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Birding
Province: Zululand
Route: Babanango Valley Lodge
Situated on 3100ha of prime bushveld, this Private Nature Reserve offers
many activities and birds to the visitor. The Nsubeni River valley, a
tributary of the White Umfolozi, cuts through the reserve and it is
surrounded on both sides by steep hills, cliffs grassland and bushveld.
The reserve is also registered as a Natural Heritage Site, and is part of
the Babanango Valley Conservancy. The reserve is predominantly covered in
bushveld in the valley, with well-vegetated granite koppies, quartzite
ridges and sandstone cliffs. The mountain tops are covered in grassland.
Directions
From Babanango, travel west towards Dundee on the R68. Turn right after
about 5km onto a dirt road. The Lodge is signposted from the turn-off.
Continue with this road for about 1km and then take the left-hand split in
the road. Follow this road for another 11km. The road to the lodge is in
kept in good condition, and is signposted all the way down
Accommodation
Available in chalets, bushcamps, cottages and communal safari tents at the
lodge.
Birding Specials
Babanango Valley Lodge is a well known birding locality and has a birdlist
of over 250 species.
There are a number of self-guided or guided walking trails which cover all
of the habitats. The area around the Rock Pools Bush Camp and Nsubeni
River is an excellent spot for Half-collared Kingfisher, Mountain Wagtail,
Blue-billed Firefinch, Tambourine Dove, Wood Owl, Pygmy Kingfisher,
Scaly-throated Honeyguide, White-throated Robin-Chat, Southern Boubou and
in the fruiting fig trees Green Pigeon.
The bushveld areas around the lodge should be searched for Blue Waxbill,
Shelley's Francolin, Purple-crested Turaco, Little Bee-eater, Crowned
Hornbill, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Brown-backed Honeybird, Bushveld Pipit,
Grey Tit-Flycatcher, Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Plum-coloured Starling,
Brimstone Canary and in summer, African and Jacobin Cuckoos. Flowering
Aloes attract sunbirds such as Scarlet-chested, Amethyst, White-bellied,
Greater Double-collared and the occasional Malachite.
The extensive grassland areas on the top of the Valley are home to
Barrow's Korhaan, Grassbird, Croaking Cisticola, Malachite Sunbird,
Black-winged Lapwing, Bald Ibis, Quailfinch and Grass Owl. Closer to
Babanango, among the rocky outcrops, look out for Buff-streaked Chat,
Ground Woodpecker, Yellow Bishop, Plain-backed Pipit and Cape Crow.
Rocky hillsides and cliffs abound with species such as Striped Pipit,
Mocking Cliff-Chat, Buff-streaked Chat, Bokmakierie, Cinnamon-breasted
Rock Bunting and at least one pair of Black Stork. Ground Hornbill have
also nested on a rocky ledge.
Babanango Valley Lodge is probably most famous for its diversity of
raptors. Many breed in the reserve, including Tawny, Wahlberg's,
Verreaux's, Martial, Crowned and African Hawk Eagles, African and Gabar
Goshawks, Lanner Falcon, Brown Snake Eagle, Giant Eagle Owl and
Secretarybird. Visiting raptors include Amur Falcons, Bateleur and
Black-breasted Snake Eagle.
The gardens around the lodge are alive with birds. Kurrichane and
Ground-scraper Thrushes, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Green Pigeon and
Bronze Manikins can all be seen with relative ease.
Other points of interest
The reserve is also home to a number of antelope species such as Kudu,
Impala, Burchell's Zebra, Blesbuck, Red Hartebeest and Mountain Reedbuck.
Warthog, Aardwolf, Caracal, Leopard and Serval are shyer species that can
be encountered.
Duncan McKenzie and John Turner
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IN THE AREA:
RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES
RECOMMENDED ATTRACTIONS
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS
RECOMMENDED BIRDING GUIDES
RECOMMENDED TOUR OPERATORS OFFERING BIRDING SAFARIS
RECOMMENDED BIRDING BOOKS
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