Tanqua Karoo National Park and surrounds

The Tanqua Karoo National Park is one of the most unique national parks in the country. It is situated about midway between Ceres and Calvinia, 110 km north of Ceres and 90 km south of Calvinia, next to the R355 road and the greatest part lies in the northern cape. It is a very remote area and great parts are stony desert. The park and surrounding areas receive an average rainfall of about 50–70 mm per annum in the west which increases to about 200 mm per annum on the Roggeveld Mountains in the east. The Tankwa river which forms the southern boundary of the park for a long distance, almost cuts the area in two halves, but several other rivers draining from the Roggeveld Mountains cross the park. The mean July minimum temperature is 5,7°C and the mean January maximum temperature is 35,9°C.

At the moment it covers an area of about 80 000 ha which consists mainly of plains with a small part in the Roggeveld Mountains. Land extension is still taking place and it is one of the priority areas for conservation.

At the moment the park is not yet open to the general public but special arrangements can be make with the Park Manager. The bird list consists of 86 species, but the list for the whole area is 174 species. The park's list is still not complete and more species will be added as the list is updated. The best time to visit the park is in spring.

Specials
Typical specials of the dry west include Ludwig's Bustard, Karoo Korhaan, Karoo Eremomela, Tractrac Chat, Karoo Chat, Burchell's Courser, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Karoo Lark, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Black-eared Sparrowlark, Karoo Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler, African Rock Pipit, Dusky Sunbird and Black-headed Canary.

Habitats
Flat Karooveld with little riverine bushes on the southern boundary and a small patch of cliffs and mountainous area in the east.

Facilities
None in the park. A network of old farm tracks cross the park which are only accessible by 4x4 or high clearance vehicles. No road signs so you have to know the area or have a GPS not to be lost on this flat area. No overnight facilities in the park at this stage.

Birding
In the park birding can only be undertaken after arrangements with the Park Manager who will furnish you with a “not to scale” map and explains the road. Otherwise you have to use a guide who is familiar with the area.

The area near the Park Manager’s house is karoo koppies which hosts Pale-winged Starling, Cape Bunting and Grey Tit, with the occasional Verreauxs' Eagle and Jackal Buzzard visiting from the nearby Roggeveld Mountains. Look at the slopes for Karoo Eremomela, Rufous-eared Warbler and Grey-backed Cisticola.

The flat plains are covered with bushman grass (Stipagrostis sp.) and host species such as Capped Wheatear, Karoo Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Karoo Long-billed Lark, Namaqua Sandgrouse, Lark-like Bunting, Yellow Canary, Black-headed Canary, White-throated Canary, Grey-backed Cisticola and Black-eared Sparrowlark. Raptors which occur are Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Rock Kestrel, Greater Kestrel and visitors such as Martial Eagle and Black-chested Snake-Eagle. Steppe Buzzard (in summer) can also be seen. Pied Crow are breeding residents who scavenge the area and Ludwig’s Bustards occur in huge numbers during winter and spring.

In the more barren areas be on the lookout for Double-banded Courser, Burchell's Courser, Red-capped Lark, Tractrac Chat and Karoo Korhaan.

Where riverine bush occurs you can look for Pririt Batis, Dusky Sunbird, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, White-backed Mousebird, Fairy Flycatcher, Acacia Pied Barbet, Karoo Scrub-Robin and African Red-eyed Bulbul.

Waterbirds are very scarce because of the lack of open water and only occur for short periods after rains and at the southern boundary of the park where there is a weir in the Tankwa River.

The area near the Tanqua Guest House is rich of birdlife and about 50 species of birds can be seen here. Look around the airstrip for Burchell's Courser, Tractrac Chat, Capped Wheatear and Thickbilled Lark. ASK PERMISSION AT THE GUEST HOUSE to bird the irrigation dam and lucerne fields where Cape Spurfowl, Common Quail, Black Stork, Namaqua Warbler, Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Greater Flamingo, ducks and waterbirds occur.

Birding can also be done along the P2250 (Middelpos road which turns off the R355) and runs up the beautiful Gannagas Pass where African Rock Pipit, Layard's Tit-Babbler, Karoo Eremomela, Mountain Wheatear Pale-winged Starling and Black-headed Canary occur. Also look for Black Eagle and Whitenecked Raven on the pass.

You can also bird the road to Sutherland via the Ouberg Pass which turns off the P2250. Ouberg is a spectacular pass rising up the Roggeveld escarpment with possibilities of African Rock Pipit, Sickle-winged Chat, Long-billed Pipit, Pale-winged Starling and where boulders occur, Cape Eagle-Owl.

General
No accommodation is available in the park. There is a guest house, Tanqua Guest House (Tel: +27 27 341 2366, email: apburger@hantam.co.za ) on the southern boundary of the park. You can also arrange access to the park through the guest house. A small resort with chalets and a camping site, De Mond, (tel 027 - 3412330 ) is about 30 km from the park. There is also a very birder- friendly guest house at Klein Cedarberg (Tel:+27 23 317 0783, email: info@kleincedarberg.co.za, website: www.kleincedarberg.co.za) which is about 90 km from the park.

The park is not signposted at the moment and you can contact the Park Manager Tel/Fax: +27 27 341 2389/1927, email: letsiec@sanparks.org  who will give you directions to his office. From there he will give you directions for birding.

Entrance to the park has to be arranged with the Park Manager.

Some other private game reserves with good birding in the area are Inverdoorn Game Reserve (Tel: +27 23 316 1264), Kagga Kamma Private Game Reserve (Tel: +27 21 872 4343, Fax: +27 21 872 4524, email: info@kaggakamma.co.za, website: http://www.kaggakamma.co.za), and Fort Tierkloof (Tel: +27 23 316 1944, email: karbonet@telkomsa.net) .

Bird Guide
You can contact Japie Claassen for bird guiding in the park and in the Tanqua Karoo and Koue Bokkeveld in general. His contact numbers are 0837247916 / 023 – 3170884 or e-mail claassen@cybertrade.co.za

Japie Claassen 2004.