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Speaking of Letaba - we were wandering around by the river when we heard this bird's call. Now that is enough to give anyone goosebumps. As I'd NEVER heard anything resembling that I sat down on the grass underneath that HUGE tree in the circle of bungalows closest to the river and waited. It was rewarded - first and only time I've ever seen and heard this bird.

Hi all

I had the most awesome sighting of a grey-headed bush shrike the other day while doing surveys on a farm near Baltimore in the Limpopo Province! While standing taking notes of the veld condition, I heard the very clear call of the bird close-by and decided I want to see it, since its not everyday you get the chance. Eventually I lost the bird, but then heard something next to me and saw the"stunner" in a raisin bush hopping around. Another bird joined and then a fight ensued between these birds. After the one had chased of the other, he went back to the bush and claimed his nicely stacked price - a dead chameleon and started feeding on it! Of course these birds feed on insects, reptiles and even small rodents, but this was quite a big flap-necked chameleon, and stacking it like our "spotted" friend the leopard is something unique and amamzing! What would be intersting is if the bird had actually killed it, or just found it dead.

Katmal

Not always easy to pick up but the Grey-Headed Bush Shrike is the only bush shrike with a clear yellow eye which you can see in the pic.

Pretoriuskop I have heard them quite often...

BnD view over the Matjulu dam from the camp.

For Grey-headed we have always found Letaba rest camp a good place to see them and also Skukuza. Just follow the call, strain your neck to look up in the trees and you are bound to find it.

As for Gorgeous BS my first one was seen in Satara and also found some on the S100 (so that explains why WTM don't see them). Also up in Pafuri. This is a frustrating bird to see as you sometimes hear it call close to you but when it sits still it is very difficult to spot in dense foilage. Just stop, wait, watch the bush from where the call is coming closely and eventually the bird will move (well most of the time). Once I KZn we had one calling in a bush next to the car. After 7 minutes it moved and we wondered how on earth we did not spot it at the beginning as it was so close to us.

During the winter months if you go out birding look out for "Birding Parties"as these will often have bush shrikes in them. Listen out for Southern Black Tit, White Helmet Shrikes or even Green Wood Hoopoe as they often indicate such parties.

The only one I ever saw (hearing them a lot) was in Crocodile Bridge right in front of our safari tent. It was as if it posed for us saying: "Come on, snap me" - and my daughter and son-in law was on a late morning game drive with my camera in the vehicle.

There's a friendly resident Grey-headed in the Satara campsite.

These pix were taken on different dates (not in national park)….. as you can see from the gaping mouth, it was quite hot on both days.

Adult Grey Headed BushShrike feeding Cameleon to Juvenile just outside Pretorious Kop last Friday

Biyamiti 28/09/2008



E

I have seen this stunning bird at WSBG today.

We hear this bird nearly every morning while still in bed , his almost our wake-up call.Love its afrikaans name which is so descriptive of its call, Spookvoel (ghost bird).

I disturbed this one close to Shingwedzi bird hide , not sure if it had killed or scavenged the prey , it battled to get airborne .