Moreleta Kloof and Nature Reserve
by Faansie Peacock

Introduction:
The Moreleta Kloof is a small (92 ha) natural area in the suburb of Moreleta Park, SE Pretoria. At present the area does not have the status of an official reserve, but is fenced. For ladies, pensioners or younger birders walking in a group is safest. The checklist for the Kloof stands at 155 species at the time of writing, which is a high total for such a small area within the city. A great variety of habitats are found in the Kloof, including wetlands, open grassland, rocky ridges, broadleaved woodland, moist Acacia woodland and tall, riverine forest around the Rademeyer spruit.

Specials:
European Marsh Warbler, Great Reed Warbler, African Sedge Warbler, Cape Reed Warbler, Garden Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher, Sharpbilled Honeyguide, Blackthroated Canary, Jameson's Firefinch, Redchested Flufftail, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Desert Cisticola, Orangebreasted Waxbill.

Birding:
Starting at the main entrance gate the grasslands on your left and right and towards the spruit host Fantailed and Desert Cisticolas, Whitewinged and Redcollared Widow, Spotted Dikkop, Crowned and Wattled Plovers (look for chicks in spring), Greater Striped Swallow and Whiterumped Swift. Walk down on the tar road. This road winds its way through some dense moist Acacia caffra woodland where Greyheaded Sparrow, Redfaced Mousebird, Crested and Blackcollared Barbet, Brubru (rarely), Willow Warbler, Spotted Flycatcher, Masked Weaver and Cape White-eye can be found. After a few hundred paces you will enter an area of open grassland where the Plovers, Indian Mynas and Glossy Starlings and Hadedas can be found. Continue straight through the gap in the trees towards the spruit.

If your visit is in summer you will be treated at the T-junction here with wonderful displays of various Weavers, Bishops and Widows. Look for Thickbilled and Cape Weaver. Interestingly the Redcollared Widows utter a blowing noise when they alight on a perch, from there their name "Puffadderbirds". Marsh and Grass Owls are both found on the verges of the Moreleta "floodplain", but are seldom seen. The latter has only been recorded further downstream, but could well turn up. Common Quail and Blackshouldered Kite sometimes occurs - the latter being far more frequently recorded.

Walk westwards through the Poplar trees which are excellent for good sightings of Grassbird (common throughout the reserve), African Marsh Warbler and Greater Canerats. Turn right at the bridge over the stream after you've walked through the poplars. This bridge is a good spot to look for Redchested Flufftails, African Sedge Warbler, Orangebreasted Waxbill and Great Reed Warbler(summer). Blackcollared Barbets and Greyheaded Sparrows nest in the dead branches around the bridge area. Turn left at the T-junction.

You are now entering an area of beautiful riverine forest with the dominant tree being Celtis africana. Hadedas and Redeyed Doves breed in this patch. Fairy Flycatcher and Garden Warbler occurs, the former in winter and the latter in summer. Garden Warblers are notoriously difficuilt birds to find because of their dense habitat, dull appearance and soft murmuring voice. They are often found near trees with small berries. Redchested, Black and Diederik Cuckoos call loudly in early summer. Levaillant's Cisticolas can also be seen from here. Steppe Buzzard and Ovambo Sparrowhawk might be seen overhead. Continue straight to where the road bends left and crosses the stream. Turn right after passing the circle.

This mixed woodland is THE place to look for Black Cuckooshrike, Goldentailed and Cardinal Woodpeckers, European Marsh Warbler(summer), Speckled Mousebird, Blackthroated Canary, Jameson's Firefinch, Threestreaked Tchagra, Cape Robin and Longbilled Crombec. To find the Warblers, walk silently between December and early April, listening for a soft bill snap, and a low, growling "churrrr". They are much commoner than generally realized. Hamerkops used to breed in the large Willow on your right.

The dam is good for Pied, Malachite, Brownhooded and (rarely) Greyhooded Kingfishers, Common Moorhen, Little Grebe, Cape Reed Warbler, Common Waxbill, Reed Cormorant, African Black Duck and sometimes Little Egret or Greenbacked Heron (depending on water level). Orangebreasted Waxbills roost in the reedbeds here at night.

Open protea or broadleaved woodland is the best area for Blackcrowned Tchagra, while Sharpbilled Honeyguide can really occur anywhere. Southern Boubou, Barthroated Apalis and Paradise Flycatchers occupy the riverine forests. The more open areas and the suburban gardens surrounding the Kloof have Bokmakierie and Mountain Chat. Rock Buntings, Cape Sparrows and Fiscal Shrikes can be found in the broken grassland.

Moreleta Kloof's rarities include Bat Hawk and Little and Black Sparrowhawk -the last two of which may well be resident nearby.

Facilities:
No facilities apart from the footpaths exist.

Access:
The Kloof is open all-year round and access is via the many turnmills around the fence. The route described here is from the main entrance gate at the tar road, but it can be accessed via the turnmill just around the corner in Van Bergen Street. Walking at night is not recommended.

Directions:
From the N1 / N4 junction travel south and take the Rigel offramp. Turn left and then continue past the robot at the highway crossroads and the first robot. Turn left at the second robot into Hans Strijdom Drive. Continue past Denel on your left and then at turn right towards Moreleta Park. Go down Rubenstein drive and through the dip. Moreleta Kloof is on your left. Take the first left after the dip (Helios) and drive down until you reach the main gate.