" Your Grace has found me just as I am ~ empty handed but alive in

Your Hands....."


Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Chasing a mega rarity.....




While still trying for the Spotted Crake, the next news break : Golden Pipit in Pongola Nature Reserve, KZN.!!!!!!
This was the 12th record of this specie in Southern Africa, but the first one where the bird stayed for more than one day....
So new plans had to be made :-)
I met up with Johann and his dad in Boksburg just past 02h00 on Saturday 11 December. We drove via Secunda, Trichardt, Leandra, Kinross, Ermelo, Amsterdam, Piet Retief, Pongola....what a horrible and LONG stretch of road....took us 7 hours with all the "stop and go" controls. We finally reached the reserve amongst some 25 other birders,at aroung 9h30 and it was so worth it. What a stunning bird!! And so relaxed with all the people scattering around to get decent photos of it.
My photo's didn't came out too well....very bright light OR he was sitting in the shadow of a tree....But it didnt matter - just looking at him was so rewarding.
Heading back we took a different route, some 150 km extra, but it also took us 7 hours and it was a much better option.
Here is life # 639 - Golden Pipit ~ Pongola Nature Reserve.

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