Suikerbosrand is a nature reserve just off the N3 highway in Heidelberg (South Africa). Covering over 13000 hectares of which Montane grassland, Acacia savanna and Protea veld is just some of the habitats you can expect to find in this reserve. The 60km’s tar road that takes you through the reserve travels through some brilliant birding habitats and the best thing about this place is, is that you are allowed to get out of your vehicle at any time, allowing you to get into the best position for that photo or to just experience some of the breathtaking views.Opening times to this park is 7 am and although this might not be the perfect time to try and catch those early birds, good birding can still be done outside the park whilst waiting for the gates to open.

I have found Marsh Owl, Black shouldered kites, Wryneck, Crowned Lapwings, Mountain wheatears whilst I was having my early morning coffee.

The first part of Suikerbosrand is dominated with Montane grasslands and you will have a good chance of seeing Grey winged Francolins, Cape Bunting, Cinnamon Breasted bunting, Yellow Canary, Cape Grassbird, Mountain Wheatear, Familiar Chat and if you are very lucky the Eastern Long billed Lark.

It is advisable to drive as slow as possible while you are in this part of the park as the rocks and hills can definitely deliver Striped pipit or Long billed pipit.The next part of the park changes into more typical Highveld grassland habitat where Cisticolas and Ant Eating Chat’s dominate.

This particular area is a LBJ nightmare, especially in winter when all the widow birds lost their breeding plumage and coupled by the various Zitting, and Cloud cisticolas could leave you with a bit of a headache after you have driven through this area. Still though you might be lucky and find a Secretary bird walking through the long grass.As you start to enter the Acacia savanna habitat you can start to look out for your typical bushveld species. Bokmakierie, Red throated wryneck, Red-eyed Bulbul, White Browed Sparrow Weaver, Fiscal Flycatchers, Black chested Prinia, Village Indigobird are all very likely to be seen here. Raptors like Black shouldered Kites and in summer look out for Amur Falcons are also to be found here.   

After the picnic spot it is advised to get out of the car as much as possible to look out for Kalahari Scrub Robin or Brown Crowned Tchagra that jumps in and out of the thick bushes. Also listen out for the calls of Black collared Barbet, Acacia Pied Barbet and Crested Barbet which can all be found here.

Fairy Flycatcher may also be seen here during the winter months.

As you get to the halfway mark you can decide to either exit the reserve or carry on forward where you end up going through Montane grassveld again and gives you a chance of finding what you might have missed earlier including the elusive Barrow’s Korhaan . Aloe’s dominate one section of this return road and good chance of finding White bellied Sunbirds along with Sentinal Rock thrush. On Saturdays the park can be busy, especially with cyclists who thunder past without any consideration of a birder trying to take a picture. Luckily by 9 - 10 am most of the cyclist should have overtaken you and you can carry on without any distractions.The couple of times I went birding were in winter and I got a total of around 60 species per visit and I truly believe that in summer one can expect a total of up to a 100 species. A very beautiful place that will satisfy amateur to experienced birders alike.

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