Birds of SABAP2 pentad 2915_2555 on the Jagersfontein Road, south-west of Bloemfontein, Free State

Abstract

This paper describes results of a bird survey done at Pentad 2915_2555 on the Jagersfontein road south-west of Bloemfontein between April 2008 and January 2023.  A total of 197 species have been recorded from mainly 169 full-protocol SABAP2 cards (162 done by author) and more than 30 ad hoc lists. The seasonality of waterbird species is discussed based on responses and occurrences after the rainfall seasons. Higher reporting rates were obtained for species such as Yellow-billed Ducks (49.7%), Red-billed Teals (37.9%) and White-faced Whistling Ducks (32.0%) during the summer months, which were sometimes still present into the drier winter months. Spur-winged Goose (39.6%) and Egyptian Goose (69.2%) also have high reporting occurrences, although South African Shelducks showed a more seasonal occurrence with lower reporting rates (17.8%). The seasonality of winter visiting species such as Swallow-tailed Bee eater and Sickle-winged Chats is discussed. Sickle-winged Chats were mostly observed in the area between April–August preferring low shrubs in open patches in grassland and on gravel roads.  Swallow-tailed Bee eater were observed in the Buddleja sp. bush areas on the slope of the hill at the Praalhoek farm between May and July.  The seasonal occurrence of Melodeuis Larks, which starts singing after the first summer rains, is also discussed. The ongoing monitoring of bird populations through the SABAP2 project (and with other platforms such as the Virtual Museum digitization projects) is emphasized and therefore the importance of monitoring bird populations over time.