The Garden Birds Project

Birds we’re seeing in our gardens in and around the Helderberg

The purpose of the Garden Bird Project is to keep track of the birds we’re seeing in our gardens in and around the Helderberg Basin. This helps to determine whether we are losing or gaining species. The project in our area is co-ordinated by Sally Perry.

Here’s Sally’s report on the 2023 recording.

In 2023 we had eight garden bird spotters submitting lists, including a new spotter. Between us we recorded 110 birds.

The popular birds, seen by everyone were: Pied Crow, Laughing Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Egyptian Goose, Hadeda Ibis, Cape Robin-chat, Common Starling, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, and the Cape White-eye.

We’ve had some interesting ‘rarities’ although some are not ‘rare’, just not often seen in our spotters’ gardens. Here’s a summary of some of them from our spotters.

Bar-throated Apalis
Bokmakerie (first time in years), Red-knobbed Coot, Reed Cormorant, Diedericks Cuckoo, Spotted Thick-Knee, Grassbird (uncommon in this neck of the woods), Grey Heron, Malachite Kingfisher, Moorhen
Cape Bunting, Common Buzzard, Brimstone Canary, Cape Cormorant, Little Egret, Lanner Falcon, Hartlaub’s Gull, Lesser Honeyguide, Rock Martin, Black Saw-wing, Streaky-headed Seedeater, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Barn Swallow, and Common Tern
Yellow Canary and Spur-wing Goose. They used to be quite common but now, only one person was able to record them
White-breasted Cormorant and White-breasted Raven (not so easy to spot these days)
Giant Kingfisher, Crowned Lapwing, Southern Masked Weaver, Olive Woodpecker; All of those not easy to find
Fiery-necked Nightjar – only heard in a tiny patch of Erinvale
Cape Seedeater and Cape Siskin in a garden
Flock of White Storks circling and a Lesser Swamp-Warbler in the reeds
Happy to report that four people recorded Blue Cranes

Other birds that were seen by a couple of people were; Acacia Pied Barbet, Cape Batis, Familiar Chat, Klaas’ Cuckoo, African Darter, Yellow-Billed Duck, Peregrine Falcon, Paradise Flycatcher, African Goshawk, African Hoopoe, Rock Kestrel, Cape Eagle Owl, Blacksmith Lapwing, Grey-headed Sparrow, Black Sparrowhawk, Amethyst Sunbird, Alpine Swift, Little Swift, and Cape Rock Thrush.

This year, I am going to sit in the garden and really LOOK at the swifts and swallows. If you pay attention and keep your bird book with you, you can identify them as they flash past. They flash back and then back again, so you just have to concentrate.

Pair of Cape Sparrows

Want to get involved?

Once you start your list you will find you will see more and more feathered visitors – have they always been there on and off and you’re just noticing them now? Often you just get a fleeting glance of a bird and then spend the rest of your time trying to confirm what you saw. You may notice a trend which can become a subject all on its own.

Although this project is very small, every list and every record is valuable in providing interesting data and information.

At the beginning of each year after all the lists have been sent and collated and report is sent to the Editor at Batis to be included in the next publication. This enables anyone interested or looking for information for research on this subject to access the information.

Should you see something unusual or interesting, you are invited to include this with your lists. The report will share these sightings aswell

Would you like to join the ranks of ‘Citizen Scientist’?

The pay is non-existent, but the joy and pleasure is immeasurable, all you need to do is:

Record each species that visits you. Some will be regular visitors, but you only have to record them once every month you see them
Birds both seen and heard should be noted.
Early in the new year (preferably in January) your list for the previous year should be sent to Sally Perry via email. Sally will also send you a template you can use to list your birds. Email her with your request.

Want to know more? Contact Sally Perry : jperry@mweb.co.za