South African nature enthusiast with a passion for Birding, Photography and Travelling to interesting places to discover more about Southern Africa and the World
For many years we have dreamt of cruising down the Danube in one of those river cruise boats that one sees on the pages of travel magazines and newspapers.
In April 2016 we turned the dream into reality, using as an excuse our upcoming major anniversary to treat ourselves to a special trip.
The cruise was an eight-day, seven night cruise, starting from and returning to Passau in Germany with the furthest point reached being Budapest in Hungary and traversing 4 countries along the way.
Embarkation in Passau
Thursday 21 April at 16h00 was the time for embarkation, according to the info we had been given. We had played it safe and had the pre-booked shuttle pick us up at 10h30 from our hotel in Prague to make sure we would be in good time. We travelled through Czech countryside for a couple of hours, then through twisty mountain passes into Germany and reached Dock A13 in Passau some four hours later in comfortable and safe style (CK Shuttle are highly recommended).
Our home for the next week, the Amadeus Royal, awaited us in all its splendour at the dockside.
We were too early to board, but fortunately the cruise boat accepted our luggage, so we were able to go and find a relaxing cup of tea at a nearby café, where we sat outside and soaked up the atmosphere until 3 pm at which time we were allowed to board.
The cabin was similar to the one we had during our Alaska cruise – on a large cruise ship – but with no balcony, just a sliding door. However we saw the reason for that when we went through some of the locks, with just enough space to squeeze the boat in. The afternoon on the boat was taken up with relaxing in the forward panorama lounge and a briefing by the cruise director in German and excellent English.
We were curious to find out whether the dining experience would be as good as anticipated and were not disappointed – the first meal set the standard with a four course dinner including starter, soup, main meal and dessert, all nicely presented and quite delicious, fortunately in fairly small portions, so that we never felt bloated.
Our waiter Ivan, from Croatia, was excellent, looking after our every whim and he was quick to get us into a routine of deciding on our main course for the next meal in advance, so that he was always fully prepared. The wine waiter Zi-zi , also from Croatia, made sure we had our share of the complimentary wines at dinner, a happy situation for South Africans paying in our weak Rands.
The Maitre’d had placed us in a section of the dining room amongst two groups of other South Africans, which was a pleasant surprise and made for a convivial atmosphere for most of the trip.
Friday 22 April
Our first full day on board and, as it turned out, a busy one indeed! After breakfast and docking at Emmersdorf, a small town in Austria (Population 1731 according to Wikipedia), we were collected by bus, taken across a nearby bridge and for a short drive to Melk Abbey, a magnificent example of Baroque architecture, with curves in all the right places.
Melk Abbey entranceMelk Abbey sculptureMelk Abbey – modern replacement of bomb damaged facade
The abbey guide was a demure looking young lady, who turned out to have a mischievous sense of humour and a full complement of informative and interesting facts as she led us through a series of rooms, each depicting an aspect of the history of the Abbey and the religious beliefs of the time. Many of the displays were done in a modern way using lighting and projection to add to the impact.
Melk Abbey – lady in a paintingMelk Abbey – strange figure in a painting
We were guided through the abbot’s chambers, along the imperator’s walk, through the marble hall, the balconies and the library.
Melk Abbey – the beauty of simplicityMelk Abbey – one of the highly decorated ceilingsMelk Abbey – this is hard work!Melk Abbey – Views from the balconyMelk Abbey
The abbey church was last on the list and the opulence of it was astounding, with so many gilded statues and decorations it was hard to take it all in.
Melk Abbey – stairway to heaven?Melk Abbey – the ChurchMelk Abbey – the Church
The history of the abbey goes a long way back – all the way to the 10th century to be inexact – when it started out as a castle, later being handed over to the Benedictines. Over the years it was variously sacked and burnt by succeeding marauders, but survived until it was rebuilt in the early 1700’s, since when it has stood as a supreme example of the Baroque period.
Melk Abbey – beautiful architecture
In case, like me, you are desperate to know more about Baroque architecture, here is an extract from Wikipedia :
Baroque architecture is the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late 16th-century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and the absolutist state. It was characterized by new explorations of form, light and shadow, and dramatic intensity.
So now you know……….
This is what I think of it –
Just joking…
After the abbey tour there was time for a tea and (wait for it) apfelstrudel at the restaurant, which was superb.
Melk Abbey – stylish apfelstrudel
The tour rounded off with a stop at a wine-tasting venue and a sampling of the local Wachau wines – the wines were not particularly memorable, the venue was crowded and the presentation rather too “touristy” for our liking, so we were happy when it was done and we could walk the short distance back to the boat.
We were just in time for lunch, while our boat headed east towards our next stop at Vienna – the day was not yet done!
By late afternoon we had docked in Vienna, a city we last visited as newly weds some 44 years ago, so our memories were faded at best, totally absent at worst and it was like visiting a new place. We had pre-booked a package of tours which included a “Sound of Vienna” evening tour so, just after an early dinner, we were once again taken by bus into the city and to the Kursalon Wien for a concert in a large “salon” – a hall packed with about 500 straight-backed chairs.
Vienna – sounds of ViennaVienna – sounds of ViennaVienna – sounds of Vienna
The music and accompanying performances by singers and dancers was beautiful and good for the soul, just a pity they find it necessary to pack in so many people, 99% tourists, into a venue that is not designed for it.
More to Come………
While in Vienna we visited Schonbrunn Palace and I had a walk along the river – more about that and the next stop in the next post
For many years we have dreamt of cruising down the Danube in one of those river cruise boats that one sees on the pages of travel magazines and newspapers.
In April 2016 we turned the dream into reality, using as an excuse our upcoming major anniversary to treat ourselves to a special trip.
Over the next few weeks I will be describing some of the highlights of the two weeks spent in Eastern Europe, starting with four nights in Prague, Czech Republic and ending with a two night stay in Passau, Germany, with a week-long cruise down the Danube sandwiched in between. Along the way we traversed four different countries – Germany, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia.
So here’s a taster of some of the places visited and wonderful experiences along the way, with more to follow in later blogs …..
Prague
This has to rate as the most beautiful city we have visited, from an architectural perspective, with each street lined with magnificent old buildings and something interesting around every corner. We did a lot of walking – always the best way to see a new place.
Prague – Old Town SquarePrague – street scenePrague – Old Town Square : Church of St NicholasPrague – Florist shopPrague – Spring blossoms
Danube Cruise
The cruise was an eight-day, seven night cruise, starting from and returning to Passau in Germany with the furthest point reached being Budapest in Hungary and traversing 4 countries along the way.
Riverside scenesMoored at ViennaApproaching BudapestBudapest by night – ParliamentBridge at Esztergom, Hungary (near Danube bend)Bratislava – the Castle
We were kept busy with tours at every stop, but some of the best moments were just cruising along the wide river, the sliding door of our cabin wide open, watching the passing scenery.
The stops along the way gave us a wonderful insight into places that, for us, were just mysterious- sounding names before – Budapest in Hungary, Bratislava in Slovakia, Linz, Melk and Vienna in Austria.
We decided to round off our trip with a short stay in the small town of Passau in Germany, also the starting and ending point of the cruise, which turned out to be a highlight of our trip.
Passau – St Stephan’s CathedralPassau – river scenes
Accommodation
From our large room in Prague to the compact cabin on the cruise boat and ending with our neat room in Passau, all were more than comfortable, clean and a pleasure to return to after a hard day’s touring.
Food
The meals on the cruise were of a very high standard and at every stop we tried the local cake or pastry speciality, usually accompanied by a decent cappuccino. During our Prague and Passau stays, we tried a variety of restaurants close to our hotel and were never disappointed.
Passau – Apfelkuchen and cappucinoPassau – lunch on the hill
Birding and Wildlife
The Danube river is not renowned for its birding, other than the delta where it runs into the Black Sea apparently. So the birding was not memorable, nevertheless I was always on the lookout and ended with a modest list of 33 species – heck, I have seen more bird species than that in an hour’s walk around our residential estate in Pretoria!
You don’t expect to see wildlife in Europe, so the couple of small animals we encountered were a pleasant surprise, particularly the fox with a fish catch.
Red Fox with fish catch
Photography
Regular readers of my blog (yes both of you) will know that I am a keen photographer and this trip presented plenty of opportunities for photographing some well-known and sometimes lesser-known tourist spots. I like to get the places visited on record along with the hordes of other tourists all recording similar shots, but love it when I can get a different angle or a detail shot that others haven’t thought of, so that I end up with what I consider a nice mix of the expected and unexpected.
More to Come………
Future blogs will go into a lot more detail on our experiences during two busy weeks spent in Eastern Europe, with plenty of photos included!
Apart from being our favourite place to spend a relaxing week away from it all, Verlorenkloof Estate offers a variety of habitats that make for superb birding opportunities, whether walking, cycling or driving.
The website of the estate describes it better than I can :
“Verlorenkloof Estate is a well established and highly regarded shareblock development and self catering holiday resort on the eastern escarpment in the heart of the trout triangle in Mpumalanga.
Accommodation is in 23 self catering crofts. Each croft is privately situated, thoughtfully designed, fitted, maintained and serviced to a very high standard, making this the best self catering accommodation in Mpumalanga .
The surrounding 1600 hectare estate offers many layers of outdoor activities, all in a safe, settled rural environment known for its extraordinarily beautiful and richly biodiverse natural landscapes.”
Finding the Birds
Each time we visit the estate, usually in May or October, we spend a good part of the day birding and over the years have got to know the estate and its variety of habitats well enough to know which species can be expected at a particular spot. The Birding Tips that follow are my view of how to make the most of the time spent at Verlorenkloof if Birding is your preferred pastime.
Birds are season dependent, so not all the migrant species will be present during the non-summer months. Conversely if you visit the estate in the peak summer months there are likely to be many more migrants than we are used to finding.
Around the Crofts
A lot of quality birding can be done in the vicinity of the Crofts and will vary depending on which particular one you are staying in as they are widespread over the property – Croft 2 and 3 are well-known to us. It’s rewarding to spend as much time on the patio as the weather allows and to simply look and listen. An almost constant flow of bird life will pass by, settling in and on the surrounding bush and trees for you to pick them out with your binoculars, in between enjoying a hot or cold beverage or two.
Scan the trees for Dark-capped Bulbul, Sombre Greenbul, Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Crested Barbet, Arrow-marked Babbler and less frequently Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and Willow Warbler. Cape Wagtail, African Stonechat, Cape Rock-Thrush and Yellow-throated Petronia frequent the grassed areas while Red-winged Starling and Buff-streaked Chat like hanging out on the roof of the croft.
If you feel energetic enough, take a walk up the pathway that winds its way up the lower slopes from Croft 2, starting at the weir, although you can spend more time on the patio if you are within hearing distance of the calls which echo down from higher up. Either way you are likely to see/hear Purple-crested Turaco, Narina Trogon, African Hoopoe, Black-collared Barbet, Red-eyed Dove (constantly) , Southern Boubou, Black Cuckoo (monotonously and mournfully), Black-headed Oriole, African Olive Pigeon (late afternoon), Black-backed Puffback, Speckled Pigeon, Klaas’s Cuckoo and Black-crowned Tchagra.
African Olive-Pigeon
3. Forested Kloofs
VerlorenkloofResting spot on the Waterfall trail, VerlorenkloofWaterfall, Verlorenkloof
Once you have birded the lower slopes, carry on up the slope and follow the path through the first patch of indigenous forest. Stop frequently, sit quietly on a rock or tree stump and listen for the calls of the forest species – Black-throated Apalis and Cape Batis are curious and often the first to appear. Judicious playing of their calls may bring others closer – Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Chorister Robin, White-starred Robin are all common here.
The fringes of the forest are good for Greater Double-collared Sunbird and you are bound to hear or see Olive Bush-Shrike, while Southern Black Tit and African Paradise Flycatcher are sometimes present.
4. The Streams
A River runs through it
The estate is blessed with several streams that flow down from the surrounding heights and run through the estate into the river which courses through the valley. The reeds and vegetation alongside these waterways are favoured by numbers of birds such as Cape Grassbird, Croaking Cisticola, Spectacled and African Golden Weavers, Southern Red Bishop, Thick-billed Weaver, Yellow-fronted Canary, Cape Canary, Brown-hooded Kingfisher and Dark-capped Yellow Warbler. Just spending time near the streams sorting out the various calls of these species is an hour or two well spent.
African Golden Weaver (Ploceus xanthops) – Goudwewer
Along the river it’s a hive of activity in early summer with tens of Village Weavers building nests and generally creating a storm of sound with their chattering calls. Elsewhere Southern Masked-Weavers are slightly less noisy but just as active. The riverside is also favoured by Common Waxbill and Tawny-flanked Prinia with many Barn Swallows using it as a convenient thoroughfare. Just be careful not to disturb any fishermen enjoying the solitude of the River Beat.
Village WeaverCommon Waxbill
6. Grasslands
VerlorenkloofLong grass is a feature of Verlorenkloof
Large tracts of the estate consist of grassland, which are alive with birds at certain times of the day. Apart from the regulars such as Drakensberg Prinia and Lazy Cisticola, with its long tail held upright just like a Prinia, Red-collared Widowbird and the ubiquitous African Stonechat, one of the stars of the Estate is undoubtedly the Broad-tailed Warbler, a sought-after species for most birders. Its curious pinging call announces its presence and then it’s a cat and mouse game to get a good view of it, usually concealed among the long grass stalks.
This is also the favoured habitat of two other Widowbirds – White-winged and Fan-tailed, plus Yellow bishop, Fiscal Flycatcher and Levaillant’s Cisticola in the damper areas. Also favouring the long grass, but terrestrially are Natal Spurfowl and Red-winged Francolin while the shorter grass is good for Helmeted Guineafowl, Swainson’s Spurfowl and Southern Bald Ibis.
There is no shortage of aerial species such as Swallows, both Greater and Lesser-striped often seen perched near the stream as you head to the mountain crofts, sometimes joined by several Grey-rumped Swallows.
All the regular Swifts are present – Little, White-rumped, Alpine, African Black and African Palm Swifts, while Martins are represented by Rock and Brown-throated Martins.
The dams are primarily for the fishermen, but when not occupied a few water birds take up residence, including Red-knobbed Coot, Reed Cormorant, Little Grebe and Yellow-billed Duck. In the fringing reeds around the dams there is a chance to listen for Warblers such as Little Rush-Warbler and African Reed-Warbler, while the banks are favoured by Sacred Ibis, Common Moorhen, Blacksmith Lapwing and the ubiquitous Egyptian Geese. This is also a good spot for White-throated Swallow.
Blacksmith Lapwing
9. Back Roads
A back roadA colourful outbuilding
After exhausting the possibilities of all the above habitats, there is still more on offer along the roads and tracks that run to, from and through the Estate, which can be covered by car or, if you are up to it, by mountain bike. Dust can be a problem so keep windows closed whenever another vehicle approaches. Take it super slow, stop a lot and you are likely to be rewarded with species such as Black Saw-wing, Pearl-breasted Swallow, Southern Black Flycatcher, Pin-tailed Whydah, Pied Starling, Amethyst Sunbird, Malachite Sunbird, Brubru, Steppe Buzzard and even Long-crested Eagle if you are lucky.
Pin-tailed WhydahPied Starling
Spend some time around the dairy and adjacent farmhouse where you can add House Sparrow, Laughing Dove, Red-throated Wryneck, Groundscraper Thrush and Southern Fiscal. The tall Eucalyptus trees on the road down from reception often house a flock of White-fronted Bee-eaters.
White-fronted Bee-Eater
I can almost guarantee you will leave Verlorenkloof in a relaxed and satisfied frame of mind after a weekend or week spent in this beautiful environment.
We spent two weeks over the Easter holiday period in our “happy place” – our home in Mossel Bay, which lies at the start of the famous Garden Route in South Africa.
During our stay we ventured out to various places along the coast, west and east of Mossel Bay, and rediscovered just how beautiful the coastline is where the southern Cape meets the Indian Ocean.
My camera is seldom far from my side when travelling but I had left both my “good” cameras in Pretoria this time around so that they could be serviced and recalibrated by the technicians at Nikon – something that was long overdue after the frequent use to which I put my equipment and the rough life they endure in dusty and bumpy conditions most of the time.
So I was left with one option – my Iphone – which I have found is a fantastic substitute when taking landscapes and such like, but not much help with bird photography.
What follows is a selection of photos of the beautiful spots we visited, all taken with my Iphone – for a change I will let the photos do most of the talking (Is that a sigh of relief I hear?).
This map of the region shows most of the places mentioned in the post :
Map of the Southern Cape coast
Starting with the westernmost spot and heading east………..
Just click on any of the photos to open a larger view
Jongensfontein – small coastal holiday town near Stilbaai
JongensfonteinJongensfontein
Stilbaai (“Quiet Bay”) – Favoured by retirees and holidaymakers
StilbaaiStilbaai
Fransmanshoek Conservancy – unspoilt beauty near Vleesbaai
As I mentioned in my previous post about twitching (https://mostlybirding.com/2016/02/23/a-twitch-or-two/), I hardly consider myself to fall into the category of keen twitchers, those hardy, sometimes mildly bonkers birders who let nothing stand in the way of seeing rare birds that turn up in Southern Africa.
Such was the case when a pair of Yellow-throated Leafloves (interesting name!) turned up and started nesting at a riverside lodge near Katima Mulilo in Namibia, some 200 kms south of their normal distribution in Zambia and northwards. Suddenly the Southern African region had a brand new bird added to the regional list!
The reports started coming through in mid February 2016 of this unexpected pair of birds in the gardens of the Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge near Katima Mulilo and there was soon a gold-rush like invasion of keen twitchers heading to this remote part of Southern Africa via plane and car from various places in South Africa and Namibia.
The Twitch
I watched with interest the messages coming through from Trevor Hardaker and the SA Rare Bird Facebook page, knowing that I would be going to Kasane in northern Botswana for a project I am involved in, during the 1st week in March. I also had a look at the map and realized that Katima Mulilo fell nicely within my “twitch limit” of around 2 hours drive, being about 120 kms from Kasane with a border crossing from Botswana to Namibia to negotiate along the way. So, if the Leafloves hung around until then, I planned to “pop over” the border for a quick visit and hopefully a new tick on my life list for Southern Africa.
Tuesday 1st March
Come Tuesday, I caught the daily flight from Joburg to Kasane – a day early for my site visit so that I could spend a night in Katima Mulilo (KM) and be back in time for the project commitments the following day. I had arranged for a bakkie (pickup) to be available and shortly after landing I set off for KM via Ngoma border post. The border formalities went smoothly, perhaps because I was the only customer in an hour or two.
From Kasane to Ngoma the public road (tarred) bisects the northernmost section of Chobe Game Reserve and the landscape is pristine woodland all the way.
The road to Katima Mulilo
Once into the Caprivi in Namibia, the scenery changes to more open, patchy woodland interspersed with small settlements and small-scale agriculture.
I arrived at the lodge by 4.30 pm and settled into the rustic accommodation on the river in unit No 5, which is right alongside the tree where the Leafloves were nesting.
Caprivi Houseboat LodgeThe rustic cabin at Caprivi Houseboat LodgeView from the cabin
I immediately saw one of the young chicks peering over the edge of the nest and within minutes the parents were in the vicinity and at the nest, bringing morsels and calling in a Babbler-like manner although less harsh.
The rest of the afternoon was spent re-visiting the nest site in the hope of getting better views / photos and exploring the small property with its jungle-like gardens and river views.
River views, Caprivi Houseboat LodgeRiver views, Caprivi Houseboat Lodge
It proved to be really challenging trying to get the Leafloves in my camera’s viewfinder for long enough to get a decent photo, as they seemed intent on hiding in the shadiest part of the foliage at every opportunity and when they did show themselves briefly, it was in an opening high up in the trees with bright light behind them.
Yellow-throated Leaflove
Other birders had arrived earlier and a few more arrived after me – we enjoyed a good evening meal together and then made our way to mosquito-netted beds in the rustic cabins, happy to be able to add the Leaflove to our life lists.
Wednesday 2nd March
In the morning the others were already gathered at the coffee and rusks and I tagged along with the small group as they set off for a birding walk along the dirt road outside the lodge, which turned out to be quite busy with early morning commuters on their way to places unknown.
Morning walk near the lodge
White-bowed Robin-Chat and Tropical Boubou were competing for loudest call as we walked and there was no shortage of other interesting species, such as :
Paradise and Grey-tit Flycatchers
Village Indigobird on the very top of a tree
Namaqua Dove perched on overhead wires
Brubru working its way through the foliage of a large tree
Little Sparrowhawk perched on an open branch
Copper Sunbird female peering from its nest in the roadside bush
Brown-crowned Tchagra posing beautifully on a nearby branch
Greater Blue-eared Starlings
African Golden Oriole – bright yellow against the green foliage
Copper Sunbird (Female) at nestFlame LilyBrown-crowned Tchagra
After the walk it was breakfast time followed by some further garden birding. A Schalow’s Turaco was calling and I followed the sound to find this lifer – a pair were moving about in the dense foliage of a tall tree, making it challenging to get a decent view or a photo. Fortunately I heard them again as I was leaving and found one on an open branch, almost inviting me to photograph this handsome species.
Schalow’s TuracoSchalow’s Turaco
The trip back to Kasane was uneventful, other than coming across a trio of elephants along the road traversing Chobe.
The road through Chobe
Another successful twitch and memories of a brief but busy trip that will stay with me for a long while.
I was overly optimistic when I started a series of blogs titled “Bird of the Week” – what was meant to evolve into a weekly study of a specific bird species has seen me publish just two such blogs in the past few months. No excuses other than being too busy working, birding and blogging on other subjects that I felt compelled to get down in writing.
The caption I have now adopted is more flexible and I will be producing a series of similar “Bird in the Lens” blogs from time to time (now that’s vague enough not to be accused of misleading anyone). So here goes with the next species…….
HAMERKOP
Species Names
Hamerkop (English and Afrikaans) One of just two SA species with the same name in English and Afrikaans. (The other one? Bokmakierie) Sometimes translated to the English equivalent “Hammerhead” but no one I know uses that name
uThekwane, Uqhimgqoshe (Indigenous)
Hammerkopf(German)
Ombrette d’Afrique (French) – rather nice sounding name
Hamerkop (Dutch)
Scopus Umbretta (Scientific) The beauty of scientific names is that they are common throughout the world no matter what country or the language spoken. The first part – Scopus – is the Genus which is derived from the latin for “broom of twigs” – so named for the huge nest of twigs that the Hamerkop builds, up to 1,5m across . The second part – Umbretta – is the species name which in this case means shade or shady, probably to describe its uniquely shaped crest, head and bill, which give it an umbrella-like appearance.
Where to find it
The Hamerkop is found right across Southern Africa with the exception of the very arid areas. Distribution is also widespread in the rest of Africa, but it is never common and always elicits a “hey look, there’s a Hamerkop” when seen.
My first sighting was in Kruger National Park in the late 1970’s, long before I took up birding seriously.
It is usually found near water and hunts at the water’s edge, sometimes venturing into the shallows to snatch its prey from the edge of the water. Prey is mostly toads whose distribution is very similar to the Hamerkop, suggesting that Hamerkops depend on toads for food.
The distribution map below is from SABAP2
Look …….. and Listen
There is very little chance of confusing this species with any other, although I have been misled once or twice by a Hadeda flying over at a distance. The anvil-shaped head and overall brown colouring are instantly recognisable as belonging to the Hamerkop.
This is a medium-sized bird, up to 56cm long and weighing up to 500g.
The call is not an identifier as it is mostly silent.
Punda Maria
Photography
Not a difficult bird to photograph, once you have found one near water, as it will not move around much if engrossed in hunting for a frog or other small prey.
Photos taken from the low water bridge between Skukuza and Tshokwane in Kruger National Park :
Other Stuff
Conservation status is listed as “Not threatened”. Where many species are suffering due to habitat loss, the Hamerkop is actually benefiting from irrigation schemes in arid areas. This is a survivor amongst bird species. It also features prominently in indigenous folklore, is regarded in awe and is generally unmolested.
Lifespan is 20 years or more.
Nests are massive structures built up out of hundreds of sticks and when completed they are decorated with anything that comes to hand …….. or beak – from cattle manure to dish cloths. One of my colleagues had the nickname Hamerkop given to him by the office general assistant, apparently due to his habit of hoarding all kinds of things at his home.
References
Roberts Birds of Southern Africa
Birdlife International
Birds of Africa South of the Sahara
SABAP2 (Maps)
Latin for BIrdwatchers (Roger Lederer and Carol Burr)
The birding world is full of twitchers – essentially they are the birders who are chasing numbers (of species seen) and who will go to considerable lengths to add a new species to their list of “lifers” (birds not previously seen/ticked) or to other lists such as regional, provincial, annual and the like.
Keen twitchers think nothing of getting on a plane and flying from Joburg to Cape Town, for example, to twitch a vagrant species that may have turned up in the area.
The size or appearance of a bird is not of great importance – a nondescript small bird can generate as much excitement as a larger, striking species, provided the scarcity factor is high.
Wkipedia has a nice definition and some further info on the subject :
“Twitching is a British term used to mean “the pursuit of a previously located rare bird.” In North America it is more often called chasing, though the British usage is starting to catch on there, especially among younger birders. The term twitcher, sometimes misapplied as a synonym for birder, is reserved for those who travel long distances to see a rare bird that would then be ticked, or counted on a list. The term originated in the 1950s, when it was used for the nervous behaviour of Howard Medhurst, a British birdwatcher. Prior terms for those who chased rarities were pot-hunter, tally-hunter, or tick-hunter. The main goal of twitching is often to accumulate species on one’s lists. Some birders engage in competition to accumulate the longest species list. The act of the pursuit itself is referred to as a twitch or a chase. A rare bird that stays put long enough for people to see it is twitchable or chaseable.”
Where does that Place Me?
Well, I enjoy listing the species I have seen, but there are limits as to how far I will go to view and tick a new species – my rule of thumb is that I will consider it if it is within one to two hour’s road travel, as long as it does not disrupt my normal routines too much.
Previous attempts to twitch a couple of rarities which have been reported on the SA Rare Bird News platform (an excellent and valuable service provided by Trevor Hardaker – you can ask to join the group via email to Trevor at hardaker@mweb.co.za ) have met with mixed success, mainly due to me being too slow off the mark, so that by the time I get around to visiting the spot where a rarity has been reported, the bird has moved on to greener pastures .. or cleaner water or wherever.
However, I have had some success over the last month or two, which has changed my view of twitching just a bit – nothing like adding a new species or having the chance to photograph it to get the happy juices flowing!
Here is a selection of my recent twitches :
Pacific Golden Plover : Gouritzmond, Western Cape
I had started the morning of 14 December 2015 by atlasing a pentad along the Herbertsdale road outside Mossel Bay, where we have a home and decided to drive to Gouritzmond nearby to see if I could find the Pacific Golden Plover reported there since October.
The difficult part was finding the site of the “boat launch” which was the only info given out and I spent some time driving around the town looking for a spot where boats were launched, but eventually had to admit defeat and actually ask someone. If I had been awake driving into town from the inland side I would have noticed the tell-tale sign just outside town.
At the boat launch it was quite busy with visiting boaters and fishermen, but finding the Plover took less than a minute as it moved, unperturbed by all the activity, up and down the muddy shoreline of the Gouritz river. I approached carefully and was able to get some nice shots as it probed the shallows and flew a short distance before settling again. A very simple “twitch” this time.
Caspian Plover : Hanover, Northern Cape
We were on the way back to Pretoria from Mossel Bay in mid January 2016, doing it in a few stages as is our wont.
Knowing we would be passing Hanover I kept it in the back of my mind that a Caspian Plover had been reported from a nearby guest farm called New Holme and when I saw we had time to spare, I proposed a “quick diversion” to Gerda who, used to me springing birding surprises on her, agreed, so we took the farm road for 8 kms to the homestead hoping for a quick sighting and turnaround.
The owner PC Ferreira was busy with new guests booking in, but he pointed us towards the area where the plover had been seen and we duly covered the area as best we could for about half an hour, scanning the plains for the elusive bird, but without success – lots of Kittlitz’s Plovers, some Namaqua Sandgrouse but no Caspians.
Back at the ranch … er farmhouse, PC was free and refused to let me go without seeing his “special bird”, so I joined him, his little daughter and two dogs in his bakkie and we headed back to the short-grassed area where his sheep were grazing and within minutes we had found the Caspian Plover. It was good enough to pose nicely at a distance. Another success!
Red Phalarope : Mkhombo Dam, Mpumulanga
I had tried for this species a year or two previously but it had moved on before I got to it, so I was keen to try for it when an individual was reported during January 2016 at Mkhombo Dam, which lies north of Pretoria, within my two-hour limit.
In the end it took two visits a few days apart to track it down and it disappeared shortly thereafter so I was just in time. On the second visit I met up with George and Barbara Skinner as arranged and we followed the track which skirts the western side of the dam, finding the Phalarope without too much effort where it was swimming up and down in a small bay formed by the slowly receding water.
The muddy fringe did not allow a close approach, but I walked as far as I could to get a reasonable photo.
Mkhombo Dam
Spotted Crake : Waterfall Estate, Gauteng
I hardly imagined I would see this particular species without going to some far-off location and spending lots of time searching for it. As it turned out this was one of the easiest and most popular twitches on record in SA, seen by well over 1000 birders so far and still going strong as I write this.
I decided it was too good an opportunity to miss when it turned up unexpectedly at one of the main gates to the Waterfall Estate in Midrand, between Joburg and Pretoria and made the pilgrimage one morning before going to the office. It was not visible when I arrived but made an appearance a few minutes later, trotting up and down in the shallows of the man-made pond, occasionally popping behind the reeds before coming into view again.
It has become a famous bird and a superstar of the SA birding scene in a short space of time!
Waterfall Estate
So I am feeling quite pleased with my twitching efforts, adding four diverse species in four very different localities spread across South Africa.
OK I’ve never heard of him either, but this line from his book nicely sums up our approach to travel – we like to take it slow and easy on our longer road trips, and we love visiting new places, be they towns not visited before or just a guest house on the way that we have not used before.
Last November, when we travelled to Mossel Bay for our annual long stay, we decided to make an overnight stop at the Karoo National Park near Beaufort West, in the heart of the Karoo, before tackling the last stretch to Mossel Bay.
We have stayed in many of our National Parks at one time or another but never in this particular one – one night is not much on which to judge a place but we made the most of our short time there and came away more than impressed.
The Park
Proclaimed in 1979, the rest camp was opened in 1989 and the park now covers around 90,000 hectares which can be explored along the park’s 130 kms of scenic drives. The Park holds a variety of wildlife including Lion and several antelope species such as Eland, Springbok, Red Hartebeest and Klipspringer.
Animals such as Aardwolf, Bat-eared Fox, Caracal and Brown Hyena occur here, all sought after species for those who like finding the more unusual species, although being nocturnal species they are not easily seen.
The varying altitudes and Karoo habitat make for an environment which provides a home to animal and plant species not generally found elsewhere.
Exploring the park
Once settled in our chalet, around 5 pm, I took a short drive in the immediate vicinity of the chalets and found a bird hide overlooking a small pond with dense reeds, where I was able to spend quality time viewing the bird life. The reeds were alive with Weavers and Bishops, which afforded close-up views as they went about their business, chattering away like excited teenagers on a school outing. In the water were Little Grebe, Grey Heron and Moorhen.
Southern Masked-WeaverSouthern Red BishopSouthern Red Bishop (Female)
A short drive down the main entrance road, bordered on both sides by typical Karoo scrub, produced a few of the species that favour this habitat, such as Karoo Scrub-Robin (love its Afrikaans name of “Slangverklikker” which translates to “Snake detector”), Rufous-eared Warbler, Lark-Like Bunting, Grey-backed Cisticola and a lone Karoo Long-billed Lark on top of a small bush, calling with its distinctive loud descending whistle.
Karoo Longbilled Lark
As the sun set I headed back to the comfortable chalet with its million dollar view of the surrounding mountains.
We had not made any provision for self-catering and made our way to the Park’s restaurant for a most enjoyable meal, served by the super-friendly staff (no, I don’t get paid for this, they really are great). While eating we heard the churring sound of a nightjar – either European or Rufous-cheeked which are similar sounding.
White-necked Raven
Next morning, before breakfast I ventured a bit further, taking the Klipspringer Pass that winds its way up into the surrounding mountains, affording wonderful views of the surrounding Karoo landscape.
Scanning the ridges at one point I was thrilled to find a Short-toed Rock-Thrush – a species I had only seen for the first time a few months earlier – this is something that happens time and again – takes years to find a particular species but once the ice is broken you see it easily. Close by a Klipspringer was standing elegantly on a rocky ledge, unperturbed by the sheer drop below.
Short-toed Rock-Thrush (taken long-distance – excuse the quality)Klipspringer
Up on the plateau the views were outstanding and enjoying them with me were African Pipit, Mountain Wheatear and Karoo Long-billed Lark (again). On the way back down the twisty road a pair of Verraux’s Eagles cruised far below and settled on the rocks.
African Pipit
After breakfast it was time to leave – our stay had been too short, albeit long enough to rate this as a well-run, friendly and desirable place to spend a few days – even the outside brass taps were shiny, a sure sign of excellent management!
The last birds to greet us on the way out were Pririt Batis – such a distinctive call – and Ostrich, which I was happy to tick, being in a National Park.
This lesser known route is not renowned for its big five sightings but there is every chance of seeing a variety of game, with the added pleasure of getting off the beaten track for a while and enjoying a picnic spot that you will often have all to yourselves.
The route starts by heading south from Satara camp for about 10 kms where you turn right (west) on to the S 126 which marks the start of the gravel road to Muzandzeni picnic spot, a drive of about 22 kms which should take an hour or more, including stops to view game and birds as you come across them.
This stretch winds along the Sweni river for much of the way, but don’t expect there to be water during the winter months and early summer before the rains set in. The roadside scenery is dominated by many large trees, interspersed with open areas which look ideal for the big cats to use as hunting grounds.
After a break at Muzandzeni, whether for coffee/tea, or a full-blown brunch, the best way back to Satara is to complete the circle by heading north along the S 36 gravel road which joins up with the H7 Orpen-Satara tar road after about 10 kms and from there it’s an easy 20 km run along the H7 back to Satara, with a recommended stop at the Nsemani dam which usually has something of interest.
Habitat
This description from the krugerpark.co.za website sums up nicely what to expect along the Sweni river road (S 126):
“The Sweni River Road is a surprisingly tropical landscape given that it is so far south of the Tropic of Capricorn. Many old Kruger hands insist that it is the Sweni that marks the start of the north rather than the Olifants River. Southern Lala-palms and combretums dominate the grassy floodplains between the river and the road, giving the bush a distinctly Zimbabwean feel”
An extract from the Kruger Park map book shows the route :
The Drive
We made our way slowly along the S 126 to Muzandzeni, stopping for a number of raptors, including a pair of preening Bateleurs close to the road, which we sat and observed for some time, and a pale form of Wahlberg’s Eagle perched in a tall tree.
Vultures and particularly nesting Vultures were a feature of this drive as we encountered at least 4 different nests with Vultures in attendance. Vultures that we identified included the common White-backed Vultures, of which there were many, as well as the scarcer Lappet-faced, Hooded and White-headed Vultures.
The average visitor to Kruger probably won’t spend much time looking at vultures, other than to see if they are near a kill, but the chances of seeing four Vulture species on one drive are slim, so I for one was very appreciative of these sightings.
Rounding off the raptor feast was a large Tawny Eagle, always impressive to look at and ruggedly good-looking.
Tawny Eagle
Game was a bit sparse compared to some of the other drives we had done around Satara but we nevertheless enjoyed some good sightings of small groups of the more common species, including Kudus backlit by the early morning light, a lone Steenbok resting in the grass and a few Dwarf Mongeese (oh-oh should have seen that coming, now I’ve got to figure out the plural of Mongoose – it’s actually Mongooses!)
Kudu beautifully backlit by early morning sonDwarf Mongoose
Mosque Swallows were a nice surprise – in my experience they are usually only seen a lot further north in Baobab country.
Mosque Swallow
Muzandzeni Picnic spot
The picnic spot has a remote feeling to it – like being in the “middle of nowhere” – don’t be surprised if an Ellie or two passes by on the way to the nearby waterhole, also favoured by Zebra amongst others.
MuzandzeniZebra, MuzandzeniZebra juvenile, fluffy stripes and all
Our brunch was leftover steak from the previous night’s braai, cut into strips and fried on the skottel with onions and tomato, then plied onto a hamburger bun – delicious!
Muzandzeni brunch – leftovers never tasted so good!
Back to Satara
Heading back we were on the lookout for the lions at a buffalo kill that we had heard about from Andre’s brother Eddie, visiting from Holland, and sure enough they were at the spot he had described, near an almost bare buffalo carcass.
With the temperature nudging 38 degrees C, we were happy to head back to Satara for a relaxing rest of the day, having extracted the maximum enjoyment from yet another Kruger drive.
Steenbok taking to the shade
A surprise awaited us at the rondavel, in the form of a Fruit Bat , hanging under the thatched overhang – quite a cute looking bat don’t you think? Like a teddy bear with wings.
Mostly Birding 