Text by Melissa Siebert. Photos curtesy Gray family

Birds are one of the big draws of magical Limpopo Province: more than 400 species call its lush forests and dramatic mountains home, with many endemic to the area.

Di Gray and family, devoted birders from Cape Town, saw 211 species on a recent holiday travelling through Limpopo’s Soutpansberg, Pafuri (Kruger
National Park’s northernmost section), and Magoebaskloof – all spectacular and worth visiting, even if not after birds. Home base for most of the trip were two Transfrontier Parks Destinations-managed properties: Awelani Lodge, 12 km from Pafuri Gate, and Nahakwe Lodge, 90 minutes north of Polokwane. Both
offered attractions beyond birds, though birds were the stars of the trip.

‘We love birds,’ says Di, a paediatrician at Children’s Red Cross Hospital in Rondebosch. ‘It’s a wonderful way to be together, like being on one big treasure
hunt. And we each enjoy it for different reasons…’

Limpopo is a ‘fantastic destination’ for birding, Di says. ‘Accessible, beautiful and with great diversity, it competes well with northern KZN.

‘We were very lucky to have three birding days with guide Samson Mulaudzi,’ she continues. ‘He’s amazing, and knows where to find some very special birds.
We learnt so much from him, about birds and the area [check out Samson’s website at www.birdingsoutpansberg-venda.co.za, where he recommends some
birding hotspots]. We’d highly recommend including guided bird walks with a local expert.’

Of the 211 species sighted, Di says, these were their favourites: Pel’s Fishing Owl; Blue-spotted Wood Dove; Allen’s Gallinule; African Pygmy Goose; Orange-
breasted Waxbill; Bat Hawk; Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher; African Golden Oriole; Mosque Swallow; Grey-headed Parrot; Bronze-winged Courser; Starred

Robin; Yellow-fronted Woodland Warbler; Black-fronted Bush-shrike; Barratt’s Warbler; and lots of woodpeckers, bee-eaters and indigo birds.

They also saw, among them, 49 ‘lifers’: a species that individual sighted and positively identified for the first time.

Each family member – Di, husband David, and sons Nate, 14, and Ben, 12, — had their own best sighting, though the Pel’s Fishing Owl spotted at Pafuri’s Crooks’ Corner seemed to take first prize for all.

‘For me another highlight was the Freckled Nightjar swooping around us while we sundownered on a rock overlooking Awelani,’ Di says. ‘Ben knows a lot about
birds and loves to watch them (he especially loved watching a Lemon Dove up close), learn about them and draw them. He’s a budding photographer, and
Limpopo was a dream for that! Nate loves the outdoors and ticking off birds. He has a special love for owls, especially Verreaux’s (Giant) Eagle Owl – so seeing
them, and the Pel’s, was an enormous treat.’

Awelani and Nahakwe – both lodges owned by the local communities – offer much more than birding, of course.

‘We went for a lot of walks,’ Di says. ‘Just walking around Nahakwe and Awelani you see beautiful birds and wildlife…

‘We loved Awelani. It’s so peaceful, and we really enjoyed the landscape. As there are no predators, we had some stunning runs in the bush there. We spotted
Black-headed Oriole, Cut-throat Finch, White-fronted Helmet Shrike and Hornbills, among others, while just lazing about. We also saw genet. Plus,
Awelani has many giant baobabs and rock art. The caves there are fun to explore – and we had a magical evening meal in one of them.

‘We stayed in Kremtart cottage there,’ Di continues. ‘Extremely comfortable and tasteful. The outdoor shower was a special addition. We self-catered most of the

time. There was everything we needed and a lovely outdoor braai area facing into the bush. You can really forget about the rest of the world as you enjoy that
space.

‘Nahakwe is also a deeply relaxing place,’ she adds. ‘Luxurious chalets, tastefully decorated and very comfortable. We loved the view from our chalet and also
from the restaurant deck at sunset – and the restaurant’s food is delicious. Both Awelani and Nahakwe have lovely pools… ’

If you haven’t had enough birding in the north, another of Limpopo’s birding hotpots is the area around Kurisa Moya Nature Lodge [https://www.krm.co.za/],
where Di and family also stayed. Tucked away in the Magoebaskloof forests, Kurisa Moya boasts more than 250 bird species in five different habitats, and is
where you can meet up with master bird guide David Letsoalo.

‘Like a magician, he helped us find almost every bird on our list!’ Di says.

‘The sound of bird call is everywhere at Kurisa Moya,’ Di continues. ‘We couldn’t believe how many lifers we saw in the car park! And David lived up to his
reputation – we arranged an afternoon forest walk, letting him know what we were hoping to see (Chorister Robin-Chat, White-starred Robin, Black-fronted
Bush-shrike, Barratt’s Warbler, Green Twinspot) and without fail, except for the Twinspot which was not around, we saw them all.

‘David knows so much about birds’ calls, habits and jizz [the overall impression of a bird derived from features such as shape, posture, how it flies and otherwise
moves, size, colour, voice, habitat and location], she says. ‘You learn a lot along the way. David’s also a font of information about the beautiful forest, which feels
primeval with its ancient trees…

‘And just in our cabin – nestled in the forest canopy, like a treehouse – we had Chorister Robin-Chat, Knysna Turaco, Barratt’s Warbler, and Blue-mantled
Flycatcher flitting around us. We could hear the African Wood Owls hooting at night. Plus, the cabins are equipped with everything you need – including the
rarely spotted coffee plunger! We couldn’t recommend birding with David enough – though there’s also a rewarding bird hide and walks you can do
yourself…’

Hearing Di enthuse about all the birds they saw in such jaw-dropping yet restorative scenery gives one pause. How many times on a game drive have we
driven past, puzzled, at what some guy has his binocs trained on up a tree, or in the distance? And even said, ‘oh, it’s just a bird’?…Maybe next time, instead of
pressing on for that lion, ellie, cheetah, or giraffe, we should stop and look more closely.