Midsummer in Gauteng is a prime time for birders.  The Palae-arctic and intra-African migrants are back with us and at least during the Christmas holidays, most of the human population has left on their annual migration to the coast.

The choice of birding spots are are wide - both in terms of destination and in the different habitats that lie within easy reach of a day's outing of Johannesburg.

To the south and east are the grassland and wetland areas, while north of the Magaliesberg lie the special delights of the bushveld.

There is even the odd bit of hilly country such as in the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve, which affords the opportunity of a bit of a clamber in search of some of hose species that prefer rocky areas.

Opportunities range from short morning or afternoon trips to all-day outings but, in general, the high summer temperatures make an early start advisable

Witwatersrand National Botanical Gardens

For a pleasant morning or afternoon's birding in spectacular surroundings, a trip to the National Botanical Gardens in Roodepoort is hard to beat.  This is one of the most attractive and handily placed birding spots close to Johannesburg and is perhaps best known for the resident pair of Black Eagles who unusual breeding behaviours over the past few seasons have had all of the experts puzzled.

Marievale Nature Reserve

This is one of the largest wetlands close to Gauteng and, as it regularly provides the odd rarity, is always worth a visit.

Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve

This attractive and bird-rich reserve s unfortunately not as birder-friendly as it could be.  The various habitat types can only be accessed either from a circular 60 kilometer drive through the reserve (one-way traffic only and you are not allowed to leave your vehicle), or by booking onto one of several day or overnight trails that are laid out in the reserve.  In spite of these restrictions, Suikerbosrand is just so good a birding spot, that it is still worth visiting.

Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve

Since this dam was opened to the public, it has been a favourite spot for birders.  Sadly, since that time, the accessible area around the dam has shrunk considerably.  What is left, however, still offers prime birding.  The thornveld that comprises the bulk of the vegetation in the reserve falls within the transition zone between the moist bushveld in the east and the dry thornveld in the west.  This is reflected in the presence of both members of a number of east/west species. Both White-Browed- and Kalahari Robins occur, Yellow-eyed Canaries are occasionally joined by Yellow Canaries and usually in drier years, Red-eyed Bulbuls may occur with the more commonly found Black-eyed Bulbuls.