Eierkop
to Katbakkies:
As you head north from Eierkop along the R355, the landscape
becomes progressively more arid until, approaching Katbakkies,
bushes are few and far between and the ground gleams with the
mineral patina of the desert pebbles. This is classic Tractrac
Chat country: birds are most often spotted, 10—15 km
north of Eierkop, as they flush near the road, and display their
white rumps as they fly a short distance to perch again on a
fence or low bush.
The
commonest larks of this stretch of road are Thick-billed
and Red-capped. Spike-heeled Lark is also regularly
seen. It is worth keeping an eye out for pairs of superbly
camouflaged Karoo Korhaans, although they have become
scarcer here in recent years. Listen for their frog-like calls
at dawn, and check in the shade of the occasional roadside
tree at midday. Drainage lines with slightly denser scrub
are good areas to search for small, restless flocks of Cape
Penduline Tit, best detected by their soft, inconspicuous
call.
Pale
Chanting Goshawks are reasonably
common throughout the Tanqua Karoo, and Greater Kestrels
frequently wander into the area. If you are lucky enough to
visit after recent rain, you will see that pools forming close
to the road invariably attract South African Shelduck,
drinking flocks of Namaqua Sandgrouse and irruptive
seedeaters such as Lark-like Bunting.
Twenty-one
kilometres from Eierkop, turn left at the road signposted
‘Kagga Kamma; Op-die-berg’, to the small picnic
spot and legendary birding site popularly known as Katbakkies.
Another
worthwhile detour on a return trip from Katbakkies takes in
the less-travelled road linking the R355 to the R356. Five
kilometres north of the turn-off to Katbakkies on the R355,
turn right (east), onto an unnumbered road signposted ‘Sutherland’.
Before turning off here, it is well worth continuing north
along the R355 for about 500 m and birding the patch of acacia
thicket at a lay-by on the left-hand side of the road. Pririt
Batis is almost guaranteed here, along with Cape Penduline
Tit, Yellow-bellied Eremomela, Titbabbler
and sometimes Namaqua Warbler.
The
un-numbered Sutherland road to the R356 offers a chance at
Karoo Korhaan, Greater Kestrel, Double-banded
Courser, Namaqua Sandgrouse and Tractrac Chat.
When you reach the R356, turn right (south) and you will ultimately
join the R355 at 2 on the map on p.76. Fourteen kilometres
south of the junction between the un-numbered road and the
R356, there is a hillock (Fonteinskop) a little way to the
west of the road which is also good for Karoo Eremomela.
(Note, however, that this loop is about twice the distance
of the direct return to Karoopoort on the R355).
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