On Monday the 20th September 2010, on a marathon birding outing that started at Donaldson Dam and then moved to the R500 farm dams, I ended up at Klerkskraal Dam on the N14 just outside of Klerksdorp. I recall reading a post of how that it is not ideal for birding because of the over growth of the reeds all around the perimeter. My expectations were not great but I just had to see it for myself.

From the Bridge on the N14 I saw Southern Masked Weaver, Common Waxbill, Cape Wagtail (it is the first time I have seen Wagtail perched on reeds like this), there were lots of Long-tailed Widowbird in the area (some males had long tails for the breeding season), Little Egret and South African Cliff-Swallow were flying around and under the bridge.

I then climbed up onto the dam wall and snapped these scenery pics:

I spent a good deal of time down near the reeds on the Western side of the dam - here I saw Little Bittern, South African Cliff-Swallow, Cape Longclaw, Black Crake, African Stonechat and even watched two Black Heron fly past.

There is serious road works going on right next to the dam wall on the N14 and unfortunately a water tanker arrived to pump water from the dam so that put an end to the peace of the spot. I wanted to see if I could get closer to the dam - it seemed like in all directions the reeds were hindering access to the dam and I followed a road on the western side but it led further away from the water so I returned to the highway and made my way to the eastern side of the dam - took a road past the police station and entered the Water Affairs area along a dirt road. I came across a little pond and saw Reed Cormorant, Red-knobbed Coot and Squacco Heron.

I got permission from a worker to proceed through a gate just after the little pond and immediately took a left turn down to the dam, but there was not much around apart from Black Crake, so I retraced my steps and drove as far as I could on the road - it eventually came to an end at a little bridge over the river that leads into the dam (clearly the bridge has not been used for a LONG time and is totally overgrown making further progress impossible - plus there is a gate in front of the bridge hindering progress. Along the way to the river I spotted a Rufous-naped Lark and another Northern Black Korhaan.

By now it was already around 3:30 and I needed to head home. Clearly the dam is really over grown with reeds making birding really difficult, but it was certainly worthwhile visiting.