Weenen Nature Reservation

Published on by Paul Bartho

Sunday 5th July 2020

On impulse, Sally and I decided to visit Weenen Nature Reserve which was open for day visitors.

We arrived at 07h30 – an hour and a half hour drive from home.

After checking in and doing all the Covid-19 paperwork we headed into the reserve. Almost immediately we saw three special species all together. A common Quail, Chestnut-rumped Warbler (aka Tit-Babbler) and a Fiscal Flycatcher. The latter turned up everywhere we went during the day. Of course as we watched them along came two vehicles and we had to move off. Typical.

Fiscal Flycatcher – Quail and Warbler constantly on the move so no photos of them unfortunately.

The Reserve was very dry and the thatching grass very tall. It was good to go somewhere different and with a variety of habitats. Unfortunately the hides were closed because of the virus.

Despite the hides being closed we did manage to get reasonably close to one waterhole.

  • Little Grebe
  • Marsh Terrapins
  • Three-banded Plovers
  • A rather long-tailed Cape Wagtail

There were animals about here and there – predominantly Giraffe. Even had a threesome necking. Unfortunately the video is too big to include here.

  • The three into necking
  • Hartebeest
  • Giraffe
  • Majestic Kudu

And some of the birds seen while driving around.

  • Black-collared Barbe
  • Cape Starling
  • Bokmakierie
  • Brown-hooded Kingfisher
  • Cape Rock-Thrush
  • Black-collared Barbet
  • Cape Starling
  • Common Ostrich
  • White-browed Scrub-Robin
  • Blue Waxbill

Altogether Sally recorded 56 different bird species while Atlassing.

Paul and Sally Bartho

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