We were 3 vehicles with 7 observers for this club weekend at Blouberg.  The reserve is situated about 12km from Vivo on tarred roads up to the Reserve gate.  The small camping site has 2 standing tents on concrete bases and one screen-meshed walled "rondavel", and are equipped with beds and mattresses.  There is a "donkey" for the hot water shower and even a flush toilet!

Another area, close to Rustenburg town, is the KGASWANE Mountain Reserve, (locally known as the Nature Reserve).  This is situated on the western side of town, and, being part of the Magaliesberg, it overlooks the town of Rustenburg.

This club birding weekend, in the Gravelotte/Leydsdorp area, was held at Maranda Farm.  The lodge was situated on the top of a koppie overlooking the surrounding bushveld and mountains. 

24 and 25 November 2009

After the recent good rainfall, being the initial, but rather late, start to our rainy season Brian and I decided to revisit Lekgakmeetse.  This reserve is an Important Bird Area (IBA) and part of the "Birds in Reserves" system, and includes areas of the Drakensberg foothills, indigenous woodland and montane grasslands.

On Saturday 19/9/2009 Johan van Heerden and myself traveled to Hazyview for the purpose of meeting Lianda Naude of "Skova" Owl Research and Rehabilitation and to ring various owls.

The aim of this trip was to check out birding destinations and "special" birds we might find in this area.  Brian Steele-Drew, who has recently qualified as a birding field guide, accompanied me.

My visit to this area was prompted by the visit of 2 birding friends from the Rustenberg Club. The area covered is from the Klaserie store to the Mariepskop forest station and down to the Blyde River picnic area and back; a visit of about 10 hours.  Late winter is probably not the best time to see this area as there is a lot of degraded veld and old plantation areas, but it does reflect what can be found at this time of the year when the bush is not so dense.  Even if the birding is not great the solitude of the mountain scenery is!!