For those not keen to face the stresses of a dash back along the N1 to Cape Town, there is a very scenic alternative route via Ceres and Wellington. This takes in three superb mountain passes, all of which supply inter-esting birding in addition to marvellous mountain landscapes.

Theronsberg Pass, between Karoopoort and Ceres, has the gentlest landscape of the three, with grassy slopes frequented by White-necked Raven and, occasionally, Black Harrier (p.57*). Between this pass and Ceres are several small farm dams that are always worth a roadside scan for waterfowl.

In Mitchell’s Pass, west of Ceres, a good area to bird is the slope behind the conspicuous Tolhuis restaurant and pub. A footpath leads up from the shade of the Tolhuis oaks to a railway line on a protea-dense slope where Protea Canary (p.57*) may be found. Bar-throated Apalis, and occasionally Swee Waxbill, inhabit the dense bush just above the Tolhuis.

Bain’s Kloof Pass, traversing the mountains above Wellington, takes one along 30 km of dramatic curves supported by dry-stone walls built, with the use of convict labour, some 150 years ago. The spectacularly rugged, boulder-strewn terrain is laced with icy streams, stained a deep tea colour by humic acid leached from herbivore-deterring plants. These streams support the dense vegetation favoured by Victorin’s Warbler (p.73*), which is common in such habitat along the entire length of the pass.

At the summit of Bain’s Kloof Pass there is a small settlement shaded by alien trees frequented by Fiscal Flycatcher and, more rarely, Olive Woodpecker. Cape Rock Thrush, often surprisingly scarce elsewhere, perch on the buildings. The ridges in this vicinity are good for Cape Rockjumper (p.73*) and Cape Siskin (p.33*). Victorin’s Warbler also occur in the denser vegetation on the slopes. Scan overhead for Black Eagle. Birders caught out by nightfall would do well to carefully check all outcrops and telephone poles for the distinctive, bulky silhouette of the (admittedly ever-scarce) Cape Eagle Owl (p.105*).