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By Faansie Peacock

Rust de Winter Nature Reserve is a good area to find a range of the common thornveld and broadleaved woodland birds that occur around Pretoria. The dam attracts large numbers of interesting waterbirds, especially in winter.

Background: The Rust de Winter area has a good diversity of birdlife, thanks to variety of habitats present. These include excellent broadleaved woodland, rocky woodland slopes, alluvial Acacia veld, mixed woodland, riverine forest, the dam wall and surroundings, open water, marshy area at the inlet, and areas of grassland when the water level drops. The transition between habitats is interesting when driving along the shore. At the entrance gate one finds broadleaved woodland with trees such as Faurea saligna and Combretum apiculatum. Driving south, this first changes to mixed woodland, and then to rich Acacia veld on the alluvial delta near the inlet. Between this one finds marshy grassland along the shore. The streamlets flowing into the dam have species of trees such as Syzigium guineense, Heteropyxis natalensis and Bridelia mollis.

Specials Goliath Heron, Squacco Heron, Black Egret, Blackcrowned Night Heron, Greenbacked Heron, Little Bittern, Knobbilled Duck, Whitebacked Duck, Maccoa Duck, Pygmy Goose, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Western Redfooted Falcon, Coqui and Shelley's Francolins, Redcrested and Northern Black Korhaan, Painted Snipe, Water Dikkop, African Cuckoo, Striped Kingfisher, Purple Roller, Flappet Lark, Sand Martin, Ashy Tit, Cape Penduline Tit, Pied Babbler, Barred Warbler, Fairy Flycatcher(winter), Pallid Flycatcher, Striped Pipit, Whitecrowned Shrike, Wattled and Burchell's Starlings, Great and Yellowthroated Sparrows, and Goldenbreasted Bunting.
Nearby one can also find: Whitebellied Korhaan, Redbilled Buffalo Weaver, Bennett's Woodpecker

Birding: The main approach road to Rust de Winter often yields some interesting species not normally found within the reserve. These include Bennett's Woodpecker, Meyer's Parrot, Namaqua Dove, Groundscraper Thrush, Redbilled Buffalo Weaver, Whitebrowed Sparrow Weaver and Whitebellied Korhaan (open broadleaved woodland) while the deep booming calls of Ostriches can be heard at night. Bronzewinged and Temminck's Coursers are seldom-seen inhabitants of open woodland and bare ground respectively.

Starting at the main turn-off to the reserve, birds like Burchell's and Wattled Starlings, Great Sparrow, Redbaked, Lesser Grey, Crimsonbreasted and Longtailed Shrike, Burntnecked Eremomela, Titbabbler, Willow Warbler, Marico Sunbird, Threestreaked Tchagra, Kalahari, Whitebrowed and Whitethroated Robins, Redbreasted and Pearlbreasted Swallows are common. Pied Babbler, Scalyfeathered Finch, Ashy and Cape Penduline Tits and Whitecrowned Shrike are less frequently encountered. Visitors that arrive early enough will find numerous Rufouscheeked Nightjars on the road in summer.

The grassland area along this road may yield Desert Cisticola, Spotted Dikkop, Rufousnaped Lark and Whitewinged Black Korhaan. The Redcrested Korhaan often runs across the road, or can be heard displaying by day or at night. Rollers include Purple. Try the tall, dead trees at the bend in summer for African Cuckoo, which also occurs on the hillsides. Greenspotted Dove and Doublebanded Sandgrouse may be encountered at the edges of the road. The woodland near the gate is good for Yellowthroated Sparrow, Black Flycatcher, Black Cuckooshrike, Klaas' Cuckoo (summer) and Goldenbreasted Bunting. Greyheaded Bush Shrike and Fantailed Flycatcher are uncommon.

The entrance gate usually has Yelloweyed and Blackthroated Canaries, Pearlbreasted Swallow and resident Striped Kingfishers. Walk down to the dam wall for Striped Pipit, Blackcrowned Night Heron, Common Sandpiper, SA Cliff Swallow, Familiar Chat and Redwinged Starling. The dense valley holds Pygmy Kingfisher. Also keep an eye open for soaring raptors including Lesser, Western Redfooted and Eastern Redfooted Kestrels.

The first woodland areas support Rock Bunting, Mousecoloured (Pallid) Flycatcher in small numbers, Spotted Flycatcher, Paradise Flycatcher, Plumcoloured Starling and Flappet Lark, which also occurs around the gate. Listen for the latter's display flight. Francolins are common and include Natal, Swainson's, Crested, Coqui and the occasional Shelley's. Check the shoreline, also on the opposite shore for Goliath Heron. The inlets support breeding Masked Weavers with the occasional Lesser Masked. Blackcrowned Tchagra is common.

Waterbirds are a major attraction to Rust de Winter, and the spectacle of thousands of waterfowl moulting on the dam is fascinating. The best area is generally the area just after the gate at the end of the angling territory. Try for Whitebacked, Whitefaced, Knobbilled, Yellowbilled, and African Black Ducks, Spurwinged Goose and Pygmy Geese and Southern Pochard, Dabchick and Great Crested Grebe, Lesser Flamingo, Great White, Little, Cattle, Yellowbilled and Black Egrets, Blackheaded, Grey, Purple, Greenbacked and Squacco Herons, African Spoonbill, Glossy Ibis, Moorhen, Redknobbed Coot, Black Crake, African Jacana, a variety of waders including Painted Snipe. Whitewinged Tern, Greyheaded Gull, Malachite, Pied and perhaps Giant Kingfishers are also present. Little Bitterns are also occasionaly flushed.

The thornveld in this region is very rich and has the typical variety of thornveld species such as Violeteared, Common (marshy fringes) and Blue Waxbills, Melba and Cuckoo Finche - which is found in the lush grass and sedge in years when the summer water level is a bit lower. Migrants include Icterine and Garden Warblers, Shrikes, all the common Cuckoos including Great Spotted and Striped, as well as European Roller. Other typical bushveld birds are Arrowmarked Babbler, 3 Whydahs, Rattling Cisticolas, Jameson's and Redbilled Firefinches and Marico Flycatcher. Birds of prey vary from Whitebacked Vulture (may roost on pylons) to Gabar Goshawks. Ovambo Sparrowhawks, Steppe Buzzards, Osprey, African Fish Eagles and Greater Kestrels are also frequently spotted. Pearlspotted Owls are breeding residents, and are imitated by the Sabota Larks! Redbilled, Grey and Yellowbilled Hornbills, Speckled and Redfaced Mousebirds occurs in the larger trees, while Barred Warbler frequents the mid-canopy levels from where its "breeeeeeeeep" calls sound out. Olive Thrush lives in the dense thickets on the shoreline.

Marshy grassland and reedbeds support Whitewinged Widow, Golden Bishop, Redbilled Quelea, Cape Reed Warbler, African Sedge Warbler, amongst the abovementioned waterbirds. A good mix of Swallows and Swifts usually hawk insects over the reeds and water and these might include interesting species such as the Rock, House and Sand Martins, Whitethroated Swallows and the dark morph of the Brownthroated Martin. Water Dikkop and Wattled Plover are often around.

Of course, every locality has its rarities, and Rust de Winter's most famous is rarer than most! This is the legendary Golden Pipit, which was present in the thornveld region from January to March 1986. Other interesting species are African Finfoot, Blacknecked Grebe, Olivetree Warbler and Whitethroat. Ringed and Grey Plovers and Curlew are rare inland waders recorded, and raptors such as Booted, Ayre's, Longcrested and Bateleur Eagles have also been recorded

Directions: The reserve is approxamitely 80km north of Pretoria. Take the N1 (Pieterburg highway) north, and turn off at the Pienaarsrivier/Rust de Winter offramp. Turn right back over the highway and continue for 22 km. The entrance to the reserve is signposted on the right. Start your birding here, or continue to the reserve itself, after 3km on the gravel road. The reserve office is on the right, just inside the reserve. Alternatively, take the Boekenhoutkloof offramp 45km north of Pretoria. Turn left shortly afterwards to Rust de Winter and drive for 27km. Turn right at the T-junction, and the reserve is signposted on the right as above. Good birding can be had along both these routes.

Access: At the time of writing, access was free, and (mostly) unrestricted, although confined to the area normally open for angling. Access to the eastern shore is by foot, as is access to the inlet. To visit the area below the dam wall, one has to make special arrangements. A key is available on special request to drive through the second gate.

Facilities: Camping in allowed along the shore, but facilities are limited to field toilets and braai sites (take your own wood).

Faansie Peacock 1999