Yellowwood Trail on Dragonwyck Farm. Magoebaskloof

Yellowwood Trail Signpost

The yellowood trail on Dragonwyck farm in Magoebaskloof (www.mbcottage.co.za )
is a short walk through a small plantation of Podocarpus falcatus and Podocarpus henkelii trees and on into a patch of  escarpment forest.

Podocarpus falcatus plantation.

The Cape Parrots can be found in the Podocarpus falcatus trees when they are fruiting. I have yet to see them eating Podocarpus henkelii fruits. To my eye the henkelii trees seem to provide a lot more food, but then I am not a Cape Parrot. My aim one day is to put a nesting box on one of the very big Podocarpus falcatus trees.

Podocarpus falcatus 

Podocarpus falcatus 

The Podocarpus henkelii plantation provides excellent habitat for the Orange Ground Thrush and the Olive Thrush. Their dense canopy has created a clear forest floor.

Clear forest floor under the Podocarpus henkelii trees.

The path then leads into what I can only presume was an attempt to build a road in the past. The road starts and ends without any connection to existing roads.

Path into the patch of escarpment forest.

As with all forest birding you have to be in the right place when a bird party passes through.
In my experience, if you hear the Olive Woodpecker then you can expect to see a bird party associated with it. The bird parties here usually include the following birds:-
Black-fronted Bush-Shrike,Cape Batis,  Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Yellow-streaked Greenbul and Grey Cuckooshrike .