A paradise for birdwatchers
By Philip Booysen


The Habitat ranges from Woodland, Bushveld and Grassland to mostly Marshland. The dominating habitat is MarshLand, as Otters' Haunt is set against the Vaal River and a subchannel there-off. This makes for good opportunity to see some waders and water birds like Little Bittern, Black Crake, Red-knobbed Coot, Common Moorhen, African Black Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Reed Cormorant, White-breasted Cormorant and Black-winged Stilt.

There are a few small isles where dense mixed wood and grassland prevails, surrounded by Vaal river subchannels, to be ventured if you cross the tranquil channel in front of Otters' Den. Here one might encounter African Fish-Eagle, Giant Kingfisher, Spotted Eagle-Owl, Malachite Kingfisher, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Red-billed Wood-hoopoe, Diederik Cuckoo and some marsh land species like Cape Reed Warbler.

A small stretch of grassland with patches of Acacia flows out next to the farm, upstream alongside the river. Species that typically inhabit this patch include Fiscal Shrike, Natal Francolin and Helmeted Guineafowl.

The lush green lawns around the residence will reward one with some Olive Thrush, Black-winged Plover, African Hoopoe and Hadeda Ibis.

The mixed Woodland on the lawn surrounding the Otters' Haunt residence, mostly dominated by large Acacia and Willow Trees, makes for perfect sightings of Crested Barbet, Black-collared Barbet, Cardinal Woodpecker, Cape White-eye and Black Sunbird.

Towards to more bushy and dense side-fringes where woodland and grassland transpires into a thin bushveld strip, one might get an encounter with the Cape Robin-Chat, see the Red-eyed Dove and even on occasion run into a Speckled Pigeon.

Following the pathway running right past the two small buildings furthest away from the water, one would stumble upon proper Bushveld habitat. Following this pathway up to the main road, one can expect to be surprised by species like Pin-tailed Whydah, Common Waxbill, Blue Waxbill, Red-headed Finch, White-browed Sparrow-Weaver and Neddicky. Reaching the main road, one can turn left and walk the 50 meters to the Otters' Den main gate where one should be on the lookout for the Southern Grey-headed Sparrow couple breeding inside the right hand-side fencepost. Walking down along the road to the farm-stead one can expect to see, on the left hand-side, Fiscal Shrike, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and lots of Southern Red Bishops.

At Otters' Den, where only your swimming pool and veranda comes between you and the river, the Southern Grey-headed Sparrows might have taken opportunity of the sometimes vacant Greater Striped Swallow Nest on the stoep. Southern Red Bishop will be busy-busy throughout the day on the left hand-side of Otters' Den, building their nests in the reeds.

At the right time of year one can expect the Orange-breasted Waxbill (even as late as April) to be nesting just across the water channel in the topper parts of the reeds, while the Cape Reed Warblers will always tame the sounds of nature with their melodious songs.

And if you are lucky enough you might see an Little Bittern appear from behind the reeds and dense river growth to the left of Otters' Den.

Let us here about your additions to the list after visiting us!

Here follows the Otters' Haunt Bird List which includes a list of the typical birds you might encounter while birding at Otters' Den. Green marked species implicates that you will likely see this bird without too much effort (depending on season). Orange indicates you might have to put in some extra effort to see this species, walk the extra mile. Red indicates you might have to go crawling through some swamps to see this species (depending on season).
 

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