Our trip from our new home in Mossel Bay to our old home town of Pretoria for the last two weeks of May was for several reasons, one of which was to take up the offer of friends Koos and Rianda to join them at Verlorenkloof in Mpumulanga, a country resort that has been a favourite of ours for many years.

We had four days to get the most out of our visit, which offers a combination of relaxation, some walks and plenty of birding opportunities – here’s how it went –

Wednesday 22^nd May 2024 – getting there

We had flown to Gauteng and were staying at our son James’s house in Pretoria, so did some shopping for supplies at Boma butchery and Woolies before departing just after 1pm and setting off along the N4 east.

Apart from our customary coffee and comfort stops, progress was slowed by the busy road and roadworks in places, and we eventually arrived at Verlorenkloof about quarter to five, just as Koos and Rianda were offloading at Croft no 3

Dinner was Milly’s trout pies and salads which went down well and after unpacking and tea we were ready for an early night.

Thursday 23^rd May 2024

By popular demand our first day was a lazy one – after breakfast we enjoyed some quality “stoepsitting” and viewing the birds passing by which included a few of the familiar ones we have come to expect at Verlorenkloof –

• Nicholson’s Pipit and
• Striped Pipit on the grass

• Rock Martins in the air, swirling around the stoep, resting at intervals on the higher walls

• The oh so familiar Familiar Chat flitting between low trees and the grass

• Cape White-eyes moving restlessly through the trees
• Olive Bushshrike fleetingly showing in bush
• Dusky Flycatcher demurely sitting on a thin branch then flying down to pounce on its prey and returning to the same vantage point

Around lunchtime we visited the lodge for coffee and a slice of cheesecake outside, while watching the antics of the Mocking Cliff-Chat pair and listening to their variety of calls. The striking difference between male and female plumage is always a fascination

Black Flycatchers and Fork-tailed Drongos were also in attendance, confusing in their alikeness, while on the way back White-fronted Bee-eaters (heading image) and a pair of Yellow-breasted Apalises were added.

Later Koos and I walked to the river and back (It seemed as if the last stretch of the return walk has been made steeper…..!) – all of 3 kms. Birds were few with just a handful added – Black-headed Oriole, Puffback and Bald Ibis among them.

Dinner was a tasty bobotie with salads

Friday 24^th May 2024

Another lazy start to the day – beautiful sunny, warm weather with cold nights – we once again spent most of the morning on the stoep or nearby, building on the birdlist and just enjoying the ambience. Additions to the birdlist were –

• Red-winged Starlings – some 30 on the lawn
• Chorister Robin-Chat in the trees outside our bedroom – the image is a bit fuzzy but shows the bird’s striking colour well

• Bar-throated Apalis in the same trees
• Cape Batis briefly in the bush near the stoep

Koos wanted to go to the lodge to get charcoal so I joined him for the ride, which included stops at the dams on the way, where we found Little Grebes, Black Crakes and an Olive Thrush

After a lunch of patés and salads we all drove to the river for a short walk along the banks, admiring once again the pristine river against the backdrop of the surrounding mountains

At the bridge Brown-throated Martin and Grey-rumped Swallows were flying up and down river and over the adjoining grasslands, while a Brown-hooded Kingfisher sat on a branch watching for prey.

Other birds encountered were Cape Grassbird and Tawny- flanked Prinia – both new for the pentad list

Back at the croft Koos got the braai going and we enjoyed wors, kebabs and pap with salad to round off the day.

As I write in my journal, the wood stove is burning and spreading its warmth around the living area – just the job for the cold evenings.

Saturday 25^th May 2024

Yet another slow start saw us having brekkie outside on the stoep in pajamas, watching a flock of Rock Martins swirling about above the lawn, catching invisible prey in the air.

A Natal Spurfowl calling in the night or very early morning (still dark) and a Brubru’s distinctive call which sounds like a telephone (remember them?) were the first additions to the list for the day.

Around midday we drove to the lodge for tea and cake – this time just half a portion each – after which we did the circular drive down past the river, left along the gravel road to the tee near the entrance road, then returning along the entrance road back to the croft.

The drive was a slow one with plenty of stops and pauses to look at birds, with Rianda and Gerda’s sharp eyes helping to find new species. Between the four of us we added a number of species to the pentad list including

• White-bellied Sunbird

• Cape Canary just after the bridge as Koos predicted
• Greater Double-collared Sunbird
• Common Waxbill
• Yellow-billed Ducks at one of the small dams
• White-winged Widowbirds at the roadside

• Several groups of Cape Crows in open fields (if a group of crows is called a murder of crows, do several groups get called a serial murder of crows?)

Heading back, we came across a few Southern Bald Ibises in a field, close enough for a photo shoot – how handsome they are ….. or perhaps it’s a matter of taste –

Here’s looking at you, kid

We returned to the croft after collecting the meals we had ordered for this evening, enjoying a late lunch of bread, patés and cheese with salads

Koos and I took a short walk towards the lodge late afternoon, turning back when it became quite dark – Spurfowls were calling in fine fashion from various quarters, both Swainson’s and Natal.

A young angler we spoke to at the fishing dam assured us there were “Superfowls” around, which had us puzzled for a moment but led to some smiles when I realised he was referring to Spurfowls, but at least he was full of enthusiasm about the bird life.

The evening meal was what we picked up at the lodge earlier – a delicious lamb casserole with mash

Sunday 26^th May 2024 – heading home

Brunch day! As in the past we looked forward to the traditional Sunday brunch and weren’t disappointed with a large spread presented to the delight of some 50 or so fellow brunchers

After that it was time to pack the car for the trip back to Pretoria – far too soon as usual! We arrived at James’ house around 5pm and started getting ready for our return trip by air to Mossel Bay the next day

In closing, Verlorenkloof has some wildlife in addition to the birds, as this Common Duiker showed us.