Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve is a nature reserve at the western limit of the Bronberg in the east of Pretoria, South Africa. It is adjacent to the suburb of Faerie Glen.

History It formerly formed a part of the farm Hartbeespoort 304 which belonged to H. W. Struben. On old aerial photographs it is apparent that the flood plain was utilised for crop fields, while the remainder was used for cattle grazing. The reserve constitutes the western part of the Bronberg conservation area, which was declared in 1980. Its highest point is Renosterkop (1,468 m) in the northern part of the reserve.

Fauna and flora Animal life Though the smaller mammals like mongooses, hedgehogs, hares, porcupines, Cape clawless otters, bushbabies and small-spotted genets are difficult to observe, one may find signs of their presence. In the winter of 2014 larger game was introduced, namely 16 impala, 9 red hartebeest and 5 Burchell's zebra. During late 2014 one common duiker was released in the reserve, the first spotted eagle-owl house was installed, and a first sighting of caracal was made. The leaf-feeding thrip Liothrips tractabilis, introduced from Argentina, was released in the reserve's flood plain in 2014 to combat the invasive pompom weed.

Birds Some 150 bird species have been recorded in the reserve. In terms of breeding habitat the grassy floodplain along the Moreleta spruit is especially important for a number of cisticola and widow species, and the riparian vegetation provides breeding habitat for a number of weaver species. The bushy slopes provide foraging habitat for boubous, tchagras and cuckooshrikes, while nightjars emerge at dusk to forage over the slopes and floodplain. Bird species of Faerie Glen Nature Reserve Common name Scientific name Status Breeding Reed cormorant Phalacrocorax africanus rare White-breasted cormorant Phalacrocorax lucidus vagrant Black-headed heron Ardea melanocephala vagrant Yellow-billed egret Egretta intermedia rare Cattle egret Bubulcus ibis rare Hamerkop Scopus umbretta rare African sacred ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus vagrant Hadeda ibis Bostrychia hagedash abundant breeder Egyptian goose Alopochen aegyptiacus rare African black duck Anas sparsa rare Maccoa duck Oxyura maccoa vagrant Yellow-billed kite Milvus aegyptius rare Black-winged kite Elanus caeruleus rare Verreaux's eagle Aquila verreauxii vagrant Steppe buzzard Buteo vulpinus rare Black sparrowhawk Accipiter melanoleucus rare Ovambo sparrowhawk Accipiter ovampensis rare Helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris regular breeder Swainson's spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii rare Crested francolin Dendroperdix sephaena rare Red-chested flufftail Sarothrura rufa vagrant Crowned lapwing Vanellus coronatus regular Blacksmith lapwing Vanellus armatus rare African wattled lapwing Vanellus senegallus rare Spotted thick-knee Burhinus capensis rare breeder Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus vagrant Rameron pigeon Columba arquatrix regular Speckled pigeon Columba guinea regular Red-eyed dove Streptopelia semitorquata abundant Cape turtle-dove Streptopelia capicola common Laughing dove Streptopelia senegalensis abundant breeder Rock dove Columba livia uncommon Grey go-away-bird Corythaixoides concolor abundant breeder Red-chested cuckoo Cuculus solitarius uncommon breeder Black cuckoo Cuculus clamosus rare breeder Levaillant's cuckoo Clamator levaillantii vagrant breeder Jacobin cuckoo Clamator jacobinus vagrant Klaas's cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaas rare breeder Diderick cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius regular breeder Burchell's coucal Centropus burchelli vagrant Spotted eagle-owl Bubo africanus common Spotted eagle-owl Bubo africanus common Eurasian nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus uncommon Fiery-necked nightjar Caprimulgus pectoralis uncommon Horus swift Apus horus rare Little swift Apus affinis regular African palm-swift Cypsiurus parvus common Speckled mousebird Colius striatus abundant Red-faced mousebird Urocolius indicus regular Pied kingfisher Ceryle rudis rare Half-collared kingfisher Alcedo semitorquata vagrant Woodland kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis rare Brown-hooded kingfisher Halcyon albiventris rare European bee-eater Merops apiaster regular Blue-cheeked bee-eater Merops persicus vagrant African hoopoe Upupa africana regular Green wood hoopoe Phoeniculus purpureus regular African grey hornbill Tockus nasutus rare Black-collared barbet Lybius torquatus abundant breeder Acacia pied barbet Tricholaema leucomelas uncommon breeder Yellow-fronted tinkerbird Pogoniulus chrysoconus rare Crested barbet Trachyphonus vaillantii abundant breeder Greater honeyguide Indicator indicator vagrant Lesser honeyguide Indicator minor uncommon breeder Brown-backed honeybird Prodotiscus regulus uncommon breeder Bennett's woodpecker Campethera bennettii vagrant Golden-tailed woodpecker Campethera abingoni rare Cardinal woodpecker Dendropicos fuscescens uncommon Red-throated wryneck Jynx ruficollis common breeder Barn swallow Hirundo rustica rare White-throated swallow Hirundo albigularis regular breeder Greater striped swallow Hirundo cucullata regular Lesser striped swallow Hirundo abyssinica regular breeder Rock martin Hirundo fuligula uncommon Brown-throated martin Riparia paludicola vagrant Black cuckooshrike Campephaga flava uncommon breeder Ashy tit Parus cinerascens vagrant Fork-tailed drongo Dicrurus adsimilis rare Black-headed oriole Oriolus larvatus rare Pied crow Corvus albus rare Grey penduline tit Anthoscopus caroli vagrant Arrow-marked babbler Turdoides jardineii uncommon breeder Dark-capped bulbul Pycnonotus tricolor abundant breeder Kurrichane thrush Turdus libonyanus vagrant Karoo thrush Turdus smithi uncommon Mocking cliff chat Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris vagrant Anteating chat Myrmecocichla formicivora vagrant Cape robin-chat Cossypha caffra abundant breeder White-throated robin-chat Cossypha humeralis rare breeder White-browed scrub robin Cercotrichas leucophrys rare Garden warbler Sylvia borin rare Icterine warbler Hippolais icterina vagrant Willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus rare Lesser swamp-warbler Acrocephalus gracilirostris regular Common reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus rare Marsh warbler Acrocephalus palustris rare Cape grassbird Sphenoeacus afer common breeder Long-billed crombec Sylvietta rufescens regular breeder Bar-throated apalis Apalis thoracica uncommon Zitting cisticola Cisticola juncidis uncommon breeder Neddicky Cisticola fulvicapilla common breeder Wailing cisticola Cisticola lais vagrant Rattling cisticola Cisticola chiniana regular breeder Levaillant's cisticola Cisticola tinniens regular breeder Tawny-flanked prinia Prinia subflava abundant breeder Black-chested prinia Prinia flavicans regular Spotted flycatcher Muscicapa striata uncommon Chestnut-vented warbler Sylvia subcoerulea common Fiscal flycatcher Sigelus silens uncommon breeder Chinspot batis Batis molitor uncommon African paradise-flycatcher Terpsiphone viridis uncommon breeder Cape wagtail Motacilla capensis rare Striped pipit Anthus lineiventris vagrant Bushveld pipit Anthus caffer vagrant Common fiscal Lanius collaris abundant Southern boubou Laniarius ferrugineus abundant breeder Crimson-breasted shrike Laniarius atrococcineus rare Black-backed puffback Dryoscopus cubla rare Brown-crowned tchagra Tchagra australis regular breeder Black-crowned tchagra Tchagra senegalus uncommon breeder Orange-breasted bushshrike Telophorus sulfureopectus uncommon Bokmakierie Telophorus zeylonus regular Brubru Nilaus afer rare Common myna Acridotheres tristis regular Cape glossy starling Lamprotornis nitens regular Red-winged starling Onychognathus morio rare Violet-backed starling Cinnyricinclus leucogaster vagrant Malachite sunbird Nectarinia famosa vagrant Marico sunbird Cinnyris mariquensis rare White-bellied sunbird Cinnyris talatala common Amethyst sunbird Chalcomitra amethystina regular Cape white-eye Zosterops virens uncommon House sparrow Passer domesticus rare Cape sparrow Passer melanurus common Southern grey-headed sparrow Passer diffusus rare Lesser masked-weaver Ploceus intermedius vagrant breeder Village weaver Ploceus cucullatus uncommon breeder Cape weaver Ploceus capensis regular breeder Southern masked-weaver Ploceus velatus abundant breeder Thick-billed weaver Amblyospiza albifrons rare breeder Red-billed quelea Quelea quelea rare breeder Southern red bishop Euplectes orix common breeder Red-collared widowbird Euplectes ardens common breeder White-winged widowbird Euplectes albonotatus regular breeder Red-headed finch Amadina erythrocephala rare Cut-throat finch Amadina fasciata vagrant breeder Bronze mannikin Spermestes cucullatus regular breeder Jameson's firefinch Lagonosticta rhodopareia rare Green-winged pytilia Pytilia melba rare Common waxbill Estrilda astrild rare Pin-tailed whydah Vidua macroura rare Yellow-fronted canary Crithagra mozambicus regular Black-throated canary Crithagra atrogularis uncommon Streaky-headed seedeater Crithagra gularis regular Cinnamon-breasted bunting Emberiza tahapisi rare

Geography Moreleta Spruit

A December 2014 assessment of the aquatic life in Moreleta Spruit indicated that it was in a critically modified state, and in poor condition with low biodiversity. The spruit now receives larger inflows than in the past, and greywater is diverted to the river from storm water systems, besides runoff from road surfaces and paved areas. The water quality has been negatively affected by oily road surfaces, lawn fertilisers, litter, constant sewage spills and illegal dumping of hazardous substances.

Geology

Andesitic basalt of the Hekpoort formation is found along the Moreleta Spruit. It was formed in the early Proterozoic, more than 2 billion years ago. Open or filled vesicles, caused by dissolved magma gasses that effervesced from the lava, are evident on the surface of these rocks. Repeated mud flows were deposited over the andesite to form mudstone, which was folded by subsequent earth shocks. An intrusive diabase formation is visible halfway up the hillside, interbedded in shale and quartzite along the Struben and Daspoort formations' contact zone. The prominent crest of the ridge consists of quartzite of the Daspoort formation. The formation is undisturbed since its formation, some 2.1 billion years ago, and traces left by water flowing over an ancient river bed are still to be seen. The quartzite layer is tilted to the north, towards a very large, ancient magma chamber to the north of the reserve.

Recreation Facilities and activities The reserve has three trails, namely the Hadeda route of 2,3 km, the Acacia route of 3,2 km and the Kiepersol/Cussonia route of 4,2 km. Dogs are allowed only if kept on a leash, and if a dog permit is completed.

Admission fees and times Visitors of 13 and older pay an entrance fee of R15 each, and persons 60 years and older pay R6 each. Season tickets valid for 6 months are available at R165 to R200. Visiting hours are from 06:00 to 18:00 throughout the year.

Community The Friends of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve is an organisation that coordinates activities that promote the well-being of the reserve. They meet at regular intervals to eradicate some of the invasive plant species, or to remove litter from the reserve.

Faerie Glen Nature Reserve

Bron en licentie