Pirates of Durban

The Kite numbers have dropped off significantly over the last two weeks or so, but in and around Durban we are still seeing the odd bird or two. Keeping an eye on their departure has been my primary goal this week and my daily atlassing activities have kept me going. Funny enough spending time constantly looking for the kites has actually relieved some of my eye strain which I suffer with due to the lack of breaks whilst in the office on my laptop. Yes I know I need to take regular breaks, but when the creative urge strikes it does not really like to take five or ten nimuntes here or there.

I have noticed that the Kites seem to almost funnel themselves into groups later in the day and when atlassing into the early evening I have seen small groups heading westwards flying inland. This has been almost as late 6:30 in the evening which is pretty dark, but I have a decent spotting scope which I use when birding from vantage points in decent passage or migration points. The Umgeni River Valley seem like one their transit highways and most evenings I have caught quite a few flying out above the river heading west. With Autumn drawing closer now and the days shortening it is sad to think that the kites will soon be gone, probably arriving in West or Central Africa in the tropical Spring. For me the kites are the epitome of a KwaZulu-Natal Summer comforting me with their constant presence. You can spend an afternoon on your balcony at home looking across the landscape and see the kites in pairs or singly deftly dextrous and spiralling around in courtship displays. I realise now that you can take them for granted, these wonderful birds. I must say the more adverserial part of me loves their plucky attitudes particularly when they corner Pied Crows and other large birds. They really are the pirates of the bird world. They will hunt for themselves, steal from others and forage across their territories with verve and vigour. Lets see whether they are still here over the weekend.