Ezemvelo is a privately owned nature reserve situated 80km east of Pretoria (140km from Johannesburg). Over 12,000 hectares in extent, it consists mainly of savannah grassland with rocky outcrops, forested hills and wetland set against the majestic backdrop of the Bankenveld. Owned by Mrs Oppenheimer, it is open to the public all year round and has a reserve staff of c15 people headed by Maroti Tau, the General Manager.
To get there take the N4 east from Jo'burg/Pretoria to Bronkhorstspruit then north to the R104. After 4km turn right at sign to Vlakfontein along an unmetalled road and after 20km you will arrive at the main gate where a small admission fee is required. The reserve is well equipped with a main Reception area, shop, ample parking, a variety of self-catering accommodation units, camp & caravan sites with electricity, braai facilities, swimming pool etc.
This little known reserve is seldom visited by birders, yet it has an impressive list and three main advantages over many other game reserves in South Africa:
· It is only 90 minutes drive from Johannesburg
· It is malaria-free
· You can get out of your car and walk around!
During April/May 2004 I was lucky to be part of a team from the RSPB helping the reserve staff develop the site under the auspices of BirdLife South Africa. In total we spent over three weeks exploring the rich wildlife on offer - and without fear of attack from "unpredictable" game (like lions!), which are found in other parts of the country. This is not to say there is a lack of game as a count over 21st/22nd April revealed: 474 Zebra, 182 Impala, 157 Blesbuck, 147 Red Hartebeest, 184 Blue Wildebeest, 106 Black Wildebeest, 108 Kudu, 23 Gemsbuck, 87 Eland, 73 Waterbuck, 63 Springbuck, 4 Common Reedbuck, 54 Warthog, 6 Black-backed Jackal, Spotted Genet, Brown Hyaena, 8 Giraffe and 2 White Rhino.
Blacksmith Lapwing, copyright Dave Flumm
African Pipit, copyright Dave Flumm
After our work at Ezemvelo, my wife Gerda and I visited a number of other game reserves including the well-known birding destinations of Umfolozi and Mkuzi but these are fast becoming birder-unfriendly establishments where you can only walk in the company of an armed guide (for obvious reasons), the "self-guided trails" now closed and the accommodation costs higher than anywhere else. By contrast, the staff at Ezemvelo, were so warm and welcoming to visitors, the accommodation half the price and you still have the choice of taking a guide or walking alone. Gerda and I did both and would often walk up to 15km/day armed with only a telescope and tripod for protection! As first-time visitors to South Africa, Ezemvelo provided us with all we needed and much more besides.
If you would like to visit this wonderful reserve, the following contacts may be useful:
BirdLife South Africa: Main contact is Soza Simango, Co-ordinator Oppenheimer De Beers Programme, PO Box 515, Randburg 2125, Lewis House, 239 Barkston Drive, Blairgowrie, Randburg, Gauteng. Tel. +27 (0) 11 789 1122. Fax +27 (0) 11 789 5188. Email: ezemvelo@birdlife.org.za
Sue Anderson at Birdlife Travel (BirdLife South Africa) organised the rest of our 4-week stay in South Africa, booking all our accommodation and planning our route accordingly. Sue can be contacted at: PO Box 169, Wakkerstroom 2480. Tel/Fax +27 (0) 17 730 0285. Email: travel@birdlife.org.za We would strongly recommend contacting Sue if you are planning a trip anywhere in the country as she will be able to find the best rates and draw up an itinerary for you.
Violet-backed Starling, copyright Dave Flumm
Waterbuck, copyright Dave Flumm
Although our visit was apparently at the "wrong time of year" for birding, being in their winter period, we still managed to see 130 bird species, and had we been familiar with any of the calls we would doubtless have found more! Here's a summary of what we saw at Ezemvelo, 29th April - 24th May:
NB. Figures in parenthesis = approximate total number of individuals recorded.
Ostrich (40) Seen daily.
Little Grebe (2) 1 pair. May breed.
Reed Cormorant (3) Seen occasionally.
African Darter (1) Seen occasionally.
Purple Heron (1) Single on pool by Reception 17th.
Grey Heron (1) Single flying over 21st.
Cattle Egret (7) Only seen two dates.
African Spoonbill (1) Single flew across reserve 29th.
Hamerkop (2) Single birds 9th & 14th.
Hadeda Ibis (6) Seen daily.
Spur-winged Goose (1) Single bird flew across reserve on 2nd.
Egyptian Goose (7) Seen most days, often around pool at Reception.
Yellow-billed Duck (3) 1-3 birds on 5 dates.
African Black Duck (2) A semi-resident pair on the pool at Reception.
Black-shouldered Kite (2) Up to 2/day on 6 dates.
Verreaux 's Eagle (6) Magnificent! 2 pairs, a first-calendar year bird and sub-adult seen along gorge at River Wilge and in foothills to north-east.
Black-chested Snake-Eagle (1) Superb adult on 9th & 16th.
African Fish Eagle (1) Sub adult on 9th.
Little Sparrowhawk (1) Single bird over our chalets on 17th.
Rock Kestrel (6) 1-2 seen most days.
Crested Francolin (1) Single bird seen well on 3rd in scrub below dam.
Coqui Francolin (1) Single bird heard only on 30th (courtesy Dr Aldo Berruti)
Shelly 's Francolin (1) Single bird seen well on track on 11th (courtesy Jackson Kone)
Natal Francolin (12) Heard on many dates – once I learnt the call.
Swainson 's Spurfowl (12) Seen occasionally but heard more often.
Helmeted Guineafowl (c100) Seen daily.
Common Moorhen (6) A pair with 4 pulli on a pool.
Denham 's Bustard (1) The surprise of the trip! Single bird gave good, close views as it flew up the valley at Reception area on 2nd.
Northern Black Korhaan (3) Seen on three dates with a bird displaying on 14th.
Crowned Lapwing (c30) Seen daily.
Blacksmith Lapwing (24) Seen daily. A pair were breeding in the Reception area.
African Wattled Lapwing (10) Seen most days.
African Snipe (13) 13 drumming males.
Spotted Thick-knee (3) 3 on a night-drive on 13th (courtesy Soza Simango).
Speckled Pigeon (15) Uncommon. Mostly in forested hills.
Rock Dove (3) Only seen 4 dates.
Red-eyed Dove (c80) Common and widespread.
Cape Turtle Dove (c60) Common and widespread.
Laughing Dove (c100) Common and widespread.
Namaqua Dove (6) Only seen 4 dates. All on main dirt-tracks.
Burchell 's Coucal (1) Single bird on 11th along river.
Fiery-necked Nightjar (1) At least one at our chalets.
Rufous-cheeked Nightjar (5) Up to 5 most evenings around our chalets.
Little Swift (4) Recorded on two dates only.
Speckled Mousebird (4) Scarce.
Giant Kingfisher (3) A pair at Reception pool and 1 Wilge River bridge.
Pied Kingfisher (1) Single bird Reception pool 16th & 17th.
Half-collared Kingfisher (4) Singles Reception pool & Wilge River and a pair at the Mountain Huts ' pool.
Malachite Kingfisher (2) Singles Wilge River bridge & pools near office.
Woodland Kingfisher (1) A surprise find – this is a summer visitor here. A single bird seen well in bushes along Wilge River on 11th.
Brown-hooded Kingfisher (1) Single bird in Reception area on three dates.
White-fronted Bee-eater (c20) Seen most days.
Little Bee-eater (4) Another summer visitor, but 1-3 in the valley near the Reception from 1st –13th and another elsewhere on 8th.
African Grey Hornbill (1) Single bird over our chalets alighted in trees on 19th.
Greater Honeyguide (2) Single birds around Reception camp site and R.Wilge.
Lesser Honeyguide (1) Single bird on 2nd only.
Brown-backed Honeybird (2) Resident pair around our chalets on 8 dates.
Black-collared Barbet (7) Calling daily around our chalets.
Crested Barbet (2) Two in the Reception valley were the only birds.
Red-throated Wryneck (1) Single bird on 21st (courtesy Gerda!)
Cardinal Woodpecker (4) Seen on 6 dates. A pair at the Reception area.
Golden-tailed Woodpecker A pair at the Reception area.
Eastern Clapper Lark (6) All in grassland west of River Wilge.
Rufous-naped Lark (1) Only one positively identified but probably overlooked.
Spike-heeled Lark (15) All in grassland between Reception & Mountain Huts.
Greater-striped Swallow (6) Up to 6 late birds daily with 4 staying until 21st. This is a summer visitor here.
Pearl-breasted Swallow (4) 1-2/day on 9 dates.
Banded Martin (20) Another late-staying summer visitor. Last recorded 6th.
Brown-throated Martin (16) Recorded daily. A single individual with all dark underparts frequented the dam at Reception from 30th onwards.
Rock Martin (20) Encountered mostly in the hills.
Fork-tailed Drongo (5) Uncommon. River Wilge main area.
Black Cuckooshrike (2) A pair at Telperion on 17th.
Pied Crow (13) 1-6 on 10 dates but a flock of 13 on 7th.
Southern Black Tit (4) 2 on 4 dates involving 4 birds.
Arrow-marked Babbler (14) All present around Reception valley.
Dark-capped Bulbul (c200) Common and widespread.
Familiar Chat (30) Most frequently around buildings.
Mountain Wheatear (7) Only seen in rocky terrain.
African Stonechat (50) Widespread. Both sexes are white-rumped here.
Anteating Chat (24) Widespread along dirt tracks.
Mocking Cliff-Chat (7) 4 regularly Reception/chalets.
Cape Robin-Chat (6) Uncommon.
Lesser Swamp Warbler (1) Heard only on 9th (courtesy Wits Bird Club)
Little Rush Warbler (1) Heard only on 9th (courtesy Wits Bird Club)
Cape Grassbird (5) Uncommon.
Long-billed Crombec (6) Uncommon.
Bar-throated Apalis (1) Single bird at River Wilge (courtesy Wits Bird Club).
Zitting Cisticola (5) 5 identified by Wits Bird Club on 9th. I probably saw loads more during walks across the savannah when up to 30 nondescript Cisticolas could be seen in a day. However, Cloud, Wing-snapping & Desert also occur.
Wing-snapping Cisticola (1) 1 doing that on 15th. Probably more overlooked.
Neddicky (8) Seen on 4 dates. Probably overlooked.
Lazy Cisticola (5) Including a regular pair at our chalets.
Levaillant 's Cisticola (9) 7 courtesy Wits Bird Club on 9th and I found two others 22nd & 23rd.
Tawny-flanked Prinia (4) Uncommon.
Black-chested Prinia (6) Uncommon.
Fiscal Flycatcher (3) All around the Reception valley area.
Fairy Flycatcher (1) Single bird on 1st around our chalets then, it or another in the camp site area the next day.
Cape White-eye (24) Seen most days.
Chinspot Batis (21) Seen daily.
Cape Wagtail (5) At least two pairs including a pair at Reception.
African Pipit (4) At least 4, including a pair around Reception. Other pipits seen poorly may have involved other species as Long-billed, Plain-backed and Buffy all occur.
Cape Longclaw (20) Widespread across savannah.
Common Fiscal (40) Widespread.
Bokmakierie (2) 2 seen on 9th only.
Cape Glossy Starling (10) Uncommon.
Violet-backed Starling (16) Surprising to see this summer visitor in small groups even up until our last day, 24th May.
Red-winged Starling (18) Small groups along River Wilge gorge and Reception area.
Common Myna (4) Only two pairs encountered.
Wattled Starling (1) A welcome find (normally summer-only) with one in trees beyond dam on 2nd.
Pied Starling (9) A flock of up to 9 birds frequented the derelict farm near the office.
Amethyst Sunbird (4) Seen on 4 dates with max. 3 on 20th.
White-bellied Sunbird (2) Seen 9th & 22nd only.
Greater Double-collared Sunbird (4) Seen on six dates.
Cape Sparrow (10) Often around Reception buildings.
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow (4) Two pairs only.
Thick-billed Weaver (1) Female around camp site 2nd & 3rd only.
Village Weaver (1) Single bird on 22nd only.
Southern Masked Weaver (30) Seen daily.
Cape Weaver (2) Probably two different birds seen on four dates in Reception valley area.
Southern Red Bishop (40) Only recorded two dates but probably overlooked.
Long-tailed Widowbird (c80) Common & widespread.
Red-collared Widowbird (40) Regularly seen around the dam area.
Pin-tailed Whydah (2) Only identified on 3rd. Probably overlooked.
Common Waxbill (153) Especially common around dam area.
African Quailfinch (16) Recorded on three dates only.
Orange-breasted Waxbill (13) Usually encountered in Common Waxbill flocks.
Yellow-fronted Canary (c20) Seen most days.
Black-throated Canary (22) Seen on 4 dates.
Streaky-headed Seed-eater (21) Recorded daily.
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting (5) Recorded on 8 dates.
Cape Bunting (1) Single bird at Mountain Huts on 14th.
