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birding sites |  |
Northern Farm Nature Reserve
(Also known as Diepsloot Nature Reserve)
This 2500ha reserve has become one of Gauteng's most visited reserves with more than 270 species recorded.
The reserve has a wide variety of habitats including some grassland, reedbeds, agricultural fields, cattle kraals and lots of wetland areas consisting of dams and irrigation canals. The Juskei river runs along the western boundary of the reserve.
The reserve has a number of reasonably well-maintained dirt roads suitable for sedan motors.
The dams and irrigation canals are the main attraction of the reserve and birders have the opportunity to view, study or photograph numerous waterbirds for example Great Crested Grebe, African Purple Swamphen, Common Moorhen, African Black Duck, Comb Duck, Egyptian Goose, White-faced Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, Hottentot Teal, Red-billed Teal, Cape Teal, Spur-winged Goose, Cape Shoveler, Southern Pochard, Red-knobbed Coot and Little Grebe. Herons, cormorants and egrets are also extremely common and this is a good place to see the massive Goliath Heron. Always listen for warblers and flufftails in the reedbeds. Lesser Swamp-Warbler, Little Rush-Warbler, Great Reed-Warbler and Sedge Warbler are all possible as well as Red-chested Flufftail.
Northern Farm is well-known for the number of raptor species that occur here for example African Fish-Eagle (breeding), Long-crested Eagle, Ovambo Sparrowhawk, Black Sparrowhawk (breeding), African Grass-Owl, Marsh Owl, Amur Falcon, Steppe Buzzard, Lesser Kestrel, Greater Kestrel, Black-chested Snake-Eagle, Lanner Falcon and Yellow-billed Kite.
Yellow-wagtail is an uncommon summer visitor to the Gauteng area but year after year they come to Northern Farm and can be found in the cattle kraals or the short grass surrounding the cattle kraals.
Other interesting species that you can hope to find include Black-crowned Night-Heron, Little Bittern, Cape Longclaw, Red-capped Lark, Green-backed Heron, African Spoonbill, African Stonechat, Cape White-eye, Cape Grassbird, Arrow-marked Babbler, Kurrichane Thrush, Green Wood-Hoopoe, Orange-breasted Waxbill and a number of kingfishers including Giant Kingfisher, Pied Kingfisher and the beautiful Half-collared Kingfisher. Lapwings are very common and Blacksmith Lapwing, African Wattled Lapwing and Crowned Lapwings occur in the area. Also look out for swallows and swifts including Sand Martin.
Directions
GPS Coordinates
Lat: 25° 56' 15''S
Lon: 27° 59' 02''E
From Johannesburg Airport take the R21 towards Pretoria. Before reaching Centurion take the N14 towards Krugersdorp. Continue on the N14 till you reach the R511William Nicol turnoff and turn left onto the R511 at the bottom of the off-ramp. Pass under the freeway and immediately turn left onto the R114 Muldersdrift road. Travel on this road to the Northern Farm entrance (+- 5.4km).
To reach the tickets sales office continue with the Muldersdrift road for another +- 2.7km and turn right onto a tar road at the "Riverfield Lodge Hospital" sign (before Heron Bridge College and before the Jukskei River). This road leads to Riverfield Lodge Hospital. At the end of the tar follow the dirt road left and then right under the N14 highway. Continue along this road for 400m until you see the next "Northern farm Access Cards" sign, and turn left onto the property. Continue down and park where indicated.
Additional Information
Facilities
There is one hide in the reserve, ablution facilities and an education centre.
Open times
Please note that access to the reserve is only allowed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Tickets must be bought at SA Trails before entering the reserve. See directions above. No money will be taken at the entrance to Northern Farm. Tickets are sold from 6:30am – 6:00pm on weekends and Public holidays
06h30 to 17h30 - 1 April to 31 August.
06h00 to 18h00 - 1 September to 31 March.
For more information about this site see: http://www.northernfarm.co.za/