Amakhosi is a private game reserve nestled in the hills of Pongola with the Mkuze river coursing through it. It is in the centre of Zululand. One of the features of this wonderful reserve is that it has open grassland and thornveld areas, and densely wooded rolling hills with the Mkuze river flowing among them providing a permanent water source for a variety of wildlife. 

“From the whistling duet of the Southern Boubou, to the trilling “kri-trrrrrrr” of the Woodland Kingfisher, these calls create a backdrop to life in the bush that is both calming and dynamic.”~ Kelsey Clark

There are two ways to cross the Mkuze river close to the main lodge. The one is on the east side where there is a low level causeway.

The other is on the western side below the IsiGodlo private house. This crossing is through the water over a bed of rocks. The vehicle has to slowly negotiate the rocks which gives us an opportunity to look for birds along the shoreline and amongst the rocks.

This Common sandpiper was foraging on the edge of the Mkuze river just where we crossed the river by vehicle.

Amakhosi has many Purple crested turacos frequenting the thick riverine vegetation along the Mkuze river. Their raucous calls can be heard echoing in the valley which the Mkuze river courses along.

“Birding elevates a bush experience by adding a new layer of engagement and appreciation for nature, offering unique insights into wildlife and habitats, and providing a contemplative and immersive activity.” ~ Unknown

A pair of Red-throated wrynecks first heard, then found. This species is part of the woodpecker family but does not use its tail to support itself on a branch. It has a woodpecker-like screeching call. This species has cryptic colouring on its back so can be difficult to see from behind. Both male and female are similarly coloured.

This species of wryneck can often be seen perched in a prominent place calling to its mate. The Red-throated wryneck favours open grasslands with trees, particularly acacia, as well as miombo woodlands. It is a highly specialised feeder, focusing on ants and termites. It usually nests in tree cavities either natural or those made by other birds.

A male Puff-backed shrike with a well earned titbit. These minute shrikes work hard for their food, energetically dashing back and forth along branches in search of insects.

A borrow pit excavated for the road in Amakhosi’s more mountainous section. There was still water in the pit from the previous year’s rains which this African black duck was enjoying. It was on its own so we assumed it was just resting en route to its home base.

Helen and I were fortunate to have the IsiGodlo private house in Amakhosi. It is about a kilometre from the main lodge so is quiet and undisturbed. The house has an infinity pool which the birds really enjoyed because the water depth over the infinity edge was a few millimetres deep.

Lesser striped swallows were frequent visitors to the infinity pool ledge. The Lesser striped swallow has thick black stripes on its breast and belly and an orange rump and dark orange head and is smaller than the Greater striped swallow which has thin black stripes on its breast and belly and a fawn coloured rump and pale beige cheeks.

A female Spectacled weaver also regularly visited the infinity pool to get a drink of water. This species of weaver has unstreaked bright yellow plumage with uniform green wings, back, and upper tail. It has a slender black bill and Zorro-like bandit mask surrounding its pale eye. The male has a black throat patch but not the female.

A pair of Cape white-eyes enjoying a bathe in the shallow water of the infinite ledge. The Western Cape white-eye has a grey belly but the Eastern white-eye has a yellow-greenish belly. Both species have the white eye ring which is broken at the front next to the beak. This species can be mistaken for the Southern yellow white-eye which has an unbroken white eye ring.

Amakhosi is one place you will regularly see Striped kingfishers. They superficially look like Brown headed kingfishers but have a broad whitish collar, a black eye-band and a red and black beak. Its “GISS” is small, fat, big headed and short tailed.

I have been waiting for years to get a decent image of a Crowned eagle otherwise called the “flying leopard” because of the colour of its plumage. We only managed to see this individual from a distance.

A female Greater honeyguide perched on a dead tree stump. The male has a pink beak, black throat and pale cheek spot. We heard her call “victor, victor” and then found her. We searched for her mate but could not find him.

This was a very small selection of the 420 birds species that can bee seen in Amakhosi. The morning and afternoon game drives provide ample opportunity to see many birds species but just walking around the lodge can be very rewarding. Narina trogons, Purple crested turacos, Puff-backed shrikes, Orange-breasted bush shrikes, Mocking cliff chats, Pied wagtails, Golden breasted buntings and a variety of sunbirds to name a few can be seen around the lodge. From the deck at the main lodge many birds can be seen flying along the Mkuze river varying from Trumpeter hornbills to a selection of raptors.

“Birds are far more than beautiful and melodic additions to the landscape—they are essential threads in the intricate web of life. From the symbiosis of hornbills and mongoose to the honeyguide’s remarkable partnerships, their behaviours reflect the profound interconnectedness of the bush. As sentinels, seed dispersers, and symbiotic allies, they play vital roles in maintaining the ecosystem’s delicate balance. Each call, flight, and interaction is a reminder of how every species, no matter how small, contributes to the thriving wilderness…..” ~ Kelsey Clark

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

Have fun, Mike