Rob Cliff Bird Photography

Rob Cliff Bird Photography Amateur Bird Photographer in South Africa.

Repost 36 - Cuckoo Finch, Old Verena Road, Dec 2023.Uncommon resident and nomad, moving dependent on rainfall.(Koekoekvi...
19/02/2024

Repost 36 - Cuckoo Finch, Old Verena Road, Dec 2023.
Uncommon resident and nomad, moving dependent on rainfall.
(Koekoekvink)

A highly sought after and elusive species for many birders. Cuckoo Finches only look as bright and handsome in the summer months. The bright yellow male has a thick black beak and black streaked back. It is similar to a weaver and canary.

The female is very bishop like for good reason given that Cuckoo Finch is a parasitic species that lays it eggs in other birds nests…usually prinias and cisticolas. They may look nothing like a cuckoo but the name derives from the breeding behavior.

Amazingly Cuckoo Finches are able to make their eggs look like their host eggs in colour and markings…

Preferred habitat includes grassland near wetlands, damp vleis and lightly wooded grassland.

I took a few years to finally see a Cuckoo Finch and now seem to bump into them a lot more. This male was moving across the road in Verena giving some awesome views perching on the roadside fence…






613 - Greater Painted Snipe, Zaagkuildrift, Feb 2024.Generally uncommon and nomadic partial migrant.(Goudsnip)The stunni...
16/02/2024

613 - Greater Painted Snipe, Zaagkuildrift, Feb 2024.
Generally uncommon and nomadic partial migrant.
(Goudsnip)

The stunning Greater Painted Snipe is a highly sought after species which can be common when conditions are right.

This is the female and one of the few birds species in our region where the female is more beautifully marked than the male…in my opinion…

Both male and female have a white eye stripe, white line from the breast around the shoulders to the back. The female has a cricket brown colouring while the male has a more mottled cinnamon coloured back.

The nomadic habitat of Greater Painted Snipe makes finding this species quite tricky. They prefer marshy areas with receding water levels leaving exposed mud and emergent vegetation. If it gets too dry they tend to leave the area.

A fantastic morning outing to Zaagkuildrift with resulted in a really amazing experience with the Snipe pictured. She flew into the road and gave us the most amazing sighting coming closer and going about feeding and preening unperturbed by our presence.






Repost 15 - Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Old Verena Road, Dec 2023. Common resident of rocky hillsides, mountains, bare pa...
14/02/2024

Repost 15 - Cinnamon-breasted Bunting, Old Verena Road, Dec 2023. Common resident of rocky hillsides, mountains, bare patches in woodland and roadsides.
(Klipstreepkoppie)

This medium sized Bunting previously named Rock Bunting is easily recognized by its black and white streaked head and cinnamon brown body. Similar to the Cape Bunting, Cinnamon-breasted can be identified by its two toned bill which is yellow below and its blackish throat.

This species is often seen in small groups or pairs foraging on the ground in open areas. When disturbed they fly to a nearby rock and perch in the open.

Birders often encounter this species along roadsides flushing up when approaching.

This male came back into the road after initially flying up into the grass alongside. He even perched on a rock for me!

The common and widespread Cinnamon-breasted Bunting is really a stunning little bird if you just take the time to have a good look!






612 - Glossy Ibis, Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Dec 2023. Locally common resident and nomad of wetlands, vleis, dams and da...
12/02/2024

612 - Glossy Ibis, Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Dec 2023. Locally common resident and nomad of wetlands, vleis, dams and damp grassland.
(Glansibis)

This small and slender Ibis is a common sight at wetlands throughout the region. The bronze brown colouring with purple and green sheen is quite stunning in good light.

Interestingly this species seems to have only become resident in South Africa a few decades ago and was considered a rare migrant in the 1940s and only started nesting in Southern Gauteng in the 1950s.

Best features to ID this are the slim build and neck, and decurved bill. During the non-br season the beautiful purple and green colouring changes to a dull brown.

This Glossy Ibis was foraging right next to the road in some shallow water at Marievale Bird Sanctuary.






Repost 328 - African Wood Owl, Waterval Boven, Jun 2023.Fairly common resident of forest, dense woodland and occasionall...
10/02/2024

Repost 328 - African Wood Owl, Waterval Boven, Jun 2023.
Fairly common resident of forest, dense woodland and occasionally gardens and plantations.
(Bosuil)

Who could ever get bored seeing Wood Owl or any species of Owl really…

This species has a round head with no “ears”, yellow bill and feet, big black eyes and barring on their chest and belly.

A strictly nocturnal species of Owl, these birds usually only call after it’s dark.

This little chap showed up in the gardens of our lodge at Waterval Boven heysbrook country lodge.






Repost 179 - Terrestrial Brownbul, Biyamiti Kruger, Aug 2023. Common resident of forest, riverine woodland and bushveld ...
04/02/2024

Repost 179 - Terrestrial Brownbul, Biyamiti Kruger, Aug 2023. Common resident of forest, riverine woodland and bushveld thicket.
(Boskrapper)

A shy drab species that forages on the ground amongst the leaf litter in small noisy groups constantly chattering and gurgling.

Terrestrial Brownbuls are greyish brown above with paler brown underparts and a conspicuous white throat. The eye is red with a white ring and a longish black bill.

I picked up a group of Terrestrial Brownbuls moving about the thicket inside Biyamiti Camp in Kruger early one morning. The continual chattering call gave away their presence and I then sat down and waited for them to continue feeding in the undergrowth forgetting about me.

Patience is definitely required to get good views of this species. The beauty of photographing birds is that you can always improve on your previous pictures and experience of a bird you may have seen numerous times…






611 - Magpie Mannikin, Margate KZN, Dec 2023. Uncommon to rare localized resident of riparian bush, rank growth and gard...
01/02/2024

611 - Magpie Mannikin, Margate KZN, Dec 2023. Uncommon to rare localized resident of riparian bush, rank growth and gardens.
STATUS: near-threatened in Southern Africa
(Dikbekfret)

The biggest Mannikin in our region with a massive bill, the Magpie Mannikin is an elusive and sought after species.

The two toned huge bill, big black patch below the shoulder, dark brown back and dark rump are diagnostic. The size is also much bigger if seen next to Bronze or Red-backed Mannikin. See picture 6!

It’s really hard to pin down this species with a population on the south coast of KZN and small population in Tzaneen and Hazyview. Their habitat includes bamboo thickets, gardens and lush thickets.

I’ve had Magpie Mannikin on my target list for many years and searched for them a few times while on holiday in KZN.

The best way is to ask around for an obliging resident in the area who has a bird feeder with seed in their garden. I was lucky enough to make contact with a very generous bird enthusiast in Margate who said that Magpie Mannikins made a daily appearance at his.

An early start got us to his garden by 6am and a small group of Bronze Mannikins arrived first but were soon dwarfed by our target which also came in a flock with a few juvenile birds as well.

The Magpie Mannikins made a brief appearance to eat the seeds put out, were spooked by an African Harrier Hawk overhead and then returned for a second helping before flying off into the dense coastal bush.

I was elated to get these pics of this hard-to-find species!






610 - Short-tailed Pipit, Verena Mpumalanga, Dec 2023. An uncommon localized, elusive and often overlooked resident. STA...
30/01/2024

610 - Short-tailed Pipit, Verena Mpumalanga, Dec 2023. An uncommon localized, elusive and often overlooked resident.
STATUS: Vulnerable
(Kortstertkoester)

This highly localized small Pipit is estimated to have a population of less than 3,000 in Southern Africa.

Usually only found during the breeding season when Short-tailed Pipits perform their dipping circling aerial display. The call is a very soft buzzy and unassuming call usually done aerially.

Habitat preference is moist short hilly grassland. The grassy cover needs to have some bare patches often a year after regrowing post winter burning.

Inflight the shape is small with broad wings and a short narrow tail with white outer tail feathers. On the ground the chest has dark blotchy streaks, short pale eyebrow and pinkish base to the bill.

The challenge with this species is to observe it on the ground. Short-tailed Pipits scurry around between grassy tussocks and are usually hard to observe while feeding on the ground. Most birders see this species flying overhead and then try to see where it lands usually without seeing it on the ground.

I had observed Short-tailed Pipit a few times doing its flight display and always wanted to get better views on the ground. At least 4 failed attempts and a few occasions of flushing a Short-tailed Pipit after trying to get closer…

I finally managed to get this species on the ground in my 5th attempt and had stunning views of this curious Short-tailed Pipit.






609 - Wood Sandpiper, Marievale, Dec 2023. Common non-br palearctic migrant usually present August to May.(Bosruiter)One...
26/01/2024

609 - Wood Sandpiper, Marievale, Dec 2023. Common non-br palearctic migrant usually present August to May.
(Bosruiter)

One of the most common freshwater waders. Wood Sandpiper should be identified by its whitish spots on the wings, white eyebrow extending past the eye, yellowish legs and gradual chest colouring from greyish to white.

Wood Sandpiper is found at a large variety of inland freshwater bodies and is a common site at many marshes, dams and pans.

This species is usually solitary and walks slowly through shallow water often submerging its head and bobbing its tail.

The similar but rarer Green Sandpiper has a darker back with almost no white spots, a sudden change in the chest from streaking to snow white belly, eyebrow stripe that doesn’t extend behind the eye and fairly short greenish legs. Also Green Sandpiper has more prominent eye ring.

Definitely an important Sandpiper to become familiar with to be able to pick out something rarer!






608 - Rufous-bellied Tit, Kangongo Namibia, Oct 2023. Uncommon and localized resident of tall mature teak and Mopane woo...
22/01/2024

608 - Rufous-bellied Tit, Kangongo Namibia, Oct 2023. Uncommon and localized resident of tall mature teak and Mopane woodland.
(Rooipensmees)

An unmistakable bird with orange-red underparts, yellow eyes, black head and grey back with white wing bars. Used to be lumped with the Cinnamon-breasted Tit which has brown eyes and greyish to cinnamon coloured underparts.

This species is often found in mixed bird parties moving from tree to tree searching the bark and branches for insects.

Rufous-bellied Tit was one of the toughest species for us to track down during the Caprivi trip in October last year. We stopped at a few different spots with suitable habitat and records from a few days prior to us being there. But we spent more than 8 hrs searching over a few days before eventually bumping into a pair of Rufous-bellied T**s.

I would have really loved more time following this bird photographed in these pics but unfortunately we were pressed for time given the huge mileage to get back to Katima Mulilo.






Repost 177 - Pearl-breasted Swallow, Outapi Namibia, Oct 2023. Sparse to locally common visitor and resident.(Perelborss...
19/01/2024

Repost 177 - Pearl-breasted Swallow, Outapi Namibia, Oct 2023. Sparse to locally common visitor and resident.
(Perelborsswael)

A small swallow with blue upperparts and forehead. White underparts and underwing coverts.

The very similar Common House Martin is told apart by a white rump rather than blue rump found on the Pearl-breasted Swallow.

This cute swallow is usually seen around human habitation and water bodies. Also found in bushveld, fynbos and farmland.

Pearl-breasted Swallows often perch on low branches or the ground and also forage by flying low to the ground.

A quick coffee stop at a large dam outside Outapi en route back east to Caprivi produced some amazing birds including Slaty Egret, Pygmy Goose, Lesser Jacana, Painted Snipe etc.

A flock of mixed swallows, martins and swifts gave me the opportunity to photograph this Pearl-breasted Swallow on a typical low to the ground perch.






607 - Red-billed Teal, Marievale, Dec 2023.Common and widespread resident found throughout the region. (Rooibekeend)This...
17/01/2024

607 - Red-billed Teal, Marievale, Dec 2023.
Common and widespread resident found throughout the region.
(Rooibekeend)

This is the most abundant duck species in Southern. Africa and is a common sight at most inland water bodies and wetlands.

The red bill, dark crown and pale plain cheek are diagnostic. This species also has no iridescent feathers .

A visit to Marievale bird sanctuary will guarantee this species and also provide the opportunity to have close views and photographs.

Probably overlooked because of their abundance, Red-billed Teals are beautiful small ducks…






Address

Thembisile

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rob Cliff Bird Photography posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category