This
was a “package tour” birding trip, Naturetrek’s Bargain Birding trip to
Kruger National Park, South Africa. As a package tour all I needed to do
was book, pay and turn up at Heathrow Airport, the rest, as they say,
was taken care of. That said lunch
and evening meals and drinks were not included within the price, but
this didn’t detract from the overall value for money.
After an uneventful overnight flight we touched down just before 7
am in Johannesburg. On the walk to Passport Control and baggage reclaim I
met the first of my fellow birds on this trip and picked up the first
species of the trip in the shape of Little
Swifts, nesting under amongst the airport buildings.
After picking up my bag I made my way to through departure gate to
meet up with our guides Toby and Kevin, as well as the remainder of my
fellow birders. After some quick introductions we were split into two,
with 4 plus guide/driver to a minibus, and
we were off on our South African adventure.
It was a short drive from the airport to our first birding stop at
the Reitvlei Nature Reserve, but on the way my first tick of the trip was
picked up in the shape of a Blacksmith Lapwing. We stopped briefly at a
petrol station for water and snacks, picking
up White-browed Sparrow-weaver, Cape Masked Weaver, Southern Grey-headed
Sparrows and Dark-crested Bulbul, before pulling into the reserve
reception area. As Toby sorted out our permits, we birded the immediate
are picking up a number of ticks as well as refamiliarising
myself with some species seen in the Gambia. For Toby and Kevin, the
highlight was a Garden Warbler, typically playing hard to get, which was
quietly going through it’s sub-song.
As with most, if not all, South African reserves, exiting a vehicle
is strictly limited to designated areas, so, once we had exhausted the
birdlife around the entrance complex, it was back into the minibuses and
off into the reserve proper. Birding from
the bus wasn’t too bad, though after having been sat down for most of
the previous 24hrs, I really felt I needed several hours walking so was
itching to get out. There was one tick – a Southern Fiscal - on the
short journey to the first bird hide, where we
could get out. This hide overlooked a lake and was hemmed in between a
narrow strip of reeds. These reeds were peppered with bright red and
black blobs of Southern Red Bishops. An African Reed Warbler was singing
deep in the reeds but was teased out to provide
brief views. Neddicky and Levaillant's Cisticolas sang from the adjacent
rushes. The lake itself was disappointing with only a couple of Moorhen
and Great crested Grebe on the water, but a taste of Africa was provided
by fly over African Sacred Ibis, African
darter and Reed Cormorant.
Back into the minibus’s and it was the four legged animals that
took over our attention as a distant group of Red Hartebeest were
spotted, closely followed by a couple of Blesbok’s, and a road side
Leopard Tortoise. A couple of distant Ostrich generated
a discussion on their tickability. The origin of the Ostrich in the park
is shrouded in mystery but it’s widely held belief that they are from
farmed stock and are of mixed Common and Somali stock. Though now
“wild”, it is thought the only truly wild, genetically
pure, Ostriches in southern Africa are those in Kruger and the Kalahari.
Blesbok
Soon it was Zebra and Black Wildebeest, that took our attention,
though Long-tailed Widow-bird entertained us as the males danced their
improbable display flight, including slowly flying backwards, showing
off their impossibly long tail feathers.
The mammals vied with the birds for attention with, Waterbuck,
Black-backed Jackal, a single Springbok and a Yellow Mongoose being
added to the mammal list whilst Rufous-naped Lark, African Pipit,
African Stonechat and Capped Wheatear made their way onto
the growing bird list.
A second stop added Grey Hornbill, Arrow-marked Babbler, a distant,
and brief, Crested Barbet and our first Cape Robin Chat. A half hidden
Black-winged Kite was our first raptor.
Back in the bus and a Cape Grassbird was heard, followed by a
Bokmakierie. Whilst looking for the Grassbird, the Bokmakierie was found
right next to the road and showed well as it foraged in the dead
grasses. The Grassbird was later seen well as it sat
up on the top of an old rush.
A small pool produced a Cape Wagtail and a couple of Yellow-billed
Duck, plus plenty more Moorhen, before we found a pair of Spotted
Thick-knee nesting close to the road.
A third stop, again over looking the main lake, proved much birdier
than the first. As well as the numerous Bishops and Reed Warblers,
Streaky-headed Seedeaters was added to the list whilst European
bee-eaters flew over head. The lake itself added White-breasted
Cormorant, Egyptian Goose, little Grebe and Coot. Not just your run of
the mill common Coot however, but Red-knobbed Coot. Although not close,
the hide did allow good enough views to note the different shaped
frontal shield, no red-knobs were noted, and body
compared with our common Coots.
A warbler next to the parked cars was proving interesting to the
guides. Originally called as another Garden Warbler, as soon as I put my
bins on it, it was clear it was an Acro’ rather than Sylvia warbler. A
bit more and it was clear it was a Marsh Warbler,
a regular but scarce winter visitor to this area of South Africa.
Heading back round to the reserve entrance, we drew up short to the sight of a White Rhino grazing not too far away. Like any Rhino's this one had been de-horned in an effort to stop it being poached. Unfortunately this drastic measures does not appear to be working as there is more than enough value in the 1-3cm of horn that is left to make it valuable enough to kill for. If the de-horning was effective in preventing poaching, then you could just about put up with de-horned Rhino's, but as it isn't working, these magnificent animals look somewhat "used".
de-horned White Rhino
From Rietlvei we set off on the long journey to Dulstroom, with the promise of a break about two thirds of the way into the trip. As we headed up into the highveld the weather closed in with dull grey skies. We pulled into a couple of pans near Belfast, a site known as Otterpans Dam, to look for waterfowl. Unfortunately the cold weather - it was down to single figures, with a biting cold wind and the end of the dry season saw the pools largely deviod of wildfowl, expect the ubiquitous Egyptian Geese. Working through the pools we pulled out several Yellow-billed Ducks, a pair of Southern Pochard and South African Shelduck. 4 Greater Flamingo's a Spur-winged Goose (or is that knob-headed Goose, Mike?) completed the non familiar line up, along with scores of Red-knobbed Coots. Over the pools hawked a number of Whiskered Terns, Barn Swallows and some Brown-throated Swallows.
The cold soon had as back into the buses and on our way to Dulstroom, our first stopping place. By the time we arrived it was raining quite hard - it had been doing so since 5 am the previous day - and with the light fast fading we checked in, quick showered and headed down for our first meal in front of a roaring fire.
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