by Etienne Marais

Introduction:
This 4257 ha Nature Reserve on the edge of Rustenburg offers visitors the chance to walk in an unspoilt part of the Magaliesburg, as well as some wonderful scenery. One can embark on hiking trails, camp at the very peaceful campsite or just picnic and enjoy good birding and game-viewing from ones car. The reserve provides an array of habitat types as one moves from the lower Magaliesburg valleys and wooded kloofs up to the higher valley basin with variable grassland habitats and a large vlei. Rocky slopes and protea veld as well as mature woodland around the visitors centre, ensure a wide variety of birds – not all of which can easily be seen during a short visit.

Birds:
The reserve provides protected habitat for a range of grassland, woodland and some mountain birds, not easily recorded elsewhere in the region. Specials include Sentinel Rock Thrush (winter), Redwinged Francolin, Ayre’s Cisticola, Cape Eagle Owl, Freckled Nightjar, Black Swift, Striped Pipit, Grass and Marsh Owls and Redchested Flufftail. Raptors are plentiful and Black Eagle, Martial Eagle, Wahlberg’s Eagle (summer), Gymnogene and Rock Kestrel breed in the reserve. Cape Griffon and Jackall Buzzard can also be seen. A range of bushveld birds can be found in the lower valley and in the woodland around the visitors centre.

Birding:
Birding areas include woodland – especially around the visitor’s centre and on the road up from the entrance gates. The tourists route provides the opportunity for interesting grassland birding by car. Alternatively one can follow the vlei ramble or do the 5km peglarae trail which takes one up onto the high rugged country to the northwest of the visitors centre.

1. Woodland in the lower parts of the reserve, and around the campsites/reception office contain Black Cuckoo-shrike, Whitethroated Robin, Southern Boubou, Yellowfonted Tinker Barbet, Bar-throated Apalis, Greater Doublecollared Sunbird and Striped Kingfisher. Scops Owl is resident and Sharpbilled Honeyguide have also been recorded. Look out for the Mocking Chats which breed in the buildings of the Visitors Centre.

2. The tourist route passes through a number of different habitat types. From the Visitors centre it follows a counter-clockwise direction. Initially it skirts rocky slopes where Cape Bunting and in the evening Freckled Nightjar can be located. After crossing a river look out for the Wahlberg’s Eagle which nests close to the road. A second stream crossing brings one to a damp area of ferns and sedges. Here you will hear the call of the Grassbird and a pair of Little Bee-eater nest close by. Look here too for Stonechat, Cape Weaver (reedbeds) and Redcollared Widow. The route then travels up to the highest point of the game drive and then descends down the south- western leg of the circuit. Look here for Stonechat, Plainbacked Pipit, Orangethroated Longclaw, Temminck’s Courser and Spikeheeled Lark. Whitebellied Korhaan are also present in longer grass, but are difficult to see. Redwinged Francolin are also found near rocky areas, and are best located by call. On the return route, after meeting the two-way road again one passes over a grassy plain where Ayre’s Cisticola can often be heard calling in summer.

3. The Peglerae Trail is about 5 km long and takes one across high rugged country, with small valleys and streams. Lazy Cisticola, Cape Rock Thrush, Sentinel Rock Thrush (winter), Bokmakierie, Mountain Chat and Rock Bunting should be looked for along the rocky ridges along this trail. The deeper wooded kloof that one skirts near the start of the trail holds Striped Pipit and Mocking Chat, while smaller stream valleys are a good place for Wailing Cisticola and Grassbird. The wider grassy depressions towards the end of the trail provide habitat for Redwinged Francolin. Keep an eye out for raptors such as Rock Kestrel, Lanner Falcon, Jackall Buzzard, Black Eagle as well as Black and Alpine Swifts.

4. The extensive vlei, which lies in the centre of the main valley basin, is accessible via the short (2km)-vlei ramble and can also be scanned from the lower part of the tourist route. Cape Weavers and Red Bishops breed in large numbers and the vlei area itself is host to resident Redchested Flufftails, while the vlei verges are home to both Grass and Marsh Owls.

Information:
The reserve is on the Southern Edge of Rustenburg. From Pretoria, enter Rustenburg on the R27 and turn left into Wolmarans Street. Follow this road and the signs for about 6 km to the main gate. The entrance gate opens from 08H00 to 16H00 and one must leave before 18H00 (summer) and 17H30 (winter). This prevents one from birding in the best part of the day, and ones birding experience will be heightened if you book a hiking trail, or camp overnight.

Bookings and information: Tel: 0142- 31050 Fax: 0142-950950