Swartkops Aloe Reserve

Despite its urban setting, the Swartkops Estuary, with its adjacent saltpans, is one of the best places in the country to see the less common estuarine waders and terns. It is an Important Bird Area, with over 10 000 waterbirds in summer and is one of the “must see” birding venues in Port Elizabeth. The Zwartkops Valley and Aloe Nature Reserves protect the dense succulent thicket vegetation on the northern escarpment. About 200 species are regularly recorded in the lower Swartkops Valley. Allow 3 hours to bird the estuary (low tide is essential), saltpans and some of the bush from the roads, when 60 species can be expected. To adequately cover all the areas requires a long morning and can produce 100 species in summer.