A wind'less morning

Week 40, 02 October 2012 - JPR and SAANR (Click to enlarge image)

I spent a few hours at JPR and SAANR this morning. Weather was perfect for us, but not for migrants as there was literally no wind at all, so it was a little of a bird'less day.

A small flock of Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters had roosted overnight on the trees inside the entrance of JPR. Here is one being true to it's name - having caught a bee in flight!

Blue-cheeked Bee-eater (Merops persicus) with a bee

The water that is left is evaporating very quickly and we hope that a solution is reached soon, so that supply can be restored for the balance of migration and the coming winter.

A Common Kingfisher was seen near one of the drying pans

Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)

This was a 'grab' picture of a juvenile Purple Swamphen that suddenly appeared out of the reeds, proving that breeding took place this summer - despite the fact that not many Swamphens have been seen, so that is certainly encouraging

Juvenile Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio  porphyrio)

I headed over to SAANR where it was even quieter, however a few Desert Wheatear's were seen on the way as well as Eastern Black-eared and Pied Wheatears

Eastern Black-eared Wheatear (Oenanthe h. melanoleuca)

Pied Wheatear (Oenanthe pleschanka) devouring an identified moth

At Tuhla, a female Eurasian Sparrowhawk quietly dropped in for a drink in the shade of an Acacia Tree

Female Eurasian Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus)

Rashed was also out in this first week of August, but lack of a northerly wind ensured that migrants were almost absent

Rashed, always out there finding good birds