The Flufftail Fits Round 2 – Zimbabwe Style

Our rubber boots were put to the test as we marched our way around Montevale Vlei in search for Streaky-breasted Flufftail. When you are searching for secretive marsh birds who prefer the cover of thick grass, standing calf-deep in water is normal. We were dangerously close to the tipping point of water splashing over the sides but our rubber boots held up. Few people were around so it wasn’t so bad to be standing in the vlei, a South African term for a marsh, despite it being late when we left the previous night and 4AM when we arrived. The flufftails hadn’t been calling because it hadn’t rained so there was concern that they actually moved elsewhere for the breeding season. There’s a reason Toto blesses the rains down in Africa, so much depends on them.

It had rained so much while we were at Masoka Camp that we figured Harare must’ve gotten some rain as well. We didn’t have service for a few days but when we came back into range we got word that at least one bird was heard calling and we knew we had to try for it. Seeing our target flufftails might be one of the things we were most excited about for this entire trip so it was devastating when we thought Streaky-breasted was going to be missed. Thankfully, we at least had a chance now. As you know, Flufftails are very small, usually smaller than the palm of your hand, and they live where the vegetation is thick and don’t enjoy crossing any openings so seeing them is always a challenge. Our first evening at Montevale we got so close but never saw the bird –the rains came in before it did. Considering we thought we might miss this one altogether, just hearing it and getting solid recordings were considered a win. We returned to the vlei at 4 o’clock in the morning after another torrential downpour.

• 

• 

• 

If you closed your eyes you could pretend you were still asleep in your tent but the symphony of bugs chirping was a reminder that you were, in fact, standing in a marsh hoping the mosquitoes would leave you alone and the Flufftail would cooperate. The Flufftail did cooperate by calling, but again, how can you see through thick grass?! You can’t! But you know what kind-of can? A thermal optic that is detecting a heat signature and had it not been for ours we never would have found quite possibly the cutest Streaky-breasted Flufftail hunkered down in the grass. I’m certain that people have stepped on these tiny creatures in an attempt to flush them because we found that this bird simply would not fly even though we were standing so close.

• 

• 

The Red-collared & Yellow-mantled Widowbirds had woken up around us and were fluttering through the wind along with dozens of Croaking Cisticolas and a single Corn Crake. From the vlei outside of Harare, we hit the road to head off toward Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands, the mountainous border with Mozambique, with another flufftail seen and photographed.

•