African Wildlife & Environment Issue 80

DESTINATIONS

Magalies Park A RELAXING EXPERIENCE

This prime destination is set at the foot of the Magaliesberg Mountains, and combines the best of nature, with the best of leisure activities and accommodation. If you're looking for a great new place to spend time with the family, whilst surrounded by the beauty and tranquility of nature, look no further than Magalies Park. For the sheer number of facilities and experiences on offer, Magalies Park is considered one of the most desirable resorts in the North West Province.

Article & photographs: JohnWesson

The park straddles the northern shore of the Magalies River as it enters the dam, some 10 km from Hartbeespoort. The resort and golf course are set in 120 ha of well-landscaped park-like gardens with many features to attract all forms of wildlife, especially birds. The park boasts many water ponds as well as extensive river frontage, with large stands of mostly indigenous trees. As a bonus one has direct views of the mountain to the north of the park and its Skeerpoort Cape Vulture colony numbering over 250 breeding pairs of the birds. The gardens and woodlands attract many garden and woodland species of birds and the water areas attract a number of duck species. Egyptian Geese and Hadedas are the more common species.The Half- collared Kingfisher can be spotted along the river or at one of the many water features.Typical birds along the river frontage are Black Crake, African Jacana, Red knobbed Coot, a number of warbler species, weavers including the Thick-billedWeaver. In dead trees along the banks one often finds the African Darter, White-breasted Cormorant, Reed Cormorant and a number of heron species, including the Goliath- and Black-crowned Night Heron. The more common Giant, Malachite and Pied Kingfishers are ever-present, while in the woodland one finds the Brown-hooded Kingfisher and in summer theWoodland Kingfisher.This park provides easy leisurely birding for all ages and provides birding opportunities at all times of the day.

This resort is a 30-minute drive from Lanseria Airport and 50 km from Pretoria on the R 560 and a short distance from Kosmos and the new road over the Magaliesberg at Pampoen Nek. The ever present Malachite Kingfisher, the jewel of this water way, often seen darting low over the water from reed to reed

John Wesson jwesson@wessanorth.co.za

41 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 80 (2021)