The first 4km of this road pass through a mix of open lands and acacia thornveld. Search the open areas for the likes of Northern Black Korhaan, Cape Longclaw and Ant-eating Chat, amongst others such as lapwings and pipits. Keep an eye on the telegraph poles and wires for an array of bee-eaters (Southern Carmine, European, Blue-cheeked, Little and White-fronted), Amur Falcon, Lesser Kestrel and various larger raptors which may include Cape Vulture and Brown Snake Eagle. Search the acacia thornveld along here (and continuously further along the route) for a wide array of typical bushveld species (barbets, hornbills, woodpeckers, shrikes, robins, sunbirds, starlings, waxbills and buntings) – keeping a special eye out for the likes of Pale Chanting Goshawk, Red-crested Korhaan, Acacia Pied Barbet, White-backed Mousebird, Common Scimitarbill, Brown-backed Honeybird, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Southern Pied Babbler, Kalahari Scrub Robin, Marico Flycatcher, Barred Wren-Warbler, Cape Penduline-tit, Ashy Tit, Burnt-necked Eremomela, Marico Sunbird, Scaly-feathered Finch (Weaver), Great Sparrow, Violet-eared and Black-faced Waxbills, Green-winged Pytilia and Yellow Canary. At 4km, you cross the Elands River, which is always worth a stop. Amongst more common waterbirds, search for the secretive and scarce Half-collared Kingfisher and African Finfoot. The dense riverine woodland here holds the likes of Southern Boubou, White-throated Robin-chat and Grey-backed Camaroptera. After 4.7km, turn left towards Vlakfontein – this road holds more excellent acacia thornveld birding almost along its entire length. Bypass the turns at 15.5km and 16.5km (both off to the right) as the road begins turning to the south. Yellow-throated Sandgrouse have been seen in the open lands near these two turns, but are more reliable elsewhere (see routes below around Chaneng). After 24.8km you cross the Elands River once more (search again for Half-collared Kingfisher and African Finfoot), before entering into a mosaic of agricultural fields, which continue for approximately 2km. In summer, the grasses here holds numbers of White-winged Widowbirds, Southern Red and Yellow-crowned Bishops, amongst others, and scarce birds such as Cuckoo Finch and Pallid Harrier have been seen as well. In winter, search the usually dry and barren fields for nomadic species such as Temminck’s Courser, Chestnut-backed Sparrow-Lark and even Lark-like Bunting (the latter which moves through in drier years).

Key species:

Cape Vulture, Pale Chanting Goshawk, Lesser Flamingo, Pied Avocet, Yellow-throated Sandgrouse, Southern Carmine Bee-eater, Half-collared Kingfisher, Southern Pied Babbler, Barred Wren-Warbler, Cape Penduline-tit