Returning to Umdloti, KZN, after 17 years in St Lucia, safari guide Paul van de Wall was blown away by the abundant birdlife.

Leading bird-watching tours in northern Zululand, Van der Wall says he was nervous about what he would come home to regarding birdlife.

However, he was so impressed, he is considering launching bird-watching tours on the North Coast. He has already talked to the Umdloti Coastal Conservancy about what could be a major tourist asset to the town.

“On my first day on the beach with my camera, my wife Sharon and I discovered not one, but two Eurasian oystercatchers on the rocks in the ‘no take’ zone,” he says.

He says the species was a rare Palearctic migrant, and usually has twitchers from all over the country hurry to the beaches to tick off this unusual visitor.

“If we’re lucky, December to March are the months we might encounter them here,” he says.

In November, the North Coast Courier reported the return of a single Eurasian oystercatcher, after the species was first seen in the area during the Covid-19 lockdown.

In February, the newspaper announced the arrival of a second bird.

Van de Wall also captured a striking image of an African oystercatcher clutching a mussel in its beak. He shared it on the Umdloti Conservancy WhatsApp group, saying ‘Come to Umdloti and show us your mussels’.

He praised the Umdloti Coastal Conservancy for its conservation efforts.

“It’s so rewarding to see its efforts bearing fruit, er, birds!” he says.

The Sibaya Conservation Trust (SCT), as part of the Sibaya Coastal Precinct, has also made a tangible contribution to the birders’ gem that Umdloti has become.

Through various conservation programmes, the SCT manages the Sibaya Coastal Forest Reserve which includes a 300ha of indigenous forest bordering the beaches.

It also has a dedicated team that cleans that stretch of beach and provides top-notch security, making it a safe beach for long walks.

The Sibaya Coastal Forest Reserve is one of the last bio-systems of its kind in KZN. The SCT rehabilitates and protects the forest while enabling people to appreciate its beauty, learn about its diversity and responsibly enjoy activities such as birding, hiking and running.