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Looks like Yellow Bellied Greenbul to me Yolande......Quite a fair bit larger then any willow warbler......So Im not too sure

The first one could be a Fan-tailed Widowbird. I'm sorry, I'm not sure where Rietvlei is, and whether you would get it there. Second choice would be the Long-tailed Widowbird. The reason is because I can't see a whitish shoulder bar on the wing which the LTW has.
The second one looks like a Black-bellied Bustard to me. I take your point about the size, but did they actually come out onto the road? You never know what the ground is like under all that grass, or could you see? The Northern Black Korhaan usually has far more black on its neck as far as I remember.
The third one - erm - I think someone more qualified than I should take a stab at this! It would be a good bird for one of Imax's or Moeggai's Bird Challenge (but don't tell them I said so ). It looks rather kestrel-like,or maybe a female Red-footed Falcon, but I think they are not very common, and, again, I don't know where Rietvlei is! Hope someone else will be more helpful!

Hi Salamnda
Rietvlei is near Pretoria. I also thought number 1 was the long tailed widow in eclipse colouring?

Pat, I would say for your 3 birds in your first post are

1. Almost definitely Fan-tailed Widow Bird, in non breeding plumage.
2. I would go with Northern Black Korhaan.
3. Either one of the Kestrels or Falcons, possibly Greater Kestrel, but not sure on that.
Nice sightings.

Thanks Elsa

Can someone please help with the ID of these birds: large flocks of them seen between Lower SAbie and Tshokwane. Could it be pratincoles?

Those look like wattled starlings to me, Yolande. Do you have any closer pix?

I agree, they do look like Wattled Starlings.

My first thought was some kind of greenbul as well , but none really seems to fits very well. The bill is kind of a problem regarding yellow-bellied , don't you think?

I don't think its a yellow-bellied greenbul. I still think Icterine warbler, as the call fits too.

I have another ID I need help with. A crake of sorts? It was seen in a vlei on the biyamiti road this week. It was alone, no other crakes ( or anything else for that matter) around.

Hi Yolandé ,
I agree. Overall it looks a bit weird for an icterine warbler , but I can't put my finger on any single character inconsistent with that species. The strange , almost phylloscopus-like , overall impression might be a result of the photo quality , and I can’t really see any alternatives , so it probably is an “icky” as you suggest – the call is also a very good character , so….!




Your other mystery bird looks like a juvenile lesser moorhen to me. This link shows a rather similar looking bird: http://chandra.as.utexas.edu/~kormendy/ ... 3163ss.jpg

Jon

deffinatly a stonechat!! they are also VERY common at marieville.


Bird 1- Looks like a "going out of plumage" red collared widow bird.
Bird 2- I wold go for Black bellied korhaan.
Bird 3-Deffinatly a Kestral! Looks like a Greator Kestral.

Taken at Pontdrift (Botswana/SA border). Please positively ID this cuckoo. Unfortunately, never got a pic in the sun. Seems it could be an imm Redchested cuckoo?

I would go with an IMM Red chested cuckoo. The slight red tinge on the chest is a give away