Buffalo Hills

This property is set in a relatively small grazing meadow surrounded by hills, which was originally a dairy farm, and has unashamedly restocked with original indigenous wildlife. It does offer a reasonably priced game encounter in a very relaxed setting, holding some well nourished free roaming species. It also holds some interesting birds. Our accommodation was overlooking the open plain, and was contained within an electric fence. This enclosed a well mown lawn, and one or two trees, backing on to the forest, holding mainly Cape Weaver, Greater Double-collared Sunbird, and a single male Black Cuckoo-shrike, showing both yellow shoulder and gape. Around the reserve, apart from the usual ubiquitous Helmeted Guineafowl, we also picked out Jackal Buzzard circling overhead, African Hoopoe on the ground, and at least 3-4 Fork-tailed Drongos feeding from low perches.

Friday morning
We were due to go on a game walk through the forest at 8am, so I awoke early and looked for the birds contained within the electrified fence area of the accommodation beforehand. This is only a very small part of the reserve, and looks out over the grazing plain, but did play host to a small but interesting assortment of birds. Cape Weavers were again the most noisy and obvious, with a small colony of nests in one of the nearby trees. As expected, Common Fiscals were dotted around the premises. Doves were of three varieties – Laughing, Ring-necked, and Red-eyed, but the Black Cuckoo-shrike of the previous evening couldn’t be refound. A pair of Fiscal Flycatchers hunted insects to the calls of Greater Double-collared Sunbirds. A loud bubbling call within the edge of the forest was traced, and eventually an elusive Southern Boubou emerged on to a branch above me. Helmeted Guineafowl were a constant sight, along with a single Sacred Ibis feeding on the open grass. After a delicious breakfast taken on the lawn, the walk was both informative and enjoyable, and had held the potential of Narina Trogon, which was possibly heard, but certainly not seen. Only birds seen during the forest walk were Cape Robin-chats and Sombre Greenbul.