These call and have grey bellies just like normal Cape White-eyes,
but show strong buffy/peachy flanks, a feature normally associated
with Orange River White-eye (although these birds seem to have darker
flanks), which only occurs in the arid areas much further to the
north. We have been seeing these birds around Cape Town for years.
It is seems hard to find a bird with completely grey flanks once
we have started looking carefully, yet few would argue that these
are not Cape White-eyes. However, to test this genetically, Graeme
is mistnetting the birds and then sequencing blood samples, and
comparing these with typical Orange River White-eyes. He managed
to catch four birds, which also show the buffy flanks.
We also caught a Southern Double-collared Sunbird in fully-breeding
display showing his yellow pectoral tufts, a Klaas's Cuckoo called
for most of the morning and Red-faced Mousebird were active. Raptors
were good to, and we narrowly missed seeing the kill but saw a Peregrine
Falcon flying off with its prey, and then a male Black Sparrowhawk
in the pine tree tree, although we were unable to check the legs
before he flew off - could he be the
Cecilia bird returning? And all this time while being watched
by the local Cape Dwarf Chameleons ...
About Birding Africa
Birding Africa is a specialist birding tour company
customising tours for both world listers and more relaxed holiday birders.
We combine interests in mammals, butterflies, dragonflies, botany and
other natural history aspects and will guide you to Africa's and Madagascar's
most diverse birding destinations. Our guides'
knowledge of African birds and birding areas is our greatest strength
and together we have rediscovered species, shared exciting observations
with the birding community and had a fun time exploring our home continent.
We've even written two acclaimed guide
books on where to find Southern Africa's and Madagascar's best birds.
Birding is more than our passion, it's our lifestyle, and we are dedicated
to making professional, best value trips filled with endemic species and
unique wildlife experiences. Since 1997, we've run bird watching tours
in South Africa and further into Africa for individual birders, small
birding groups and top international tour companies. We've run Conservation
Tours in association with the African Bird Club and work with and
consult for a number of other top international tour companies and the
BBC Natural History Unit.
