Verlorenkloof is our favourite destination for a get away from it all week in October each year, usually green from early summer rains and buzzing with bird life across all of the various habitats, from the river along the one boundary through wetlands and open grasslands to the forested kloofs of the surrounding mountains.

It’s all about relaxation while enjoying the beauty and superb birding of this secluded valley – so join us as we explore the estate and the surrounds, ever on the lookout for the special birds of the area.

Day 6 – Tuesday

After two days of very little birding, today was to be a serious birding day again and Verlorenkloof and the surrounds certainly delivered!

Koos had met a farmer on the opposite side of the valley, on one of his excursions, and had been invited by him to explore the trail that runs through the undeveloped part of his farm, up and along the foothills of the mountainside on the opposite side of the valley to the Verlorenkloof estate.

Up after 5 am, we set off soon after 6 am, heading slowly through the estate to the river, then on to the gravel “back road”.

On the way the birding was very productive, as it often is in the early morning, and combined with the birds I had recorded at the croft while enjoying coffee and rusks, I had already built up a list of 42 birds by the time we got to the gate a couple of kms further, still only 7.15 am. Most were the regular Verlorenkloof species but I was pleased to add Giant Kingfisher, Greater Double-collared Sunbird and Rufous-naped Lark which are not always guaranteed to be seen.

Koos stopped at the gate and we proceeded on foot along the track, that initially disappeared among the trees then emerged at the bottom of the first long slope.

The landscape around us had an other-worldly feel to it – hundreds of tall aloes standing like alien creatures on the lightly grassed slopes, with bare patches and rocks in the open spaces between clumps of trees and bushes.

We took it slow – not just because of the mild climb but to make sure we would pick up any bird movement. It paid off immediately as I spotted a Golden-breasted Bunting and the first of many White-fronted Bee-eaters.

Puffback and Black Cuckoo called in their distinctive fashion and there were plenty of aerial birds – swallows and swifts – to keep us looking up every now and then. Barn Swallows tend to swoop lower down but others such as Palm Swift are generally higher up while the only Black Saw-wing weaved its way at a low height between the trees.

Southern Bald Ibis is one of the specials of this area and we saw a pair flying by on their way to their favourite field no doubt.

At the top of the slope the track headed parallel to the road some way below us and the habitat became more bushy with birds to suit- Cape Batis, Long-billed Crombec, Bar-throated Apalis and Green-backed Camaroptera.

By now we had been walking for about two hours and with no sign of the track heading back down to the road we turned around and retraced our steps back to where the car was parked.

Not yet done for the morning, we drove further along the gravel “back road” to a dam where we had found the White-faced Ducks a couple of days before – they were not there but Little grebe, Black-headed Heron, Red Bishop and Levaillant’s Cisticola made up for their lack.

The rest of the day was spent in recovery mode (two and a half hour’s walking tends to require that at our age) which gave me a chance to catch up on my journal and blogging.

It started raining around midday, providing some welcome relief from the hot conditions and having a visible effect on the two waterfalls that drop from the escarpment, one of which feeds the stream near croft no 2.

A late afternoon drive to the lodge produced a juvenile African Fish-Eagle and a Common (steppe) Buzzard to round off an excellent day’s birding. I was amazed to find that I had recorded 83 species during the day, having started a new atlasing list that morning (atlasing requires that a new list is started after 5 days)

Day 7 – Wednesday

Time to return home to Pretoria, but not before having a good brekkie at the lodge (thanks Koos and Rianda), then driving slowly along the gravel roads back to the newly completed R36 tar road which connects Verlorenkloof’s access road with the N4 national road. Well done to the authorities for rebuilding this road which for years was in poor shape and suffering continuous damage from the many coal-haulage trucks that use the route.

The final stats for the week : 128 species recorded on two atlasing cards.

Verlorenkloof is our favourite destination for a get away from it all week in October each year, usually green from early summer rains and buzzing with bird life across all of the various habitats, from the river along the one boundary through wetlands and open grasslands to the forested kloofs of the surrounding mountains.

It’s all about relaxation while enjoying the beauty and superb birding of this secluded valley – so join us as we explore the estate and the surrounds, ever on the lookout for the special birds of the area.

Day 4 – Sunday

Verlorenkloof is like a mild drug when it comes to birding – hard to stop when the birds are constant companions around the croft and wherever you walk or drive in the estate, But I do enjoy the opportunity to relax and that is what I did on day 4 and 5 of our visit, alternating between the verandah and the lounge.

Nevertheless there were still plenty of interesting bird “happenings”, starting with an early wake up call – this time from a Natal Spurfowl on the lawn outside our bedroom window, calling at the top of his voice as only they can. This is not a sound that is easy to sleep through!

Not content with that, he (or could it have been a she?) then jumped up onto the window cill, about 1,5m from my resting head (obeying the social distancing rules in the process) and belted out another series of calls, ensuring that further rest was completely out of the question.

After coffee, Gerda called from the kitchen where several things bird-related were happening outside the window –

Waxbills feeding on grass seeds;

Female Cape Rock-Thrush coming and going to her nest constructed (which is a kind way to put it) on top of one of the carport’s stone columns. We watched as she arrived with a stick, small twigs, leaves etc and casually dumped them on the pile already there, then rather comically sat on top and wiggled her body about hoping, it seemed, to create a cup shaped depression in the unruly pile. Comical for us but serious business for the Rock-Thrush.

Violet-backed Starling which flew in and perched on a branch for us to admire this colourful migrant – first of the summer for us and so striking.

A bit later I walked to the rock pool and on the way saw an African Paradise Flycatcher flying into the copse of trees and bush that separates croft 2 from the pool. I peered through an opening in the bush and there the flycatcher was, sitting on a tiny lichen-decorated, cup-shaped nest, with its long tail draped over the side.

Photo conditions were tricky in the extreme – poor light, twigs and branches in the way making focusing a challenge and the flycatcher not hanging around for long, but with patience I eventually got a couple of shots.

Later I went for a swim in the freshly filled pool – quite chilly but very refreshing and just the thing for an ageing birder!

Day Five – Monday

There always seems to be something of interest on awakening – this time it was an African Golden Weaver feeding on grass seeds right outside our window. This is one of the scarcer weavers so to see one close up is a treat – the key ID features of heavy black bill and yellow eyes were clearly visible.

Much of the rest of the day passed quietly on the verandah with our own “theatre of birding” providing the entertainment in the usual impeccable fashion – constant calls and bird movements to and fro – such as this African Hoopoe and Familiar Chat.

Our late afternoon walk was down the old entrance road, or “cisticola alley” as I have come to imagine it (due to the number of cisticolas often present), Perhaps I need to re-imagine it as “grassbird alley” as both Grassbirds were calling – the newly renamed Fan-tailed Grassbird (or Broad-tailed Warbler) and the Cape Grassbird – both of which remained hidden in the long grass from which their contrasting calls emanated

Lazy Cisticola put up a sterling performance, clearly hoping he could persuade me to revert to my original name for this bird-rich “alley”. Then an African Yellow Warbler made Gerda’s day by showing nicely and enabling her to find it in her new bird book – Faansie’s Bird Book – an absolute delight for not only kids but adults as well, especially those who are not interested in all the detail facts that other books and apps provide.

Just one day left of our stay – Koos has plans to make it another biggie…

Verlorenkloof is our favourite destination for a get away from it all week in October each year, usually green from early summer rains and buzzing with bird life across all of the various habitats, from the river along the one boundary through wetlands and open grasslands to the forested kloofs of the surrounding mountains.

It’s all about relaxation while enjoying the beauty and superb birding of this secluded valley – so join us as we explore the estate and the surrounds, ever on the lookout for the special birds of the area.

Day 3 – Saturday

Today was far more productive in terms of birding effort and we made up for yesterdays fairly relaxed day with some quality birding / atlasing while remaining within the boundaries of the pentad that includes Verlorenkloof resort. The pentad number is 2525_3015.

I was awake just after sunrise and decided to make the most of the perfect weather conditions with a walk along the foothills of the mountain that overlooks croft 2, following the mountain bike trail.

As I left the croft I spotted an Olive Bushshrike in the trees nearby and spent a while stalking it and “spishing” (that strange habit that birders have of making a sound akin to a bird’s alarm calls in the hope that the bird being sought will pop out of the bush to investigate). It seemed to work as the bush-shrike, usually very shy, did appear for a few seconds at a time, just long enough to rattle off a few photos and hope for the best.

As I headed up the lower slopes of the mountain, mist descended rapidly and visibility reduced, but I could still make out several Rufous-naped Larks along the way, celebrating the new day with their familiar call.

There was not much else in the way of bird life, so I focused on the different small flowers that were in bloom, standing out like beacons in the short green grass and scattered rocks and boulders.

A Cape Longclaw flying off into the mist caught my eye and got me back into birding mode, followed by a Little Bee-eater hawking insects from a thin bush.

Back at the croft, I gathered my breath, had a quick breakfast and headed out with Koos for an extended drive mostly outside Verlorenkloof estate but within the pentad that surrounds it. Our route took us past the fishing dams, down to and across the bridge over the Crocodile river, where a White-throated Swallow was perched on a fence post.

Then we turned left onto the gravel road that runs east-west past several prosperous-looking farms which variously produce wheat, corn, lemons and livestock. The first stretch passes through natural habitat lined with trees and bush, always productive for those species which prefer this habitat, such as the Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird. The latter, a tiny bird, has the outsized voice and lungs that enable it to keep up a loud popping call for much of the day.

This habitat is also favoured by Weavers – Village, Southern Masked, and Spectacled Weavers were all present. Later a Cape Weaver made it 5 weavers for the day, having seen a Thick-billed weaver during my walk. Oh, and Koos later spotted a White-browed Sparrow Weaver on our way back later on, to make it 6!

We stopped at every farm dam but only one had any water birds of note, with a flotilla of White-faced Whistling Ducks and a Little Grebe.

At another stop next to wheat fields the Fan-tailed and White-winged Widowbirds contrasted with the pale brown of the wheat, soon to be harvested.

I was watching swallows and swifts overhead when I saw what for a moment looked like six planes in a tight formation – then I realised they were Blue Cranes at a considerable height, on their way to some distant field or wetland.

As we watched, they started flying in a wide circle several times, no doubt using the thermals to go up even higher and catch an air stream, then continued on their way – spectacular!

The road ends at a T and we turned right along a poorly maintained, bumpy gravel road which passes more farms and a rural school, then skirts an upmarket looking game farm and winds up the pass to the highest point in the area (where a paragliding launch spot is located). This is also the southernmost boundary of the pentad and where we turned around.

While having coffee at this spot I noticed an LBJ and immediately hoped it was the Wailing Cisticola which I had found at this exact location a couple of years ago. It was and I followed it in the hope of getting a photo. With some patience I was able to photograph it from a distance – my first photographic record of the species.

That was the sum total of the species until a small black and white jet plane shot past – actually an Alpine Swift which was followed by a few more, quite appropriate at this elevation and mountainous habitat.

We returned slowly past the old farmhouse on Verlorenkloof (which served as the estate reception in years past) adding a White-fronted Bee-eater on the wire to complete a very productive drive.

A late afternoon walk produced an African Reed Warbler at one of the dams and at dusk a Fiery-necked Nightjar called to close out the birding for the day – 43 species added taking my week total to 104.

Verlorenkloof is our favourite destination for a get away from it all week in October each year, usually green from early summer rains and buzzing with bird life across all of the various habitats, from the river along the one boundary through wetlands and open grasslands to the forested kloofs of the surrounding mountains.

It’s all about relaxation while enjoying the beauty and superb birding of this secluded valley – so join us as we explore the estate and the surrounds, ever on the lookout for the special birds of the area.

Day 2 – Friday

Our second day started lazily, despite the Red-chested Cuckoo imploring us to “wake up now” over and over. Eventually we succumbed, made ourselves presentable and headed to the verandah for coffee.

Before breakfast a Red-necked Spurfowl surprised us with a slow walk past the croft, until he spied us watching him and set off at a pace towards the long grass, leaving me with a snatched photo opportunity. I followed the Spurfowl hoping to get some better images of this shy species, but despite hearing it nearby I could not see any movement and had to abandon the stealthy chase.

Disappointed, I returned along the path through tall grass and reeds to the croft, only to be surprised once again by a second Spurfowl, in full throated voice, presenting a perfect photo opportunity and a highlight for the day.

From a distance the red of the neck and face is not all that striking, but close up it is immediately apparent why it was named the Red-necked Spurfowl

After breakfast I strolled down to the rock swimming pool near our croft, where I found an Olive Thrush in the small stream, hopping about in the shady undergrowth. The thrush eluded my photo attempts but a group of Cape White-eyes made up for it moments later by choosing a tiny pool amongst the rocks alongside to bathe – a charming sight.

Much of the rest of the day was spent relaxing on the verandah, watching the comings and goings of the regulars, with African Paradise Flycatcher flitting between the trees at regular intervals.

Mid afternoon we went for a drive around the estate and down towards the river, stopping frequently and adding :

– Village Weavers in large numbers

– Stonechat pair perched close together, showing the differences between male and female (left and right)

– A pair of Bald Ibises flying to a field further on

– Swallows aplenty – Greater Striped, Lesser Striped and White-throated

– Red-throated Wryneck whose plaintive kweek-kweek-kweek caught our attention and we soon found him high up in the branches of a tree

– Groundscraper Thrush strutting guardsman-like about the green lawns of the idyllic picnic spot next to the river

On the way back to the croft a Tree Agama sat next to the road, then climbed up the trunk of a nearby tree, pausing long enough for us to get a good look at its prehistoric form and bright blue head and neck

The second day, a slow relaxed one, ended with a modest 11 new species added to the list for the week to take the total to 61

Our timeshare week at Verlorenkloof came at just the right time – travel restrictions are minimal and the local tourism industry is gradually returning to some sort of normality, although the lack of international visitors remains a massive problem for those elements of the industry that rely solely on them.

Verlorenkloof is our favourite destination for a get away from it all week in October each year, usually green from early summer rains and buzzing with bird life across all of the various habitats, from the river along the one boundary through wetlands and open grasslands to the forested kloofs of the surrounding mountains.

It’s all about relaxation while enjoying the beauty and superb birding of this secluded valley – so join us as we explore the estate and the surrounds, ever on the lookout for the special birds of the area.

Day 1 – Thursday

After a busy Wednesday of packing, family commitments and traveling, we arrived at Verlorenkloof after 7 pm to the welcoming sight of Croft No 2, brightly lit and with supper on the go, thanks to Koos and Rianda who had left Pretoria a couple of hours before us.

It was wonderful to wake up the next morning to the different calls from the varied bird life at Verlorenkloof. Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird was first on the list – it’s clear ‘popping’ call unmistakable in the crisp morning air. Others followed in rapid succession and the first 12 species on my atlasing list were all based on calls, including Cape Grassbird repeatedly trilling from the nearby long grass, Olive Bushshrike with its descending teu-teu-teu-tu-tu and Brown-hooded Kingfisher adding an occasional strident Ki-ti-ti-ti to the mix.

This Cape Robin-Chat found a nice juicy worm for breakfast

Ahhhhh, that was delicious,,,,

Our breakfast was our traditional oats porridge on the verandah, where we spend a large part of the day, accompanied by the Kor-kor-kor of Purple-crested Turacos in the surrounding trees and Greater striped Swallows and White-rumped Swifts swooping by in their constant search for flying insect prey. Both species seem to be vie-ing for occupational rights to the under-eaves nest.

Now, if I can just get to that itch…….

A short walk to the lower slopes of the mountain took me past the stream where beautiful green ferns and reeds thrive on the water trickling down from the mountain top.

Here and there small flowers add a splash of colour to the shades of green. I spotted African Yellow Warbler and Red-collared Widowbird, both of which love this habitat.

The kitchen overlooks a patch of grass where small seedeaters often come –

Our late afternoon walk took us further up the slopes to where the forested kloof starts – the forest specials were calling al around us and were not too difficult to identify even though non could be seen – Chorister Robin-Chat, Bar-throated Apalis, Sombre Greenbul and Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher.

Koos spotted a small warbler, which was singing at full pitch in the forest canopy, which he identified as a Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler (such a long name for a tiny bird!) and we enjoyed good views of it for the next 5 minutes.

Briefly out of the forest before turning back, I saw a bird in a distant tree which we eventually decided was a female Narina Trogon – a much sought after species which we have often heard in the kloof before but only seen a couple of times. That proved to be the last one for the day – taking my list to a nice round 50 species.