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Contact
Detail
For more info on birding in the Sabie area,
contact:
Kathe Rohrs on
082 410 4408.
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Red Data Book Categories
Critical:
50% chance of going extinct in 5 years
Endangered:
20% chance of going extinct in 20 years
Vulnerable:
10% chance of going extinct in 100 years
Near-Threatened:
Likely to become Vulnerable in the near future
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Binoculars
For birding the best sizes are 8 x 32 or 10 x 40 roof-prism binoculars.
They are slender, lightweight and easy to hold. The first figure is the
linear magnification and the second figure the diameter of the front lens
in millimetres.
Binoculars with higher magnifications are, generally, not suitable for birding as they are
difficult to hold steady.
Testing Binoculars
Examine the edge of a white building which is in full sunlight through the
instrument. Then move the image towards the edge of the field of
vision. If coloured fringes appear on the edge of the wall the
instrument suffers from chromatic aberration. If the wall appears to bend
or become blurred, spherical aberration is present. A good
instrument should show neither of these effects.
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Webmaster's
Note:
Parking your vehicle in remote areas or walking alone in the grassveld, forests or plantations is not recommended.
Please be sensible |
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Bird
Watching
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BirdLife
International
Aim of the IBA Programme
The function of the IBA programme is to
identify and protect a network of sites, at a biogeographic
scale, critical for the long-term viability of naturally
occurring bird populations, across the range of those bird
species for which a site-based approach is appropriate. |
Blyde River Canyon
(IBA No. ZA008)
Location:
Located 40 km from Sabie and 8 km north of Graskop, the Blyde River
Canyon (700 m deep in places) stretches for nearly 20 km as it cuts a
spectacular path through the granite of the great South African
escarpment. This 50 000 ha IBA site includes the Blyde River Canyon Nature
Reserve and the Swadini and Manoutsa portions of the Mpumalanga
Drakensberg escarpment, which falls outside the reserve, and the
forestry-owned areas of Mariepskop, Salique, Hebron, Welgevonden and
Onverwacht State Forests.
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Access:
Secure parking for your vehicle is
available at Bourke's Luck Potholes. Enquire at the Nature
Conservation offices as to where you may or may not walk in the nature
reserve.
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Habitat:
The vegetation varies from large patches of high-altitude Afromontane
forest in the valleys; to forest-related bush clumps along the edge of
the escarpment; to open tree savanna; to montane grassveld on the open
exposed slopes.
Birds:
This is the only site in South Africa that supports breeding Taita
Falcon. One pair of the critically endangered Blue Swallow still
breed here, and occasionally additional birds are found foraging or
moving through the area. The cliffs of Manoutsa hold over 660
pairs of the vulnerable Cape Vulture, making it the world's fourth
largest colony. The gorges also hold breeding pairs of the Black
Stork and Peregrine Falcon (both near-threatened species), as well as
the Cape Eagle Owl.
The quiet backwaters of the river support the vulnerable Pel's Fishing
Owl, Whitebacked Night Heron and African Finfoot, and the
near-threatened Halfcollared Kingfisher. The surrounding grassland
supports the endangered Blackrumped Buttonguail; the vulnerable
Striped Flufftail, Stanley's Bustard, Blue Crane, Ground Hornbill,
Grass Owl and Bald Ibis (which breed within the reserve along the
cliff gorges); the near-threatened Secretarybird; as well as the Buffstreaked Chat. Gurney's
Sugarbird occur on the protea shrubs on the hillslopes.
The forest and forest edge supports the near-threatened Crowned Eagle, Orange
Thrush and Bush Blackcap, as well as Forest Buzzard, Buffspotted Flufftail,
Cinnamon Dove, Knysna Lourie, Barratt's Warbler, Olive
Bush Shrike, Chorister Robin, Brown Robin, Swee Waxbill and Forest
Canary. The near-threatened Bat Hawk has been recorded in the
thick riverine woodland and it is possible that the vulnerable
Delegorgue's Pigeon still exists here. The vulnerable Martial
Eagle is frequently seen soaring over bushveld dominated parts of the
reserve, which also holds Whitethroated Robin and Gorgeous Bush
Shrike.
Other common sightings include Grey Cuckooshrike, Kurrichane Thrush, Starred
Robin, Yellowthroated Warbler and Whitebellied Sunbird.
Graskop Grasslands (IBA No. ZA009)
Location:
This 10 000 ha site lies within South Africa's mistbelt region and consists of
two patches of fragmented grassveld, separated from one another by a
plantation. The first grassland patch lies immediately west of
Graskop town, 30 km from Sabie. The second patch lies 8 km north
of Graskop town, 40 km from Sabie.
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Access:
Secure parking for your vehicle within this IBA is problematic.
You could park your vehicle in Graskop town.
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Habitat:
The terrain consists mainly of gently undulating sour grassveld
with some hilly terrain, rocky outcrops and sheer cliffs. Shrub
thickets occur along the rivers and patches of fynbos elements are
also present. Isolated forest are restricted to the
valleys. Encroachment by exotic plantation trees is a common
site.
Birds:
These two fragmented grassland patches hold the second largest
population of breeding Blue Swallow in South Africa. The
vulnerable Stanley's Bustard and Ground Hornbill, as well as and other
grassland species such as the Buffstreaked Chat and the
near-threatened Blackwinged Plover and Broadtailed Warbler occur here.
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More Info
on the Blue Swallow:
Endangered Wildlife Trust-Blue
Swallow Working Group
Mandy McNamara 082 530 1230 |
The protea shrubs are hosts to Gurney's Sugarbird. Swee Waxbill and
Forest Canary are fairly common sightings. The endangered Blackrumped
Buttonguail and the vulnerable Striped Flufftail may also occur on this site.
Mac-Mac Escarpment & Forest (IBA No. ZA010)
Location:
This 35 000 ha site is located within the South African mistbelt,
between the towns of Sabie and Graskop. This IBA consists of the Mariti,
Waterhoutboom, Mac Mac, Frankfort, Bergvliet, Kripkraal, Rietfontein,
Waterfal, Tweefontein and Ceylon plantations. It includes the
Sabie River in the south and the Mac Mac river in the north. The
Bridal Veil falls, Lone Creek falls, the Mac Mac falls and the Mac Mac
Pools are also within the
boundaries of this IBA.
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Access:
The Secretary Bird day-walk at the
Mac Mac Pools is part of this IBA. Secure parking for your vehicle
is available at the Pools (you pay a nominal fee at the entrance gate).
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Habitat:
This site consists of a patchwork of commercial plantations that still
hold superb patches of fragmented indigenous forest, as well as some
remaining grassland and sheer cliffs. Other habitat types
include rocky outcrops, gullies, streams, mountain slopes and patches
of fynbos.
Birds:
This area is important for some cliff-nesting species, such as the
near-threatened Black Stork and Peregrine Falcon. The rivers
running through the area support small populations of the vulnerable
Whitebacked Night Heron and African Finfoot.
The remaining grasslands hold a relatively large population of the vulnerable Ground
Hornbill. Other grassland specials include the endangered Blackrumped Buttonguail
and the vulnerable Striped Flufftail. Buffstreaked Chat also occur in the
grasslands, whilst Gurney's Sugerbird are found in association with
protea shrubs.
The forest patches are the most interesting natural habitat within the
complex, supporting the near-threatened Crowned Eagle, Orange
Thrush and Bush Blackcap as well as Forest Buzzard, Knysna Lourie,
Chorister Robin, Brown Robin, Barratt's Warbler, Swee Waxbill and
Forest Canary.
Other species include the vulnerable Grass Owl and Ground Hornbill, and the
near-threatened Ground Woodpecker, Blackwinged Plover, Halfcollared
Kingfisher and Broadtailed Warbler. Rare visitors to the area include
the critically endangered Blue Swallow, the vulnerable Bald Ibis, the
near-threatened Secretarybird and the Blackbellied Glossy Starling.
Blue Swallow Natural Heritage Site (IBA No. ZA011)
Location:
This 225 ha site is located 15 km southwest of Sabie on the Long Tom
Pass between Sabie and Lydenburg at an altitude of between 1 400 and
1 740 m above sea level.
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Access:
Misty Mountain Chalets is part of this IBA. Secure
parking for your vehicle is available at the resort. Obtain permission from the resort owner to
visit this IBA.
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Habitat:
This site on the east-facing side of the escarpment, combined with its
high altitude,
receives an annual rainfall of well above 1 000 mm. The habitat includes
gently undulating grassland and thornveld slopes, small streams, rocky outcrops and open rock cliffs. Much of the
vegetation has been replaced by large dense stands of tall, exotic
plantation trees.
Birds:
This site holds small numbers of the critically endangered Blue
Swallow, and the near-threatened Buffstreaked Chat, Secretarybird,
Peregrine Falcon and Blackwinged Plover. The near-threatened
Lanner Falcon is an occasional visitor to this IBA. Other, more common
sightings, include Kurrichane Thrush, Whitethroated Robin, Swee
Waxbill and Forest Canary.
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Effect of
Afforestation
Commercial
afforestation in the Sabie area has transformed the grasslands so dramatically
that very little of the natural landscape remains.
Afforestation totally altered the species composition as well as
the macro-structure of the natural vegetation. In
addition, the concentration of a large number of trees had a
profound effect on the hydrology of the area, resulting in the
drying up of streams and wetlands. Furthermore, the
effects of habitat fragmentation, changed burning regimes, road
construction and altered drainage patterns all cumulatively
impact negatively on bird diversity.
There is conclusive evidence that
commercial afforestation has already had a major impact on
grassland birds, and the potential for further negative impacts
on endemic and threatened species is serious.
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Acknowledgements:
The important Bird Areas of
southern Africa. By Keith N. Barnes (editor) 1998. BirdLife South
Africa, Johannesburg. ISBN: 0-620-23423-7.
Mpumalanga Birding Route.
BirdLife South Africa
The Eskom Red Data Book
of Birds of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. By Keith N. Barnes
(editor) 2000. BirdLife South Africa, Johannesburg. ISBN:
0-620-25499-8.
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Walks & Hikes