ContentsINTRODUCTIONBIRDS OF A FEATHER 2HISTORIC ROUTE 3GEMS OF OUR HISTORY 4-5ADVENTURE ROUTE 6ART ROUTE 7FOOD AND WINE 8-9TRAILS AND ROUTES4X4 ROUTE 10-12HIKING TRAILS 13-15NATURE ROUTE 16-17TOWNSALBERTINIA 18-21GOURITSMOND 22-23MELKHOUTFONTEIN 24JONGENSFONTEIN 25STILBAAI 26-34SLANGRIVIER 35RIVERSDALE 36-41HEIDELBERG 42-45WITSAND 46-47HESSEQUA EXPLORERS’ EXPERIENCE 481
BIRDS OF A FEATHERSLANGRIVIER AND WITSANDNot far from Grootvadersbosch you’ll find the Jonique JohannesNature Park in Slangriver, where Louis Fielies will keep you amazedwith his extensive field ranging knowledge. Continue further alongto the coastal village of Witsand at the mouth of the BreedeRiver, which is the widest river estuary in South Africa. A total of180 species have been recorded in SABAP2 with Fish Eagles,Ospreys and Kingfishers.HEIDELBERGAt Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve 160 bird species have beenrecorded in exotic trees and moist mountain Fynbos. Specialbirds include Red-necked Spurfowl, Narina Trogon, Blue-mantledCrested-Flycatcher, Grey Cuckooshrike, Victorin’s Warbler,Knysna Warbler, African Crowned Eagle, Knysna and OliveWoodpecker, Forest and Brimstone Canary, Cape Siskin, fivesunbirds and the Cape Sugerbird, Forest Buzzard, AfricanWood-Owl, Black Sparrowhawk, Lemon Dove, Yellow-throatedWoodland-Warbler, Martial Eagle (not in SABAP2), TerrestrialBrownbul, Denham’s Bustard, Greater and Lesser Honeyguide,Brown-backed Honeybird (not in SABAP2). Regionally rare birdswhich have been recorded in recent years include EuropeanRoller, Little Sparrowhawk and African Cuckoo Hawk.STILBAAIHiking trail from the tourism office and Palinggat towards theestuary. You will find Cape Sugarbirds, Karoo Prinia, Greater andSouthern Double-Collared Sunbirds in the open areas at thebeginning of the trail and the usual Bishops, Sparrows,Weavers and African Paradise Flycatchers. Compare the residentAfrican Dusky Flycatchers with the visiting Spotted Flycatcher. Asis to be expected in this type of habitat also Bar-Throated Apalis,Cape Batis, Cape Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul, Cape Robin-Chatand Cape White-Eyes. The open verges along the water’s edgeproduced different species such as Bokmakierie, Brimstone,White-Throated and Yellow Canaries, Fiscal Flycatcher, Crownedand Blacksmith Lapwing, Fiscal Shrike, Grey-Headed Sparrow andCommon Waxbill, plus guess who: Pintailed Whydah. Grey Plover,Common, Curlew and Marsh Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstone andCommon Whimbrel. Resident species included WhiteBreasted Cormorants, Little Egret, Kittlitz’s and White-FrontedPlovers, African Spoonbill and Black-Winged Stilt. Kelp Gulls,African Black Oystercatchers and many Swift Terns.
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