Jonkershoek Nature Reserve

Close to the beautiful town of Stellenbosch lies the beautiful Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.My personal birding experience at the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve is a bit of a mixed bag. Birding is a bit dissapointing, as there really aren't that many birds around, but the rest of the experience is really great. It will be difficult to match the beauty of the place, and for nature lovers and hikers, joggers, cyclists etc. it is ideal. There is a small restauarant at the entrance gate where you can relax and have something to drink or eat as well. Although birding itself is just okay, the rest of the experience more than adequately make up for the whole experience and for that reason I give Jonkershoek Nature Reserve an A for the whole birding experience. 

Stellenbosch is 53 km (33 mi) east of Cape Town via National Route N1. Stellenbosch is in a hilly region of the Cape Winelands, and is sheltered in a valley at an average elevation of 136 m (446 ft), flanked on the west by Papegaaiberg (Afrikaans: Parrot Mountain), which is actually a hill. To the south is Stellenbosch Mountain; to the east and southeast are the Jonkershoek, Drakenstein, and Simonsberg mountains. Die Tweeling Pieke (Afrikaans: The Twin Peaks) has an elevation of 1,494 m (4,902 ft); the highest point is Victoria Peak 1,590 m (5,220 ft).

Jonkershoek Nature Reserve lies about 9 km (5.6 mi) east of Stellenbosch, and the Helderberg Nature Reserve is about 23 km (14 mi) south viaprovincial route R44.

Just south of the Helderberg Nature Reserve is Strand, a seaside resort town.

The soils of Stellenbosch range from dark alluvium to clay. This, combined with the well-drained, hilly terrain and Mediterranean climate, prove excellent for viticulture. Summers are dry and warm to hot, with some February and March days rising to over 40 °C (104 °F). Winters are cool, rainy and sometimes quite windy, with daytime temperatures averaging 16 °C (61 °F). Snow is usually seen a couple of times in winter on the surrounding mountains. Spring and autumn are colder seasons, when daytime temperatures hover in the twenties.

The Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek valleys form the Cape Winelands, the larger of the two main wine growing regions in South Africa. The South African wine industry produces about 1,000,000,000 litres of wine annually. Stellenbosch is the primary location for viticulture and viticulture research. Professor Perold was the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University. The Stellenbosch Wine Route established in 1971 by Frans Malan from Simonsig, Spatz Sperling from Delheim and Neil Joubert from Spier, known as Stellenbosch American Express® Wine Routes since 2002, is a world-renowned and popular tourist destination.

The region has a mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and cool wet winters. Stellenbosch lies at the foot of the Cape Fold mountain range, which provides soil favourable to viticulture. Grapes grown in this area are mainly used for wine production, as opposed to table grapes. The region possesses a wide range of soils in the area, from light, sandy soils to decomposed granite. Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is beginning to get a good reputation as a fine wine.

The Jonkershoek nature reserve is home to the majestic Jonkershoek Mountains and parts of the Jonkershoek valley. The reserve, which includes the smaller Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve, lies near the town of Stellenbosch in the south-western Cape. Visitors may choose to explore one or both reserves, as they are in easy reach of each other. The reserves are about 9km from Stellenbosch, on the Jonkershoek valley road.

The rugged Jonkershoek Mountains, which form part of the Boland Mountains, are ideal for hiking enthusiasts. The Eerste, Berg, Lourens and Riviersonderend rivers all start high in these mountains, although only the Eerste River actually flows through the Jonkershoek valley. The area is also rich in animal and plant life, with over 1 100 plant species and a variety of small mammals, birds and reptiles. Hikers should be on the lookout for berg adders, puff adders, boomslang and Cape cobras.

The reserve is about 9 800 hectares, while Assegaaibosch is about 204 hectares. The smaller reserve is home to the historical Assegaaibosch farmstead, a national monument built in 1792.

Jonkershoek is hot in summer, and cold and wet in winter. Visitors in the colder months may even see snow dusting the higher mountain peaks. Hikers should note that weather conditions can change rapidly.

From Cape Town: Take the N2 highway out of Cape Town towards Stellenbosch. Take exit 33 for Baden Powell Drive towards the R310/Stellenbosch/Macassar. Turn right onto Polkadraai Road/R310 and follow the road. It becomes Adam Tas Street. Turn right onto Langstraat-Suid Road and continue onto Helshoogte Road. Turn right onto Simonsberg Road and at the roundabout take the first exit onto Martinson Road. Continue onto Jonkershoek Road and follow the signs until your reach the reserve entrance.

GPS: 33 57 48.70 S  18 55 31.98 E

Office hours: 07:30–16:00

Office number: +27 (0)21 866 1560

The Reserve comprises the upper reaches of the Jonkershoek Valley, and is an excellent place to find many of the fynbos endemics. Although the Reserve does not hold a huge variety of birds, one can expect to see up to 50 birds in a mornings birding.

Specials

Jackal Buzzard, Ground Woodpecker, Cape Bulbul, Cape Rock-jumper, Victorin's Warbler, Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Cape Siskin, Protea Seedeater.

Habitats

The predominant vegetation type of the Reserve is Fynbos. The Eerste river draining the Reserve holds thick riverine vegetation. Some of the gullies hold forested ravines.

Facilities

Visitors to the Reserve are provided with an opportunity to walk, drive or cycle. The road network consists of a good gravel road running up and down either side of the Eerste River. Numerous walks lead from this circular gravel road. A picnic area is situated on the banks of a small dam in the Reserve.

Birding

1. The area around the entrance gate has many large indigenous and exotic trees and time spent in the area can produce a number of species. The many exotic trees attract a variety of birds including African Olive-Pigeon, Cape Weaver, Cape Canary, Fork-tailed Drongo and African Dusky Flycatcher, while the thickly wooded indigenous vegetation holds Black Sparrowhawk, African Dusky Flycatcher, Cape Batis Brimstone Canary, Southern Boubou, Sombre Greenbul and Olive Woodpecker. Birders arriving in the early morning could be rewarded with sightings of Fiery-necked Nightjar.

2. The Eerste River is flanked by dense riverine vegetation. Birds to look out for along the river include Sombre Greenbul, Southern Boubou, Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Robin-Chat, Bar-throated Apalis, African Paradise-Flycatcher (summer), Cape Batis and Forest Canary. Check the scrub growing on either side of the riverine vegetation for Karoo Prinia, Grey-backed Cisticola, Speckled Mousebird, Swee Waxbill, Cape Bulbul and Cape Spurfowl. Keep an eye out for Black Saw-wing flitting over the riverine vegetation.

3. In the open Fynbos on either side of the Eerste River species such as Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Southern Double-collared Sunbird, Cape Siskin and Yellow Bishop can be seen.

4. The dam approximately a third of the way up the valley should be checked for African Black Duck, whilst the moister areas hold Levaillant's Cisticola. Familiar Chat are often present on the dam wall.

5. Some of the walks leading up the valley can be very rewarding. A walk up the Swartboskloof which may take up to 2 hours, leads through some mature Protea nitida woodlands, where the diminutive Neddicky can often be heard calling. Orange-breasted Sunbird and Malachite Sunbird are usually present in this area. Further up the valley, one can see Cape Robin-Chat, Cape Bulbul, Cape Grassbird, Victorin's Warbler, Cape Siskin, Yellow Bishop and Forest Canary. Knowledge of the cheerful call of the Protea Seedeater will definitely help in locating small groups of this sought-after seed-eater, usually found in clumps of dead proteas and in the forested ravines of the Swartboskloof. More energetic climbers moving up to the higher altitudes might be rewarded with sightings of Cape Rock-jumper and Ground Woodpecker feeding in small family groups.

6. Throughout the Reserve, an eye should be kept out for raptors such as Jackal Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon, Verreauxs' Eagle and White-necked Raven patrolling the cliffs above.

My personal list of birds photographed at Jonkershoek Nature Reserve is: White Breasted Cormorrant, Egyptian Goose, Pied Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Fork-Tailed Drongo, Karoo Prinia, Fiscal Flycatcher, Cape Batis, Southern Boubou, Malachite Sunbird and Swee Waxbill.

A Pied Kingfisher Hovering above water, hoping to catch its next meal.

A Karoo Prinia, is well camouflaged between the rocks on the ground.