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Revision as of 12:58, 2 April 2023 editCrispin Hemson (talk | contribs)105 edits More butterflies← Previous edit Revision as of 13:14, 2 April 2023 edit undoCrispin Hemson (talk | contribs)105 edits Completed butterfly tableNext edit →
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| || African Wood White || Leptosia alcesta inalcesta | || African Wood White || Leptosia alcesta inalcesta
|- |-
| || Angled Grass Yellow || Eurema desjardinsii marshalli
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| Example || Example || Example | || Ant-heap Small White || Dixeia pigea
|- |-
| || Broad-bordered Grass Yellow || Eurema brigitta brigitta
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Brown-veined White || Belenois aurota aurota
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Common Dotted Border || Mylothris agathina
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Common Grass Yellow || Eurema hecabe senegalensis
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Diverse White || Appias epaphia contracta
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || False Dotted Border || Belenois thysa thysa
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Twin Dotted Border || Mylothris rueppellii haemus
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| Swallowtails || Citrus Swallowtail || Papilio demodocus demodocus
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Green-banded Swallowtail || Papilio nireus lyaeus
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| || Mocker Swallowtail || Papilio dardanus cenea
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| Example || Example || Example | Skippers || Buff-tipped || Natrobalane canopus
|- |-
| Example || Example || Example | || Clouded Flat|| Tagiades flesus
|- |-
| || Common Hottentot Skipper || Gegenes niso niso
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| Example || Example || Example | Elfins || Small Elfin || Sarangesa phidyle
|- |-
| Sylphs || Gold Spotted Sylph || Metisella metis paris
| Example || Example || Example
|- |-
| Example || Example || Example | Darts || Macken's Dart || Acleros mackenii
|- |-
| Swifts || Long-horned Swift || Borbo fatuellus fatuellus
| Example || Example || Example
|-
| Example || Example || Example
|-
| Example || Example || Example
|-
| Example || Example || Example
|} |}


Revision as of 13:14, 2 April 2023

For the Pigeon Valley in Turkey, see Uçhisar.
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Hikers in Pigeon Valley

Pigeon Valley is a Natural Heritage Park and formally declared municipal nature reserve in Durban, South Africa (29.8646° S, 30.9869° E). It is an unusual example of an urban reserve with very high levels of biodiversity. It was established to provide protection for the Natal elm (Celtis mildbraedii) and other forest giants of the coastal climax forest. Another rare tree that occurs here is Natal forest loquat (Oxyanthus pyriformis), which is endemic to the Durban area and to oNgoye Forest.

In March 2020, a juvenile Crowned Eagle stands over its prey, a Red Duiker

Pigeon Valley is about 11 ha in extent, and is situated on the Berea, overlooking Durban Bay. Its unusual north-south orientation may contribute to the biodiversity, with the south-facing slope covered in canopy forest, while the north-facing slope has thorny thickets. An adjoining reservoir, previously part of the reserve, provides a patch of coastal grassland.

Animals

Red duiker at Pigeon ValleyMale buff-spotted flufftail in Pigeon Valley, January 2014

The park is home to red duiker and blue duiker. Other mammals include Large-spotted Genet, a troop of banded mongooses as well as slender and water mongooses. Blue vervet monkeys are constantly present. In July 2019, a side-striped jackal was seen in neighbouring roads and was apparently living in the reserve for a time. This may be the southernmost sighting of this species.

Various species of forest birds are found here including; red-capped robin-chat, green twinspot, Cape white-eye, southern boubou, spotted ground thrush, purple-crested turaco and African paradise flycatcher. The black sparrowhawk breeds here annually. There are increasingly common visits by the Crowned Eagle, and it seems that two birds are now resident in the suburban area. Another bird that is seldom seen but that is generally present is buff-spotted flufftail. Unusual sightings of note in recent years include European nightjar, Knysna warbler, lemon dove, mountain wagtail, black-throated wattle-eye, common scimitarbill, palm-nut vulture and Knysna turaco. The current bird list for Pigeon Valley includes 162 species.

The spotted ground thrush is of particular note, as Pigeon Valley is one of the places where this endangered bird can be most reliably found in winter. It arrives typically in late March or early April, and is present until August or September; earliest arrival date recorded has been 22 March and latest (in 2015) 5 October, apart from a single January sighting. Summer migrants include, occasionally, black cuckoo, red-chested cuckoo and red-backed shrike.

Bird list

Bird list for Pigeon Valley
Number Family Species Status Notes
1 Apalis Bar-throated Breeding resident
2 Apalis Yellow-breasted Breeding resident
3 Barbet Black-collared Breeding resident Recent decline in numbers
4 Barbet White-eared Breeding resident Increasing in number
5 Barbet Crested Occasional visitor
6 Batis Cape Breeding resident
7 Batis Chinspot Occasional visitor
8 Bee-eater Little Occasional visitor
9 Blackcap Black Rare visitor 22 August 2020
10 Boubou Southern Breeding resident
11 Brownbul Terrestrial Breeding resident
12 Bulbul Dark-capped Breeding resident
13 Bunting Golden-breasted Occasional visitor April 1992, 30 March 2013
14 Bush-Shrike Gorgeous Rare visitor 2007
15 Bush-Shrike Grey-headed Occasional visitor 2012; winter 2014, 2019-2020
16 Bush-Shrike Olive Winter and spring visitor
17 Bush-Shrike Orange-breasted Occasional visitor Last seen 2011
18 Buzzard Steppe Infrequent visitor March 2019
19 Camaroptera Green-backed Breeding resident
20 Canary Brimstone Regular visitor
21 Canary Yellow-fronted Regularly present
22 Chat Familiar Occasional visitor
23 Cisticola Zitting Rare visitor Pair present 2015; 2020
24 Coucal Burchell's Breeding resident First recent breeding 2021
25 Crested-Flycatcher Blue-mantled Rare visitor Female present 2014-6
26 Crow Pied Occasional visitor
27 Cuckoo Black Occasional summer visitor
28 Cuckoo Diderik Regular summer visitor
29 Cuckoo Emerald Occasional summer visitor
30 Cuckoo Common Rare visitor 1979; November 2018
31 Cuckoo Jacobin Rare visitor October 2016
32 Cuckoo Klaas's Breeding resident Breeding 2014
33 Cuckoo Red-chested Occasional summer visitor 2015, 2017
34 Cuckooshrike Black Occasional visitor Mainly winter
35 Cuckooshrike Grey Occasional visitor Mainly winter
36 Dove Red-eyed Breeding resident
37 Dove Laughing Breeding resident
38 Dove Rock Occasional visitor
39 Dove Tambourine Breeding resident
40 Dove Lemon Rare visitor 2012, 2018
41 Drongo Fork-tailed Breeding resident
42 Drongo Square-tailed Breeding resident
43 Duck White-faced Infrequent visitor November 2017
44 Eagle African crowned Occasional visitor
45 Eagle-Owl Spotted Occasional visitor
46 Falcon Lanner Occasional visitor
47 Firefinch African Breeding resident
48 Firefinch Red-billed Breeding resident First sighting January 2015; now established
49 Fiscal Common Not seen in recent years
50 Flufftail Buff-spotted Breeding resident Seen regularly
51 Flycatcher Ashy Breeding resident
52 Flycatcher Dusky Breeding resident
53 Flycatcher Fiscal Regular winter visitor
54 Flycatcher Spotted Uncommon summer visitor Present late 2014
55 Flycatcher Southern Black Breeding resident
56 Goshawk African Breeding resident
57 Greenbul Sombre Breeding resident
58 Greenbul Yellow-bellied Breeding resident First recent breeding 2021
59 Ground-Thrush Spotted Regular migrant April to September; November 2014; January 2016
60 Hamerkop Occasional visitor
61 Harrierhawk African Regular visitor
62 Hawk African cuckoo Rare visitor Present June 2014
63 Heron Black-headed Occasional visitor
64 Hobby Eurasian Rare visitor March 2015
65 Honeybird Brown-backed Occasional visitor
66 Honey-Buzzard European Rare visitor First sighting January 2015
67 Honeyguide Greater Rare visitor Not seen in recent years
68 Honeyguide Lesser Usually present
69 Honeyguide Scaly-throated Occasional visitor
70 Hoopoe African Occasional visitor
71 Hornbill Crowned Rare visitor 2015
72 Hornbill Trumpeter Rare visitor 2011
73 Ibis Hadeda Breeding resident
74 Indigobird Village Uncertain as yet First sighted June 2019
75 Kingfisher Brown-hooded Breeding resident
76 Kingfisher Mangrove Rare visitor 2011, March 2016, 8 October 2017
77 Kite Yellow-billed Breeding migrant
78 Malkoha Green Infrequent visitor 2010, 2017-8
79 Mannikin Bronze Breeding resident
80 Mannikin Red-backed Breeding resident
81 Martin Rock Occasional visitor
82 Mousebird Speckled Breeding resident
83 Myna Common Frequent visitor
84 Nightjar European Rare visitor 2013; 18 December 2014
85 Nightjar Fiery-necked Occasional visitor
86 Oriole Black-headed Breeding resident
87 Owl Barn Record from 1979
88 Palm Swift African Regularly present
89 Paradise Flycatcher African Breeding resident
90 Parakeet Rose-ringed Regular visitor
91 Pigeon Green Record from 1979
92 Prinia Tawny-flanked Breeding resident
93 Puffback Black-backed Breeding resident
94 Pygmy-Kingfisher African Occasional visitor
95 Quelea Red-billed Rare visitor December 2017
96 Robin White-starred Rare visitor Not seen in recent years
97 Robin-Chat Red-capped Breeding resident
98 Robin-Chat Cape Occasional visitor Mainly winter
99 Robin-Chat Chorister Occasional visitor Mainly winter
100 Saw-wing Black Regular visitor
101 Scimitarbill Common Rare visitor 11 November 2016
102 Scops Owl Southern white-faced Rare vagrant July 2018
103 Scrub-Robin White-browed Formerly breeding resident
104 Seedeater Streaky-headed Breeding resident
105 Shrike Red-backed Infrequent summer visitor Present Nov 2015
106 Sparrow Southern grey-headed Occasional visitor
107 Sparrow House Occasional visitor
108 Sparrowhawk Little Occasional visitor
109 Sparrowhawk Black Breeding resident
110 Spurfowl Natal Breeding resident
111 Starling Black-bellied Breeding resident
112 Starling Violet-backed Occasional summer visitor
113 Starling Red-winged Regularly present
114 Starling Glossy Breeding resident
115 Stonechat African Rare visitor Not seen in recent years
116 Stork Woolly-necked Occasional visitor
117 Sunbird Grey Breeding resident
118 Sunbird Amethyst Breeding resident
119 Sunbird Olive Breeding resident
120 Sunbird Purple-banded Regular visitor Winter
121 Sunbird Collared Breeding resident
122 Sunbird White-bellied Breeding resident
123 Swallow Barn Regular visitor Summer
124 Swallow Lesser-striped Regular visitor
125 Swallow White-throated Occasional visitor
126 Swift Black Rare visitor
127 Swift White-rumped Occasional visitor
128 Swift Little Regularly present
129 Swift Alpine Rare visitor Not seen in recent years
130 Tchagra Southern Rare visitor 2017, 2018
131 Thrush Kurrichane Breeding resident
132 Thrush Olive Winter visitor Present March 2014, 2018
133 Tinkerbird Red-fronted Occasional visitor October 2017, July 2020
134 Tinkerbird Yellow-rumped Breeding resident
135 Tit Southern black Breeding resident
136 Trogon Narina Occasional visitor
137 Turaco Knysna Rare visitor September 1991; 1 October 2017
138 Turaco Purple-crested Breeding resident
139 Twinspot Green Regular visitor Breeding record 2014
140 Vulture Palm-nut Rare visitor 22 October 2017, May 2020
141 Wagtail Cape Occasional visitor
142 Wagtail Mountain Rare visitor Seen once in 1990s, again in 2013
143 Warbler Barratt's Infrequent winter visitor June 2014, 2017
144 Warbler Garden Rare visitor Present winter 2015
145 Warbler Knysna Rare visitor 20 August 2017, 2018
146 Warbler Marsh Summer visitor Several 2017-9
147 Warbler Willow Rare summer visitor December 2014
148 Wattle-eye Black-throated Rare visitor 2013; present in 2015
149 Waxbill Common Regular visitor
150 Waxbill Grey Breeding resident
151 Weaver Yellow Rare visitor Winter 2015
152 Weaver Dark-backed Breeding resident
153 Weaver Village Breeding resident
154 Weaver Spectacled Regularly present
155 Weaver Thick-billed Breeding resident
156 White-eye Cape Breeding resident
157 Wood-hoopoe Green Regular visitor
158 Woodland-Warbler Yellow-throated Rare visitor, winter 13 August 2016
159 Woodpecker Golden-tailed Breeding resident
160 Woodpecker Cardinal Breeding resident
161 Woodpecker Olive Rare visitor 2009, 2017, 2018, 2019-2020
162 Whydah Pin-tailed Irregular visitor 2015, 2017
163 Barbet Pied Rare visitor July 2021

Butterflies

The reserve is excellent for its butterflies, and the total listing is now 95 species. In September 2018 the first pupae of the short-barred sapphire were found on a Celtis mildbraedii tree. The host plant is the Oncocalyx quinquenervius mistletoe, which grows profusely on the tree. Subsequently a red-line sapphire was found at the same spot. The first forest queen was found in 2019.

Butterflies of Pigeon Valley
Family or subfamily Common name Scientific name
Monarch African Monarch Danaus chrysippus orientis
Novice Amauris ochlea ochlea
Layman Amauris albimaculata albimaculata
Browns African Ringlet Ypthima asterope
Common Bush Brown Bicyclus safitza safitza
Squinting Bush Brown Bicyclus anynana anynana
Twilight Brown Melanitis leda helena
Acraeas Blood-red Acraea Acraea petraea
Common Wanderer Acraea aganice aganice
Dancing Acraea Telchinia serena
Dusky Acraea Telchinia esebria esebria
Dusky-veined Acraea Telchinia igola
Natal Acraea Acraea natalica
White-barred Acraea Telchinia encedon encedon
Window Acraea Acraea oncaea
Yellow-banded Acraea Telchinia cabira
Leopards Blotched Leopard Lachnoptera ayresii
Forest Leopard Phalanta eurytis imitator
Emperors Blue-spotted Emperor Charaxes cithaeron cithaeron
Forest Queen Charaxes wakefieldi
Green-veined Emperor Charaxes candiope candiope
Pearl Emperor Charaxes varanes varanes
Satyr Emperor Charaxes ethalion ethalion
Silver-barred Emperor Charaxes druceanus druceanus
White-barred Emperor Charaxes brutus natalensis
Gliders/Sailers Blonde Glider Cymothoe coranus coranus
Boisduval's False Acraea Pseudacraea boisduvali trimeni
Boisduval's Tree Nymph Sevenia boisduvali
False Chief Pseudacraea lucretia tarquinia
False Wanderer Pseudacrea eurytus imitator
Golden Piper Eurytela dryope angulata
Natal Tree Nymph Sevenia natalensis
Pied Piper Eurytela hiarbas angustata
Spotted Joker Byblia ilithyia
Spotted Sailer Neptis saclava marpessa
Diadems/Pansies Blue Pansy Junonia oenone oenone
Brown Pansy Junonia natalica natalica
Clouded Mother-of-pearl Protogoniomorpha anacardii nebulosa
Common Diadem Hypolimnas misippus
Common Mother-of-Pearl Protogoniomorpha parhassus
Eyed Pansy Junonia orithya madagascariensis
Garden Inspector Precis archesia archesia
Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Soldier Pansy Junonia terea elgiva
Variable Diadem Hypolimnas anthedon wahlbergi
Buff Spotted Buff Pentila tropicalis tropicalis
Sapphires Red-line Sapphire Iolaus sidus
Short-barred Sapphire Iolaus aemulus
Southern Sapphire Iolaus silas
Blues African Grass Blue Zizeeria knysna
Apricot Playboy Deudorix dinochare
Barker's Smoky Blue Euchrysops barkeri
Black Pie Tuxentius melaena melaena
Brown Playboy Deudorix antalus
Bush Bronze Cacyreus lingeus
Common Black-eye Leptomyrina gorgias gorgias
Common Blue group Leptotes sp.
Gaika Blue Zizula hylax
Geranium Bronze Cacyreus marshalli
Grass Jewel Chilades trochylus
Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus
Osiris Smoky Blue Euchrysops osiris
Purple-brown Hairstreak Hypolycaena philippus philippus
Rayed Blue Actizera lucida
Scarce Fig-tree Blue Myrina dermaptera dermaptera
Thorn-tree Blue Azanus moriqua
Twin-spot Blue Lepidochrysops plebeia
Vagrants Autumn-leaf Vagrant Afrodryas leda
Buquet's Vagrant/Green-eyed Monster Nepheronia buquetii
Vine-leaf Vagrant Eronia cleodora
Tips Coast Purple Tip Colotis erone
Smoky Orange Tip Colotis euippe omphale
Whites African Common White Belenois creona severina
African Migrant Catopsilia florella
African Wood White Leptosia alcesta inalcesta
Angled Grass Yellow Eurema desjardinsii marshalli
Ant-heap Small White Dixeia pigea
Broad-bordered Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta brigitta
Brown-veined White Belenois aurota aurota
Common Dotted Border Mylothris agathina
Common Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe senegalensis
Diverse White Appias epaphia contracta
False Dotted Border Belenois thysa thysa
Twin Dotted Border Mylothris rueppellii haemus
Swallowtails Citrus Swallowtail Papilio demodocus demodocus
Green-banded Swallowtail Papilio nireus lyaeus
Mocker Swallowtail Papilio dardanus cenea
Skippers Buff-tipped Natrobalane canopus
Clouded Flat Tagiades flesus
Common Hottentot Skipper Gegenes niso niso
Elfins Small Elfin Sarangesa phidyle
Sylphs Gold Spotted Sylph Metisella metis paris
Darts Macken's Dart Acleros mackenii
Swifts Long-horned Swift Borbo fatuellus fatuellus

Plants

A Natal elm, showing its extensive buttressing, Pigeon Valley, May 2013

There are over 110 species of trees occurring in Pigeon Valley, almost all of which are locally indigenous. Pigeon Valley is also notable for large stands of buckweed (Isoglossa woodii), which grow in more open areas under the forest canopy and in forest glades. In recent years there have been a few discoveries of plants not previously identified.

Pigeon Valley is unique in having large numbers of the rare Natal elm, and of Natal forest loquat. A Cryptocarya specimen found adjacent to the main track has so far not been definitively identified; it may be a species seldom found in the area (C. liebertiana) or alternatively a hybrid (C. latifolia and C. woodii).

A spotted ground thrush in this urban reserve, where it is a winter visitor

Public access

The reserve is open from 07:30 to 16:00 daily throughout the year. The entrance is in Princess Alice Avenue, Glenwood, opposite Rhodes Avenue.

Community

An active grouping, Friends of Pigeon Valley, undertakes clearing of invasive alien plants, ensuring that the park is unusually free of alien species. It also liaises with management to ensure the biodiversity of the reserve and the wellbeing of visitors. It also liaises with the municipal managers of the reserve to address relevant issues. The Friends operate a monthly walk open to the public on the second Saturday of each month, at 07h30. There is a Facebook page, Friends of Pigeon Valley, at https://www.facebook.com/FriendsOfPigeonValley/.

See also

References

  1. Bodenstein, J. (2009)
  2. Birds in Reserves, ADU
  3. "BIRP Site summary | Pigeon Valley Park (149)". birp.adu.org.za. Archived from the original on 5 December 2010.
  4. Hemson, C. (2014)

Bibliography

  • Pooley, T. and Player, I. (1995). KwaZulu-Natal Wildlife Destinations. ISBN 1-86812-487-8.
Nature Reserves in eThekwini
eThekwini Municipality D'MOSS
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife
Privately Managed

29°51′52″S 30°59′19″E / 29.86444°S 30.98861°E / -29.86444; 30.98861

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