Following is the Cape Bird Club Thorp Delta Karoo Katlagters Team report:

Left Cape Town on Fri PM, and arrived in our area just after midnight and after travelling about 700km. We had a cold strong E'ly wind blowing, and as we had few potential nightbirds, decided to sleep until 4am. We didnt bother pitching camp, but threw out our sleeping bags next to tthe road, and slept there till 4am.

Not many birds about, heard our first (3banded plover) as we left "camp", not seeing anything else till sunrise, when we got a Doublebanded Courser. We worked an acacia thicket near a farmhouse, and started ticking in earnest. There we got our nightbirds during the day, Owls and fanstastic views of 3 Rufouscheeked Nightjars which we flushed from under a tree.

By about 7am we had 43 species, considering that our Natal counterparts probably had 143 by then, but we were on schedule for our target.

The day wore on, with midday accompanied by extreme heat, and no wind.

At about 5pm after visting our prime spot, (and watching some of the rugby at a friendly farmer's) one of the only two dams in the area, that had water in them, we decided to do away with taboos and actually add up the list. The total of 100 species, was way beyond our target of 97, which of course thrilled us to bits! And we still had three common species to find, so we set off into the Wilderness to try and find Rock Kestrel, Karoo Eremomela and Pied Crow.

We decided to try an unknown road (despite 3 recce's) - and suddenly hit a jackpot, dense riverine acacia, which produced Cape (Orange River) Whiteye, Fairy flycatcher and flying overhead, a European Bee eater. We also found a S Gret Tit, but unfortunately only 2 of our team saw it before it flew off, so we dipped on that. But that didnt stop us from breaking out the Champagne!

With our three missing birds, plus Dikkop which we were going to try for after dark, we headed towards our camp for the night.

After pitching camp and enjoying a great braai under the most awsome starlit sky, we decided to leave the dikkop for next year, when we would try and beat our total. Or perhaps we would try a new area next time.

All in all we had a terrific time, during the recce's and on Saturday, got to know a new area, new birds, and a lifer or two for some of us. And of course we raised a few thousand, but havent got final figures yet as we still expect more. Our total bird list for the day was 104 species.

Thanks BLSA for a fantastic idea!

The CBCTD Karoo Katlagters Team consisted of : Craig Thom, John Graham, Rob Leslie and Bruce Squier.