The Sapphire Coast Birding Route offers everything from coastal birds to forest specials and soaring raptors, and must rate as one of the best-kept birding secrets in South Africa. The route winds along the upper South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), stretching from the eziMbokodweni River in the north to the aMahlongwa River in the south and about nine kilometres inland from the coast.
Nearly 270 species of birds have been recorded in the diverse habitats found along the route, with rarities and out-of-range species being reported on more than one occasion. What makes the route even more exceptional is that within less than three hours most of KZN’s birding hotspots can be reached, including the Drakensberg, Zululand, and Oribi Gorge, all of which promise many of southern Africa’s sought-after species. Where else can you see an African Black Oystercatcher in the morning and a Drakensberg Rockjumper by lunchtime?
Umbogavango and Vumbuka, the northerly nature reserves on the route, are located within the Umbogintwini Industrial Complex. Both were formerly waste-disposal dams that have been ‘rehabilitated’ into conservation areas.
In addition to dams, Umbogavango has trails that lead through exotic and coastal forest and three bird hides that overlook the various water habitats. The reserve hosts a wide variety of species, including Natal Spurfowl, Violet-backed Starling, Tambourine Dove, Green Twinspot and African Firefinch and many raptors such as Crowned Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk, and Long-crested Eagle. A short drive away, Vumbuka is another gem situated among the factories in the industrial park. A walk through its indigenous forest provides you with the possibility to encounter many KZN specials: White-starred Robin, White-browed Robin-chat and, in winter, Spotted Ground Thrush. To visit the reserves, you need to book in advance; tel. (031) 949 2081.
Denne historien er fra January - February 2020-utgaven av African Birdlife.
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Denne historien er fra January - February 2020-utgaven av African Birdlife.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
EXPLORING NEW HORIZONS
Keith Barnes, co-author of the new Field Guide to Birds of Greater Southern Africa, chats about the long-neglected birding regions just north of the Kunene and Zambezi, getting back to watching birds and the vulture that changed his life.
footloose IN FYNBOS
The Walker Bay Diversity Trail is a leisurely hike with a multitude of flowers, feathers and flavours along the way.
Living forwards
How photographing birds helps me face adversity
CAPE crusade
The Cape Bird Club/City of Cape Town Birding Big Year Challenge
water & WINGS
WATER IS LIFE. As wildlife photographer Greg du Toit knows better than most.
winter wanderer
as summer becomes a memory in the south, the skies are a little quieter as the migrants have returned to the warming north. But one bird endemic to the southern African region takes its own little winter journey.
when perfect isn't enough
Egg signatures and forgeries in the cuckoo-drongo arms race
Southern SIGHTINGS
The late summer period naturally started quietening down after the midsummer excitement, but there were still some classy rarities on offer for birders all over the subregion. As always, none of the records included here have been adjudicated by any of the subregion's Rarities Committees.
flood impact on wetland birds
One of the features of a warming planet is increasingly erratic rainfall; years of drought followed by devastating floods. Fortunately, many waterbirds are pre-adapted to cope with such extremes, especially in southern Africa where they have evolved to exploit episodic rainfall events in semi-arid and arid regions. But how do waterbirds respond to floods in areas where rainfall - and access to water - is more predictable? Peter Ryan explores the consequences of recent floods on the birds of the Western Cape's Olifants River valley.
a star is born
It’s every producer’s dream to plan a wildlife television series and pick the right characters before filming.
