13/03/2022
Handré Hay, organiser of the Magoebas Ultra Trail chose Magoebaskloof as the site for the Forest Marathon to be held on 20 March 2022 because, as he says, ‘You really get pulled into a different world. All your senses come alive. You see beauty in every detail around you, you see and hear the crystal clear streams and even taste the magical waters that flow in it.’
‘You hear the call of rare forest birds like the Narina Trogon, you smell the wet ground and mud, you feel and touch the ancient trees that line the route. You become immersed in a magical world and become part of the living organism that is the Magoebas Forests.’
And the supporters of the Marathon participants can experience this magic too by booking a guided bird and nature walk. Surrounded by towering trees, there is a stillness in the forest broken only by the melodious birdsong. Through the faint whispering wind through the leaves, the air fills with the warbling, trilling, hooting, whistling and croaking sounds of the early forest risers as they greet the first light of day with a full heart.
‘Quick, look over there.... between the mossy vine and the golden patch of light... a Narina Trogon, a male, with its red breast turned towards us.... Do you see it? What a sighting!’
The excitement is palpable as the birds you have always wanted to see... Black-fronted Bush-Shrike in an open patch of the canopy, a pair of gregarious Cape Parrots calling from the top of a Yellowwood tree or the flash of a White-starred Robin. But what makes the experience even more incredible is the expertise and the passion of the exceptional Bird Guides who find those elusive 'specials' you have been chasing for years.
Even if you are not chasing 'lifers', Limpopo's top local Bird Guides, David Letsoalo and Paul Nkhumane make a forest walk more like an adventure of discovery, pointing out butterflies and Samango monkeys, looking at mushrooms and forest flowers or following the spoor of a dainty Bushbuck which bounds away into the forest when disturbed. So whether you are a twitcher or a beginner, experience the magic of guided bird and nature walk with David or Paul in the Woodbush Forest.
Connect with David Letsoalo on 083 568 4678 or Paul Nkhumane on 084 354 9710 to book a guided birding outing or take a look at www.limpopobirding.com for more information.