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The
Knersvlakte
This
lowland expanse at the southern edge of Namaqualand, which
consists of a mosaic of quartz-strewn plains and sandy dunes,
is perhaps best known for the diversity of miniature succulent
plants which survive on the seemingly barren, rocky plains.
It is definitely worth a brief roadside stop to see these
bizarre succulents, large numbers of which can be observed
adjacent to the N7 national road — for example, opposite
the ‘Douse-the-Glim’ sign (22.6 km north of Vanrhynsdorp).
The name Knersvlakte, or ‘gnashing plains’, probably
refers to the crunching noise made by pioneers’ wagon
wheels as they crossed the expanses littered with quartz stones.
Greater
Kestrel and Black Crow
are regularly seen at the roadside in this area, their untidy
stick nests conspicuously perched on telephone poles. Few
birds are present on the stony plains, and the sandy areas
offer the best birding. To reach an especially rewarding spot,
travel along the N7 and, 14 km north of Vanrhynsdorp, take
the road to the west signposted ‘Soutfontein’ (just
before the Varsch River). Continue for 3.6 km. Among the more
interesting birds you should see are Namaqua Sandgrouse,
European Bee-eater (spring and summer), Clapper
Lark (p.116*), Karoo Lark, Spike-heeled
Lark, Cape Penduline Tit (see p.81), Ant-eating
Chat and Rufous-eared Warbler. Check for Pririt
Batis (p.85*) in the denser vegetation along the Varsch
River. Note that from Vanrhynsdorp you can visit Nieuwoudtville
(p.87) and, beyond that, Bushmanland (p.86).
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4 Crassula Way, Pinelands, 7405, Cape Town, South Africa
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27/09/09: Dalton
Gibbs reports back from Gough
Island! Read the blog!
26/09/09: New Cape
Town Pelagics trip report from trips of 12 and 19 September
2009.
30/08/09: British
Birdwatching Fair at Rutland Water proved very successful,
with sunny weather and over 20,000 visitors. Callan's "Birding
Namibia and the Okavango" was the most highly-attended
lecture on the Saturday, with over 240 people. Congratulations
to the winners of the Birding Africa competition and the
African Bird Club raffle that we helped sponsor!
12/08/09: New Cape
Town Pelagics trip reports from August and July 2009.
Highlights: Little
Shearwater and more!
07/08/09: The
sub-adult Black Sarrowhawk visits our garden again! Read
on about Raptor Research in the Western Cape.
27/07/09: Cape
Town's Verreauxs' Eagle Chick has grown! And its sibling
never had a chance to hatch. See the pictures of the chick,
its nest and the breeding pair. Find out more about the Western
Cape Raptor Research Programme.
27/07/09: To follow modern nomenclature and systematics, we've
adopted the IOC
World Bird List, Version 2.1.
13/07/09: The 8th
African Bird ID Challenge has launched! Win a 50% discount
on a Cape Town Pelagics
trip, a copy of Southern
African Birdfinder, or African
Bird Club membership for 1 year.
6 July 09: Cape
White-eye research in our garden.
2 July 09: Cape
Town's Verreauxs' Eagle Chick has hatched! See the pictures
of the chick, its nest and the breeding pair. Find out more
about the Western Cape Raptor Research Programme.
2 July 09: Campbell
Fleming, a Cape Town scholar, avid birder and photographer,
joined Birding Africa last month as an intern. Click here,
to see what he got up to.
2 July 09: New pelagic
trip reports from the Cape Town Pelagics trips in June
2009. Highlights: Slenderbilled
Prion and Leach's Storm Petrel
30 july 09: Our latest Cape Fynbos and Karoo trip
reports feature Hottentot
Buttonquail, Cinnamon-breasted
Warbler and other fynbos and Karoo endemics...
26 June 09: Tungsten
mining threatens RAMSAR site, South Africa's Verlorenvlei.
Read the Media Release.
22 June 09: Claire
Spottiswoode, one of the Cape Birding Route founders,
was part of the exploratory team at Mount Mabu. The mountain
is part of the newly discovered largest
rainforest in Southern Africa.
11 June 09: A colour-ringed
Black Sparrowhawk visits the Birding Africa office garden.
Read why it's a 10 months old male!
14 June 09:
Wildlife
at the office of The Cape Birding Route, Birding Africa
and Cape Town Pelagics.
31 May 09:
Michel Watelet wins the 7th African Bird Club & Birding Africa
ID Challenge. Test your African birding skills and WIN
a Birding
Africa Cape town day trip or a copy of the Birdfinder!
30 May 09:
A tragedy unfolds at Kommetjie south of Cape town as 44 beached
False
Killer Whales were shot. Click here for more details and
pictures.
14 March 09: Raptor
Watch in Cape Town on 14 March 09
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