12 April 2026

We had a fairly large group of 24 birders for our Sunday morning walk so we split into two groups, with Steve Davis kindly volunteering to lead one and myself the other. We met up at 06:30 with the sun just rising and we were blessed with a windless partly cloudy morning – perfect for birding.

Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve is run by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife and charges a R70 entrance fee, accepting Wild and Rhino Cards. It is well run with all flood-damaged bridges and paths now repaired and in good condition. It is also safe to walk any time throughout the week and it is recommended to check for weekend events as it can get quite busy, which may disrupt one’s birding experience.

The forests are beautiful and the extensive grasslands are lush at the moment with flocks of non-breeding Fan-tailed Widowbirds, Yellow-throated Longclaws, Bronze Mannikins and many Little Bee-eaters.

The small dam is very picturesque but we saw very few waterbirds and no weavers there at this time of the year. The only good sighting was a skittish, sub-adult African Fish Eagle, who took off before we could get a photograph.    

We spent a bit of time in the forests looking for Spotted Ground Thrush but with no luck. Steve’s group had good sightings of Olive Woodpecker and heard Lemon Dove.

My group were lucky to spot a Magpie Mannikin, which was a lifer for a few in the group.

Overall the birding was fairly quiet as expected this time of the year, with a total of 66 species seen and heard between the two groups. It was a thoroughly enjoyable walk, especially for those who had not visited this gem of a reserve before.

Apart from the birds, there are a number of animal species around with Zebra, Impala, Red and Blue Duiker commonly seen. Butterflies are numerous, and some very interesting insects were  seen by the group, especially the unbelievably camouflaged Spiny Flower Mantis.

We had a look around the Coedmore Castle, built in 1875 by Kenneth Stainbank’s father assisted by Scottish stonemasons with stone from the nearby Umhlauzana River, taking three years to complete. The interior is apparently in good condition and tours through it can be arranged. The exterior and surrounding buildings are sadly falling into disrepair.

After our walk we enjoyed refreshments in the parking lot watched by a small herd of Zebra and everyone agreed that another visit in the early summer months with the return of the migrants would be great for birding.

Keep your eyes peeled for a walk here in November 2026!

Words by Rob McLennan-Smith