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On Friday afternoon, after dropping cats off at Nicola's parents and having a quick meeting with a work colleague, we took the N14 through Krugersdorp and Ventersdorp to Barberspan 25km west of Sannieshof. Arriving before dark, we were able to do a quick spot of birding along the pan's edge outside the reserve, picking up Half-collared kingfisher, Great crested grebe, Squacco heron, White-backed mousebird, Little bee-eater and our first western race Common fiscal (Lanius colaris subcoronatus) among a few others. Inside the sanctuary we drove slowly and at the bridge crossing the outflow of the pan, picked up African purple swamphen, Lesser swamp warbler, Common moorhen, lots of African darters and both Reed and White-breasted cormorants. We found the reception area all locked up and deserted but when we drove over to the staff quarters, got some help and eventually got the keys to the Pelican guesthouse. It was very basic, but had a kitchen, bathroom, lounge, 3 bedrooms and was clean. I started a fire for a braai while Nicola packed out the car. After dinner we went to bed early with the intention of rising long before sunrise.
Saturday morning after breakfast we were on the go before sunrise. We drove south towards Peter's Pan but after less than a kilometer found the roads completely submerged and impassable. Back-tracking, we added a bunch of waterbirds at the bridge, including Black crake and the usual Darters and Cormorants. We exited the sanctuary and turned south, picking up Northern black korhaan, Acacia pied barbet, Namaqua dove, Bar-throated apalis and Chestnut-vented tit-babbler before we entered the angling area around the southern edge of the pan. Here we saw both Whiskered and White-winged tern (surprisingly for this time of the year), Grey-headed gull, Kittlitz's plover, Malachite kingfisher, Cape teal, Brown-crowned tchagra and Goliath heron among quite a few other species. Luckily there were not too many anglers about and the birding here was fairly pleasant. Exiting the angling area, we made a quick stop at the Holiday resort to find out accommodation prices for future visits. We then headed north and stopped just before the bridge on the road towards Vergenoeg, setting up the scope with views towards Leeupan. Unfortunately there was much the same on this pan and no Maccoa duck, pelicans or flamingoes could be seen. However, a Double-banded courser and both Sand and Banded martins made up for this. We followed the road back towards the N14, picked up a few more birds before entering the sanctuary again from the eastern side. We had lunch in the hide just before the bridge but added no new birds for the day. Back at the guesthouse we had some tea under the large trees outside and were entertained by a very vocal Fiscal flycatcher. Around 2pm we made our way to the fence road on the western edge of the pan. Cape longclaw, Spike-heeled lark, Plain-backed and Long-billed pipits as well as Ant-eating chats were pretty common and we drove as far as we could go before the flooded roads turned us around. While starting the fire for dinner back at the guesthouse, we ended our birding for the day with a Cape robin-chat.
Up again at 05:15, we were packed and on our way well before sunrise. A quick drive through the campsite got us two Spotted thick-knees and at Northern bay Blacksmith lapwing, Red-billed teal and Goliath heron. At the bridge heading out of the sanctuary, we added all the usuals, including the cormorants, Black crake, African purple swamphen, Little and Great crested grebes, Half-collared kingfisher and an over-flying African spoonbill. Outside the sanctuary we made a quick stop at Leeu pan and picked up the Sand and Banded martins again, but surprisingly, also Pearl-breasted and Barn swallows. We scrutinized the Crowned lapwings carefully and eventually found the Double-banded courser again. Heading back down towards the N14, we heard Zitting, Cloud and Levaillant's cisticolas, Malachite kingfisher, Red-capped lark and Swainson's spurfowl. A quick drive through the angling area got us Grey-headed gull, Purple heron, Great sparrow, Whiskered tern, Three-banded and Kittlitz's plovers and a group of Spurwing geese flying over the pan. It was 9am when we got back on the N14, making the long drive back home.
An excellent birding weekend considering the time of the year. On Saturday we saw 98 species and our total for the weekend came to 109! Although the guesthouse's ablutions are a bit limited, it was so cheap that we would certainly consider staying there again next time.
On Friday afternoon, after dropping cats off at Nicola's parents and having a quick meeting with a work colleague, we took the N14 through Krugersdorp and Ventersdorp to Barberspan 25km west of Sannieshof. Arriving before dark, we were able to do a quick spot of birding along the pan's edge outside the reserve, picking up Half-collared kingfisher, Great crested grebe, Squacco heron, White-backed mousebird, Little bee-eater and our first western race Common fiscal (Lanius colaris subcoronatus) among a few others. Inside the sanctuary we drove slowly and at the bridge crossing the outflow of the pan, picked up African purple swamphen, Lesser swamp warbler, Common moorhen, lots of African darters and both Reed and White-breasted cormorants. We found the reception area all locked up and deserted but when we drove over to the staff quarters, got some help and eventually got the keys to the Pelican guesthouse. It was very basic, but had a kitchen, bathroom, lounge, 3 bedrooms and was clean. I started a fire for a braai while Nicola packed out the car. After dinner we went to bed early with the intention of rising long before sunrise.
Saturday morning after breakfast we were on the go before sunrise. We drove south towards Peter's Pan but after less than a kilometer found the roads completely submerged and impassable. Back-tracking, we added a bunch of waterbirds at the bridge, including Black crake and the usual Darters and Cormorants. We exited the sanctuary and turned south, picking up Northern black korhaan, Acacia pied barbet, Namaqua dove, Bar-throated apalis and Chestnut-vented tit-babbler before we entered the angling area around the southern edge of the pan. Here we saw both Whiskered and White-winged tern (surprisingly for this time of the year), Grey-headed gull, Kittlitz's plover, Malachite kingfisher, Cape teal, Brown-crowned tchagra and Goliath heron among quite a few other species. Luckily there were not too many anglers about and the birding here was fairly pleasant. Exiting the angling area, we made a quick stop at the Holiday resort to find out accommodation prices for future visits. We then headed north and stopped just before the bridge on the road towards Vergenoeg, setting up the scope with views towards Leeupan. Unfortunately there was much the same on this pan and no Maccoa duck, pelicans or flamingoes could be seen. However, a Double-banded courser and both Sand and Banded martins made up for this. We followed the road back towards the N14, picked up a few more birds before entering the sanctuary again from the eastern side. We had lunch in the hide just before the bridge but added no new birds for the day. Back at the guesthouse we had some tea under the large trees outside and were entertained by a very vocal Fiscal flycatcher. Around 2pm we made our way to the fence road on the western edge of the pan. Cape longclaw, Spike-heeled lark, Plain-backed and Long-billed pipits as well as Ant-eating chats were pretty common and we drove as far as we could go before the flooded roads turned us around. While starting the fire for dinner back at the guesthouse, we ended our birding for the day with a Cape robin-chat.
Up again at 05:15, we were packed and on our way well before sunrise. A quick drive through the campsite got us two Spotted thick-knees and at Northern bay Blacksmith lapwing, Red-billed teal and Goliath heron. At the bridge heading out of the sanctuary, we added all the usuals, including the cormorants, Black crake, African purple swamphen, Little and Great crested grebes, Half-collared kingfisher and an over-flying African spoonbill. Outside the sanctuary we made a quick stop at Leeu pan and picked up the Sand and Banded martins again, but surprisingly, also Pearl-breasted and Barn swallows. We scrutinized the Crowned lapwings carefully and eventually found the Double-banded courser again. Heading back down towards the N14, we heard Zitting, Cloud and Levaillant's cisticolas, Malachite kingfisher, Red-capped lark and Swainson's spurfowl. A quick drive through the angling area got us Grey-headed gull, Purple heron, Great sparrow, Whiskered tern, Three-banded and Kittlitz's plovers and a group of Spurwing geese flying over the pan. It was 9am when we got back on the N14, making the long drive back home.
An excellent birding weekend considering the time of the year. On Saturday we saw 98 species and our total for the weekend came to 109! Although the guesthouse's ablutions are a bit limited, it was so cheap that we would certainly consider staying there again next time.
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