A Morning of Golden Light and Forest Gems: Birding Wilderness and Sedgefield
On Thursday, 12 March 2026, I had the pleasure of leading a guided birding trip through the Wilderness and Sedgefield areas for two visiting birders from the UK. We set out early, greeted by exceptionally kind weather that set the stage for a productive morning.
As we drove along the reedbeds bordering the local lakes, the distinct call of a Levaillant’s Cisticola caught our attention. We found it perched prominently atop a reed, announcing the start of the day.
Our time at a local bird hide proved to be a highlight. We were entertained by a Malachite Kingfisher perched on reeds and stumps directly in front of us. In the soft, early morning sun, we watched as it caught small fish and preened, with the golden reflections on the water enhancing the atmosphere. A Pied Kingfisher soon joined the scene, successfully catching a sizable fish that required over a minute of battering before it could be swallowed.
The hide also offered sightings of African Swamphen and African Crake. One particularly intimate moment occurred when a female Greater Double-collared Sunbird began fluttering against a small window of the hide. She had discovered a spider’s web, a perfect insect trap, allowing us to observe her at a range of less than one metre for several minutes.
Other notable sightings in the wetland areas included:
- Grey Heron, Little Grebe, and Great Crested Grebe
- Reed Cormorant and Black-winged Stilt
- Lesser Swamp Warbler and Little Rush Warbler
- Kelp Gull, Grey-hooded Gull, and Common Tern
- A surprise fly-over by an African Jacana
Moving into the forest, we were rewarded with a significant sighting of a Knysna Warbler. This was especially noteworthy as it is well past the breeding season, meaning the bird was not using its familiar trilling call. While a trained ear and knowledge of the habitat revealed its presence, it was the sharp eye of my client that spotted the movement within the dark shadows of the dense bush.
Our walk through the forest and bush also produced sightings of:
- Knysna Turaco and Narina Trogon
- African Olive Pigeon and Bar-throated Apalis
- Dusky Flycatcher, Terrestrial Brownbul, and Sombre Greenbul
- An adult Jackal Buzzard
It was a fantastic morning in the field with a diverse array of species showing beautifully.
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