On Saturday the 21st August 2011 I needed to pick someone up from the airport - the perfect opportunity to sneak another birding trip into the mix! I had been to Grootvaly Wetland Reserve in Springs (Birding Gauteng chapter 67) once before but my kids had not, so Little Birdman, my daughter Ashley, and I left home around 1pm and arrived there at 2ish with an hour and a half to spare before needing to leave for the airport. There was no staff at the main gate, nor the education centre, but we headed to the bird hide right away.
Here are some scenery pics of the wetland (which is not in a great shape - let's just say you would not be keen to wade into the water under any circumstances). The hide is truly spectacular giving a full 180 degree view of the wetland. The walkway is the saddest part of the reserve - it was out of operation the last time I visited (7 months ago) and is still un-reachable. It looks like a section from the shore was washed away and it has never been repaired.
I have only seen Pied Avocet on three previous occasions, and it was really special to see so many of them at this reserve (I believe they breed here). A pair were even nesting really close to the hide which meant that I got closer than I have ever gotten to them.
The pair were clearly not happy when a Blacksmith Lapwing landed on their island and a battle of the bill's ensued, ending with the Lapwing retreating to a safe distance!
The Avocet's were particularly active and even gave some spectacular aerial demonstrations (I felt like I was at the air show at Waterkloof airbase near Pretoria):
Not to be upstaged, Black-winged Stilt were also presented (one of their breeding spots as well) and this juvenile pair were just in front of the hide:
A few ducks and other waterbirds were around, including Common Moorhen with a good amount of juveniles, Red-knobbed Coot, Yellow-billed Duck which also gave some great aerial displays, a lone Cape Shoveler and Red-billed Teal.
We were really please to see a Lesser Flamingo hanging out with a group of about ten Pied Avocets. Always a great sight!
Oh, a Grey-headed Gull also did a fly-by for us:
A real highlight of the day was watching and hearing the African Snipe (we saw at least 4 in total) as they did their aerial displays with their sound system volume turned up real loud:
The warblers either hiding away or visiting their family at the coast because this Lesser Swamp Warbler was the only one we saw:
We ran out of time and were not able to get down to the Bevcan Hide which on my last visit was unreachable and in a rather dismal state of dis-repair.
On a second visit to the wetland we saw: Levaillant's Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Black-headed Heron, Common Moorhen, Common Myna, Hottentot Teal, Red-billed Teal and female Pin-tailed Whydah:
On a third visit to the wetland (September 2011) I saw and took shots of Red-knobbed Coot chicks, Black-crowned Night-Heron and Grey Heron:
