A week birding in Northern Limpopo as a beginner. Here's what I learned

Last December, I ventured out of my comfort zone and into places I have never been to before. As a beginner birder, this experience really opened my eyes and taught me a ton of lessons. It transformed me into a better birder and made me realise that no number of tips and tricks can compare to the power of real field experience.

Each morning, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping all around me. At first, I tried to spot them by scanning the trees, but I quickly realised this wasn’t the most effective approach. Instead, I learned to listen carefully and focus on locating where the bird is calling from.

I used a method similar to what I do when searching for frogs: I cupped my hands behind my ears and slowly turned in a circle. This helped me pinpoint exactly where the sound was coming from. Using this technique, I found my lifer Pearl-spotted Owlet calling from deep within the branches of a tree. I also managed to locate many more birds and got better photos.

I learned not to give up after just a few minutes, like I usually would. Birding requires patience and you must spend time to carefully search every branch.

I found this Yellow-bellied Greenbul after hearing it above our camp site for about half an hour.

Another lesson I learned was the importance of bird groups. I used to ignore groups  of birds because they often seemed to consist of common species. But over time, I realised that spending time around these “bird parties” can lead to some incredible sightings. This really paid off later in the trip and I got some awesome species including a Scaly-feathered Finch and a few Red-eyed Bulbuls.

Keeping a close eye on the sky above was another valuable lesson. Since then, it has helped me spot many unexpected lifers. It’s something I regret not doing enough in Northern Limpopo, as I’m sure I missed a few interesting raptors.

One thing I didn’t do enough was keep my binoculars close by. I probably missed many small birds simply because I didn’t have them on me. One of my most frustrating mistakes was missing a possible Bat Hawk in the Soutpansberg because I had left my binoculars in the car.

Perhaps the most important thing I learned was to focus on bushy areas. I found that many birds prefer shrubs and dense trees, especially in the heat of the day. Checking the shrubs for movement has brought me many elusive lifers!

Agricultural areas are gems for birding! This is something I didn’t expect, but the last few days of the trip taught me different and by checking the fences along an agricultural field I got many Cape Vultures, a Namaqua dove and so much more!

That week didn’t just teach me how to find birds—it taught me how to truly notice nature. Although these are just a few of the lessons I learned. It’s a trip I will never forget, and I’m incredibly grateful for the experience and everything it taught me.