 Last Updated February 2008
 This is where we regularly post snippets and photos from our clients and from our own trips, interesting news items, and info on any forthcoming tours that may have space.
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 TRIP REPORTS:
While great birding will always remain our principal objective, Avian Leisure is not ‘only about birding'. We believe in an holistic blend of what the outdoor environment has to offer in combination with a hand-picked selection of ‘birder friendly' accommodation establishments specially chosen for their strategic locality, comfort and traditional hospitality!
What follows is a selection of trip reports for completed tours, outlining areas covered and 'key' species seen. The selection constitutes a faithful reflection of sightings against highlighted expectation for each area along with spontaneous client comments received on email following the trip. Detailed sighting summaries are also available for each of the trips through our email address if required. Should you wish to make direct contact with any of the clients listed we would be happy to relay contact details to you.
Each review typifies the versatility in tailored offerings available across the country and each tour encapsulates the personalized style of our approach geared to the level of birding intensity and pace of travel specifically requested in response to client requirements. 
We trust you will find the following Trip Reports of interest and sufficiently enticing for you to consider Avian Leisure as an option when thinking about a future fully guided or self-drive birding or wildlife safari to one or more of the Southern Africa countries South Africa, Botswana or Namibia.
 Fairest Cape to Addo Elephant Park
Western & Northern Cape – Springtime at its Peak!
Cape Town to Kruger Park via Drakensberg Mountains & KZN
Drakensberg Escarpment and the Elephant Coast of KZN
Limpopo Bushveld to the Kruger National Park
The Baobab Trail along the Limpopo River
SA Tour for ABA Executives
Namibia & South Africa Tailor-made Tour
SAFARIS AND SELF DRIVE TOURS
In addition to guided trips Avian Leisure also organized several safaris and self drive trips covering Botswana, Zambia as well as South Africa from Cape Town to Kruger Park! Here follows a selection from these trips:
Botswana, Cape Town, the Winelands, and Garden Route.
Western Cape and Garden Route: self-drive.
Kruger National Park - Drakensberg - Kwazulu Natal, self drive.
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UPDATE ON NYLSVLEY - We are delighted to report that after four consecutive years of drought the ‘vley’ (marsh) is once again flooded following heavy rains over the past two months. Already many of the intra-African waterbirds have returned to the area and breeding activity across a wide range of species is currently underway. Notable arrivals in recent weeks include Comb Duck, Pygmy Geese, Dwarf Bittern, Squacco Heron, Great White Egret, Marsh Owl, Allen’s Gallinule and Lesser Moorhen.
Nylsvley was purchased by the Provincial Government in 1974 and designated as a Ramsar wetland site in 1998. The wetland is one of South Africa’s largest and has been listed as an ‘Important Bird Area’ by Birdlife International. Much of this recognition stems from the variety and abundance of waterbirds attracted to the floodplain during times of flooding. More than 100 waterbird species have been recorded making Nylsvley the country’s most productive wetland. Many of these species are rare or highly localized elsewhere in the country – examples of these ‘specials’ include Great Bittern, Rufous-bellied Heron, Dwarf Bittern and Allen’s Gallinule.
Aside from the waterbirds the surrounding woodland supports a wide range of birds with over 380 species recorded for the floodplain and surrounding woodland area. The area is also rich in mammal sightings with 77 species recorded to date, including the endangered and highly localized Roan Antelope.
With water levels as high as they are and the extent of the inundation spreading steadily downstream along the 70km drainage line the wetland could remain an active waterbird site through to next summer.
Standing on the main causeway at dawn to witness the flighting of hundreds of birds over the floodplain and ephemeral pans along the edge of the system is a very special and highly memorable birding experience.
Dwarf Bittern – W Tarboton |
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For further details and costs, please contact us
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