There are five hides in the Mkuze game reserve. I have four posts about the Malibala hide and this one is about the second largest hide, Masinga. Nsumo Pan is the best place to look for water birds and waders. Its northern bank is lined with yellowy-green fever trees and has two hides named, Nkwazi and Imvubu, looking out over this large expanse of water.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us” ~ Anonymous

Helen and I visited the Masinga hide on four separate occasions. The main roads around the Mkuze Game reserve are tarred and in good condition. On the tar road just before the turn off to the Masinga hide we found this Black-crowned tchagra eating an insect at the edge of the road. You can frequently hear tchagras as they have a distinctive and charming call but they are difficult to see because they are usually hopping around in the centre of thick bushes. It had been raining and this Black-crowned tchagra looked a bit bedraggled.

Shortly after seeing the wet Black-crowned tchagra we turned onto a gravel road and found this very wet Burchell’s coucal standing preening itself in the road. We spent around 10 minutes watching this character tidying up after getting properly wet. The Burchell’s coucal, also known as the rain bird as its often calls before, during or after rain. The Burchell’s coucal’s call has the quality of the “rainbird’s liquid note”. This so aptly describes the sound made by this species which sounds remarkably similar to water being poured from a narrow-necked bottle, and is believed to signal the onset of rain. This is due to the bird’s tendency for bursting into song during periods of high humidity, before during and after rain.

Eventually this coucal walked across the road and climbed onto a fallen tree trunk and began looking for insects. This is a carnivorous bird which eats a wide variety of prey, including insects, reptiles, amphibians and small bird and mammals. It will also feed on eggs, fruit, berries, and sometimes small quantities of fruit.

This species is a member of cuckoo family but is not a parasitic breeder. This species has relatively laboured flight but prefers to skulk through the understory clambering about in rank vegetation or walking on the ground foraging for insects or small vertebrates.

On several occasions we watched a herd of Wildebeest coming down to drink at the water hole. This waterhole is known to be busy at times with giraffe, warthog and white rhino also coming down to drink.

“The best way to experience the world is by going outside and exploring it” ~ Anonymous

The Blue wildebeest did not mill around the waterhole. They drank and left.

The wildebeest were soon followed by a family herd of Burchell’s zebra. They also did not hang around the waterhole probably because of the threat of predators in the fairly thick bush 40 metres away surrounding the waterhole.

There was a lot more interaction between the zebras than the wildebeest. For some reason the stallion was chasing the foal. Thankfully we did not see the stallion injure the youngster.

The waterhole was home to numerous Hinged terrapins which would swim close to the hide and peer up at us with just snout and eyes visible. It had been cold and wet during the four days we were in Mkuze game reserve so any opportunity these terrapins got to warm up they would climb onto a rock next to the water’s edge to get out of the cold water.

“Adventure doesn’t come to you, you have to go out and find it.” ~ Unknown

September is spring time in South Africa and so the mating season began. The cloacal kiss performed by a pair of Egyptian geese.

The mating process looked rough with the female bearing all the weight of the male on top of her. On occasions the male pushed the female’s head under the water and even stood on top of her back for a short while.

A female Nyala and her calf came down to the waterhole to drink. They were part of a small breeding herd. The calf was still suckling. The vegetation in Mkuze is ideal for Nyala which prefer dense woodlands and thickets along permanent water. It is very secretive and is a non-territorial antelope.

Springtime was the time for many species of wildlife to start breeding. This pair of Three-banded plovers were also seen mating at the edge of the waterhole.

During one session at the Masinga hide it poured with rain. All this Woolly-necked stork could do was endure. It had puffed up its feathers to keep warm as it was quite cold. Something we did not expect in Mkuze because is known to be hot in spring and summer.

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it within us or we will find it not” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Once the wind and rain had stopped one of the three Woolly-necked stocks flew onto of a broken tree trunk to shake all the water off its feathers.

A Yellow-bellied bulbul or Greenbul at the water’s edge. It has a brighter yellow underparts and a red eye which differentiates it from the Sombre bulbul.

This Yellow-bellied bulbul was quite wary at the edge of the water probably because of all the wildlife activity and it looked to be an ideal place for a Gabar goshawk or Little sparrowhawk to be hunting.

It is always a thrill to see Crested guineafowl albeit from quite a distance. There was a small flock of about seven individuals foraging on the ground about 60 metres from the hide. Crested guineafowl forage for fruit, berries and insects. They can sometimes be found scratching around in elephant or rhino dung looking for insects. We waited with great anticipation thinking they might come down to the water hole to drink but no such luck.

“Nature doesn’t need people…people need nature” – Unknown

Four Crested spurfowl came close to the hide foraging for seeds and insects. They had also been drenched by the rain and also looked somewhat bedraggled.

You can imagine with all the birdlife around the hide there was a symphony of bird calls which at times made me put my camera down and just look and listen and appreciate what was around me.

There were two large trees in front of the hide, on the other side of the water hole. They provided a wonderful stage for a pair of Paradise flycatchers to dance among the branches.

“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” ~ Miriam Beard

The female Paradise flycatcher was easier to photograph as she flew around the periphery of the branches and not in amongst them like the male.

I was so impressed with the Masinga hide. It was in excellent condition. It was west facing so ideal for morning photography with the sun behind rising from the east. What was also perfect was the surround of the waterhole. It had a clear sandy apron of about 30 to 40 metres which was prefect for wildlife photography providing unimpeded views with clean backgrounds.

“Adventure is the bridge between dreams and reality. When we walk across that bridge, we can explore the unknown and uncover hidden wonders. With every step, we move closer to our ambitions, passions, and goals. Adventure gives us the courage to take risks and make bold decisions – decisions that help shape our destiny.” – Unknown

We did not see the main large mammals possibly because of the rain, wind and cold but the birdlife, despite the conditions, was remarkable. We will definitely return to Mkuze Game Reserve and I am sure warmer sunny weather will bring out much more wildlife and many more of the 460 recorded birds in this area.

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike