The countryside around the town of Vanrhynsdorp offers an interesting mix of habitats for birdwatching. This is because it straddles two biomes, the Succulent Karoo and the Fynbos.
This part of the Succulent Karoo is better known as Namaqualand which makes up the largest part of the biome. Namaqualand stretches from Vanrhynsdorp and the Olifants River in the south to the Orange River on the border with Namibia in the north, and from the coast inland to the town and Springbok and the foot of the Bokkeveld Mountains. The Succulent Karoo biome in its entirety stretches from the southwestern corner of Namibia, southwards through Namaqualand to the Tanqua Karoo and then eastward to just beyond Oudtshoorn in the Little Karoo. The town of Vanrhynsdorp sits near the southern edge of Namaqualand.
The Succulent Karoo is an arid biome. It falls within the winter rainfall region of South Africa. Annual rainfall is very variable, but the average in different parts of the biome falls between about 100 mm and 200 mm per year. Most of the rain falls in winter. This has amazing advantages because temperatures in winter are cool, and sometimes really cold. What this means for biodiversity is that there is minimal evaporation; therefore, much of this water remains available to plants during the flowering season in spring. Although there may be the occasional summer rain shower, much of that rain gets lost to evaporation due to the hot summer temperatures.
The Succulent Karoo in the Vanrhynsdorp area is characterised by short, sparse vegetation, low, rolling hills, and an abundance of white quartz pebbles. Birders can expect to find many of the Karoo specials here: Karoo Eremomela, Burchell’s Courser, Karoo Lark, Sickle-winged Chat, Tractrac Chat, Karoo Chat, Greater Kestrel and Ludwig’s Bustard amongst others.
There are many drainage lines that criss-cross the area and these are lined with dense thickets of thorn trees and reeds. This is the favoured habitat of the sought-after Namaqua Warbler and a host of more typical bush birds: Acacia Pied Barbet, African Red-eyed Bulbul, Fairy Flycatcher; Layard’s Warbler; Chestnut-vented Warbler, and others.
To the east of Vanrhynsdorp, there are rugged and rocky habitats – the Gifberg and the Bokkeveld Mountains. These provide habitat for exciting species such as Cinnamon-breasted Warbler, Cape Eagle Owl, Mountain Wheatear, Ground Woodpecker, Cape Rock Thrush, Cape Siskin, Black Harrier and African Olive Pigeon. There is a waterfall at the foot of the Ouberg Pass before it climbs the Gifberg. It is the only waterfall in Namaqualand and has a small “rainforest” for most part of the year. It is the northernmost patch of Afromontane forest, and contains tree species such as the Common Yellowwood Podocarpus latifolius. There are Southern Boubous here, probably the northernmost regular spot for this species.
The Fynbos Biome reaches its extreme northern limits in the Vanryhnsdorp area. Most notable are pockets of mountain fynbos along the top of the Bokkeveld Mountains as can be found near the summit of the spectacular Vanrhyns Pass, at the Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve and around the Nieuwoudtville Waterfall. The Fynbos here provides habitat for most of the special species of this biome, including Cape Sugarbird, Orange-breasted Sunbird, Protea Seedeater, Cape Siskin, Cape Clapper Lark, Southern Black Korhaan and Streaky-headed Seedeater. These spots are all within a short 40 to 60 km drive from Vanrhynsdorp and are well worth a visit.
In short, the birding habitats near Vanrhynsdorp are fascinating in their own right. It is just far enough from Cape Town that these habitats contain bird species which do not occur around Cape Town.