The lush and charming village of Mtunzini is the perfect launchpad to target the province’s coastal forest rarities. Easily accessed, an hour north of King Shaka International Airport, it was a welcome summery respite from one of the Cape’s wettest-ever winters. It had been a couple of months since I’d wondered around outdoors in a T-shirt.
I planned three days guided by two of the area’s foremost guides, Sakhamuzi Mhlongo and Junior Gabela, both warm, engaging, passionate and expert birders. Birdlife South Africa trained and accredited. I couldn’t recommend them highly enough.
I’d spent a few days with Junior a couple of years ago and was pleased to have added Narina Trogon, Palm-nut Vulture, Rufous-winged Cisticola, and Swamp Nightjar, amongst others, to my gallery. My latest target list for the area was still some thirty birds long and I was going to be thrilled if I could add five new species (“PlusOnes”) to it.
At the top of my list were the two winter specials: Spotted Ground Thrushes head to the forests closer to the coast, and Mangrove Kingfishers migrate south from Mozambique to the mangrove swamps. I hadn’t seen either before. Close behind were Green Barbet, Southern Banded Snake Eagle and Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon. I was hoping to upgrade the glimpses I’d had, to better views, and possibly, clear photographs. We live in hope.
Spotted Ground Thrush
Remarkably, with some luck, you can find three of these five in this quaint seaside town (if you ignore a record of a pigeon that flew into someone’s window years ago). Within a 45-minute drive, inland, a handful of indigenous forests host the others as well as more avian drawcards. Mtunzini is a birding hotspot with impressive restaurants and a dark brew that coffee snobs would approve of.
Before checking in to my accommodation Junior and I headed south to the dry forest near Twinstream and within half an hour I was treated to a pair of thrushes. There are fewer than 600 of these Vulnerable-listed enigmatic birds left in South Africa. Perhaps 2,500 in all of Africa. Sadly, their preferred habitat is much diminished and their nests, built mid-canopy, are easily preyed upon by raptors, snakes and small mammals.
At sunrise we headed to the Umlalazi Nature Reserve on the edge of town in search of the attractive Mangrove Kingfisher – the last unseen member of this family on my Southern African list. Junior was also hoping that his spot for Fan-tailed Grassbird, another sought-after special, would be fruitful. Three grassbirds obliged us from a distance and by the time we left the mangrove-fringed reserve we’d seen four kingfishers. The last one stole the show, posing in even light, through a window in the aquatic trees. Two lifers and three PlusOnes in under 24 hours! Almost too good to be true.
Mangrove Kingfisher
We drove to the beautiful oNgoye Forest (30 minutes, 3,500 ha) in search of the Green Barbet. This is the only place in South Africa that it occurs. Some 150 pairs. Sadly, we only heard their distant “tjop tjop”. On our return to town, a female Black Cuckooshrike had us believing we’d just seen an Eastern Nicator fly across the road. It’s not often that the female of the species is prettier. Purple-banded, White-bellied, and Scarlet-chested Sunbirds flitted amongst the roadside flowering trees.
Back in Mtunzini I ended the day wandering the town’s green belts and parks enjoying the numerous resident White-eared Barbets and Trumpeter Hornbills.
I met Sakhamuzi at the entrance to Dlinza Forest (45 minutes, 250 ha) at sunrise the next day. This little indigenous gem is a forest birding paradise and the primary breeding grounds for the ground thrush. It is one of a handful of forests where the mythical Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon occurs. That was our main target and my third attempt here. Other treasures include Narina Trogon, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Grey Cuckooshrike, African Emerald Cuckoo, and Chorister Robin Chat. Sakhamuzi said that first light was the best time to see the pigeon, and right on cue, as we reached the top of the lookout tower, a distant female waited patiently for a minute before dashing across the vast valley, with another bird, before our eyes. Sakhamuzi assured me that they don’t come closer, and that’s if you’re lucky to see them at all. I needed no convincing. He estimated that there were 20 individuals in the forest. We’d seen 10% of the population!
We headed to Nkandla Forest (40 minutes, 7,000 ha) hoping for more pigeons, White-starred Robin, Brown Scrub Robin, and whatever other jewels this vast reserve might yield. But it was approaching midday, and over 30 degrees, and the forest was quiet. We saw the scrub robin, some Willow Warblers (early migrants), and a Knysna Turaco, but little else.
Ntumeni Forest, another Ezemvelo reserve on the way back, proved equally quiet, barring some melodious Chorister Robin Chats. I just wasn’t quick enough on the shutter release. A late afternoon stroll back in Dlinza rewarded us with no fewer than three more Spotted Ground Thrushes. They don’t all fly to the coast for the winter.
After taking stock over a beer that evening, Junior and I decided to spend the last day trying to plug some important gaps in my list, the barbet being number one. We returned to the eye-level fruiting fig trees they frequented and waited patiently for a couple of hours. Our efforts were eventually rewarded by a pair. The thick backlit trees didn’t make for the ideal image but I was very pleased to get a proper look at them.
Our luck continued as were descended the ridge out of the reserve, adding two more PlusOnes. We’d tried approaching a Croaking Cisticola earlier on foot, but the grasslands were too open, and they kept their distance. But on our way out, we were able to close the gap, shooting from the vehicle. That’s often the best strategy with these little LBJs. I now have 17 of the region’s 19 cisticolas. And a little further down the ridge we came upon a spectacular Striped Pipit. Both of these birds are striking members of their respective families. oNgoye finally came to the party.
Junior, ever keen to squeeze the most out of the last hour, had one more ace up his sleeve. The enchanting Scaly-throated Honeyguide is my favourite, of all the honeys, and he knew the whereabouts of one in Mtunzini. We heard its delightful trilling ring before we’d parked, and located him quickly. (Just look in the darkest highest patch of thick leaves.) With some manoeuvring I was able to reduce the angle, the shutter speed, my air intake, and produce an image to grace my website’s gallery. Third time lucky again.
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
As always, I left plotting my return, noting the holes and possible improvements: Gorgeous and Olive Bushshrikes were heard but not seen, Shelley’s Francolin, Brown-backed Honeybird, Red-backed Mannikin, Red-headed Quelea, White-starred Robin, Grey-rumped Swallow, delicious prawns at the Portuguese restaurant, good coffee breaks at FOMO Café. Oh, and let’s not forget the Green Barbet and snake eagle! 95 birds seen, two Lifers and seven PlusOnes in three days.
Mtunzini, I will be back.