Birding
1. Bullfrog Pan
Despite continuing human disturbances, Bullfrog Pan is one of the most attractive and natural looking pans in the area. There is no official bird list for this site, but over 100 bird species are expected to utilize the pan and the immediate surroundings at different times of year. The birding is quite unpredictable, but always rewarding and compares favourably with places such as Marievale Bird Sanctuary. This pan is also one of the last remaining breeding areas for the Giant Bullfrog on the Highveld and visitors may be fortunate enough to view some of these magnificent animals after heavy rains.
Bullfrog Pan can be accessed via the giant Bullfrog self guided educational trail, which begins at the old Benonian Sports ground on President Brand Street, Rynfield, Benoni. Follow the well signposted trail to the edge of the grass embankment for the best view of the pan. Keep a lookout for Zitting Cisticola, Cape Longclaw, Rufous-naped Lark, Long-tailed Widowbird and African Wattled Lapwing in the grassland area. Little Swift, African Palm-Swift and White-rumped Swift as well as Greater Striped Swallow, White-throated Swallow and Barn Swallow and wheeling flocks of Grey-headed Gull are frequently observed overhead.
A gravel service road runs between the embankment and the pan providing an excellent viewing spot. Although a telescope will be required for some of the more distant birds, visitors have no excuse for straying into the sensitive wetland area. A variety of herons including Goliath Heron, Purple Heron, Black-headed Heron and Grey Heron can usually be seen stalking along in the shallows at the edge of the pan which also serve as feeding grounds for Glossy Ibis and African Sacred Ibis, African Spoonbill, Great Egret, Little Egret, Yellow-billed Egret, Black-winged Stilt, Pied Avocet, African Snipe, Blacksmith Lapwing, Three-banded Plover, Ruff, Wood Sandpiper and the ubiquitous Cape Wagtail.
The inundated, rank grassland area to the west of the pan is one of the most rewarding areas and usually produces good views of African Purple Swamphen, Squacco Heron, Marsh Owl and in winter large numbers of Spur-winged Goose. Close examination of the reed beds may produce a skulking Black-crowned Night-Heron and almost certainly Lesser Swamp-Warbler foraging just above the level of the water. Southern Masked-Weaver, Southern Red Bishop and bumblebee-like Yellow-crowned Bishop are the most active terrestrial birds in this habitat while moorhen dominate the lower levels.
During winter, Greater Flamingo may be seen patrolling the open waters, which they share with an abundance of other waterfowl. Red-knobbed Coot and White-faced Duck and Yellow-billed Duck are the most numerous, but Egyptian Goose, Fulvous Duck, Maccoa Duck, White-backed Duck, Hottentot Teal, Red-billed Teal, Southern Pochard, Cape Shoveler, Little Grebe and Great Crested Grebe are also regularly recorded. Partially submerged fence poles should be checked for African Darter, White-breasted Cormorant and Reed Cormorant.
One can also access the pan from Boden, Patten and Evans roads, but be careful not to trespass on private property. Similar birds as already mentioned may also be expected in these areas, but Pied Kingfisher and African Jacana have also been seen here.
This cache has been placed in a Bird Sanctuary, so no dogs are allowed. It is a short easy walk of about 10 minutes, so put some comfortable shoes on.
During summer the grass tends to be a bit longer, so you would need to find a way to the hidden cache.
To get to the Final Coo-ordinates you need to do the following calculations:
At the Entrance & Parking Co-ordinates, you will find a Sign Board which is quite visible. From this Sign, calculate the Following to get the Final Co-Ords
S 26 AB CDE
E028 ab cde :
A = The last number of the year - 8
B = The value of the letter (A=1, B=2, etc) of the 6th letter of the first word - 1
CDE = The value of the 1st letter (A=1, B=2, etc) of the 4th word X 23 + the value of the letter of the last letter of the fifth word
ab = First two digits of the relevant year
cde = The value of the letter (A = 1, B=2, etc) of the First letter of the 7th Word + the 1st three digits of the year + (2x12)
At this point you can just stand quietly for a few minutes and take in the peacefulness of the birds and nature around you.
We would not recommend that you attempt doing this cache at night.
