Male (or Orange-breasted) Rock-jumpers are perhaps the most charismatic of the Drakensberg specials. They differ from Cape Rock-jumpers mainly in having paler bellies, and are sometimes considered to be merely a subspecies of the Cape species.

latter are by no means confined to rocky fences, while the females tend to remain areas and often perch on fence poles in on the ground or in vegetation. open . In terms of bigger , Grey-winged One of the most abundant birds is Francolins are abundant, as are Common the African Stonechat, with its stunning Quails in the grassier areas. Naude’s Nek males and dowdier females. They often also offers something for the raptorphile. hawk insects from the fences that line Jackal Buzzards are common, presum- the roadside. Sickle-winged Chats also are ably because of the high densities of quite common; they superficially resem- Slogget’s ice rats that occur on the sum- ble a washed-out Familiar Chat, but they mit. Cape Vultures often soar overhead, are more slender and have a pale gold while Secretarybirds stride across the Naude’s Nek eye-ring. In flight, the buffy rump and grassy slopes. With luck, you will see the bases of the outer tail feathers are dis- unmistakable shape of a Bearded Vulture On a high in the Drakensberg tinctive. These birds favour areas with as it glides along the ridges. At night, the scrubby bushes, which they share with deep hooting of Cape Eagle-Owls carries peter ryan (2) Layard’s Tit-Babblers and the exquisite across the valleys. But those who really Alpine habitats are not renowned for their high diversity of birds, but they often support a summer. In winter, snow is a real possibil- Fairy Flycatchers. Warblers are relatively want a challenge can try to track down ity. Alternatively, Tenahead Lodge is being scarce, being represented only by a few one of the Striped Flufftails which call number of endemic species. The main Drakensberg massif of and is no built on a side road four kilometres north Karoo Prinias and Wing-snapping and from the grassy slopes. exception, with Drakensberg Rock-jumpers, Mountain and Drakensberg Siskins the star of the highest point. Wailing cisticolas. Notwithstanding the rock-jumpers and If the weather is kind, the birding is Yellow and Cape canaries are regular, siskins, Naude’s Nek is country. It is attractions. Naude’s Nek, in the , offers all three in abundance, plus plenty of other straightforward, with most of the birds but probably the most abundant seed- here that John Mendelsohn and Ian  good birds. Peter Ryan recently revisited his favourite birding spot in the ’Berg, and took the easily seen from the comfort of your car. eaters are Drakensberg Siskins. Like their Drakensberg Rock-jumpers literally hop Cape counterpart, they usually occur in opportunity to have a close look at the enigmatic Mountain Pipit. across the road in the rockier areas, and small flocks, and often fly long distances, often sit quite unconcernedly on road- which can be frustrating if you’re trying to

t 2 500 metres, Naude’s Nek is teaux before descending steeply to Elands Like most areas, the best time to side boulders. It is rewarding to spend follow a group. In flight, their ‘vooip-verp’ Johannesburg touted as the highest public road Heights, where one has the choice of at Naude’s Nek is early in the morning, some time with these peculiar birds, try- contact call is distinctive, and at close in South Africa. From the west, heading either south to Maclear or east to hopefully before the clouds have risen ing to infer the web of kinship that range the white inner webs to the outer south africa Lesotho the road leads from Barkly East, . The western slope is drier from the valleys below. This requires an might allow several males and females tail feathers are striking, almost wagtail- Durban A Rhodes through the sleepy hamlet of Rhodes, and and the vegetation scrubbier than the early start if you are based in one of the to exist in seemingly tightly knit groups. like. With a little patience, they can be then climbs gradually over the main east. Birding is good all along the road, several charming B&B options in Rhodes. They are joined in their rocky habitat observed at close range as they feed on Naude’s Nek Cape Town Drakensberg range. For about 10 kilome- but the main target species are found at Hardier birders may wish to camp on the by Ground Woodpeckers, Cape Buntings grass seeds and buds. In early summer, the tres it meanders across grassy alpine pla- the summit. Nek itself, but this can be chilly, even in and Sentinel Rock-Thrushes, although the males sing from perches, such as roadside

28 naude’s nek africa – birds & birding june/july 2006 naude’s nek 29 Sinclair first recognised that the pipits on In summer, Mountain Pipits are abun- the high plateaux were distinctly differ- dant on the summit of Naude’s Nek, ent from the African Pipits in the lower becoming increasingly less so as you valleys, prompting the recognition of descend, and finally disappearing at the Mountain Pipit as a distinct species. around 2 000 metres. By comparison, The large, well-marked montane form African Pipits are abundant at lower ele- had been collected in the highlands of vations, especially in ploughed fields, Lesotho by Jack Vincent in 1946 and becoming less common as you ascend the Clive Quickelberge in 1968, but it was pass. Both species regularly perch on fenc- only when they were collected alongside es, but in my experience Mountain Pipits ‘normal’ African Pipits at Naude’s Nek by are less likely to undertake aerial displays Mendelsohn and Sinclair that their spe- than African Pipits, calling instead from cies status was recognised. Phillip Clancey the ground or a low perch. Don’t be then linked the skins to a series of birds confused by the many Large-billed Larks collected in the Northern Cape, , which also perch on the fences. The east- Namibia, north-eastern Angola, north- ern subspecies has a rather small bill, but western and southern DRC, and it is still much heavier than any pipit’s argued that Mountain Pipits breed in the bill. It also has a small, erectile crest and a Drakensberg in summer, then migrate ‘squeaky gate’ song that is quite different Sentinel Rock-Thrushes often perch on north in winter. Accordingly, the oldest from the pipits’ songs. fence poles in open grassland. name for the species is Anthus hoeschi, named by Erwin Stresemann in 1938, ountain and African pipits are distance away to inspect this curiously based on the type-specimen collected in not the only pipits found at noisy intruder. the Erongo Mountains of Namibia by Naude’s Nek. The vulnerable The final pipit that may be seen is the Walter Hoesch. MYellow-breasted Pipit occurs often-elusive African Rock Pipit. More The migration of Mountain Pipits is patchily on the summit and on the eastern frequently heard than seen, this bird is very poorly known. Most birds depart slopes, where it favours fairly level, grassy best located by the male’s piercing song, from their montane breeding areas areas, and is unlikely to be seen from the which is delivered from a perch on a between April and October, but there road. It is best located by walking until rocky outcrop. When not singing, this are reports of birds overwintering in you flush one, and then (with patience) species is remarkably easy to overlook, as Lesotho. Away from the Drakensberg, you can watch it stalking through the it forages unobtrusively on the ground. peter ryan (6) Mountain Pipits are either overlooked grass in search of caterpillars and other Naude’s Nek appears little changed from Above The heavily marked face and breast of a Mountain Pipit. Note also the pinkish or are misidentified as other pipit spe- insect prey. In early summer, males may when I first visited almost 20 years ago. base to its bill; this is yellow in . cies, because there are no Atlas records reveal themselves by their ‘wink’ song, The area is not formally conserved, but from the presumed migration routes. given in aerial display but, unlike many to date there appears to be little pressure to The large, grassland pipits are arguably other pipits, this is seldom sustained. transform the alpine . Hopefully the most confusing group to identify in Occasionally they even respond to pish- it will remain a haven for the endemic southern Africa, so it is useful to become ing, hovering overhead or landing some birds of the high Drakensberg.  familiar with birds of known identity. At Naude’s Nek, Mountain Pipits are distinctly larger and heavier than adjacent populations of African Pipits, recalling Long-billed or Plain-backed pipits in struc- ture. At close range, the gape and mouth are distinctly pink, not yellowish, and the outer webs of the outer tail feathers are buffy, not white. In early summer, adults are characterised by fresh plumage, which makes them appear more crisply and heavily streaked than African Pipits, which breed in fairly worn plumage. However, the most distinctive difference between the two species is their vocalisations. In aerial display, the structure of both species’ songs is similar, a repetitive ‘tlip- The Mountain Pipit (above, left) appears larger and heavier than the African Pipit Above The Vulnerable Yellow-breasted tlip-tlip tlip-tlip-tlip...’, but Mountain Pipits (above, centre), with a pink base to the bill and buffy outer tail feathers. In early Pipit occurs patchily on level, grassy areas have a much slower, deeper call. They are summer, adults have fresh plumage (the bird shown here is still growing one tail on the summit. also more likely to give one or more ‘trlup’ feather) whereas African Pipits have worn plumage. or ‘chlup’ call notes while perched. Near Rhodes, on the approach to Naude’s Nek.

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