.

Natal Plum (or Large Num-num) flower

Natal Plum / Large Num-num

Cape Teal

4 Replies

Anas capensis

An inhabitant of permanent and ephemeral wetlands of varying salinity, the Cape Teal feeds mainly on aquatic invertebrates and tadpoles with plant material making up a smaller part of its diet. They have also adapted to using farm dams and sewage ponds and greatly expanded their range as a result. They’re usually seen in pairs or small mixed flocks, though they may congregate in enormous numbers on deep water when moulting. They will move over short distances to find more suitable habitats when seasonal water bodies start drying up.

Pairs of Cape Teal are monogamous and breed on dry land, following good rains. The female builds a bowl-shaped nest of soft plant material lined with down. She lays a clutch of up to 13 eggs, though more usually around 8, and incubates them for about 4 weeks. She leads the ducklings to water very soon after hatching and they are adept at swimming and diving right from the start. The ducklings stay with their mother until they’re about 2 months old. Fully grown Cape Teals weigh around 400g and measure about 46cm long.

The Cape Teal has a rather patchy distribution in sub-Saharan Africa. Being especially numerous in our Western Cape Province, they’re found widely in South Africa and our neighbouring states as far as Angola, with more isolated populations in eastern and central-west Africa. According to the IUCN the Cape Teal is of least concern.

Cape Teal

Cape Teals

Cape Teal in flight

Cape Teal

Cape Teals

Cape Teal

Cape Teals

Cape Teals mating

Cape Teals

Large Striped Swordtail Butterfly

9 Replies

Graphium antheus

A big and striking butterfly, the Large Striped Swordtail inhabits moist savannas and coastal forests and in South Africa can be seen through most of Limpopo, low-lying parts of Mpumalanga and most of Kwazulu-Natal. Adults of both sexes, on the wing from spring to autumn and boasting a wingspan of around 7cm, can often be seen visiting flowers but the males – as depicted in some of the images below – are especially fond of muddy puddles as well and will often congregate there in large numbers. These butterflies are very strong fliers.