The Elandsvlei, or Dickin's Pan as it is known, (chapter 63 in Birding Gauteng) lies on privately owned land close to Bapsfontein east of Pretoria. The main attraction is the two large pans as well as the surrounding grasslands.

Trip 1 - March 2010
My first visit to Elandsvlei was in March 2010 - and my son, Drew, and I had an amazing time exploring this new venue for us. Here are some scenery pics of the spot:

Here is a selection of bird pics that I took on the day:

Trip 2 - May 2011
I spent my Monday off at this spot on the 11th of March this year and saw the following bird species: Cattle Egret, Blacksmith Lapwing, Cape Turtle Dove, Amur Falcon, Cape Longclaw, Whiskered Tern, Zitting Cisticola, Southern Red Bishop, Helmeted Guineafowl, Egyptian Goose, Pin-tailed Whydah, Long-tailed Widowbird, Cape Wagtail, Red-knobbed Coot, Little Grebe, Spur-winged Goose, African Jacana, Yellow-billed Duck, Reed Cormorant, Great Egret, White-throated Swallow, Grey-headed Gull, Fulvous Duck, Laughing Dove, White-winged Widowbird, Sacred Ibis, African Purple Swamphen, Black Crake, Levaillant's Cisticola, Black-headed Heron, Common Moorhen, Little Egret, Yellow-crowned Bishop, Southern Masked Weaver, Red-billed Teal, Black-winged Pratincole, Grey Go-away-bird and Common Fiscal.

It is important to take the road past the bird hide that leads all around the pan - and also venture out onto the other roads into the fields and around the boundaries - it is not just about the pan itself. I would have see a lot less if I had just hung out at the bird hide.

Here is a panoramic view of the pan and some shots of the bird hide:

Here is a selection of pics that I took of birds on the day: