March 12 (Continued) From Pafuri Gate, we travelled west towards Messina. The countryside along this route was covered with large Baobabs but the understorey was heavily grazed. The birding highlight along the way was a Blackbreasted Snake Eagle but few other species were seen. We eventually reached the main highway which connects South Africa and Zimbabwe and then turned south towards Louis Trichardt. This area was dry and located in the rainshadow of the Soutpansburg Mountains. Small flocks of the social Whitecrowned Shrikes were seen a number of in this area. As we crossed the mountain, it began to rain and this grew heavier while descending to the town of Louis Trichardt. We decided to spend the night at Ben Lavin Nature Reserve which was located a few kilometres south of the city. This proved to be an adventure since the campsite was down a slippery, muddy road. We became stuck in the mud once along the way.

13 March - We awakened to wet weather but the clouds began to break by mid-morning and the day became fine. Ben Lavin was covered with dense shrubland but accessible via a number of trails. We found Southern Boubous to be particularly common here as were Melba Finches, Common and Blue Waxbills. Other birds included Marico Flycatchers, Whitewinged Widows, Black Cuckooshrikes, and Puffbacked Shrikes which were obseved on our early morning walk. Most interesting was a calling Gorgeous Bush Shrike which we saw after a considerable effort.

We left Ben Lavin and then headed southeast towards Tzaneen and another isolated mountain range. Our intent was to drive along the old gravel road which passes through indigenous mountain forest near Magoebaskloof. Upon arrival, however, we found the road to be muddy and we were afraid that we would become stuck, so we stayed on the main highway. Most of the surrounding mountainside had been converted to Eucalyptus plantations. While driving up the mountainside, we found a picnic area which was surrounded by a remnant patch of native forest. As soon as we stopped, we heard several unfamiliar calls the most common of which we traced to Yellowstreaked Bulbuls and Squaretailed Drongos. Other birds included Kynsna Louries, Olive Woodpeckers, Black Sunbirds, Lesser Doublecollared Sunbirds, Barthroated Apalis, Cape White-Eyes and Cape Batis. Samango Monkeys were also observed feeding in the surrounding trees.

We continued the drive to the top of the escarpment and near the Magoebaskloof Hotel, we stopped when we spotted another patch of native forest. We found a trail which skirted the edge of the escarpment which we had just climbed and from which we could see into the valley and the treetops. Many interesting birds were sighted along this track. From the lookouts, we saw Forest Buzzards, Longcrested Eagles, several Kynsna Louries, Black Sawwing Swallows, Whitenecked Ravens and Rameron Pigeons. The track eventually descended into wet native forest which was drapped with mosses and lichens. Here, we found a mixed-species flock consisting of Yellowstreaked Bulbuls, Sombre Bulbuls, Squaretailed Drongo, Grey Cuckooshrike, Olive Woodpeckers, and a male Blackfronted Bush Shrike. We heard a singing Chorister Robin but could never spot the bird. As we emerged from the forest, we saw several Forest Canaries, Swee Waxbills, Black Widowfinch, and heard a Barratt's Warbler.

In the evening, we drove back to a small town near Tzaneen where we spent the night in a municipal caravan park.

14 March - Low clouds covered the mountain in the morning, so we birded around the campsite while waiting for the clouds to lift. In the campground, we saw a couple of interesting birds including Kurrichane Thrush and Bronze Mannikins. We then drove up to the trail at the Magoebaskloof Hotel, and walked into the forest. With the thick cloudcover, most of the birds were quiet but Bill added a new species to the the list, a Yellowthroated Warbler. Bill also witnessed an attack by a Crowned Eagle on a troop of Samango Monkeys which had been feeding quietly in a treetop.

We departed Magoebaskloof by late-morning and commenced the drive to Nylsvlei Reserve near the town of Naboomspruit. The Nylsvlei Reserve is located in an area which often floods in the summer, and we were in time for this event. Upon arrival at the Reserve, we drove to the bird hide which was situated in the flooded area and bordered by scattered thorny acacias. While driving to this site, we saw a Cobra on the road which reared and then hurtled itself back into the grass. Also along the way were several Tsessebe Antelope and Warthogs. Many waterbirds were present as were a number of the dry country species. Near the hide, we found a Blackchested Prinia, Crimsonbreasted Shrikes, Rufousnaped Larks, and many nesting Whitebrowed Sparrow Weavers. Brownthroated Martins were present in large flocks and often perched on the cattails in the swamp. We had hoped to visit the bird hide, but this would have required wading and we were not certain of the status of Bilharzias in this area. Some of the waterbirds that we could see from vantage points on dryland included Purple Herons, Grey Herons, Cattle Egrets, Great Egrets and an African Fish Eagle.

In the evening, we drove to the nearby Vogelfontein farm where there was a larger expanse of open water. The farm also has a hide from which the surrounding wetlands may be surveyed. Unfortunately, wading would have been necessary to reach the hide, so we remained on the roadside and dikes. We flushed a couple of Black Crakes and a Little Bittern while walking along the dike which leads to the hide. Other birds included Blackcrowned Night Herons, Squacco Herons, Hammerkops and Whitefaced Treeducks. Ethiopian Snipe were seen on a number of occasions and one gave an aerial display. A single African Harrier was sighted as it hunted over a flooded field.

We spent the night in the hills near Naboomspruit where there are many resorts due to natural hotsprings. A better choice would have been the campground within Nylsvlei but it was fully booked.

15 March - We drove back to Nylsvlei soon after sunrise. Most of the morning was spent walking through an area of thorny acacia trees which bordered the flooded portion of the reserve. Bush-birding was good and produced a number of species which were new to us. A group of Burntnecked Eremomelas was sighted as they flew from shrub to shrub. An almost inaudible, high-pitched song was tracked to a Barred Warbler which sang from the tops of the acacias. Finches were abundant including Melba, Scalythroated, Common Waxbill, Blackcheeked Waxbill, Blue Waxbill and two beautiful Violeteared Waxbills. Once again, we saw a couple of the brightly-coloured Crimsonbreasted Shrikes as they foraged on the ground. We saw Greybacked Bleating Warblers on several occasions in the thickets near the wetland. European (Barn) Swallows and Brownthroated Martins were abundant and mixed in these flocks were a few House Martins and Pearlbreasted Swallows. We also found a Pied Barbet, several Titbabblers, Threestreaked Tchagras, Sabota Larks, Redfaced Mousebirds and a Lesser Honeyguide.

All too soon, it was time to head back to Johannesburg where I caught an afternoon flight back to Sydney. Bill and Sandra spent another three weeks in southern Africa and travelled to the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park and then north through Namibia before also returning to Australia.

ON TO: Annotated List of all Bird species seen