Report and photos by Hazel van Rooyen
Participants: Stan & Val Culley, Barry Willis,
Stanley & Asothie Gengan, Sandy Olver, Margaret Jones, Irma Smook, Doug and
Angie Butcher, Bobby & Hazel van Rooyen.
On arrival the whole group took a walk through the forest, in search of
the African Broadbill and Narina Trogon but it was very, very dry and barely a bird was
spotted. A lone Mocker Swallowtail
butterfly danced through the undergrowth and a red duiker scampered off.
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| Mocker Swallowtail in Sand Forest Lodge forest |
Guide Themba Mthembu met us at Hadeda-call on Tuesday
morning and took us to several viewsites on the Nibela Peninsular, one where the
Senegal Lapwings and Yellow Wagtails were
much in evidence. Collared
Pratincoles also strutted about and a flock of several hundred gave us a
wonderful fly-over. A long traipse over
dried-out wetland did not produce any Rosy-throated Longclaws or pipits but
other sightings included Kittlitz’s Plover, Curlew and Common Sandpipers and a
Lemon-breasted Canary. A lonely
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater soared about. On
returning to our lodgings a pair of Scarlet-chested Sunbirds bounced in the
wonderful tree canopy beside our chalets.
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| Yellow Wagtail - Nibela peninsular |
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| Flock Collared Pratincoles fly-over - Nibela peninsular |
After lunch and a break, some people sat by the pool
where a honeysuckle attracted butterflies, including Green-banded, Citrus,
Constantines and Forest Swallowtails which kept Sandy on the hop trying to get
photos. A Brimstone Canary came to see
what all the fuss was about. Walking
back to our chalet White-eared Barbets flitted high in the trees.
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| Citrus Swallowtail - pool |
In the afternoon, we embarked on another
forest walk which produced similar results to the previous day, although a
Black-chested Snake Eagle executed a few
circles in front of a lowering sun.
At sun-set, the
local bush babies started up their eerie calling. As with every evening, we all gathered on
Stan, Val and Barry’s patio (Sue being overseas) for a lovely braai and
drinks. Barry and Stanley did us proud
with the braai as usual.
Wednesday saw us heading off at dawn to Mkhuze – the
road had not improved! We spent quite
some time at Muzi Pan just outside the reserve, looking at herons, pelicans, and
various hirundines, (thankyou Val) mostly at a distance away. A Malachite Kingfisher flitted in the reeds
by the road. A leisurely drive to the
picnic site at Nsumo Pan produced a Brown Snake Eagle and a Wahlberg’s Eagle,
but not much else.
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| Brown Snake Eagle - Mkhuze |
It was also quiet at
the picnic site, but a bird was singing so prettily which we eventually
identified as a Pied Wagtail! Breakfast
over (we nearly left without Stanley and Barry who had gone walk-about much to
Asothie’s chagrin and she sternly lectured them the notice-board sign saying
“Do not venture out of the designated area!”).
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| Nsumo Pan picnic site Mkhuze |
We climbed back into our vehicles, only to get out 2
minutes later at the next hide. Pelicans
congregated on the far bank but of more interest to the photographers was a
Willow Warbler and Tawny-flanked Prinia in the brush behind the hide and Doug
found an excellent spot where some Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters enjoyed perching
between foraging flights.
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| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Picnic site Nsumo pan |
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| Blue-cheeked Bee-eater - Picnic site Nsumo pan |
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| Willow Warbler- Picnic site Nsumo pan |
The road to kuMasinga hide gave new meaning to Shake,
Rattle & Roll and once there, out came the coffee and snacks again which
calmed our nerves and was a relief as this hide was also now quiet, presumably
the numerous game sighted on previous visits were now reluctant to hang around
due to the introduction of lions (we didn’t see any, however). Emerald-spotted Wood Doves, Blue Waxbills,
Yellow-fronted Canaries came down to drink as did Common Waxbills. A family of warthogs took some refreshment,
while some terrapins performed a balancing act on a log and a few monkeys did a
stress-test on a small branch.
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| Terrapins - kuMasinga Hide |
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| Monkeys - kuMasinga Hide |
Starlings
and Dark-capped Bulbuls fed on an orange fruit in an unidentified tree. Citrus Swallowtail butterflies were very
interested in a sandy place at the water’s edge. Suddenly the air became alive with European
Bee-eaters dive-bombing insects flying over the water, some of them even splashing
into the water and for the few minutes it lasted we watched enthralled.
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| European Bee-eater at kuMasinga Hide |
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| European Bee-eater at kuMasinga Hide |
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| Citrus Swallowtails at kuMasinga Hide |
A family of Nyala came down to drink, then –
all was once again quiet.
On the return, our exit via a better road, was blocked
by a fallen tree so we ventured back on the stony road for a short distance
before making our way home, some of us via the airfield where European Rollers
took advantage of the flat terrain. The
Brown Snake Eagle also put in another appearance.
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| European Roller - flying at airfield Mkhuze |
At our usual excellent evening braai, we discussed our
action plan for the following day, being our last. The options were, we could either stay around
the lodge, visit False Bay or go to Hluhluwe Game Reserve and everyone was game
for Hluhluwe.
First, however, Thursday morning found a few brave
souls led by Stan, gathering at 05:30 for a final try at the Narina Trogon and
African Broadbill in the forest. It was
still too dark for the forest so we strolled around the grassland while a herd
of Nyala looked on curiously. The birds
had the good sense to stay asleep but the atmosphere and light from the rising
sun coming up behind the grassland were wonderful. We
still didn’t find our birds but felt better for trying.
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| Sand Forest Lodge - 5.30am walk |
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| Sand Forest Lodge - 5.30am walk - Nyala |
At 8-ish we set off and entered at the top of Hluhluwe
Game reserve – Memorial Gate. Not far
inside we encountered a massive herd of a few hundred elephant progressing determinedly
along the valley. This was more elephant
than any of us had ever seen at one time and they had lots of babies too. A huge herd of buffalo were also seen but we
didn’t hang around them long! Breakfast was
at the picnic site on the Hluhluwe River.
Emerald Cuckoo and Scimitarbill were spotted. From there we drove to Siwasamikhoskazi view
point where a Rudd’s Apalis was seen. Birds
seen in Hluhluwe were, amongst others, European Roller and Croaking
Cisticola.
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| European Roller - Hluhluwe Game Reserve |
The return trip was quickly
made via the main road and just before we got back Bobby, Barry and I decided
to try our luck at False Bay and also check out the accommodation there for
future outings. At the lake a few flocks
of water birds were gathered on the sand banks – Grey-headed Gulls, Pink-backed
and Great White Pelicans, White-breasted Cormorants and Caspian Terns. Further along, a Common Greenshank investigated the rocky shoreline.
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| Grey-headed Gull at False Bay |
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| Waterbirds at False Bay |
Accommodation at False Bay proved unsuitable. Although the campsites were OK – almost on
the beach, the rustic huts were apparently situated back at the entrance, miles
away from the tents and had no electricity and you had to take your own linen. Entrance to the Bay, without Rhino card was
R37.50.
On Friday, we were all keen to be on our way home.
Birds recorded: Crested Barbet, Black-collared Barbet,
Dark-capped Bulbul, White-eared Barbet, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Glossy
Starling, Black-bellied Starling, Violet-backed Starling, White-rumped Swift,
Palm Swift, Barn Swallow, Lesser Striped Swallow, White-throated Swallow,
Yellow-fronted Canary, Southern Black Tit, Sombre Greenbul, Fork-tailed Drongo,
Tambourine Dove, Red-eyed Dove, Square-tailed Drongo, Terrestrial Brownbul,
Steppe Buzzard, Purple-crested Turaco, Crowned Hornbill, Golden-tailed
Woodpecker, Rudd’s Apalis, Green-backed Camaroptera, Yellow-billed Kite,
Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike, Red-fronted Tinkerbird, Cape White-eye, Red-backed
Mannikin, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove, Willow Warbler, Puffback, Yellow-bellied
Greenbul, Bronze Mannikin, Blue Waxbill, Long-crested Eagle, Brimstone Canary,
Black Cuckooshrike, Chinspot Batis, Collared Sunbird, Grey Sunbird,
Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Dusky Flycatcher, Black-chested Snake Eagle,
Brown-hooded Kingfisher, Paradise Flycatcher, Trumpeter Hornbill, Helmeted
Guineafowl, Kittlitz’s Plover, Senegal Lapwing, Collared Pratincole, Hadeda
Ibis, Black-winged Lapwing, Ruff, Pintailed Whydah, Yellow Wagtail, African
Pipit, Crowned Plover, Cattle Egret, Sacred Ibis, Black Sparrowhawk, Red-billed
Teal, Spur-winged Goose, Reed Cormorant, African Darter, Wood Sandpiper,
Blue-cheeked Bee-Eater, White-faced Whistling Duck, Yellow-billed Egret,
Malachite Kingfisher, African Spoonbill, Blacksmith’s Lapwing, African Jacana,
Burchell’s Coucal, Yellow-billed Duck, Hottentot Teal, Arrow-marked Babbler,
Goliath Heron, Little Egret, Three-banded Plover, Pied Kingfisher, Curlew
Sandpiper, Little Stint, Common Fiscal, Southern Black Flycatcher,
Purple-banded Sunbird, Rattling Cisticola, Indian Mynah, House Sparrow,
Speckled Mousebird, Long-billed Crombec, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Wattled
Lapwing, Sand Martin, Grey-rumped Swallow, Lemon-breasted Canary, Thick-billed
Weaver, Hamerkop, Common Sandpiper, Red-breasted Swallow, Southern Red Bishop,
Diderick Cuckoo, Purple Heron, Whiskered Tern, Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis,
Tawny-flanked Prinia, White-winged Tern, Pied Wagtail, White-backed Vulture,
Crested Francolin, Bataleur, Brown Snake Eagle, European Bee-Eater,
Broad-billed Roller, Green-winged Pytilia, Red-capped Robin-Chat, Fish Eagle,
Pink-backed Pelican, Black-winged Stilt, Open-billed Stork, Osprey, Great
Egret, White-throated Robin-Chat, Cape Turtle Dove, European Roller, Common
Waxbill, Red-billed Oxpecker, Dusky Indigobird, Red-faced Mousebird, Spotted
Flycatcher, Red-billed Quelea, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Village Weaver,
Rufous-naped Lark, Black-crowned Tchagra, Red-backed Shrike, Red-collared
Widowbird, Little Bee-Eater, White-browed Scrub-Robin, Lappet-faced Vulture,
Black-headed Oriole, Brubru, Croaking Cisticola, Common Scimitarbill, Emerald
Cuckoo, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Golden-breasted Bunting, White-breasted
Cormorant, Pied Crow, Tawny Eagle, Egyptian Goose, Common Greenshank,
Grey-headed Bull, Black-headed Heron, Green-backed Heron, Great White Pelican,
Black Sawwing, Little Stint, Caspian Tern, Spotted Thick-knee, Cape Wagtail,
Fantailed Widowbird, Green Wood-Hoopoe (168 species)
Photos Copyright Hazel van Rooyen
