Two new routes and two new view points add fantastic value to the Cape Vidal birding experience. The dune and vlei loops add 9 kilometres to the iSimangaliso Eastern Shores' gravel tracks available for game viewing. The first loop road opens vlei and coastal woodland habitats while the second loop makes grass covered dunes and coastal forest available to the birder.

To further bolster the birding experience a comprehensive bird hide is replacing the old decrepit hide at Mafazana Pan that has been closed to the public for the last four years. The new bird hide has been designed by architects with comprehensive input from BirdLife South Africa. It is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. I went to have a sneak preview and was pleasantly surprised by the effort that is going into making this one of the best bird hides I have ever seen. Access to the hide will be on foot through dense virgin coastal dune forest, in itself promising a birding experience of note. The hide will be built on a tiered concept, giving the birder some unique angles for viewing the pans. The possibility exists for the hides to even cater for sleepovers a la Sable Dam hide in Kruger.

A new view point overlooking iZindondwe Pan offers fresh water species - waders and water fowl not normally seen at Cape Vidal. Catalina Bay on Lake St Lucia has also been made accessible and I predict sightings of countless numbers of rare resident and migrant bird species from this vantage point.

I have personally benefited from the Vidal facelift with sightings of bat hawk, crowned eagle and Narina trogon seen from the newly opened loop roads.

• 07/01/2009 13:11 - New chicks transmit data
• 18/12/2008 16:48 - Ringing the yellow fellow
• 17/12/2008 11:56 - Engagement party with risky benefits
• 15/12/2008 11:11 - Power cuts, mini-blogs, lifers and early rising
• 02/12/2008 12:40 - Ringing Wakkerstroom
• 21/11/2008 13:06 - #5: Composition
• 10/11/2008 09:27 - Crowned eagles and early humans
• 30/10/2008 13:28 - #3: Perception