Atlasville, 21 Dec 2005
Spent today in the Borakalalo National Reserve. Borakalalo is centred around the Klipvoor Dam in the Moretele district in the north-eastern corner of North West province and is managed by the North West Parks Board. It is within easy reach for a day trip, albeit with an early rise and departure to get to the reserve as it opens. Although a superb Bushveld birdwatching destination it is not as well visited by birders as it should be, but rather favoured by those who want to fish along the banks of the Klipvoor Dam.
My first visit to Borakalalo was in April 1999 and when my father visited from the UK in November that year I took him for a bush experience staying overnight in Phudufudu camp, the only purpose built overnight accommodation in the reserve.
Today was my 8th visit to the reserve for which I have now compiled a bird list of 176 species, reaching that total today by adding Green-winged Pytilia, White-rumped Swift and Yellow-throated Sandgrouse. There had been a lot of overnight rain and there was a lot of standing water around so like the Green-winged Pytilia many birds were taking the opportunity to have a bath. Common species of this area that one would expect to see on almost every visit to Borakalalo are African Grey Hornbill, Blue Waxbill, Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Chinspot Batis, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Fork-tailed Drongo, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Long-billed Crombec, Marico Flycatcher, Southern Pied Babbler, Violet-eared Waxbill and White-browed Scrub Robin. Much less common, but which I have recorded here, include Burnt-necked Eremomela, Coqui Francolin, Grey-backed Camaroptera, Jameson’s Firefinch, Meyer’s Parrot, Striped Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Eremomela and the aforementioned Yellow-throated Sandgrouse.
Today’s visit also gave me the chance to photograph Africa’s largest lizard, the Rock Monitor, known also in South Africa as Leguaan.
