KZN winter birding and mammals- July 2023

[TonyQ]

@Treepolwe really enjoyed it  @offshorebirderthey are very cute indeed, and they were confident around people

The road on the Lesotho side of the border is surfaced and seems of good quality. It is Chinese built and appears little used. The people living in this part of Lesotho appear to be mainly involved in looking after sheep. It would be difficult, I imagine, to grow much here. Stuart said he was quite concerned that that following a few mild winters, herders had started bring their sheep up before spring had really started. He though that if there was a cold patch with bad weather that this could cause problems for the herders. 

Traffic Jam on new road

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

A few birds

Grey Tit

Karoo Prinia

Karoo Scrub Robin

Sentinel Rock Thrush

A Grey-winged Francolin well camouflaged

[TonyQ]

We stopped at the side of the road for a picnic lunch provided by Stuart (very good homemade quiche, salad, coffee etc). The spot chosen was opposite a distant Bearded Vulture nest. Stuart said the two parents change places at about 12.30 to 13.00 (according to my camera they were 3 minutes late )

The nest is in the smaller of the holes, to the left and up a bit from the big hole. Lots of droppings below

Bearded Vulture flies over on schedule

 

A Cape Vulture also flew over.

[TonyQ]

The pattern of the afternoon was to drive a bit, stop, get out and walk at spots Stuart knew well. The landscapes were stark but beautiful. The birding was really enjoyable. In a couple of places, we had to walk slower than usual because of the altitude.

View across to river

Village

Mountain Wheatear

Our car

Jackal Buzzard by the side of the road

Track towards sheep pen

More sheep

 

Sheep around our car

Drakensberg Rockjumper - this was a bird we were very keen to see, and it was beautiful

Edited October 9, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

Eventually we headed back towards South Africa, passing a Mountain Reedbuck,

 

through the two border posts down the winding road back towards Sani Valley Lodge.

Fairy Flycatcher at SA Border post

Road heading down

 

 

 

We had loved the day – it was one of the real highlights of the trip. I know that people who enjoy driving do self-drive this route in a 4X4, but I think we would have to concentrate so much we wouldn’t see very much other than the road. On the way down Stuart pointed out the wreck of a car that had gone over the edge and landed upside down- he thought it was one of the taxis that covers the route. (Note- he didn't show it to us on the way up!)There is no way we would self-drive this route.

 

Stuart was a fantastic guide – really interesting and knowledgeable on geology, history as wildlife. He knew the bird locations really well – we would have found only a fraction without him. He was patient in helping us see the birds and was very considerate. He was a good safe driver and a very nice guy to spend the day with.

 

 

[Towlersonsafari]

Sounds like a splendid day trip @TonyQand very jealous of the otter- and the ice rat!

[Hads]

Fantastic birding photo's @TonyQ.

The load shedding is a real challenge in South Africa. 

Your Sani Pass section brings back lovely memories - the road up isn't for the faint hearted.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Hads

[TonyQ]

@Towlersonsafari@Hadsthank you

 

After a very enjoyable stay at Sani Valley Lodge, we made our way towards St Lucia, our next stop. This would be the longest drive of the trip (about 6 hours driving time).

 

As we drove towards Himeville we heard, and then saw a couple of Blue Cranes at the side of the road, calling loudly.

You may see from the photo that it was becoming misty. We topped up fuel and got some cash from an ATM in Underberg and drove on. The weather became progressively more foggy with poor visibility and driving was fairly unpleasant -  made tricky by varying attitudes to using lights on vehicles (none, one, two) and by animals at the side of the road (cows, goats, dogs).

 

Eventually we reached the N3, still foggy but fewer animals!

 

Practical Note: At various points on the N roads there are Toll Booths. Our car was fitted with a transponder which meant we could drive through the Automatic lane at the Toll Booth and the total amount would be deducted at the end of the trip by the car company. If your car doesn’t have this you will need cash a few times.

 

We broke the journey for lunch at Westbrook, quite close to King Shaka Airport at a restaurant called “Spice”. We both had an excellent Tamarind Fish Curry.

 

Onwards then to St Lucia – a small town popular with tourists. We stayed at for 4 nights at Lodge Afrique

https://www.lodgeafrique.com/

 

It was very nice. I think there is a lot of good accommodation in St Lucia. We booked it this time as we had previously booked it on the trip we had to cancel because of Covid. They were really good about the cancellation so we wanted to give them some business on this visit.

 

We like St Lucia. There were a number of decent restaurants. It was well located for exploring nearby areas and there was excellent birding in the town itself and in local bits of forest.  Unfortunately, there was really heavy rain on our first day

Our balcony and rain....

[TonyQ]

So we lingered over a good breakfast and drank coffee on our terrace.  We got out for lunch and did an hour of wet birding later in the afternoon when the rain was only torrential.

And a wet squirrel

Yellow-streaked Greenbul

Yellow Weaver

Red-capped Robin-chat – very common in this area

Wet African Woolly-necked Stork

Yellow-fronted Canary

And delighted to see African Paradise-Flycatcher – I got soaked through the open car window taking this!

[TonyQ]

During our stay we looked for birds in St Lucia itself and also visited two parts of iSimalangiso Park – one visit to the East Shore and one to the West shore. I will discuss these a bit later, but first a few birds from St Lucia itself.

 

A few more birds around the town

Scarlet-chested Sunbird

Crowned Hornbill

Black-bellied Starling

White-eared Barbet

Southern Crested Guineafowl just wandering around the streets

A very cute Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird

 

Brown-hooded Kingfisher

And Vervets were very common (including one that came into breakfast and liberated a fruit yoghurt

African Dusky Flycatcher

Dark-backed Weaver

African Yellow White-eye

[TonyQ]

Because of the heavy rain on one day, we missed a boat trip, and didn’t visit the estuary. We did go to the local beach

African Fish-eagle

Wire-tailed Swallow taking a dust/sand bath

Enjoying the beach

Rainbow

 

And back in St Lucia

Livingstone’s Turaco

Showing bright red wings

[TonyQ]

iSimalangiso Park –East Shore

 

From St Lucia there is very easy access to the iSimalangiso Park.

iSimalangiso means “miracle or wonder”

We went to the Eastern shore via Bhangazi Gate. We stopped to pay entry (I think about 320 Rand for the two of us and the car). Make sure you keep the ticket as you may be fined if you don’t have it when you leave.

 

The main road through the park is in good condition – easy driving. We were able to take some of the side loops, but some other loops were closed due to flooding (following the heavy rain we experienced in St Lucia). We drove as far as Cape Vidal (about 35KM I think)

 

Kudu (M)

Kudu (F)

African Jacana showing amazing legs and feet

African Wooly-necked Stork

Yellow-billed Duck with babies

Burchell's Coucal - a lovely bird I think

White-backed Duck

[TonyQ]

African Cuckoo-Hawk

Collared Sunbird

Hippo

Natal Red Duiker (from MrsQ - I was on the wrong side of the car

[TonyQ]

We spent a bit too long at the early part of the track so we had to rush a bit at the end as it does get dark early at this time of year

 

At Cape Vidal there was a beach and accommodation, so quite a few holidaymakers compared to most of the rest of the park

Common Tern (familiar to us from the Northern Hemisphere)

These probably stayed all year, but seeing this species which does migrate from Northern Europe to South Africa really does emphasise what an astonishing journey they make. I thought it took a long time flying here by jet, so admiration to these little birds that do it themselves

White-fronted Plover

Grey-headed Gull

Swift Tern/ Great Crested Tern

[TonyQ]

So we headed back towards the gat at St Lucia, stopping for a few creatures as we were a bit late

Bushbuck - a very pretty antelope

Buffalo

 

Warthog by the side of the road

 

Brown Snake-eagle

It was a lovely place to visit. Easy from St Lucia and very cheap from a UK perspective. There was no food or drink available (as far as we could tell) so you need to take your own supplies. (Alcohol is not allowed and your car can be checked for it). We took our own packed lunch and plenty of water!

Edited October 15, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

After our very enjoyable stay in St Lucia, we were heading towards Ghost Mountain Inn in Mkhuze. We decided to travel through the iSimalangiso Park – West Shore. The access to this is close to St Lucia and the route is certainly more interesting than travelling on the N roads. (N road would be about 2 hours drive). Entry fees are the same as the East Shore (about 320 Rand). It is important to have cash with you for entry into the parks as some gates do not accept credit cards (poor signal). Take packed lunch and water.

 

Most of the loop roads were closed due to flooding, so our drive was restricted to the main track – but this was still very productive and enjoyable.

 

Kudu

Zitting Cisticola

Wildebeest with heat haze!

Great Egret

African Darter

Saddle-billed Stork

African Swamphen

Malachite Kingfisher - a beautiful bird

[TonyQ]

We spent most of a leisurely day in the park - very enjoyable

Giraffe walking slowly away from us

Osprey - we were surprised to see this fly over us

Possible an Oribi? Not sure about this so any correction welcome!

Bateleur

Hoopoe-We stopped at a picnic site for lunch and enjoyed watching this bird hunting

Hippos relaxing - the one on the right appears to be enjoying the warm sunshine

Nyala

This is the first time we have ever seen Nyala (I think) so we were delighted to see this beautiful antelope (more of them to come in Mkhuze)

Alongside the road towards the exit gate - Tsessebe

 

 

 

When leaving the park onto the N2 it was a drive of about 45 minutes to get to Mkhuze town and the Ghost Mountain Inn.

Edited October 15, 2023 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

Ghost Mountain Inn and Mkhuze Game Reserve

 

https://www.ghostmountaininn.co.za/

 

 

We would stay at the Ghost Mountain Inn for four nights. We had booked here for the trip that was cancelled during Covid, and they were very good about the cancellation so we decided to give them our business. We were very happy with the choice.

 

We used it as a base for two day visits to Mkhuze Game reserve. @xelas and @Dave Williams had stayed in the park and that also looks like a good option.

 

I will talk about the Inn a little later, but first I will focus on Mkhuze. It is about a 30 minute drive to get to the entrance gate, mostly through rural Zululand. Much of the road was quite poor as it passed through small villages and groups of students heading to school. Young men herded groups of cattle along the road accompanied by large dogs.

 

Have cash available for entrance fees. The road network within the park is very good. The main tracks are well surfaced, and the minor loop roads are also in good condition (better than some of the road outside the park). Take a packed lunch and water. There are toilets at the entrance gate and at the hides.

Jameson’s Firefinch from the car park

Blue Waxbill from the car park

 

 

There are a number of hides overlooking waterholes in the park and we had a very enjoyable time at these. @xelas gives a good overview of the different hides in his report.

Our favourite was the KuMasinga Hide and we visited a few times.

 

The Nsumo Pan is usually good for waterbirds, but the water level was so high when we visited that the only birds were very distant.

 

A small number of lions have been introduced to the park (you are unlikely to see them) so there are restrictions on where you can walk. We did have good views of a number of herbivores, and the birdlife was very good.

 

I will put sightings from our two days together rather than do day by day.

Impala  were common by the side of the road – care with them crossing

 

 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Three-banded Plover

Water Thick-knee – I think these are amazing birds

Orange-breasted Bush-shrike

Fiscal Flycatcher

 

Nyala were very common in the park, both along the roads and coming to drink at the hides. We were really pleased to see them as we had not seen them before this trip. I think they are one of the most beautiful of antelopes.

A handsome male

 

Mother with baby "hiding" in bush

Crested Francolin by the side of the road

[TonyQ]

It was a pleasure to Giraffe in a few areas on the loop roads. An animal that always makes one smile.

 

Road block!

 

Stretching for the choicest morsel

I think when driving yourself and finding animals and birds yourself, you appreciate them a bit more - even the common ones

 

[TonyQ]

As I mentioned, Nsumo Pan was very full of water.

 

No birds close by, just some distant Storks and Cormorants (we didn't revisit on our second day in the park)

African Harrier Hawk flies over

Cardinal Woodpecker shows well

Little Bee-eater - probably my favourite Bee-eater

Golden-breasted Bunting

Cape Glossy Starling – eating pollen, or insects on flowers? I have not seen one like this before.

 

 

[AndrewB]

Mkuze - fond memories!

My first safari in 1992 was here. Stayed in a tented camp somewhere in the park. Amazing stuff for a first timer.

Highlights in the memory are both Black and White Rhino (odd safari goer - Rhino before Elephants!).

Bushpig coming down to drink while I was in a hide.

Python eating a warthog.

Bushbabies charging around.

And lots of other things too.

[TonyQ]

Nyala came to the KuMasinga Hide waterhole to drink

 

 

 

 

And were joined by a Mongoose who crept out from the shelter of a Nyala

 

[offshorebirder]

5 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Nyala came to the KuMasinga Hide waterhole to drink

 

Thank you for sharing this intimate series of photos @TonyQ.

 

Too many good sightings and photos to comment upon but the Livingstone's Turaco was choice.

[John M.]

Impressive pics, especially the birds... and sòme awesome landscapes