WAKKERSTROOM

This area is now very well documented but in a short trip we elected to use a guide to ensure we maximised our chances of seeing all the specialities. Rudd's and Botha's Larks along with Yellow-breasted Pipit are the hardest endemics to connect with but thanks to Patrick Benson we saw all three. We would recommend using a guide for at least one day if at all possible and split four ways the cost isn't bad. We also saw Blue Korhaan, Southern Bald-ibis, Orange-throated Longclaw, Buff-streaked Chat and Eastern Long-billed Lark.

Local guides are getting trained up and if you can't get hold of either John McCallister or Patrick Benson, then give them a try - Norman Mncube (017) 730 0023 or mobile (082) 810 4014 and Themba Thusi (017) 730 0659 or mobile (082) 810 4014.

UNDERBERG

Sani Pass: One of the birding highlights of my life! Essential to use a four-wheel drive vehicle otherwise you will be turned away at the Lesotho border. Robin knows where everything is so enjoy the ride! We saw Gurney's Sugarbird, Ground Woodpecker, Cape and Sentinel Rock-thrushes, Sickle-winged Chat, Bearded and Cape Vultures, White-necked Raven, Drakensburg Siskin, Orange-breasted Rockjumper, Mountain Pipit, Fairy Flycatcher, Layard's Tit-babbler and African Rock Pipit. The endangered-to-South Africa Wattled Crane breeds on a marsh en route to Sani Pass.

Xumeni Forest: Easily reached in a two wheel drive vehicle with good directions from Robin or from the Chittenden book. Two visits produced Red-necked Spurfowl, Bush Blackcap, Knysna Lourie, Yellow-throated Woodland-warbler, Barratt's Warbler and the mega Orange Thrush. Cape (Brown-necked) Parrot breeds in the forest but is normally only active until 1000.

"The Swamp": Directions available from Robin. The swamp holds Red-chested Flufftail and African Snipe. We only heard the former and flushed three of the latter. Pale-crowned Cisticola is also regularly seen along with Broad-tailed Warbler later in the season. From about Christmas onwards, Orange-breasted Waxbills frequent the marsh. Striped Flufftail occurs on the slopes above the vlei.

Hella-Hella: A good site for Blue Swallow which Robin sees from mid October onwards. They become easier when breeding as stick to an area. We had a pair plus a nesting Blue Crane.

Robin's House: Holds breeding Black Sparrowhawk and Red-necked Wryneck which we saw easily.

ESHOWE

Dlinza Forest Nature Reserve: Situated within the town of Eshowe very close to the campsite. Several visits to this forest with Hamish were rewarded with three Spotted Thrushes, Chorister Robin, Green Coucal, Cinnamon Dove and Green Twinspot.

Entumeni Forest Nature Reserve: The better forest for Delegorgue's Pigeon with two seen. We also saw our first Brown Robin's here which, except for vagrants, do not occur at Dlinza. We couldn't locate any Yellow-streaked Bulbuls.

Nkwaleni Valley: We tried here with Hamish for Natal Francolin, which we heard, and Rudd's Apalis which we saw. Initially confused as these birds lacked the white supercilium which the field guides show so prominently.

RICHARD'S BAY

This site is well documented in Chittenden and is the well-known stakeout for Lesser Jacana. The hide is almost destroyed and despite perching precariously on the top, we couldn't locate any Lesser Jacanas amongst the many African Jacanas. Juvenile African Jacanas can look very similar so beware!

ST LUCIA

St Lucia - We saw Natal Robin and Livingstone's Lourie easily from the trails in the forest from nearly opposite the Baithouse. Along the roadside opposite the Baithouse we had Woodward's Batis. The campsite held Green Coucal, more Livingstone's Louries and tame Brown and Natal Robins. This town is easily found and well sign-posted.

Cape Vidal Road: One of the best areas for Southern Banded Snake-eagle which often perch on roadside telegraph poles - but not the day we went up and down the road! There is a small charge levied for driving up the road and a limit of 120 cars per day though we encountered very little traffic.

YELLOW-BREASTED CANARY SITE, NEAR BONAMANZI c. 5 kms south of the turnoff into Bonamanzi Game Ranch turnoff and 1 km north of Bushlands Store is an area of hedges and grasses opposite the D123 junction, reputedly good for Lemon-breasted Canary. We dipped but did get the first African White-throated Robins of the trip. The canaries are definitely easier at Bonamanzi but if time is limited, an hour or so at this site could reap rewards.

BONAMANZI GAME RANCH: Well signposted off the main road and is noted for being the most reliable site for Lemon-breasted Canary. We eventually scored seeing a pair near the main unmanned entrance gate and two more pairs along "drive A". We also saw Brown and Eastern Bearded Robins, Gorgeous Bushshrike, African Broadbill and a surprise find of c.40 Orange-breasted Waxbills along "Route B".

MKUZI GAME RESERVE: With very little needed, we tried to eek out those last few ticks. Jammed Neergaard's Sunbird from one of the hides which also held a White Rhino for 10 minutes down to 15 feet! Pink-throated Twinspot was easier than expected along the River Trail. Couldn't find Bushveld Pipit along the Loop Drive and still not a sniff of Southern Banded Snake-eagle.

VERNON CROOKES: A big mistake coming here. We had little specific gen on where to go and there were no useful wardens on duty. We got out within the hour and headed for Oribi Gorge!

ORIBI GORGE: We came here for the chance of Striped Pipit and Knysna Woodpecker and saw neither. Our best bird was African Broadbill along the River Trail. A local we met there had found a male African Finfoot along the river last week but having seen this bird in Kenya and with time pressing, we let this one go.

PIENNARSRIVIER: We came here principally for Southern Pied-babbler inexplicably dipped from the western South Africa and Namibia trip. We followed Etienne's directions which were to head northeast from Pretoria on the Pietersburg road turning left to Pienaarsrivier. Turn right at the 'T' junction onto the R101, over the railway bridge and turn left onto the dirt road to Zaagkuildrift. We had only driven c.4 kilometres down this road before finding a party of Southern Pied-babblers. We also saw Burchell's Starling, Long-tailed Shrike, Marico Flycatcher, Sabota Lark, Grey Go-away-bird and Secretary-bird.

PIETERSBURG: We had a pair of Short-clawed Lark in the fields just below the shell garage on the right hand side of the road when coming north into Pietersburg before the R71 bypass. Five to seven kilometres along the R71 we had Northern Black Korhaan, Desert Cisticola and Kalahari Robin.

STRIJDOM TUNNEL: The fabulous Taita Falcon seen at 1730 the first evening and 0630 the following morning, c. 1.3 kilometres uphill from the upper entrance to the tunnel frequenting the large west-facing rock-face. We saw one each visit though a second bird was calling so presumably a pair. A good source of food is close by - Alpine Swifts one of which was being plucked on a rock to give superb views through a telescope. We also had a pair of Striped Pipits c.2.5 kilometres downhill from the entrance to the tunnel.

KLEIN FONTERHOUT: The current Pretoria stakeout for Melodious Lark. We took the N4 east to Pretoria from the Strijdom Tunnel and then the A515 to Rayton / Bapsfontein - take the Bapsfontein direction (left). Follow this road for 9.7 kilometres passing a railway line converging to the road from the right. Look out for a dirt road off to the left signposted Klein Fonterhout. We had a pair of larks c.150m along this dirt road along with Capped Wheatear and Cloud and Ayre’s Cisticolas.

PRETORIA BOTANICAL GARDENS: One of the best Pretoria sites for Sharp-billed Honeyguide. We eventually found one in the drier habitat towards the back of the gardens. Entrance fee of R7 per person. From the N4 heading west, look out for a road called Lynburn Road after the junction to Rossouw Street. Turn right over the N4 and then left following signs to the gardens.

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