T C ROBERTSON NATURE RESERVE
This beautiful Nature Reserve is a popular picnic and braai venue for those who enjoy a pleasant day in the country. The reserve is especially recommended for bird watchers since over 180 species have been recorded to date. Bushbuck, Grey and Blue Duiker are now often seen. The 10 km self-guided trail has proved popular with those interested in learning the names of our coastal trees and in spring the wildflowers are particularly attractive. There are also lovely views over the forest and the floodplain of the Mpambanyoni River.

BIRDS TO BE SEEN: African Fish-Eagle, Blacksmith Lapwing, Village and Yellow Weavers, Water Thick-knee, Common and Wood Sandpipers, Little Rush Warbler, Terrestrial Brownbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Brown Scrub-robin, Red-capped Robin-chat, Chorister Robin-chat, White-starred Robin, Spotted Ground-Thrush, Green Malkoha, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Barratt's Warbler, African Goshawk, African Harrier-Hawk and Black Sparrowhawk.

VERNON NATURE RESERVE
Take a slow drive along the old road that winds over the green KwaZulu-Natal hills from Umzinto towards Highflats and Ixopo. You will pass endless fields of sugar cane before turning off onto the sand road that will take you to the Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve (named after a distinguished local sugar baron) about half an hour's drive from the coast. THE RESERVE preserves a magnificent stretch of coastal grassland and coastal forest. There are two dams which attract a great variety of birds.

BIRDS TO BE SEEN: African Crowned Eagle, Martial Eagle, Black Sparrowhawk, Lemon Dove, Grey Crowned Crane, Eurasian Hobby, African Emerald Cuckoo, Green Malkoha, Narina Trogon, Brown Scrub-Robin, Yellow-throated Woodland-Warbler, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Black-bellied Starling, Green Twinspot, Red-winged Francolin, Broad-tailed Warbler, Short-tailed Pipit, Plain-backed Pipit, Lazy Cisticola, Zitting Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola, Pale-crowned Cisticola, Mountain Wagtail, African Pygmy-Kingfisher, Scaly-throated Honeyguide, Greater Honeyguide and Lesser Honeyguide, Forest Buzzard, Rufos-naped Lark, Trumpeter Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill.