The Sociable Weaver, chosen by Birdlife South Africa as their “Bird of the Year” for 2016, is unique in many respects and more than worthy of its selection.
It is also a bird that has fascinated me ever since I first saw their massive nest structures on Camelthorn trees in the Free State, long before my interest in birding began. This was in the early 1970’s when I moved to Bloemfontein, Free State and developed two loves – for my wife and for the wide open spaces of the Free State, represented by the family farm near Hoopstad.
Although the farm we used to visit every couple of weeks is no longer in the family, the same massive Sociable Weaver nest sits securely in the same Camelthorn tree in the family cemetery, watching over the generations of the family who have found their final resting place in its dappled shade.
Why Unique?
Apart from being endemic to Southern Africa, the Sociable Weaver’s nest is the largest built by any bird in the world, large enough to house more than a hundred pairs of birds, often of several generations (why am I thinking of the Dallas Ewings right now?). They construct these enormous nests of stiff grasses, forming chambers at different distances from the outside face, which provide protection from the temperature extremes of Southern Africa’s arid zones.
Described as being like “giant haystacks”, the nests are constructed in trees or on artificial structures such as telephone and electricity poles, windmills and the like and have become an icon of the arid areas of Southern Africa.
Sociable Weaver nest near HoopstadCloser view of nest showing construction from stiff grass and some of the entrance holes
Species Names
Scientific : Philetairus socius – from the Greek philos = love and hetairos = companion
Afrikaans: Versamelvoël
Indigenous : Thantlagane(NS), Kgwêrêrê (Tw)
German : Siedelweber
French : Républicain social
Portuguese : Tecelão-sociável
Dutch : Republikeinwever
Sociable Weaver, Hoopstad
Distribution
Distribution is across north-western South Africa, south-west Botswana and northwards across Namibia and is strongly associated with the arid savannahs of the southern Kalahari region.
The SABAP2 distribution map looks like this :
SABAP 2 Distribution map
Identification
The nest is unmistakable, so once you have found the nest the birds will not be far away. Although classed as Weavers they are more Sparrow-like in appearance, small (14cm) and fairly drab-coloured to match the dry browns of the habitat they prefer. Their outstanding features are the black chin contrasting with a light-coloured front and face, black barred flanks and scalloped back
Images
Other Stuff
Several other species “borrow” nest chambers for their own breeding – such as mud-nesting wasps, nesting Pygmy Falcons, Red-headed Finches and Rosy-faced Lovebirds. Others use them as roosts including Ashy Tits, Familiar Chats, Acacia Pied Barbets and Pearl-spotted Owlets. So the great nest becomes a “bird hotel” for many, even snakes like visiting for a nestling or egg take-away.
There is certainly nothing else quite like it in the bird world.
Additional sources :
Robert’s Multimedia Birds of Southern Africa
Latin for Birdwatchers (Roger Lederer and Carol Burr)
Ever wondered what it would be like to have your own private Nature Reserve – one you can explore at your leisure, with a major African river on its doorstep?
That seems to be part of the deal when you visit the Seboba Nature Park in Kasane, northern Botswana. Introduced to it by a colleague, I have been fortunate to visit this idyllic spot a few times this year and each time I have been the only visitor. Clearly it is not always as quiet, particularly when school and other groups visit – it was probably a question of being lucky in choosing the times we did.
Seboba Nature Park is a small nature reserve located on the outskirts of Kasane, bordered on the one side by a stretch of the Chobe River and on the other by the tarred road into Kasane, and was developed by the Botswana Government to support tourism in the area – by all accounts it has proved to be successful up to a point, but I would say it needs the support of tourism companies to persuade more tourists to visit.
The notice board and map near the entrance spells out its origin and some of the attractions, which include cultural villages, information centre, curio shop, dance arena and walking trails :
Map of Seboba Nature Park, Kasane
There are paths from the parking area that meander down to the river’s edge and to the top of a low hill, called Commissioner’s Kop, which has a deck with tables and chairs and magnificent views up and down the river.
Deck on Commissioner’s KopView from deck on Commissioner’s Kop
A raised boardwalk leads off the reception area and meanders through the riverine forest and bush, creating opportunities to see some of the variety of bird life and a few animals.
The boardwalk
The boardwalk ends at the picnic site, but paths take you further through the dense bush should you want to be a little adventurous – it’s best to have a ranger accompanying you from here as the chances of “bumping into” wild life increase.
A small deck at the end of the boardwalk allows you to view the part of Chobe River known as the Seboba Rapids – a section of river with faster flowing water and small islands, some bedecked with trees and favoured by hundreds of birds for roosting and nesting.
Chobe RiverChobe River
Seboba is not a game park as such, but a wildlife corridor to the river has been maintained by leaving openings in the fence between the adjoining road and the park, which is regularly used by elephant and other wild life to gain access to the river, as they have for millennia in all likelihood.
One of my visits turned into a bit of an adventure and reminded me that the area is very much “Wild Africa”…….
After parking near reception, I slung my binoculars around my neck and my camera over my shoulder (two items which have become part of my outfit when birding) and headed down the track to the river. I could not help noticing the fresh-looking elephant tracks in the sand and equally fresh-looking elephant dung, which I had to step around in places, bush signs which had my senses on high alert.
The river was not far, so I carried on to the river bank and started birding, while looking around carefully all the while. Just then, one of the rangers came down the track to tell me there were elephants in the bushes to my right and suggested, with a hint of urgency, that I move away . I could see the elephants through a gap in the trees and decided the ranger had a point, so I followed his further suggestion that we head along the river, the ranger in front and me behind. We stuck to the river’s edge, which was flowing high, wide and strong from the rains in Angola some weeks prior.
We were now walking away from the elephants, so I was feeling a tad more relaxed and enjoying the solitude of the river and the adjoining thick bush – until I started thinking about crocodiles, having seen the warning notices. Besides that, we were now literally on the edge of the Chobe River, even treading in the water where the steep bank caused my shoes to slip here and there.
At least they warn you
I casually asked the ranger whether crocodiles were present and he nodded to say yes – not a minute later a loud splash ahead of us announced the first croc as he was scared off by our approach. Further ahead we spotted a croc about 50m away, lying in the shallows next to the bank – we approached slowly and cautiously and as we got closer the croc slid silently into the river, swam behind a partly submerged tree and eyed us as we passed.
A croc is spotted not far aheadHe has not seen us yetThe croc slides into the river as we get closer
All in all, an eventful and exciting walk that I had not planned for at all – Africa can make you feel very small and vulnerable at times!
The Birding
My primary purpose in visiting Seboba was, of course, to do some birding and the park did not disappoint. My first sighting on my first visit was Collared Palm-Thrush on the reception building’s roof – a most desirable species for Southern African birders. This set the tone for what could be expected and as I explored further the list grew, including a pleasing number of “specials” –
Along the boardwalk –
Grey-headed Sparrow, not scarce by any means but interesting because Kasane is one of the few places in Southern African region where both Southern and Northern species occur. This one turned out to be the Southern species
Noisy Arrow-marked Babblers
Trumpeter Hornbills with their eerie “crying-baby” calls echoing through the woodland
Bradfield’s Hornbill
Broad-billed Roller
Woodland Kingfisher, its position given away by its trilling call
Southern Grey-headed Sparrow, Seboba Nature Park KasaneWoodland Kingfisher, Seboba Nature Park – Kasane
Commisioner’s Kop viewing point –
African Golden Oriole in its bright yellow plumage
African Green Pigeon – good at hiding behind foliage
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
African Golden Oriole, Seboba Nature Park KasaneAfrican Green Pigeon, Seboba Nature Park Kasane
Down by the riverside –
African Jacana
African Darter
Yellow-billed Stork
Pygmy Goose
African Openbill in the shallows, probing for molluscs
Reed and White-breasted Cormorants in numbers
Water Thick-knee, flying away low over the river when disturbed
White-crowned Lapwing, also prone to flying off but often landing a short distance further
Water Thick-knee, Seboba Nature Park KasaneWhite-crowned Lapwing, Seboba Nature Park – KasaneReed Cormorant, Seboba Nature Park Kasane
Hillside and open areas –
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Blue Waxbill
Little Bee-eater
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver, Seboba Nature Park – KasaneBlue Waxbill, Seboba Nature Park Kasane
This small park is well worth a visit even if for just an hour or two – the variety of habitats in a concentrated area can be covered in a short time, although the longer you can stay the better … oh and don’t wander around too much unless there’s a ranger nearby (which they tend to be)
Special thanks to Derek Thomas for showing me this spot, and others, in Kasane.
Previous posts on our Danube River Cruise were about the places visited during the eight-day cruise, this one is about the river cruising experience itself and some of the special the sights along the way……….
The Route
Cruise route map – Passau to Budapest and back through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary
The Boat
The Amadeus Royal was our home for the cruise duration and provided all the comforts we expected
Our embarkment point at PassauTea and Apfelstrudel in Passau just before boarding (What’s on Gerda’s mind?)Amadeus Royal – the compact bathroomAmadeus Royal – unpacking in our cabinOff we goLeaving Passau
Riverside Scenery
Riverside scenesRiverside scenesRiverside scenesSchloss Schonbuhel, Melk District AustriaPassing ViennaPassing ViennaRiver scenesApproaching BudapestMoored at BudapestLinzLeaving Linz
The Locks
Here you will have to bear with me – I am interested in all things mechanical, even boring things such as locks on the river. During the 1160 km cruise, we passed through 22 locks, often at night, changing altitude by some 360 metres. The average lock entailed a lift or drop of about 8 metres – now that doesn’t sound much, but consider that the cruise boat is 110m long x 11,4m wide with a tonnage of 1,556t, that means a lot of water has to be pumped in a short space of time to accomplish it efficiently.
In the lockDon’t stick your head out too far in the lock
Donau-Auen National Park
During one afternoon we cruised through the Donau-Auen National Park, a section of the Danube which has been declared part of a UNESCO Biosphere park. Along this stretch, downstream of Vienna, the natural floodplains form a green corridor with a large area of lowland forests, meadows, wetlands and other riparian habitat.
We relaxed in our cabin with curtains fully open, taking in the greenery of the forests lining the river bank, with sightings every now and then of birds and occasionally other wildlife.
The surprise of the trip was undoubtedly the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) which I spotted trotting along a ridge of rocks on the bank of the river, with an enormous fish in its jaws. It is not often one gets to see “real” wildlife in Europe so this was very special. Fortunately I had my camera and telephoto lens ready for passing birds and managed to rattle off a few shots of the fox carrying the fish, before the boat had passed it by.
Red Fox with fish catch
Another feature of this stretch was the small “fishermen’s cabins” dotted at intervals along the river bank, most with a net in a large frame ready to drop into the river. Word on board was that these cabins cannot be bought or sold, but have to be passed on to the next generation in their original state and no extensions are allowed. So they remain small and simple – often just space for a couple of beds and basic facilities for the fishermen to spend the night camping there.
Riverside dwellings with fishing rightsRiverside dwellings with fishing rightsRiverside dwellings with fishing rightsRiverside dwellings with fishing rights
Bridges
There were numerous bridges over the river, some functional, others handsome, old and new
New Bridge over the DanubeBridges at BratislavaChain Bridge Budapest
Other Stuff
Amadeus RoyalOn boardTowel creationOn boardWaiters Zizi and Ivan – Pirates dinnerGayle, Denise, Fleur with Gerda
I was not expecting to do much birding during our short tour of two weeks in Eastern Europe but, as always, I was constantly on the lookout for bird life and was rewarded with five new birds (“lifers”) during our tour, which consisted of four days in Prague, an eight-day cruise of the Danube with stops in four countries, and a short stay in Passau, Germany.
The best birding was while relaxing in our cabin, sliding door open to the fresh air and binos and camera at the ready as the boat cruised at a steady pace along the Danube. The only problem with this was the limited field of vision and the speed of the boat, which meant I had a very short time to react if I saw anything and I mostly had to rely on photographs for an ID of the bird species. The Danube at times widens out into a lake-size body of water, so any birds along the banks tended to be quite far away and it proved difficult to get a decent photo.
The photos showcased here represent the best shots I could get under the circumstances.
Prague
The best way of seeing a new city is to walk the streets and parks, which we did during our stay in this handsome city. European cities are not known for their variety of birds and Prague was no exception, with Jackdaws, Magpies and Blackbirds being the most common birds.
Jackdaw, Prague
One city park had a Eurasian Jay which was a new species for me
Eurasian Jay, Prague
One fine day we took the funicular to the top of the hill which overlooks the city and walked through the extensive parkland and forests of Petrin Park. Here we came across a Common Chiffchaff and on the walk down saw Wood Pigeons. A Eurasian Green Woodpecker drew our attention with its call but did not hang around long enough for a photo.
Common Chiffchaff, PragueWood Pigeon, Prague
Cesky Krumlow
We took a day trip to this historic town a couple of hours bus ride from Prague. With time to spare after the walking tour of the town, we found a pleasant riverside café for coffee which also turned out to be a good spot for viewing some birds as they came to the river. Apart from the ubiquitous Blackbirds, we found Grey and Pied Wagtails on the banks of the strongly flowing Elbe River (both eluded my camera) and a few Black Redstarts, one of which looked remarkably similar to the Familiar Chat we know from SA.
Blackbird, Cesky KrumlowBlack Redstart (Female/Immature Male), Elbe River in Cesky Krumlow – having a striking resemblance to the Familiar Chat we know from SABlack Redstart, Cesky Krumlow
Danube Cruise
A selection of the birds we spotted while cruising :
Mute Swans were seen frequently
Mute Swan, Danube
A single sighting of Mandarin Duck was a surprise and a new species for me
Mandarin Duck, Danube
Grey Herons were seen regularly
Grey Heron, Vienna
Great Cormorants in the protected area
Great Cormorant, Danube
Goosanders were another regular sighting but always at a distance
Goosander, Danube
Caspian Gull in the protected area
Caspian Gull, Danube
Vienna
Our extended stop at Vienna allowed for a walk along the riverside, which was good for a few land-based species
Common Chaffinch, DanubeGreat Tit, Vienna
Linz
While moored in Linz, Common Martins and Barn Swallows suddenly appeared in numbers over the river. I surmised that they had just returned from their annual African summer safari and were revelling in being back “home”, judging by the enthusiastic way they were swooping over the river, despite the bitterly cold weather
Common House Martin, DanubeBarn Swallow, Danube
Passau
This delightful town was a highlight of our trip (more about it in a later post). The birding was limited but a Lesser Kestrel flying high above the Castle was an interesting sighting
Lesser Kestrel, Passau
Other than that the ubiquitous Mallard Duck was the only water bird of note
Mallard, PassauMallard, Passau
I had downloaded Collins Bird Guide for Europe prior to the trip – it has a useful bird listing function which I used to list the species we encountered. At the end of the two weeks I had a grand total of just 33 species – par for the course in Europe when the focus is not on birding.
I regularly see that many species in an hour, walking around our neighbourhood in SA – I’m just saying.
Continuing the story of our eight-day, seven night “Danube Rhapsody” 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 …………..
Monday 25 April
Budapest – Horse Farm
Still moored in Budapest, we enjoyed a quick breakfast before boarding the bus once again for the trip out of town to a horse-riding show farm. Our cheerful guide gave us a run-down on the significant places we passed, many of which we had seen during the city tour the previous day, but it all helps to cement them into our senior brains.
Soon we were at the Lazar Farm having a welcoming scone with a powerful liquor called …… er, I seem to have forgotten, I just know it went down well in the cold weather.
Lazar Horse farm
Then we climbed onto horse-drawn wagons for a short ride along tree-lined tracks, muddy from the recent rain – the cold wind was biting with nowhere to hide, so we were glad to have packed our warm jackets and wooly hats.
Riding in the wagon
Next up was a horse show viewed from a seating area next to a short sandy oval track, including a series of displays of the horse-riding skills particular to the region, which celebrate the unique relationship between Hungarian horsemen and -women with their horses :
2 pairs of horses pulling a heavy wagon, galloping by us at full speed, mud flying from the hooves
Lazar Horse farm
2 pairs of ponies drawing a smaller wagon, a lot more sedately
The ponies
an archer on horseback, shooting at a fixed target and mostly hitting it as he galloped past
a brave rider standing on two horses while controlling a team of five horses
Bareback ridingThe horses giving it their all
other riders performing in traditional costumes
Lazar Horse farmAn elegant lady riderNot just horses on this farm
All in all a memorable show and most enjoyable to be out in the countryside, despite the cold weather
Just Cruising
The morning tour was enough for us for the day, so we decided to skip the afternoon tour (through the countryside to meet the boat further upstream) and spent the afternoon pleasantly cruising along the Danube as the boat started the return journey. More about the “Just Cruising” part in a forthcoming post. (I know you can’t wait, but I have to stretch this trip out to get my money’s worth from it – that’s what comes from having a Scottish heritage)
Tuesday 26 April
Bratislava – City Tour
By the time we awoke in the morning, the boat was already docked in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia, and by 9 am we were on the bus for the City Tour. The young guide, who looked like a student, gave us a summary of Slovakia’s history (in good English, flavoured with a strong eastern European accent) as we drove up to the first stop at the Castle which, compared to others we have seen, is quite plain and of simple design.
The old Castle on the hill
Particularly the inner courtyard, where I noticed no one was inclined to take photos, as there were none of the elaborate features and details we have become used to seeing. This was refreshing in a way and set the tone for the rest of the city, parts of which we saw later during our walk through the Old Town.
Quirky architecture on the Castle facade
The castle has a long and chequered history, having been destroyed and rebuilt several times.
Wikipedia says of the castle’s earliest history :
“The castle, like today’s city, has been inhabited for thousands of years, because it is strategically located in the centre of Europe at a passage between the Carpathians and the Alps, at an important ford used to cross the Danube river, and at an important crossing of central European ancient (trade) routes running from the Balkans or the Adriatic Sea to the Rhine river or the Baltic Sea, the most important route being the Amber Route.
The people of the Boleráz culture were the first known culture to have constructed settlements on the castle hill, around 3500 BC. Their “castle” was a fortified settlement and a kind of acropolis for settlements in today’s Old Town of Bratislava.”
From the castle there were great views across the Danube, with the standout feature being the rows of communist-era apartment blocks, taking up most of the space beyond the river and painted in cheerful pastel shades.
Communist era housing in pleasing pastel colours
The walking part of the tour commenced at our second stop and took us through several old town squares (called Namesti), some very old, others newer, all interesting with handsome buildings and that very European sense of scale – comfortable rather than overwhelming.
Bratislava old town.Michael’s GateThe Town Hall
Primate’s ResidencePrimate’s Residence : Fountain of St George and the dragon
And a reminder that we were quite far from home……
One of the features of Bratislava is its collection of quirky statues, sprinkled around the city, none more so than the tourist favourite, “Man at Work”, which depicts a “worker” partly emerging from a manhole and clearly not at work.
Bratislava old town. “Man at work”
Another in the main square has a Napoleonic soldier leaning over your shoulder, if you choose to sit on the bench in front of it, as many tourists elect to do.
Our new pal – the Napoleonic Soldier in the Main SquareHe’s really quite friendly
And there are others – spot the living one……….
Hint – note the basket for donations
Hans Christian Andersen – well a statue of him actuallyA party of colourful kids pass another figure
The main square, Hlavne Namesti, drew us back after the official tour was done, to enjoy a “Big Cappuccino” and the local version of apple pie at an outside table, nicely positioned to watch the passing people traffic and the goings on in the square.
The outside café on the squareChurch in the old town.The Main Square
Fountains are also big in Bratislava – this pretty one is called Ganymede’s Fountain
There was time for some window shopping (which for Gerda means going inside every interesting shop and chatting to the assistants) before making our way back to the boat just a couple of blocks away.
A lovely avenue full of trees
Inconsiderate PigeonThe Opera
Wednesday 27 April
Our last day of cruising as the boat proceeded to Linz in Austria, docking around lunchtime. The walking tour of the town was cancelled due to too few participants, so we set off on our own along the waterfront and into town, encased in several layers of warm clothing to ward off the bitter cold.
Linz – riverfront
Linz was clearly not on many people’s list of places to visit and seemed almost deserted – perhaps because of the weather. That might also explain why we found it one of the less inspiring places we have visited – apart from the usual complement of churches, abbeys and cathedrals, none of which stood out for any particular reason, we did not encounter much of interest as we wandered through the streets around the main, very large square and adjoining old town.
Linz – not much going on
The main square is lined with old patrician houses, the 17th century Town Hall and St Ignatius church with its two towers, while the centre of the square has the Trinity Column, erected by grateful citizens after the town managed to escape a trio of severe threats to their lives – the pest, a massive fire and a Turkish invasion – good enough reason, I reckon. What spoils it all is the scale of the square – too big – and the fact that the tram system runs right through the middle of it, completely destroying any intimate character it may have had.
Linz – Hauptplatz with the Trinity column in the middle
We did find a cosy café in one of the side streets in the Old Town and had an exceptional tea but a disappointing version of the local speciality cake – Linzertorte – which was crumbly and not particularly memorable. (Oh, how fussy we get at our age!) Maybe it was just a poor example. My German pronunciation was not up to scratch either – when I asked the waiter for “milch, bitte” with our tea he brought us a cute little timer for measuring how long the tea bag should stay in – fortunately the timer was useful and the tea so good it was actually better off without any “milch”.
Linz – best tea in a long time (asked for milk, got a timer!)
As we sat in the café the rain started falling, soon turning to sleet for a few minutes, just to reinforce how cold it was.
Linz – sleet falling in the Old Town
After some further wandering we came across the Mozarthaus, where he composed the Linz Symphony during a short stay of a few days.
Linz – Mozarthaus
Linz – Mozarthaus
Linz – Mozarthaus
We made our way back to the boat and were soon immersed in the last day festivities including the Captain’s gala dinner with multiple courses. The cruise was coming to an end ………
More to come…
So what’s left to tell? Well there’s the “Just Cruising” bit – birding and other special sights along the river during the course of the cruise. After that, more about the places visited before and after the cruise – the two “P’s” – Prague and Passau, both unique and both full of highlights……..
Continuing the story of our eight-day, seven night “Danube Rhapsody” 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 …………..
Saturday 23 April
Vienna – Riverside Walk
Having docked in Vienna the previous afternoon and attended a concert in the evening, we already had a good feeling about the city we last visited in December 1971.
We were due to do the city tour in the morning but decided to skip it and conserve our energy, physical and mental, for the excursion to Schönbrunn Palace in the afternoon. This gave us a chance to have a late breakfast and explore the top deck of the boat (not much there, just an open area with deck chairs but way too cold to enjoy at this time of year), then relax until lunchtime. I took the opportunity to walk along the riverfront and enjoyed a peaceful hour or two of relaxed birding and photography.
It was nice to see a sprinkling of Viennese people at play, some rowing on the river in a protected tributary of the Danube, others cycling and jogging along the riverside pathways, which are pleasantly bordered by green grass and lined with trees and bushes just coming into bloom, creating an attractive park-like area all along the river.
Walk along the riverWalk along the riverA small church near the riverThe riverside parklands
Spring is here
Vienna – Schönbrunn Palace
After lunch we joined the group for the tour of Schönbrunn – once again it was a re-living of our trip of some 44 years ago as newly weds, but none of it seemed familiar after such a long time. The bus stopped close to the entrance gates and, walking into the palace grounds, we had a great view of the main buildings which have been superbly maintained.
Schonbrunn PalaceMy January 1972 photo of Schonbrunn
And a lot further back in time……
Painting by Bernardo Bellotto 1758Schonbrunn Palace
Schonbrunn Palace – view towards the hill which since 1775 has been crowned by the Gloriette structureCall back the past – my 1972 photo of the hill with the Gloriette structureGolden Eagle – meet live Crow
We learnt later that the palace attracts some 8 million visitors each year – that’s more than 20,000 per day! It didn’t seem that busy or overcrowded, probably due to the efficient systems that are in place to regulate the flow of tourists.
Heading inside, our guide took us through the main ceremonial rooms, just touching on the 1441 rooms that make up the whole palace. No internal photography is allowed so I could not do my usual photo record – suffice to say the internal design and finishes were very much up to “Grand European Palace” standards and worthy of its World Cultural Heritage status. Here is one photo from Wikipedia which illustrates the opulence of the interior design –
Interior of the Great Gallery (Wikipedia)
Palace Gardens
With no restrictions on external photography, I took a walk around the impressive gardens while Gerda did some gift shopping and took in the colourful early spring displays of flowers as I wandered around the extensive pathways. Despite the numbers of other tourists I found some quiet spots away from the madding crowd.
No tour would be complete without a visit to a coffee shop and Schönbrunn’s was up to standard with its offerings. We enjoyed a Wiener Melange (similar to cappuccino) and a taster plate of three of the famous cakes – Mozart, Zachertorte and Himbeer-Topfen – all very tasty.
Trio of cakes and a Wiener Melange coffee
Not having done the city tour, it was nice to get a brief glimpse of Vienna during the 40 minute drive there and back – a couple of unique sights caught our eye : the “underground” train that travels for kilometres through the city on an elevated track and the most unusual “Incinerator” building which is beyond quirky.
Incinerator building glimpsed from the bus
Sunday 24 April
Budapest
Another day, another new city – and country – this time Budapest in Hungary. The boat had travelled through the night to our new destination. Breakfast was a bit later as we were only due to dock in Budapest at 10h30.
The approach into Budapest to our dock gave us good views of both “halves” of the city, Buda and Pest on opposite sides of the river, each with several impressive buildings on view.
Monument to St Gerard who was rolled down the hill in a barrel
We relaxed on board until lunchtime, then took the city tour after lunch which included a drive-by of some of the main historical features of Buda and Pest. An extended stop allowed a short walk up a hill to the St Matthews Church which had a less gilded interior than others we have seen, but almost more attractive for it.
Our charming guide gave us an insight into the history of the once divided city and how the two halves were united. Wikipedia’s version is a neat summary of events :
“The history of Budapest began with Aquincum, originally a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia. Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century. Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42. The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century. Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule, the region entered a new age of prosperity in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Budapest became a global city after the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank, with Pest on the east bank on 17 November 1873. It also became the second capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, a great power that dissolved in 1918, following World War I. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Hungarian Republic of Councils in 1919, the Battle of Budapest in 1945, and the Revolution of 1956″.
Budapest street scenePaprika for sale
The bridges between the two halves of the city are a feature of Budapest, making crossing the Danube an interesting affair. Old cast iron bridges vie with more recent suspension bridges for “Best Bridge in Budapest” (no, there is no such competition but the alliteration is irresistible).
Liberty BridgeChain Bridge
The only other longish stop was at the commemorative Hero’s Square with the usual complement of monumental structures and statues, including a circle of imposing Magyar horsemen.
Hero’s SquareHero’s SquareHero’s Square
Less imposing but more fun was the sight of tourists on a “Beer bike” enjoying a beer or two while pedalling in unison on a 4 wheeled contraption with draught on tap and space for about 5 or 6 pedallers/revellers – not sure how many of the sights they will remember.
Beer bike
Back on the boat there was time for a leisurely dinner before the evening cruise through Budapest began, preceded by locals performing folk music and dancing. We chose to miss the latter and made our way to our cabin where we did the evening cruise in style, lying in bed with the cabin lights off and the curtains wide open.
Budapest’s significant river frontage buildings are brilliantly lit up at night and presented quite a sight as we cruised gently down the river and back up again for over an hour – what a way to end the day!
ParliamentBudapest by nightBudapest by nightBudapest by nightLiberty BridgeChain Bridge
More to come…
A horse farm near Budapest, then on to Bratislava in Slovakia. But that will have to wait for 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.
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.
Mostly Birding 