Soetdoring Nature Reserve

Soetdoring Nature Reserve, with its western dam section olive Hills, straddles the Modder River in the central Free State and is one of the best birding spots near Bloemfontein. About 284 species have been recorded in the reserve and surrounded areas along the river, and up to 140 species in summer are possible in a day visit to the reserve. Access to the reserve is from the Bloemfontein-Bultfontein road (R700) or from the Bloemfontein-kimberley road (R64); the reserve is about 40 kilometers from Bloemfontein's city centre (about 20 minutes drive).

Habitats
Habitats include the Modder River with reedbeds and Salix spp. trees on river banks while more open water habitats and shorelines is available on olive Hills side of the Krugersdrift Dam. Land habitats include grasslands with more open karoo-veld areas, wooded hillsides dominated by Olea species bush near Predator Park and thornveld along the shores of the dam and tributaries, and riverine thickets along riverbanks.

Specials
The dam attracts large numbers of South African Shelduck, Spur-winged Goose and Egyptian Goose, together with several other duck and water associated species. Goliath Heron and Caspian Tern are regularly observed along shores and over open water of dam. Other characteristic non-water associated birds of the reserve include Martial Eagle, Kori Bustard, Double-banded Courser, White-fronted Bee-eater, Karoo Scrub-Robin and Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Rufous-eared Warbler and Namaqua Warbler, just to name a few.

Birding
The best birding is in the area accessed from the reserve offices which are just off the R700 from Bloemfontein to Bultfontein. Before entering the reserve, travel just beyond the signposted entrance and stop at the bridge over the Modder River. A large breeding colony of South African Cliff-Swallow underneath the bridge provides spectacular views of large numbers of swallows moving to and from their nests. White-rumped Swift and Little Swift also breed here while Goliath Heron and Grey Heron forage along the open stretches of water. Look for African Black Duck upstream of the bridge, and for Black Crake in the reeds.

After entering the reserve's main gate, a drive along the road through the grassland areas to the south-western part of the reserve is recommended. Grassland birds such as Kurrichane Buttonquail, Northern Black Korhaan, Ant-eating Chat, Long-tailed Widowbird, Rufous-naped Lark, Eastern Clapper Lark, Red-capped Lark, Spike-heeled Lark, Large-billed Lark, Melodious Lark and other grassland birds such as Black Harrier (summer), Orange River Francolin, Desert Cisticola and both Greater Striped Swallow and Red-breasted Swallow are common. If you are lucky, a solitary Kori Bustard or a pair of Secretarybird may be encountered.

The road through the grassland circles down towards the river and the upper reaches of the dam, with associated emergent reedbeds and thornveld. A stop at most of the picnic sites as well as a walk to the river bank will add some interesting birds. Specials of the thornveld along river include Gabar Goshawk, Natal Spurfowl, Red-chested Cuckoo, White-fronted Bee-eater, Cardinal Woodpecker, Pearl-breasted Swallow (summer), Kalahari Scrub-Robin and Karoo Scrub-Robin, Pririt Batis, Brown-crowned Tchagra and several more thornveld-like species. Recent surprises in 2000 and 2001 (after good rainfall) were Common Cuckoo and African Cuckoo,  Eurasian Golden Oriole and recently Striped Kingfisher (still to be confirmed!). Listen for Namaqua Warbler in the riverine thickets, while Little Bittern, Green-backed Heron and Burchell's Coucal are sighted from time to time in the reedbeds along the river. Red-billed Firefinch, Black-faced Waxbill, Orange-breasted Waxbill and Green-winged Pytilia frequent the moist grass near river of inlets of dam and in thornveld along river. Look out for Village Indigobird at picnic sites along river while Shaft-tailed Whydah seemed to be more common along stretches of thornveld along Modder River near Glen.

The Krugersdrift Dam part of the reserve on the kimberley road (R64) is the best spot to observe waterbirds. Waders such as Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper and Ruff are common summer migrants while Common Ringed Plover, Kittlitz's Plover, Ruddy Turnstone (in 1998), Pied Avocet and Black-winged Stilt also forage along the shoreline. Larger waterbirds may include Yellow-billed Stork (summer), Caspian Tern foraging over the open water, both Greater Flamingo and Lesser Flamingo, and several others. Yellow Wagtail has been observed along the shoreline on few occasions - the last in February 1999. Near the Predator Camp in a grassy bay, Bar-tailed Godwit were observed for a few days in October 2000.

After the high rainfall months during January and February 1998, a number of interesting species were recorded on the reserve, some as vagrants. During March two to three pairs of White-winged Widowbird were observed in a riverine area with long grass. At the dam near the Train bush Camp, in the vicinity of the Predator Parks, Great Crested Grebe, Fulvous Duck and Comb Duck were observed until June. Also, along the Modder River in summer is Red-chested Cuckoo, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Barn Owl, Spotted Eagle-Owl and Rattling Cisticola recorded once downstream the Modder River.

Other interesting species recorded up and downstream of the Modder River (not recorded in reserve) include Common Whitethroat and recent sightings of Caspian Plover near gravel road before reaching olive Hills entrance on Dealesville road in February 2000. Large numbers (makes count 142) were counted in old fallow land. At the surrounded pans near reserve Lesser Flamingo and Greater Flamingo, Chestnut-banded Plover and Black-necked Grebe were recorded from time to time.

General
The reserve offices are at the access point from the Bloemfontein-Bultfontein road; this is the part of the reserve where most of the birding is recommended. An entrance fee per vehicle is payable at the gate and a map of the recommended routes and picnic sites along the river is available. There is also access to the Predator Park where a pride of lions and other predators may be viewed. Limited accommodation is available in the form of a train bush camp for groups and reserve staff at office can be contacted on (051) 4339002 for more details and accommodation reservations.

The BirdLife south Africa guide "The birds of Soetdoring Nature Reserve and adjacent areas, central Free State" by author (D. H. de Swardt) published in 2000 is available at R25-00 at Birdlife offices (order from info@birdlife.org.co.za) and is a must when visiting the Soetdoring Nature Reserve.

Dawie de Swardt 2001.