The Wildebeest's guide to South Africa
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, Umzinto area
Afrikaans name: Vernon Crookes Natuur Reservaat
One of the dams in Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve
Photo © Steven Herbert
KwaZulu-Natal
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve is situated on some hills inland from Scottburgh and Park Rynie. The nearest town is Umzinto. Vernon Crookes is surrounded by fields of sugar cane.
The reserve is popular venue for bird-watchers and over 300 species of birds have been sighted over the years. Here is a bird checklist.
The main mammal species that you are likely to encounter are Burchell's Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and Blesbok but with luck you may find others.
Apparently Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve is home to the worlds largest earth worms which may grow up to 2.6 metres in length (they sound like snakes to me!).
The reserve is a great place for a picnic and is less than an hours drive from Durban. There is some accommodation available in the reserve.
Photo © Steven Herbert
Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve has an impressive checklist of birds. One of the benefits of this reserve is that you can get out of your car.Above - Crowned Cranes photographed near the large communications mast. They breed regularly in this area.
Below - a Lesser Honeyguide photographed at the main picnic site. The clump of trees in the middle of the picnic site is quite a good birding area.
Photo © Steven Herbert
Some mammals to look for:
Common Duiker
Large Grey Mongoose
Tree Hyrax
White-tailed mongoose
Checklist of some of the birds to be seen at Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve
Common Quail
White-backed Duck
Scaly-throated Honeyguide
Greater Honeyguide
Brown-backed Honeybird
Olive Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Red-fronted Tinkerbird
African Pygmy-Kingfisher
Red-chested Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo
African Emerald Cuckoo
African Black Swift
White-rumped Swift
African Wood-Owl
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Lemon Dove
Buff-spotted Flufftail
Red-chested Flufftail
Striped Flufftail
Great Snipe
Black-tailed Godwit
Red Phalarope
African Jacana
African Cuckoo Hawk
African Crowned Eagle
Eurasian Hobby
African Broadbill
Blue-mantled Crested-Flycatcher
Southern Tchagra
Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike
Cape Batis
Black Cuckooshrike
Rock Martin
Black Saw-wing
Terrestrial Brownbul
Cape Grassbird
Broad-tailed Warbler
Barratt's Warbler
Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler
Lazy Cisticola
Croaking Cisticola
Neddicky
Zitting Cisticola
Pale-crowned Cisticola
Wing-snapping Cisticola
Bar-throated Apalis
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Green-backed Camaroptera
Cape Rock-Thrush
Ashy Flycatcher
White-starred Robin
Chorister Robin-Chat
Brown Scrub-Robin
Familiar Chat
Greater Double-collared Sunbird
Dark-backed Weaver
Red-collared Widowbird
Orange-breasted Waxbill
African Quailfinch
Swee Waxbill
Green Twinspot
Grey Waxbill
African Firefinch
Yellow-throated Petronia
Mountain Wagtail
Striped Pipit
Plain-backed Pipit
Long-billed Pipit
Short-tailed Pipit
Cape Canary
Brimstone Canary
Streaky-headed Seedeater
References and further reading
Wild Issue 9 - Author: - Published: 2010 - Page: 56Wild Issue 35 - Author: - Published: 2016 - Page: 40
Wild Places of Natal - Author: Olive Shepherd - Published: 1989 - Page: 104
Where to see Birds in Natal - Author: Gordon Bennett - Published: 1989 - Page: 21
Where to Watch Birds in Southern Africa - Author: A. Berruti and J.C. Sinclair - Published: 1983 - Page: 171
Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa - Author: Hugh Chittenden - Published: 1992 - Page: 306
Where to see Birds in KwaZulu-Natal - Author: Bennett and Herbert - Published: 1995 - Page: 58
The Pictorial Motoring Atlas of South Africa - Author: Maxwell Leigh - Published: 1987 - Page: 115
Southern African Birdfinder - Author: Cohen, Spottiswoode and Rossouw - Published: 2006 - Page: 112
Southern Africa from the Highway - Author: AA RSA - Published: 1991 - Page: 215
Places to Visit in Southern Africa - Author: AA RSA - Published: 1995 - Page: 144
Country Life - Issue 254 - Author: - Published: 2017 - Page: 36
Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Readers Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 163
Country Life - Issue 250 - Author: - Published: 2017 - Page: 60
Atlas of National Parks and Reserves of South Africa - Author: Marielle Renssen - Published: 2006 - Page: 88
Birding in Southern KwaZulu-Natal - Author: David Allan - Published: 0 - Page: 10
Chris and Tilde Stuarts Guide to Southern African Game and Nature Reserves - Author: Chris and Tilde Stuart - Published: 1989 - Page: 145
For more info: The Saunter
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