Ken Borland

It was late May and the Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve looked dry and worn-out as the harsh Highveld winter began to take its toll on this area of great peace and tranquility nestled in the suburbs of eastern Pretoria, below the Bronberg ridge.

The Rademeyerspruit, a tributary of the Moreleta River, runs through the reserve and one of the highlights of this suburban oasis is the Flufftail Hide, which overlooks a secluded little vlei area at the bottom of the hill on which the main entrance is situated.

But there was just a trickle of water to be seen and the only avian activity was some die-hard but non-breeding Southern Masked Weavers hanging around, flying between the tops of the reeds. What leaves were on the trees were dry and the veld was all dry, yellowing grass.

But close to the hide, next to the path leading from it, stood a tall, densely-branched Bluebush (Diospyros lycioides) with barely a leaf remaining from its autumnal shedding.

Suddenly there was a flash of bright yellow, like a torchlight in the gloom of all the dull winter colours, as a pair of Blackthroated Canary arrived at the top of the Bluebush. The yellow comes from their rumps, by far the most vivid colour on an otherwise rather drab grey, brown and black bird.

The ‘black throat’ is really just a smudge of black and is more obvious in the males. The Blackthroated Canary generally prefers drier conditions than its fellow Crithagra species, the Yellowfronted Canary, but is nevertheless often near water.

After a little while the pair flew off, making their charming, cheerful, high-pitched twittering & chirping calls.

Before leaving the general vicinity of the hide, I caught a glimpse of a Bushbuck, just before it dashed away into the riverine vegetation.

Heading back up the hill into the grasslands, a group of Redfaced Mousebird were flying between the bushy patches as I made my way towards the path that connects to the Duiker Route. A very large Leopard Tortoise was parked just off the path right at the junction.

The Duiker Route heads around to the east and then up the hill into some denser vegetation: a thicket of woody species but with a variety of grasses in the understorey.

A Browncrowned Tchagra sat briefly on a low, horizontal branch and then dived into the long grass and tangled thicket below the Blue Guarris, Searsias and Wild Olives. These tough, hardy evergreen trees are characteristic of the Highveld grasslands.

A Barthroated Apalis briefly appeared, casting a curious pale eye our way, before it skulked back into the thicket; only to reappear moments later at the tops of the trees, where it went flitting about the canopy.

A Karoo Thrush was also lurking about, before it slinked off into the undergrowth.

As a great time just being in nature in one of the most popular walking spots in Pretoria drew to a conclusion, the close interactions continued as a Common Ostrich wandered about near the path, next to the parking lot. It had been a fun 75 minutes with much to see and enjoy in this healthy eco-system, never mind the abundance of fresh air in a safe location!

Supporting these green areas in the heart of suburbia is so important, and this 100 hectare reserve is certainly an exquisite little treasure.

Where is Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve?

Sightings list

Laughing Dove

Blackeyed Bulbul

Southern Masked Weaver

Blackthroated Canary

Bushbuck

Redfaced Mousebird

Leopard Tortoise

Browncrowned Tchagra

Barthroated Apalis

Cape White-Eye

Plains Zebra

Karoo Thrush

Common Ostrich

 

Nestled between the rampant development of Umhlanga Rocks is a little 26 ha sanctuary of coastal bush, a refuge for birds and small mammals amidst all the hotels and holiday homes that are mushrooming along the coast north of Durban.

The Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve, with its coastal dune forest, reed beds, ponds and the Ohlange River’s lagoon and mouth, provides an ideal getaway for the public to spend a few hours reconnecting with nature, and there are plenty of interesting birds waiting to be discovered.

The Eastern Olive Sunbird is largely restricted to these coastal forests and it disappears readily into the thick foliage, it’s dark olive plumage lacking any of the metallic shininess of the other sunbirds.

But it makes up for this unobtrusive behaviour by being amongst the most vocal of all sunbirds, and, in a couple of hours spent in the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve, I managed to find four different individuals singing little “whit-peep” songs from inside the trees.

As charming as the reserve is though, one cannot help but be dismayed by the pace of development squeezing it from all sides; the difference between my January 2014 visit and my previous foray to Umhlanga in 2003 was stark.

A Purplecrested Lourie flew into a bare tree above the forest and seemed to look around anxiously, seemingly perplexed by all the development going on around the oasis of green.

Nevertheless, three species of Weaver can be found in the reserve, including nesting Yellow Weavers, and there were fleeting glimpses of Tawnyflanked Prinia, as well as a Slender Mongoose scampering away into the reedbeds, just proving the wide range of habitats these carnivores can inhabit.

Common Sandpiper and Pied Kingfisher are prominent along the lagoon, while there always seems to be a Goliath Heron around.

Thickbilled Weaver can either be found nesting in the reeds or foraging on the way back through the forest.

Sightings list

Cape Wagtail

Spottedbacked Weaver

Blackeyed Bulbul

Yellow Weaver

Tawnyflanked Prinia

Purplecrested Lourie

Eastern Olive Sunbird

Cape White-Eye

Sombre Bulbul

Southern Red Bishop

Slender Mongoose

Common Sandpiper

Pied Kingfisher

Blackheaded Heron

Goliath Heron

Hadeda Ibis

Bronze Mannikin

Thickbilled Weaver