This is the first of the Birds of Silvermine Series.
Silvermine Nature Reserve covers over 2000 ha of mainly mountain fynbos.Several walks through valleys and up peaks provide spectacular views, and a variety of habitats makes for worthwhile birding. In spring when many proteas and ericas are in flower it is easy to find Cape Sugarbird and Southern Double-collared, Malachite and Orange-breasted Sunbirds.
Cape Bunting and Cape Siskin can be found mainly in rocky areas which are also favoured by Ground Woodpecker and Familiar Chat. It is also one of the few places on the peninsula where both Sentinal and Cape Rock Thrushes are found together. Other species that can be seen or heard easily are Cape Grassbird, Cape Robin-chat, Cape Batis, Cape White-eye, Southern Boubou, Neddicky, Karoo Prinia, Cape Bulbul and Sombre Greenbul.
Raptors include Jackal Buzzard, Rock Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon. During summer Common Buzzard can also be found. Up until 2013 there was a breeding pair of Verreaux’s Eagle but, following the disappearance of the male, this species is now seldom seen. Spotted Eagle-Owl and Fiery-necked Nightjar can be heard at dusk and dawn.
Alpine, Little and White-rumped Swifts have been recorded with African Black Swifts sometimes occurring in large numbers. Rock Martins are regularly seen, and Barn and Greater Striped Swallows are summer visitors.
With acknowledgment: Gillian Barnes, Cape Bird Club
The White-rumped Swift has a height of 14 cms and weighs around 24 grams. The head is coloured black while the bill is coloured black. The Apus caffer has a white coloured throat, brown legs and a black coloured back. The eyes are brown.
The Apus caffer attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten. It eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten.
The White-rumped Swift is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 1 to 5 eggs and they are coloured white.
It does not usually make its own nest, instead it steals the nests of other swifts and swallows, especially Little swift and South African cliff-swallow but also the Greater-striped, Lesser-striped, Wire-tailed and Red-breasted swallows. It is extremely vicious and aggressive, evicting breeding swallows from their active nests, harassing the breeding pair before throwing out any chicks or eggs. It occasionally builds its own nest, which is a flat platform of feathers glued together with saliva, typically placed in a rock crevice, cliff or building.
It lays 1-5 eggs, which are incubated by both sexes for 21-25 days. The female actually lays multiple clutches in one breeding season, waiting only a week after the chicks have fledged before laying another clutch. This process, known as multi-brooding, is important factor of why this species is so common, as it means that one female can produce dozens of chicks annually.
The chicks are brooded for the first three weeks of their lives, leaving the nest and becoming independent at about 35-53 days old.
This bird is usually seen in small family groups or in large flocks.
Acknowledgments: Roberts Birds of Southern Africa, biodiversity explorer
Take the path at the trailhead S 34° 06.018 E 18° 26.020 to find the 5 bird caches along this route.
You'll spot the large boulder well before you get to the cache coordinates. Clamber up and look in the corner nook to find the home-made rock container. This is a great coffee spot to take in the view before moving on.
BYOP