The Trekkie's Forum

Personally I encourage people to head out to Kempenfeldt Vulture Restaurant 21km outside Dundee in Northern KZN. It is an amazing experience!

Here is my personal experience of this lovely place when I visited it in December last year.

Kempenfeld Vulture Restaurant

My uncle and I popped in at Kempenfeld Vulture Restaurant after arranging access with the owner, Mynhardt Sadie. Our greatest expectations were soon to be exceeded!

On entering the farm Amur Falcons greeted us from a telephone line. A Lanner Falcon flew from one of the poles and circled us a few times before disappearing again.

We met up with Mynhardt who's warm welcome immediately made us feel at home. He walked us to the hide and along the way we had sightings of 10's of circling vultures and two Marabou Storks. but we had no idea what was waiting for us at the hide, where two cow carcasses were set out to attract the main actors.

Once inside the bird hide I was astonished to see how beautifully it was build and how comfortable it was! With comfortable padded chairs, a bar and a toilet! and we also helped ourselves to the complimentary sweets Mynhardt had put out for us.

But it was when I looked through the glass windows that I nearly fell backwards! I have never seen so many vultures in my life! We estimated there to be between 300 and 350 vultures, mostly White-backed, but with good numbers of Cape Vulture and after some diligent scanning a single Hooded Vulture! There were also good numbers of Pied Crow around.

I could not believe my eyes and ears! It was amazing! The interaction between the bigger Cape Vultures and the smaller White-backed Vultures were utmost interesting!

I cannot describe what it feels like to sit 10m from hundreds of Vultures and I am sure photos will not paint the picture either, but I took a few and I hope it gives you some idea.





There were two tagged vultures, one tagged on Mynhardt's farm and the other tagged quite a distance away.

(Natal tagged bird)


(Swaziland tagged bird)


Mynhardt and I had a lovely discussion about the birds, how it all started and where it was going to. I introduced him to the idea of a webcam and he is very eager in putting one up there.

Mynhardt does everything out of his own pocket and with meat donations from farmers around him. But what he has here for the public is something out of this world! It is something we must support and at the same time advertise and encourage. The R50 (I have not even paid him yet! Shame on me!) Mynhardt charges per person is a small fee for what you get to experience here.

Vulture numbers are declining world wide and to see what Mynhardt does here for these magnificent birds is something money actually can't buy.

Additionally he has a 6 sleeper unit on top of a hill which is to rent at R700 a night. It has a breathtaking view over the valley, including the vulture restaurant and I am going to make use of this unit in due time, no doubt!







Black Cuckoos call from the hillsides and antelope surround you as you peek out from the veranda.

We left there reluctantly, but as we did, a Secretarybird bid us farewell.



Feedback with regards to the tagged Vultures:

(Natal tagged bird)


(Swaziland tagged bird)

USER wrote:

Thanks for reporting these sightings.

N033 was tagged at Kempenfeldt on the 17th of November 2009 during our first mass-capture effort there. It was also fitted with ring number G27332.

S023 was tagged at the Hlane National Park in Swaziland, presumably during 2008, but I do not have the exact ringing/tagging details at present.

Kind regards
Andre Botha

Other IVAD2010 incentives:

IVAD Kids Corner
Rand Barbet Bird club
EWT
Vulture Day

I require photos of Vultures.
Anyone willing to provide me some to post here in this topic?

Vulture, American Black

Vulture, Bearded

Vulture, Eurasian Black

Vulture, Lappet-faced

Vulture, Ruëppell's

Vulture, Turkey

Vulture, White-backed

Thanks Boskat!
You can email (wildtuinman@yahoo.com) them to me or you I teach you how to post it yourself if you want.

I looked at the Lappet Faced Vulture, I see Candys called it a swart ass voël....? I don't think I have pics that good to share, WTM

a Black Bum Bird...  cool!!!