A Birder's delight
Another aspect of the beautiful Riebeek Valley is its birds. Many people do not realise that we have a wealth of bird life amongst us and they are all within easy reach of the villages of Riebeek Kasteel and Riebeek West. There is great diversity of habitats which attracts over 200 species of birds.
There are the vineyards, Kasteelberg Mountain with it's fynbos covered slopes, the Riebeeks River Road which runs behind the mountain and which is well known for summer migrants such as European Bee-eaters and the Horus Swift which makes its nest in sandbanks along the road. Further away from the mountain there are the farm dams which attract a large variety of waterfowl as well as pelicans and whiskered terns. The reeds around the dams afford Pied and Giant Kingfishers with plenty of food as well as roosting for other species such as weavers.
The farm roads which run through the wheatfields attract the terrestrial birds like the larks and pipits and in winter huge flocks of blue cranes can be seen. The Valley is also home to many raptors including Black Eagle, Jackal Buzzard and the Fish Eagle can often be heard calling as it flies over the valley. The endangered Black Harrier can also be seen in its equally endangered renosterveld habitat.
The Berg River winds it's way along the valley floor providing plenty of scope for relaxing birdwatching.
Fiona Hellmann
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