SAfrican Birding Spots
Suikerbosrand
Suikerbosrand is a large Nature Reserve set in picturesque hills near Heidelberg. It offers a number of hiking trails which are a favourite on weekends, as well as an excellent "game drive" which is 60 km in length. Suikerbosrand is mostly grassland with cliffs, kloofs and wooded stream valleys.

Birds

This is the best place near Johannesburg to find a range of highveld endemics, grassland and montane species. Whitebellied Korhaan, Greywinged, Redwinged and Orange River Francolin are resident. Jackall Buzzard, Secretary Bird and Black Eagle are present. Mountain slopes harbour Mountain and Mocking Chat, Both Cape Rock Thrush and Sentinel Rock Thrush(winter). Moist Valleys contain Grassbird, Redthroated Wryneck, Redcollared Widow and Cape Weaver. Hillsides are frequented by Wailing Cisticola, Longbilled Lark and Orange-throated Longclaw. Drier areas on the west host Yellow Canary, Titbabbler, Red-eyed Bulbul and Kalahari Robin.

Birding

Circular Drive (Game Drive) (Based on drive - 15 August) 

This drive traverses a variety of habitats, and one should try and be at the gate at 7:00 am when it opens. After paying the tollgate fee (R9-00) per car. At first one passes up a moist valley. Stop where the road overlooks the stream valley and listen out for Grassbird, Red-throated Wryneck. Malachite Sunbird and Fairy Flycatcher were also present here. Higher up the slopes are habitat for Wailing Cisticola, Bokmakierie and wherever there is bare ground or rocks, Mountain, Familiar and Stonechat seem to be prolific. Yellow-rumped Widow are just showing enough plumage to easily identify them.

Birding along the circular drive is facilitated by the fact that the road follows an extensive series of firebreaks. This short grass makes birding along this route good at present. On the high summits, where the road passes rocky outcrops, Mountain Chat are everywhere and Sentinel Rock Thrush are conspicuous. Cape Bunting, Longbilled, Spikeheeled and Redcapped Lark and Orangethroated Longclaw are also present along this drive. Look out for Francolins which move out of the long grass to forage. On the high ground, Greywinged is common. Lower down Redwinged becomes dominant, although we did see both together at about 10km into the drive. As the road drops down look for Pipits and Anteating Chat. After 20 km the road drops down and goes past a large dam. Look in scrub grassland for Orange River Francolin which are often near the road.

The road then goes around the western Escarpement of the Suikerbosrand where there is acacia thornveld. The Holhoek Picnic area is a good place for birding. Look here for Titbabbler, Ashy Tit, Red-eyed Bulbul, Cape White-eye, and Blackchested Prinia. Mocking Chat can be seen around the Picnic Spot, as well as the main visitors centre.