Parkview Golf club invites bird watchers to sanctuary

Residents of Parkview and surrounding suburbs are being invited to explore one of the city’s ‘undiscovered’ bird sanctuaries – the Parkview Golf Course.

An early-morning guided bird walk is planned for 23 March at the golf course.

The course’s lush greenery and leafy flora, usually enjoyed by golfers, offer an abundance of bird food and nesting opportunities and are attracting an increasingly varied birdlife. Among many more common species, golfers have spotted a black sparrowhawk, white-breasted cormorant, lesser honeyguide, steppe buzzard, paradise flycatcher, rose-ringed parakeet, bronze-winged mannikin, woodland kingfisher and giant kingfisher.

African harrier hawks and spotted eagle owls are also regular visitors.

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“The course is an integral part of the suburbs and local residents are welcome to join the walk and stay for breakfast,” said club director Jerry Fraser.

The walk, to be guided by ornithologists from Africa Nature Training, is free to all birding enthusiasts.

Registration is at 6am and breakfast at R100 a person will be available in the clubhouse afterwards. Booking is essential.

“As Johannesburg has developed its own micro-climate over the past few decades, many woodland birds have migrated into the city and we’re seeing more and more varieties on the course. Our two bird walks last year proved extremely popular,” concluded Fraser.

Details: 011 646 5400; tracey@parkviewgolf.co.za