Check powerlines nearby for perched Long-crested Eagle and Black-winged Kite, and train your binoculars on a cellphone tower closer to the city wherePied Crows have a nest. Swallows also perch on the powerlines and fences and these could include Barn Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow and Wire-tailed Swallow. Continue a short distance to where there is a left turn but don’t take this turn yet. Continue straight on a gravel track that runs alongside a power line. Note that a high-clearance vehicle would be an advantage. Also, vegetation converges onto the track in some sections. If you are concerned about your vehicle it may be best to park where the track starts and do this area on foot. The track has superb birding on both sides, with the Crocodile River on the left, flanked by tall trees. Birds often seen in this area include Sombre Greenbul, Brimstone Canary, Bar-throated Apalis, Black-collared Barbet and Crested Barbet, Diederik Cuckoo, Klaas’s Cuckoo and Red-chested Cuckoo, Golden-tailed Woodpecker, Southern Boubou, Green-backed Cameroptera, Black-backed Puffback, Tambourine Dove and a variety of sunbirds, including Greater Double-collared Sunbird, Purple-banded Sunbird and Scarlet- chested Sunbird. To the right of the track where the trees are smaller watch out for Orange- breasted Bush-shrike, Grey-headed Bush-shrike, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Red-throated Wryneck and Cardinal Woodpecker. In summer Woodland Kingfisher will be heard calling loudly and perhaps seen as well. Should your exploration be in mid to late summer, there will be seeding grass along the track. This is an attraction to seed eating birds and amongst these could be Red-billed Quelea and Streaky-headed Seedeater.
Return to the tar road and take the first turn south (right), onto a gravel road that runs parallel to the Crocodile River. This leads to a T-junction where you turn right and park off the road. Walk onto the narrow, single lane bridge over the Crocodile River and scan upstream and downstream for Reed Cormorant and White-breasted Cormorant, Malachite Kingfisher, Giant Kingfisher, Black Crake and African Reed Warbler. If you are early or lucky you may see African Finfoot and Half-collared Kingfisher.
Interesting species seen around the Boschrand Crocodile River include Lesser Grey Shrike and Common Whitethroat and Southern Bald Ibis is sometimes seen flying overhead from their nesting site at the nearby Lowveld National Botanical Gardens.