Wakkerstroom

11th -12th June 2015 Wakkerstroom area

Greater Flamingos - On the journey to Wakkerstroom we passed many small pools/lakes, some of which produced excellent birds.

Secretary Bird - We chanced upon this individual close to the road.

Our accommodation at Wakkerstroom - Very comfortable and not really a shed!

Home comforts including a log fire and Sherry! We needed the fire as it was sub-zero outside!

The view from the room. Straw coloured grass (no rain) but lots of birds in the area including a Cape Eagle Owl, a South African mega!!

Cape Eagle Owl - Sorry for including this rather poor photo but it was digiscoped at long range by Neil in semi-darkness. Unfortunately the bird appears to be looking the opposite direction.I think! (Photo NF)

Southern Pochard - Wakkerstoom Marsh produced a lot of waterbirds

Yellow-billed Duck

Hottentott Teal

African Gallinule

Black Crake - A very brief appearance (Photo NF)

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Red-winged Francolin Seen on route between sites

A large lake close to the Rudd's Lark site. Unfortunately we failed to find the Lark.
The lake held a large numbers of wildfowl.

I have never seen an Aardvark but at least I have seen an Aardvark burrow!

We encountered several such burrows while driving through the grassland at the Rudd's Lark site.

Not a good place to drop a wheel. (photo NF)

Botha's Lark territory!

Botha's Lark - A very scarce and endemic species which is difficult to find in the vast grasslands.
Also difficult to see in my photo but this was the best I could do!

Red-crested Korhaan - A near endemic species

Red-crested Korhaan in flight after being flushed by a child going to school!

Peregrine Falcon - Of the subspecies Falco peregrinus minor, which is much smaller that the nominate species.

Blue Crane - An endemic species and South Africa's national bird.
Feeding in the middle of large fields and with a lot of heat haze did not help photography.