Tag Archives: Satara

Touring with Canadians – Part 2 : Kruger is Awesome!

May 23, 2017 Don Reid 6 Comments

The Plan

When “Overseas Family” come to visit us in South Africa, it is always a big occasion which is eagerly anticipated, so we were thrilled when niece Sarah announced more than a year ago that she was bringing their family from Canada over to Southern Africa for a “Trip of a Lifetime” in March 2017. Even better was the news that my sister Sheila (Sam to them) would be joining them for the trip.

The Trip

A day after their arrival in SA we set off around 8 am, the vehicle and trailer loaded to capacity, heading east through Highveld grassland and the coalfields of Mpumulanga, power stations just visible in the distance through the light haze.

First stop was at Milly’s near Macahdadorp for a really good brunch – Millys scramble for me – and strong coffee to set us up for the next stint. Past Nelspruit and on to White River and Hazyview, then a slow section passing through almost continuous rural villages and slow traffic until we at last reached Kruger gate at 3.15 pm.

At the gate we heard that the Skukuza / Tshokwane road was closed due to a bridge damaged by floodwaters and the gate personnel suggested we turn around and head further north to Orpen gate. This idea did not appeal to me one bit, as my quick calculation told me we would not make it in time, so I insisted that the detour route in Kruger via Lower Sabie would be far better.

They let us through, but I knew that we would now have to cover some 150 km, which at the 50 km/h Kruger speed limit would also mean a very late arrival at Satara and we would have no spare time for game viewing.

Fortunately the traffic was light, but this did not apply to the bird life on the road, which was plentiful and lethargic, so much so that I had to be fully alert to try to avoid them when they flew up, sometimes towards the car instead of away from it. This resulted in some sharp braking and much hysterical laughter, but unfortunately a few unavoidable casualties as well, leading to comments from some of the passengers about the driver being a so-called keen birder and naturalist, but having an alter-ego bird-killer personality. What can I say? I’ve been found out.

None of this was conducive to the relaxed drive I had hoped for when introducing visitors to Kruger, nevertheless we made good time and reached Satara at 6.05 pm as the gate was being closed, somewhat exhausted.

We saw a fair amount of game along the way but often just fleeting glimpses due to not having any time to stop or even slow down. However, one short stop at a dam with a pod of Hippos caused great excitement.

After settling in at Satara, we braai-ed some wors and it was not too long before we collapsed into bed.

Red-billed Hornbill “shadow boxing” , Satara

Nwanetsi Drive

We were up reasonably early, in a far more relaxed frame of mind and ready for a more conventional game drive at a relaxed pace. Our one full day in Kruger needed to be a classic and the obvious choice of a route from Satara was the road to Nwanetsi for brunch – a route that is almost guaranteed to have a selection of plains game and other interesting sights. Once again it did not disappoint……..

As we meandered slowly along the S100 gravel road through the open tree savannah south-east of Satara, we had regular game sightings, every one causing much excitement and amazement amongst our visitors, even the animals we have come to regard as mundane, so that there was a constant buzz in our vehicle.

It was a reminder of how privileged we are in this country with our wonderful National Park system and the joy of the Kruger experience, while seeing it all through fresh eyes added a special dimension.

Along the way we had good views of Zebra, Giraffe, Waterbuck, Wildebeest, Kudu and others, while on the birding side I stopped for some of the more striking species – European Rollers were plentiful, Woodland Kingfishers not far behind, African Hawk-Eagle showed nicely and Vultures were easy sightings. Hornbills are always a favourite with visitors, being easily visible and we saw several Yellow- and Red-billed Hornbills.

The sighting of the day was reptilian – two crocodiles at a low water bridge with a shallow stream of water flowing over it, swollen by the recent heavy rains. They were waiting patiently at the downstream edge with jaws open, ready to snap shut if a fish was swept their way – about as up close and personal as I have ever been to these large reptiles! As we slowly edged across the bridge, the car’s wheels disturbed the flow, causing the crocs to back up warily before returning to their positions once we were past.

Crocodile at weir hoping for a fish to swim into its jaws

Grey Heron, hoping the croc misses a fish or two

Brunch at Nwanetsi was a real bush breakfast spread – eggs, bacon, mushrooms, beans, tomatoes and bananas – Alex provided essential help to the chief cook (me).

A short, steep walk took us to the viewpoint above the picnic spot with its sweeping views over the surrounding veld, then we headed slowly back to Satara, diverting briefly to the Sweni hide, where there was not much activity. Back in camp it was time for a lengthy nap to rekindle the energy, followed by some relaxation and the evening braai.

Satara to Phabeni Gate

In order to make the most of our short stay in Kruger, we returned the same way we had come – via Lower Sabie and onwards to Phabeni gate. The trip turned out to be a lot longer than expected – for good reasons as we had some very exciting sightings along the way – 3 Rhinos, 2 Lionesses and to end with a bang, 2 male Lions right next to the road.

The buzz in the car went up a level or three and on top of these special sightings we saw upwards of 200 elephants in small and large herds at various points along the way. What a wonderful way to conclude our short trip to Kruger and to be able to share these great sightings with our visitors!

To make it easier on the passengers (and driver) we stopped regularly – firstly at Tshokwane picnic spot for coffee and muffins, then at Lower Sabie for a lunch of toasted sandwiches and finally at Lake Panic hide near Skukuza for a brief look at the birds. Strangely the hippos that usually frequent Lake Panic were not visible.

Green-backed Heron (Juvenile), Lake Panic

The trip through Kruger took all of 8 hours compared to the 2.5 hours it took on the way in!

But it was the special sightings that had all of us enthralled.

The 3 Rhinos were grazing peacefully in long grass some distance from the road, offering brief views of their unique horns now and again.

We came across the 2 Lionesses walking on one side of the road, then crossing the road and continuing leisurely on their way into the long grass on the other side.

The male Lions gave us a great show as we first saw one right next to the road, with a car parked next to it virtually within touching distance, but also mostly obscuring it from view. The car’s occupants seemed to have the attitude that the lions belonged to them and no one else, as they showed no inclination to move and allow anyone else a decent view – very frustrating!

However, luck was on our side as Alex (our new chief spotter) saw a Lion approaching out of the bush and I quickly got our vehicle into position when it flopped down in the road just a few metres further, with unhindered views for a few minutes before we decided to move on. The temptation to thumb our noses at the selfish people in the other car was great, but good manners got the better of us.

All that remained of our Kruger expedition was to exit at Phabeni Gate, with the time now 5.30 pm, and find our way to Graskop, then on to Thaba Tsweni lodge for the next leg of the trip – more on that in a future post.

Holiday Trips

Touring with Canadians – Part 1 : The Highlights

April 20, 2017 Don Reid 5 Comments

The Planning

Our task was to organise the northern leg of the trip, which had to include Kruger National Park with Victoria Falls and Botswana being high on their wish list. We soon had a Kruger booking pinned down, together with a short stay on the Panorama route in Mpumulanga, which took care of most of week 1 of the two-week northern leg. A while later we secured a travel package which included a couple of nights each in Victoria Falls and Kasane Botswana which filled week 2, so we were all set.

The Highlights – Places, Sights, Food

The following is a brief diary of the two weeks, which I will no doubt expand on in further posts.

Monday 6th – Pretoria

The family arrived on Sunday evening (Alex, Sarah, Cassie and Rio) and Monday morning (Sheila) so Monday was a day of recovery and orientation for their travel-befuddled and time-zoned brains. Gerda prepared a nice supper with “just enough chicken” to go around (3 whole chickens with one in the wings just in case!)

Tuesday 7th – Pretoria to Satara Camp in Kruger

We set off for Kruger in the morning, loaded to capacity in our SUV plus luggage trailer. Mid-morning we stopped at Milly’s for the customary brunch and a good coffee, which set us up nicely for the rest of the day.

The journey took more or less the whole day and included an unexpected deviation in Kruger so we arrived at Satara just as the gate was closing at 6.05 pm (more on that story in another post!)

The evening braai allowed us time to reflect on the long day’s travelling and sights seen on the way to Satara, albeit a bit rushed!

Wednesday 8th – Satara to Nwanetsi

We had just two nights in Satara camp in Kruger so made the most of it with a long morning game drive on the Wednesday to Nwanetsi, where we prepared a genuine Kruger brunch. The afternoon nap time allowed everyone to rekindle their energy.

Elephant, Satara-Lower Sabie — Elephant near Satara

Thursday 9th – Satara – Phabeni – Thaba Tsweni Lodge

The route to from Satara to Phabeni Gate took almost the entire day, travelling at a slower and far more respectable pace, with stops at Tshokwane, Lower Sabie and the Lake Panic hide along the way. From Phabeni it was a short drive to Graskop and onwards to Thaba Tsweni Lodge for a two-night stay. The day was filled with interesting and exciting sightings with Kruger in superb condition after the good summer rains.

The evening meal was not in a restaurant as planned (we just could not face the trip to Graskop and back at night having seen the state of the road) , but a Chef’s Table conjured up by Gerda and Sarah with all the goodies packed by Gerda “just in case”.

Friday 10th – Panorama Route (Lite)

Sarah’s birthday was celebrated at Harrie’s Pancakes in Graskop, after a late start and a visit to Bourke Luck Potholes (the kind formed by eons of water and grit action on soft rocks) and a section of the Panorama Route. A cabbage bought for R5 from a farmer was turned into a delicious fried dish that evening by inventive Sarah.

Sarah's birthday, Harries Pancakes, Graskop — Sarah’s birthday, Harries Pancakes, Graskop

Saturday 11th – Graskop to Pretoria

Our first stop after breakfast at the lodge was God’s Window for a walk to the viewpoints and up the path to the rain forest.

From there we headed homewards to a “meeting of the cousins” , only stopping for lunch at Milly’s.

Sunday 12th – Pretoria

More family time as the cousins and their progeny got to know each other, interspersed with some of Gerda’s home cooking and much excitement amongst the youngsters.

Monday 13th – Pretoria to Victoria Falls

Off to OR Tambo for the flight to Victoria Falls, where we landed just after 1 pm and we were soon at the Kingdom Hotel.

We did the “Sunset Cruise” (Luxury version) which was “super-cool” in Sarah’s words, seeing Hippos and Crocs up close, followed by a meal in the local Spur.

Tuesday 14th – Victoria Falls

After a good buffet breakfast we walked down to the Falls and meandered along the path with heavy spray drenching us in parts but not enough to spoil the views.

We whiled away the afternoon at the poolside and dinner was at Mama Afrika restaurant with a genuine African flavour.

Wednesday 15th – Victoria Falls to Kasane

Another sumptuous breakfast and a short visit to the adjoining historical Victoria Falls Hotel, then it was time for our transfer to Kasane by small bus. There we checked into the Chobe Safari Lodge and relaxed over a light lunch and swimming at the pool.

A walk to the riverside “Sundowner Spot” was the opportunity for G&T’s and a spectacular sunset, followed by the Lodge’s Buffet Dinner to round off the day.

Thursday 16th – Chobe National Park

An early morning game drive into Chobe and an afternoon boat cruise on the river took up most of the day, with enough time for relaxing in between.

Friday 17th – Kasane to Pretoria

Today was all about getting back to Pretoria, where Gerda had a special dinner planned to end the northern leg of the Canadian’s visit.

Tomorrow they fly to PE to meet up with Andrew, their “tour guide” for the southern leg.

Birding Spots, National Parks

A Week in Kruger – Satara to Muzandzeni

January 28, 2016 Don Reid Leave a comment

The Route

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.

Wahlberg's Eagle (Pale form) — Wahlberg’s Eagle (Pale form)

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.

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 son

Mosque Swallows were a nice surprise – in my experience they are usually only seen a lot further north in Baobab country.

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.

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.

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.

Sources :

Krugerpark.co.za

Sanparks Guide to Kruger National Park

Birding Trips

My 2015 Photo pick

January 1, 2016 Don Reid 4 Comments

Here’s a selection of my photos from places visited in 2015 – mostly from places that support my favourite pastime of birding.

The Places

Sunset, Inhambane - Mozambique — Sunset, Inhambane – Mozambique

Canola fields along Herbertsdale road near Mossel Bay

The Animals

Giraffe at waterhole, Chobe Game Reserve

Burchell's Zebra, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Burchell’s Zebra, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

The Birds

Jackal Buzzard with nest material, Mossel Bay-Herbertsdale

Brown-headed Parrot, Satara - Orpen H7 — Brown-headed Parrot, Satara – Orpen H7

Others

Best wishes to all for 2016 and hope you enjoy my ramblings as much as I enjoy recording them in words and photos!

Birding Spots, National Parks

A Week in Kruger – Satara to Timbavati

December 17, 2015 Don Reid 2 Comments

Timbavati x 3

With part of our family group otherwise engaged (Andre and Megan had returned to Joburg for a schools competition) and the remainder taking the opportunity to spend some quality time in Satara, I used the opportunity on two mornings to do some birdmapping (that’s the new terminology for “atlasing”) at my own pace ie driving at an ultra-slow pace and stopping frequently, which is the best way to birdmap / atlas effectively but can be frustrating for those not involved in the process.

Both birdmapping drives took me to Timbavati picnic spot for a coffee and rusks break and when Andre and Megan returned it was the destination of choice once again, making it three visits in all during the week.

The Routes

There are a few options when heading to Timbavati, which lies north-west of Satara, and the choice of route will depend on how much time you wish to spend driving and whether you prefer tar or gravel roads, the latter being a lot slower but often more productive.

One option is to take the H7 tarred road west towards Orpen, then turn off northwards onto the S40 gravel road at the Nsemani dam about 7 kms from Satara and follow this road to Timbavati.

Travelling further along the H7 will take you to turn-off to the S39 gravel road, which meanders along the Timbavati River for much of the way – a longer route but well worthwhile.

The other option is to head north from Satara towards Olifants along the H1-4, then take a left at the S127 which winds through arid bushveld for about 9 kms to the picnic spot. This route means less driving on gravel but is not as productive game-wise (and birding-wise) as the first options

Whichever route you choose it makes sense to take one of the other routes back to Satara so that you cover the greatest area and increase your chances of interesting sightings along the way.

Habitat

The S39 and S40 roads take you through mixed woodland with the S39 staying close to the Timbavati river, although during the dry season the river will be dry for most of the way other than a few pools left after the long dry winter

River Scene, Timbavati Road — River Pool, Timbavati Road

The open plains are generally better for game while the mixed woodland provides good birding opportunities as well as the chance for some close encounters with game.

An extract from the Kruger Park map book shows the routes :

The Game

Game is not as abundant along the S39 and S40 as it is on the open plains east of Satara, however small groups of game are often encountered grazing or pursuing some other activity quite close to the road, affording good close-up views

On my first trip I came across two Lions at the Giravana water hole, just chilling as they are wont to do.

Regular sightings of some of my favourites kept things interesting – Giraffe, Kudu and Blue Wildebeest amongst others

No drive would be complete without coming across a monkey or two……

Surprise of the one trip was a brief Leopard sighting, seen crossing the river and disappearing into the thick bush before I could get a camera focused on him.

The Birding / Birdmapping

Taking it slow and easy to make the most of the available birds, I built up some healthy lists as I passed through the various pentads (roughly 8 x 8 kms square) on the way to Timbavati, spending a bit more time in some of the pentads which I had identified earlier as lacking some birdmap attention in 2015.

Highlights were many :

Gabar Goshawk swooping across the road and “attacking” a spider’s nest and apparently feeding on the contents

Black- and Brown-crowned Tchagras in quick succession in the roadside bushes
Kori Bustard pair in the long grass

Flock of White-winged Widowbirds still in their winter plumage
Red-billed Oxpeckers on a Zebra

Sabota Larks perched on top of trees and singing cheerfully
Black Crake patrolling a small pool

A handsome Tawny Eagle perched high up in a tall tree
Red-crested Korhaan calling in its distinctive fashion right next to the road, boldly showing its black front then turning to show just how well camouflaged it can be in the dry grass

Red-crested Korhaan - front view while calling - can hardly miss him — Red-crested Korhaan – front view while calling – can hardly miss him

Red-crested Korhaan - viewed from the back - now he is well camouflaged — Red-crested Korhaan – viewed from the back – now he is well camouflaged

Purple Roller

Closer to Timbavati a Grey-Tit Flycatcher was moving through the canopy, emitting its typical high-pitched trilling call which I had only just got to grips with on this trip, having heard it several times in Satara as well.

More proof that many birds are extremely habitat specific was the numbers of European Bee-Eaters in one spot but nowhere else to be seen.

Timbavati Picnic Spot

The two mornings that I spent birdmapping, I arrived at Timbavati when it was quite busy – full of happy groups of visitors enjoying a brunch in this special setting overlooking the river, albeit dry at this time of year.

On the morning that we visited as a family we arrived a little earlier and had the place to ourselves for a while. Andre and Geraldine soon had the gas going and the skottel frying merrily and it wasn’t too long before we were tucking into another delicious brunch.

Timbavati picnic spot, before the visitors descend on it for brunch

Timbavati still has the same chairs I remember from our first visits more than 40 years ago!

On the way to Timbavati we had taken the Olifants road then turned left onto the S127 – not much game was encountered but one lone, large elephant had us reversing a short way until he started feeding on the road verge and we grabbed the chance to get past safely. Interesting was the way he pulled out green bushes using his trunk and front leg in a sideways kicking motion to dislodge them from the hard dry ground.

Birding was slow that morning until we reached the picnic spot where several birds were vying for “loudest call” honours. Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike was a clear winner with its piercing but tuneful call from a nearby tree, but others were almost as active especially Crested Francolin and Natal Spurfowl trying to outdo each other with their equally raucous calls as they wandered around amongst the tables.

Back to Satara

On the return trip to Satara along the S127, a flock of Chestnut-backed Sparrowlarks made for an unusual sighting, as did a pair of tiny, colourful Quailfinches quenching their thirst at a small pool below a bridge on the tar road.

We had briefly diverted to Piet Grobler dam not far from the picnic spot, where a lone Yellow-billed Stork and Black-winged Stilt were new additions to the trip list, taking it to 126 species.

Back at Satara it was time for a snooze and some relaxation to get us through the hot afternoon, with the temperature heading to the mid 30’s again.

Sources :

Krugerpark.co.za

Sanparks Guide to Kruger National Park

Birding Spots, National Parks

A Week in Kruger – Satara to Nwanetsi

November 18, 2015 Don Reid 2 Comments

The Route

The next drive during our stay in Satara was also one of my Kruger favourites – the drive eastwards from Satara to Nwanetsi picnic spot which lies close to the border with Mozambique.

We had planned to do a circuit, first taking the S100 gravel road eastwards, which branches off the H1-4 tarred road just south of Satara camp. This becomes the S41 to Nwanetsi and we would return via the H6 tarred road back to Satara.

At Nwanetsi there is a dam which can be viewed from a roofed viewpoint on the ridge overlooking it. The Sweni hide, overlooking a small dam, and the low water bridge can be accessed on the return trip by taking the branch left at the S37 and travelling for a few kms

Habitat

The S100 meanders through open tree savanna with mostly Marula, Knob-thorn acacia, Leadwood, Sickle-bush and Russet bushwillow trees. The H6 tarred road is more direct but passes through similar habitat

An extract from the Kruger Park map book shows the route :

Best to go out on the yellow S 100 road and return on the H5 red road — Best to go out on the yellow S 100 road and return on the red H6 road

The Drive

An early start saw us driving the S100 – always good for plains game and today was no exception as we came across a selection of game in quick succession.

Waterbuck, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Waterbuck, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

Impala, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Impala, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

Black-backed Jackal, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Black-backed Jackal, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

Blue Wildebeest, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Blue Wildebeest, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

Signs of battles for dominance amongst the game were present – both Impala and Waterbuck were clashing horns. Nothing serious – more like a playful enactment of an ancient ritual as they butted each other lightly and tried to twist the opponent’s horns so that they would “bow” in submission.

As we watched this we noticed a few cars gathered up ahead and immediately knew it was a “cat” sighting as no other event attracts so many cars in a short space of time. It turned out to be two Cheetahs some 150m from the road, lying and then standing, the one clearly pregnant judging by the heavy-looking belly.

Cheetah, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Cheetah, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

Cheetahs are probably the most sought after sighting so we were really pleased to have been in the right spot for them.

Further along more excitement awaited, this time tinged with some tension as we rounded a bend and came across a fallen tree partly blocking the road, with the remaining opening ominously guarded by a large tusker. To add to the tension another large bull elephant was eyeing us from the bush to one side.

Elephant road block, Satara - Nwanetsi S100 — Elephant road block, Satara – Nwanetsi S100

With no way through we waited ……. and waited, but the two elephant guards showed no inkling to move along as they fed on the fallen tree. Eventually one motorist behind us braved the bush and looked for a way past without disturbing the ellies. They emerged on the other side and waved, so we followed suit and found a well-trodden game path running through the bush which they had used – we were soon speeding along to Nwanetsi for a much-needed toilet break!

All the while I was continuing to atlas the bird species we came across – so easy with the Birdlasser App which uses gps to automatically pinpoint the position of each sighting and allocate it to the correct pentad (5 x 5 minute block of co-ordinates which is about 8 x 8 km in size)

Nwanetsi

Time for a brunch and some birding around the picnic spot. I walked up the small hill to the viewpoint over the dam below and the bush stretching into the distance and found a number of species

Pied Kingfisher
Pied Wagtail amongst the rocks on the river
Great Egret flying between the ponds looking for the best fishing spot
Spectacled Weavers moving about busily and calling their sharp call
Green=backed Cameroptera calling from the bush

After brunch we left the picnic spot and headed firstly to the low water bridge on the S37 but found it dry and returned to the Sweni bird hide along the same road for a better view of the dam. There we found some Impala, warily approaching the water where a large crocodile was resident.

The resident bird population were going about their business while we watched from the comfortable hide

White-faced Ducks

Black Crake
Water Thick-Knee
Red-capped Robin-Chat (unusual in this habitat)

Waders such as Wood Sandpiper and Three-banded Plover
The ubiquitous Egyptian Goose

The rest of the journey back to Satara was on tar and with less game visible so we did not dawdle too much, nevertheless we enjoyed seeing Zebra close up with a juvenile whose stripes were still fluffy and brown – looking cute enough to want to pat him.

On the birding side we did spot a Brown Snake-Eagle and Red-crested Korhaan not far from the road

The rest of the day was a relaxing mix of our typical Kruger activities – some resting, enjoying the quiet of the camp, a swim late afternoon and closing out the day with a braai with the family.

Sources :

Sanparks Guide to Kruger National Park

Birding Spots, National Parks

A Week in Kruger – Satara to Olifants

November 12, 2015 Don Reid 1 Comment

The Route

Kicking off our stay in Satara we decided our first drive would follow the H1-4 main tarred road which heads north, branching off onto the Olifants camp road after crossing the river

After the previous day’s long drive from Pretoria, we enjoyed a good night’s rest, only surfacing after 7.30 am for coffee and rusks on the stoep before packing the brunch goodies and setting off for Olifants camp after 9.30 am.

Habitat

The drive initially takes you through open savanna grassland, changing to more rocky landscape closer to Olifants, where the habitat is known as Olifants rugged veld and is the transition between the woodlands of the south and the mopaneveld of the north.

Most common trees are Knob-thorn Acacia, Umbrella Acacia, Marula, Ebony Jackalberry and Red Bushwillow. The open savanna is favoured by the grazers such as antelope, zebra and their predators, with plenty of Vultures gathered at carcasses

An extract from the Kruger Park map book shows the route :

Map of route from Satara to Olifants (the grid is my hand-drawn guideline for atlasing)

The Drive

The savanna grassland was particularly dry and barren after the winter, but the few waterholes and dams which still had some water kept things interesting , with plenty of Elephant, Giraffe, Waterbuck, Kudu and Impala plus a few Steenbok here and there, looking so small and defenceless in this environment.

On the birding side we started with a juvenile Black-chested Snake-Eagle and added regularly to the list, particularly when we stopped at Ngotso Water Hole some 20 kms north of Satara where we found Sabota Lark, Blue Waxbills, Ostrich, Lesser Striped Swallow, amongst others. This is the main water hole in the area, man-made and fed by the vlei area surrounding it.

At the Olifants Bridge you can get out of the vehicle in the designated zone to enjoy the scenes on both sides and the bird life(Little Swifts by the 100’s, African Spoonbill, Yellow-billed Kite, Green-backed Heron).

Further along, the road stays close to the river for a few km’s before turning off to Olifants camp. A lone elephant was making his way slowly across the mostly dry river bed to where a few Impalas were drinking at a pool – such a classic scene I just had to stop and let it soak into my memory. It’s these simple scenes that are what Kruger is all about and why we keep coming back after 40 + years of visiting our national treasure.

Olifants Camp

At Olifants camp we went straight to the picnic area where Andre and Geraldine were already parked and Megan and Maia were in the swimming pool. By now it was 35 deg C and the heat felt tangible, but as Geraldine reminded us, this is exactly what you expect in Kruger in summer – best embrace it and don’t try to be too active.

Andre conjured up a “brunch sandwich” on the skottelbraai (like an old ploughshare used for frying on a gas cylinder) with scrambled egg, fried lean bacon, fried onions and avo – delicious! Not that we were ravenous by then or anything. All part of the Kruger traditions/must-do’s!

While he was busy I couldn’t help noticing that the fallen Mopane tree leaves looked uncannily like a butterfly, so I positioned one on the tree trunk ……

Mopane leaf "Butterfly", Olifants camp — Mopane leaf “Butterfly”, Olifants camp

After brunch it was time for the next must-do – as we walked slowly down to the restaurant area and viewpoint (Gerda and I cheated and drove – the extreme heat you know) below the restaurant to enjoy the timeless landscape below and stretching to the horizon in a 180 degree sweep. In all the years we have been visiting Kruger the view has not altered one bit – other than the effects of the different seasons – a testament to the foresight of the founders of the Park and those charged with looking after it.

In the river far below, some 30 to 40 Elephants of various ages were enjoying the pools of water as they moved slowly across the wide Olifants River, which flowed in several streams interspersed with rocky islands and stretches of sand and reeds.

Numbers of birds were visible – lots of Egyptian Geese but also plenty of white egrets (Great, Yellow-billed and Cattle were all represented), Marabou Storks, Hamerkop, Grey Heron, African Openbill and Saddle-billed Stork.

Tearing myself away from what has become one of my favourite spots in all of Kruger, I went off to find the rest of the family, who were busy with that other traditional pursuit – shopping. And who can blame the girls (old and young), with some pocket-money and nowhere else to spend it but in the tempting Kruger Park shops.

The road back to Satara was quiet, with birds rather than animals being the only reason for stopping – Red-billed Oxpeckers using Kudu as a feeding station, Kori Bustard some way from the road and a Yellow-throated Longclaw perched near the road.

The rest of the day was dedicated to camp activities – swimming in the large pool, and a late afternoon braai

Sources :

Krugerpark.co.za

Sanparks Guide to Kruger National Park

Birding Spots, National Parks

A Week in Satara – The Journey

October 31, 2015 Don Reid 5 Comments

Anticipation

We had been looking forward to a week in Satara in the Kruger National Park for some time, in fact ever since our daughter Geraldine had booked accommodation a year in advance for a week in October 2015, school holiday time and usually totally over-subscribed.

Route

And so Saturday 3 October 2015 saw us packed and departing early morning from Pretoria for the long drive to Satara. The route we had decided on would take us to Machadadorp in Mpumulanga, then via the N4 through Schoemanskloof after which we took the Sudwala Caves turn-off and made our way through Sabie and Hazyview to the Phabeni Gate into Kruger – we estimated this would be at least a five-hour drive with comfort stops. From Phabeni it is some 140 kms mostly northwards to Satara which, at Kruger speeds of maximum 50 km/h and including a few stops for game sightings, was likely to take 3 to 4 hours. So we had the prospect of around 9 hours on the road, eased by the fact that the last part would be in the Park and devoid of the stress of driving the highways.

Why Kruger?

Kruger holidays are like no other and in our family (and many other South African families I suspect) there are a few things to be attended to before departure – you could call them rituals :

buying the biltong, the boerewors (farmer’s sausages) and the braai chops – if you live in Pretoria east there is a good chance that, like us, you will have visited Uitkyk or Groenkloof butchery for these all-important items.
packing all the bush clothes you possess – every khaki shirt, shorts to go with them and a pair of longs for the evening (only to keep the mozzies away of course). There’s nothing wrong with “civvies”but proper bush clothing just adds to the feeling of escaping from the general routine for a while
stocking up on lots of fruit – always a bit scarce in Kruger’s camps. Some of this can often be purchased at roadside stalls along the way but this depends on the time of year and season.
making sure all the important stuff is ready and in good nick – camera, binos, birding books, scope, reptile book, mammal book, butterfly book, frog book (you never know), portable fridge, kitchen sink (just joking) and all.

The Journey

Then there’s the journey itself, where you have the chance to transition from city slicker to game ranger persona – a gradual process until you get to Kruger’s entrance gate. That’s when it really kicks in – slow down to 50 km/h or less, open the windows to let the bush smells and sounds drift in, binos around the neck, eyes tuned to the bush and on the lookout for movement – ahhhhhh we’re back!

Our trip from Pretoria took the time we expected, with a first stop for an early lunch at Milly’s near Machadadorp, a must on any journey involving the N4 towards Nelspruit. Here you can fill up with fuel, have a sit-down or take-away meal of excellent quality, stock up on all sorts of goodies and just enjoy a welcome break from the highway. We chose take-away trout pies (did I mention they do a great one?) and a coffee from the Seattle Coffee kiosk. The pie we ate at an outside picnic table and the coffee was taken in the car and sipped over the next 30 kms or so.

Once on the road to Sabie I enjoyed the “real” driving as the road twisted, turned and ascended/descended in quick succession – so much so that it brought to mind the old Chubby Checker* hit “Let’s twist again, like we did last Summer”.

*Trivia alert : what do Fats Domino and Chubby Checker have in common? Think about those names – wonder which came first and who copied the other?

The last stretch between Sabie and Hazyview was quite badly pot-holed in places and required extra care to avoid tyre and suspension damage – by the time we reached Phabeni I was quite tired, but it was only 1pm leaving plenty of time for a relaxing drive in Kruger for the next 130 kms.

The drive provided a good spread of sightings to whet our appetite for the week ahead – from tiny Duikers to big daddy Elephants and a Lion and Lioness that were pairing not far from the road.

We made a comfort stop at Tshokwane picnic spot, which was unusually quiet, except for a group of baboons looking for scraps left by the visitors that morning

Tshokwane - quiet in the afternoon — Tshokwane – quiet in the afternoon

Baboons have Tshokwane almost to themselves — Baboons had Tshokwane almost to themselves

After a full day’s driving, Satara camp was a welcome sight and a chance to relax, loving the feel of the warm air pressing into our pores after being cocooned in an air-conditioned car for most of the day.

Some of the game along the way :

Any Birds?

Without spending too much time on birding, we nevertheless started the trip with some nice sightings :

Hamerkop at the first bridge after Phabeni – exactly where I had photographed one a year or so before
Dam at Nyamundwa – White-breasted Cormorant, Gyppo (Egyptian Goose)
Tshokwane picnic spot – Crested Francolin, Mourning Dove, Greater Blue-eared Glossy Starling, Saddle-billed Stork
Mazithi Dam – Another Saddle-billed Stork, Purple Heron, Three-banded Plover, Fish Eagle, Wood Sandpiper

The Satara Experience

In Satara camp itself, the familiar sounds were present and remained throughout the week –

soft calling of the Mourning Dove – often first on the scene when the crumbs are sprinkled on the ground

Long-billed Crombec with its cricket-like call
Screeching of Brown-headed Parrots
the almost constant melodious call of the Orange-breasted Bush-Shrike, not too difficult to track down and photograph

occasional haunting call from the “Ghost bird” – Grey-headed Bush-Shrike, which perched for a while in the tree right in front of our rondawel

Overhead a Yellow-billed Kite flew low over the trees, swooping lower every now and then in search of prey.

Satara is the second largest camp in Kruger and quite busy at this time of year, also attracting busloads of tourists from SA and overseas. The chalets are fairly simple and haven’t changed much over the years other than a small boma which has been added.

Satara - circle of chalets — Satara – circle of chalets

Most Kruger camps have their “residents” and Satara is no different – evening visitors to the chalets included African Wild Cat, Honey Badger and a cute troop of Banded Mongooses, while during the day you always have to be on the lookout for monkeys looking for a snatched snack.

African Wild Cat doing the rounds of the chalets

Other smaller residents use the chalets as sleeping quarters or hunting grounds

Fruit Bat - just "hanging around" until dusk — Fruit Bat – just “hanging around” until dusk

Striped Skink on the hunt for small insects — Typical Skink on the hunt for small insects

The Drives

Once settled in our chalet our thoughts turned to what drives we would be doing. Satara has wonderful routes that take you in all four directions and a week provides the time to try them all without “rushing about” too much.

The next few posts will cover the drives we chose to do and some of the great sightings and experiences we had

Holiday Trips

Flowering Aloe time in Kruger – continued

March 12, 2014 Don Reid 2 Comments

Tamboti Tented Camp

At the end of our 4 nights in Letaba, we headed south towards Orpen and the nearby Tamboti Tented camp for the next 7 days of our Kruger Park visit. Tamboti lies a couple of km’s off the main Orpen – Satara tarred road, along a river course which is dry for most of the year. All of the units are tented, with some having their own private bathrooms and others sharing an ablution block – we had chosen one with a bathroom and an outside kitchen, more like a chalet with canvas walls than an actual tent. The whole unit is raised above the ground and has a deck which overlooks the river bed – really comfortable as long as you realise that in winter canvas walls provide very little insulation from the cold nights, so warm blankets and a warm body next to you are highly recommended for a good night’s sleep.

Early morning coffee and rusks on the patio is all part of our ritual when visiting Kruger and Tamboti was no different once we had dragged ourselves out of the warm cocoon of the bed and onto the deck to get the kettle boiling in the chilly morning air – it took some cajoling to get a slightly reluctant Gerda to join me but once we had a steaming mug to hand, the sights and sounds of the awakening bush and the crisp, fresh air made it all worthwhile.

Tamboti Tent camp - view from the deck — Tamboti Tent camp – view from the deck

A slow walk around the camp with binos and camera was next on the schedule and it was soon evident that there was plenty of bird life working their way through the dry bush – Southern Boubou was particularly prominent and vocal, while both Red-billed and Yellow-billed Hornbills showed themselves, the latter having caught a large centipede which he deftly worked into his long curved bill until just the legs were showing and soon disappeared altogether.

Yellow-billed Hornbill with doomed centipede

Yellow-billed Hornbill finishing breakfast

The bush between the units, set well apart, was home to many other species, some of which I was able to capture digitally –

Jameson's Firefinch, Tamboti — Jameson’s Firefinch, Tamboti

Besides the numerous birds, other visitors to our unit included the usual mischievous Vervet Monkeys, which you always have to keep an eye on if you value your fruit and bread, which they will grab in a flash and jump onto the nearest branch. An unexpected “robber” in the guise of a Tree Squirrel gained access to our tented unit via a tiny gap in the canvas and got into one of the biscuit tins while we were out one morning so after that we kept all our food in crates, weighed down with heavy items. A few Dwarf Mongooses (Mongeese? No, don’t think so) were also regulars around the tent, looking for food amongst the leaf litter and there is often a Gecko or Lizard to observe, in and around the tent.

Once we had spent a day or so relaxing in camp we were keen to get out on the road for a game and birding drive – the road to Satara is usually good for a variety of game, especially as you get closer to Satara and was fully up to expectations –

Zebra - Most photogenic animal in Kruger? — Burchell’s Zebra – surely the most photogenic animal in Kruger

The nice thing about being a birder in Kruger is that whenever you stop for a bird, as often as not an animal is spotted and vice versa, so there is never a shortage of interesting sightings. The area close to Satara is also one of the best for spotting Ostrich – yes, you can see hundreds at a time on farms around Oudtshoorn and every second farm across SA has a few in the fields, but there is just nothing like seeing the real thing in one of the National Parks – they just look more handsome and genuine than the farm-raised Ostriches.

Then a group of White-crested Helmet-Shrikes drew our attention – I have this theory that says these birds must be able to count, as you always see them in a group of 7 or 8 – how else would they know when to allow a newcomer to the group or get rid of an unwanted member? Anyway that’s a theory that probably needs some more work to make it believable.

Satara Camp

Satara camp is one of the Kruger camps that has managed to retain a lot of its old-style atmosphere, despite being the second busiest camp and very popular with tour groups. The restaurant doesn’t serve those glorious burgers and pies that were worth looking forward to, but the stoep and the view across the lawns with the grand old trees in the middle, full of Buffalo-Weavers and like-minded species, is still there. Fortunately, the aloes in Satara were also in full bloom and attracted a variety of birds –

Near the reception the resident African Scops-Owl was still attracting knots of tourists and is probably one of the most photographed birds in Kruger but maintains a rather disdainful attitude towards his fame –

The picnic spot for day visitors is set to one side and attracts a steady stream of avian and butterfly visitors to entertain while you picnic –

Orange-tip Butterfly (Colotis evenina evenina)

During a walk around Satara I came across a couple of species which allowed a close approach – a Bennett’s Woodpecker was so engrossed with inspecting the lower leaves of a large Aloe that he paid no attention as I crept closer to get some nice sharp photos and a Black-headed Oriole was equally unconcerned when I got up close and personal.

Bennet's Woodpecker, Satara — Bennet’s Woodpecker, Satara

Destination Muzandzeni

The loop that lies south of the Orpen-Satara road is good for a morning’s drive, bypassing Talamati Bushveld camp and with Muzandzeni picnic spot ideally placed for a brunch break. On the way there is a good chance of spotting game and at the picnic spot there is always a gathering of birds and Tree-squirrels to keep the grandkids busy.