Trip report to Aliwal North 29th January – 3rd February 2009
The 29th January dawned cold, wet and misty, Gail and I started our trip to Aliwal North at 5am. After some advice we decided not to take the Naudesnek route, we could not go via Qacha’s Nek, through Lesotho, (Gail’s passport expired the day before we left). The route we travelled was via Kokstad, Matatiele, Mount Fletcher, Maclear, Elliot, Barkly East, and Lady Grey, eventually after ten happy hours we reached our very comfortable B&B near Aliwal North (Toll Inn Guest Farm).
You may ask why 10 hours to do 550km, well; we were birding along the way!!
We spent two hours atlasing the Maclear town pentad. This was very interesting; we got 55 species during the two hours, lots of White stork and Amur Falcon were the most interesting species for me. We also did adhoc and incidental observations along the way.
The scenery along the R58 from Elliot to Barkly East was breath taking, one travels through the Barkly Pass, then the Kraai River pass. I’m not sure what the soil types are, but it looked like sand stone formations, almost like the Golden Gate scenery. (I think that Barkly East will be my next birding destination.)
Gail and I started listing birds from the pentad that we atlased in Maclear, reaching a total of 155 bird species during our six day trip. Some special sightings were a pair of Blue Korhaan with two chicks, a pair of Double Banded Courser with chicks, we also saw a Tawny Eagle during the Saturday CAR count and a Verreauxs’ Eagle whilst up Kramberg Mountain.
I saw 11 ‘lifers’ and Gail saw 17!! Some of the most exciting were; Ludwig’s Bustard, Northern Black Korhaan, Pale Winged Starling, Orange River White-eye, Namaqua Warbler, Lark-like Bunting, Chat Flycatcher, Rock Pipit and Karoo Thrush. Spike heeled Lark and Eastern Clapper Lark run around like chickens in the veld.
Sadly I dipped on the Rufous-eared Warbler, Karoo Korhaan and Black-Headed Canary, well that’s the reason I’m going back to Aliwal North very soon
Aliwal North is a fantastic birding destination, such beautiful habitats
The 29th January dawned cold, wet and misty, Gail and I started our trip to Aliwal North at 5am. After some advice we decided not to take the Naudesnek route, we could not go via Qacha’s Nek, through Lesotho, (Gail’s passport expired the day before we left). The route we travelled was via Kokstad, Matatiele, Mount Fletcher, Maclear, Elliot, Barkly East, and Lady Grey, eventually after ten happy hours we reached our very comfortable B&B near Aliwal North (Toll Inn Guest Farm).
You may ask why 10 hours to do 550km, well; we were birding along the way!!
We spent two hours atlasing the Maclear town pentad. This was very interesting; we got 55 species during the two hours, lots of White stork and Amur Falcon were the most interesting species for me. We also did adhoc and incidental observations along the way.
The scenery along the R58 from Elliot to Barkly East was breath taking, one travels through the Barkly Pass, then the Kraai River pass. I’m not sure what the soil types are, but it looked like sand stone formations, almost like the Golden Gate scenery. (I think that Barkly East will be my next birding destination.)
Gail and I started listing birds from the pentad that we atlased in Maclear, reaching a total of 155 bird species during our six day trip. Some special sightings were a pair of Blue Korhaan with two chicks, a pair of Double Banded Courser with chicks, we also saw a Tawny Eagle during the Saturday CAR count and a Verreauxs’ Eagle whilst up Kramberg Mountain.
I saw 11 ‘lifers’ and Gail saw 17!! Some of the most exciting were; Ludwig’s Bustard, Northern Black Korhaan, Pale Winged Starling, Orange River White-eye, Namaqua Warbler, Lark-like Bunting, Chat Flycatcher, Rock Pipit and Karoo Thrush. Spike heeled Lark and Eastern Clapper Lark run around like chickens in the veld.
Sadly I dipped on the Rufous-eared Warbler, Karoo Korhaan and Black-Headed Canary, well that’s the reason I’m going back to Aliwal North very soon
Aliwal North is a fantastic birding destination, such beautiful habitats
and majestic mountains, (Kramberg Mountain is 2018m ASL).
Rock formations on top of Kramberg Mountain were very interesting, as seen in this pic.
Arnold van der Westhuizen, a very passionate birder spent three days driving us around his patch, atlasing and doing his two CAR routes, he received his ringing licence whist we were there, we even watched him ringing.
I was delighted to find Arnold a lifer in his patch………… We were driving past some reed beds near town, I said wow “this is African Rail territory” Arnold said “no way I have never seen one here” within a few meters there they were calling loudly to each other!!!!! We even managed to coax them out of the thick reed beds so that Arnold could get a good look. He has lived in Aliwal North for 17 years and never seen an African Rail. Well, now he has, and about 500m from his house.
We had two wonderful sighting of Booted Eagle during our travels; one sighting was early morning on Friday 30th, as we watched these magnificent eagles soaring over the Oorlogsfontein Mountain I received a sms to say that Carol, my dear friend, birding buddie and spiritual sister had passed away.
To be watching Booted Eagle when I received this sms was extremely heart wrenching, Carol had spent a long time watching Booted Eagle in the Aliwal North area during her recent trip with Colin, she was so excited to have seen them and told me to expect to see them during our trip. She explained in minute detail, how she had seen the pale and dark form and how she had been able to see the diagnostic feature ‘landing lights’ (white patches on the base of leading edge of wing near body).
Booted Eagle will always remind me of Carol’s love and passion for birds, her amazing ability to identify bird calls, reproduce the calls of many larks and pipits with perfect tune and pitch. They will remind me of our last trip to Ntsikeni Vlei, they will remind me of Carol….................who is now with Jesus.
Birding with a purpose has brought a new meaning to my life, new birds to atlas, new places to see and new people to meet. Let us remember that life is short, life is fragile and it is important to live life to the full. Trish Strachan
I was delighted to find Arnold a lifer in his patch………… We were driving past some reed beds near town, I said wow “this is African Rail territory” Arnold said “no way I have never seen one here” within a few meters there they were calling loudly to each other!!!!! We even managed to coax them out of the thick reed beds so that Arnold could get a good look. He has lived in Aliwal North for 17 years and never seen an African Rail. Well, now he has, and about 500m from his house.
We had two wonderful sighting of Booted Eagle during our travels; one sighting was early morning on Friday 30th, as we watched these magnificent eagles soaring over the Oorlogsfontein Mountain I received a sms to say that Carol, my dear friend, birding buddie and spiritual sister had passed away.
To be watching Booted Eagle when I received this sms was extremely heart wrenching, Carol had spent a long time watching Booted Eagle in the Aliwal North area during her recent trip with Colin, she was so excited to have seen them and told me to expect to see them during our trip. She explained in minute detail, how she had seen the pale and dark form and how she had been able to see the diagnostic feature ‘landing lights’ (white patches on the base of leading edge of wing near body).
Booted Eagle will always remind me of Carol’s love and passion for birds, her amazing ability to identify bird calls, reproduce the calls of many larks and pipits with perfect tune and pitch. They will remind me of our last trip to Ntsikeni Vlei, they will remind me of Carol….................who is now with Jesus.
Birding with a purpose has brought a new meaning to my life, new birds to atlas, new places to see and new people to meet. Let us remember that life is short, life is fragile and it is important to live life to the full. Trish Strachan
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