Natures Valley is one of those wonderful places where everything seems to come together in exactly the right proportions. The blue sea and white beaches are backed bush and forest rising up to the Tzitzikama Mountains inland. Mount Formosa, the highest peak in this range, is visible from the valley.

The white beaches with flocks of gulls and, in season, terns is backed by a series of “fossilized” sand dunes covered with coastal scrub. Here the bulbuls white-eyes & mousebirds are very common. Rising above the valley is the steep coastal scarp which is covered with evergreen forest where Green Tauracos are almost abundant.

At the eastern end of the valley is a shallow lagoon which is only connected to the sea following periods of heavy rain when flooding breaches the coastal dunes. The lagoon’s upper reaches are over-hung with forest and it is here that one may find the elusive African Finfoot and White-backed Night Heron.

I have been visiting Natures Valley since 1946 and yet there are always new things to discover. In 2003 the Grey Sunbird was first recorded for example.

Although many houses have been built in the valley over the past 50 years, there is still enough bush and forest to support a varied population of birds and animals. Many residents have feeders and this has made many individual birds very tame and easily observed.

Trails have been cleared through the forest areas. They provide access to some of the densely forested areas which would normally be inaccessible. None of the trails could be described as difficult, but caution needs to be taken on the steeper slopes. These trails enable the bird-watcher to get into the forest to find the forest species. In summer the Narina Trogon nests in the forest near the bridge over the Groot River – its distinctive calls can be heard echoing through the forest. The Scaly-throated Honeyguide can usually be heard calling in a patch of forest below the national road.

Outside the summer season, when most house owners visit the valley, one can often see Bushbuck – a small to medium sized antelope which is found in thick bush. They have adapted well to man’s gardens – new growth on pruned Hibiscus bushes is eagerly eaten by the buck and the bushes have to be protected until above buck height if they are to grow.

The Bushpig have also adapted to the gardens. Unfortunately they are much more destructive than the Bushbuck so serious gardeners have erected fences to keep them out!