After a long break I am looking forward to getting back to sharing my wildlife experiences and knowledge I have gained along the way.

When visiting Kruger Park, Helen and I usually stay at either Sabi River Sun resort near Hazyview or Pine Lake resort just outside White river in Mpumalanga. The quickest access in the Kruger Park from the Sabi River Sun resort is via the Phabeni gate. This post shows some of the birds we saw on our rain soaked drive along the S1 from Phabeni gate to Skukuza camp.

“Expectations imprison the soul, break free and witness the extraordinary unfold in the simplicity of the present.” ~ anonymous

Quite by chance as we were driving along in light rain we saw a Green pigeon fly into a bush ahead of us next to the road. We stopped and to our amazement there was a small flock of Green pigeons feeding on berries on that bush. These pigeons prefer riparian forests, woodlands, and savannas.

All pigeons have beautiful coloured plumage but the Green pigeon especially so. They have bright orange/red legs and feet; their thighs are covered with vibrant yellow feathers; the bottom part of their body and the head and neck area are greyish green in colour; the back and tail has a more olive green to yellowish green colour; and finally, you will see their white eyes and their bright red and white beak. This species of pigeon feed on fruits, berries and figs. They are particularly acrobatic when feeding and clambour around the branches like parrots to access the fruit and berries.

A little further along the tarred road we came across a somewhat bedraggled adult Tawny eagle perched on top of a dead tree stump. It was keenly surveying the surrounding area for food. It’s crop was not extended so it was probably hungry after not being able to hunt during the rain.

The Tawny eagle is a medium sized eagle but its plumage is highly variable. Its plumage can vary from dark brown, mid-brown, a creamy rufous to almost white. It has a yellow lined gape which stops below the centre of the eye, which is diagnostic. This species of eagle has a highly varied diet which ranges from small mammals (rodents, hares and very young antelope), birds such as francolins and hornbills. It will happily feed on a termite emergence but is also an adept scavenger at predator kills and road kill.

“Rainy days can bring surprises and in the bush it never dampens our spirit.” ~ Mike Haworth

We encountered a lot of rain in the early part of the drive. I always try to get into the park at opening times to get the best light but on this occasion it was overcast and drizzling. Unless it is a downpour the birds are still out and about in the light rain. The birds just have to cope with it. This African Long -tailed shrike retracted its neck and lowered its head onto it shoulders to reduce the rain ingress on its neck. Due to its black and white coloured plumage it is also called the Magpie shrike.

This species prefers the open savanna where it can hunt from a perch. You can often find this species in a gregarious group calling to each other. Most prey is caught on the ground, but flying insects are sometimes caught in mid air. The diet consists of arthropods, insects, lizards, small mammals and fruit.

Being mid summer in southern Africa, the migrants had come down for the warmer climes and greater abundance of food. This European roller was perched on top of the remains of a dead shrub. This species is also a perch hunter so prefers the bushveld, woodlands and grasslands with scattered trees in the warmer lowland areas where there are plenty of insects, small reptiles and frogs on which to feed.

Like all the rollers this species is strikingly coloured and immediately recognisable in the bush. Its body and underwings are a powder blue with a wide edge to its primaries and secondaries which is an electric blue. It has an orange-brown rufous back and an electric blue rump. Birdlife South African using pioneering satellite technology has shown this species can fly along the east coast of Africa from South Africa to middle Asia in a migratory journey of over 12 000 kms one way.

“When rain speaks, it tells stories only quiet hearts can hear.” ~ anonymous

After the rain many birds perched in the warmth when the blue sky was starting to break through the clouds. Although slightly smaller than the Mosque swallow, this Red-breasted swallow was perched on a flimsy stick and needed to balance itself in the light breeze. It has brick red underparts and dark blue upper parts. This species is also a summer visitor which has migrated south for the abundance of insects.

This species of swallow breeds in southern Africa constructing a closed mud nesting chamber with a long tubular mud tunnel. It prefers the open woodland areas where it can hawk insects in flight.

Another bedraggled raptor due to the rain. This is a white morph Wahlberg’s eagle. Like Tawny’s, the Wahlberg’s plumage can be highly variable from the common brown plumage to a dark brown morph and also a pale morph where its head and neck is mainly creamy white with blackish streaks on the crown and around the eye. This eagle is also a summer visitor from North Africa to feed and breed. The mating pair of Wahlberg’s eagle will hunt together cooperatively.

“Rain conjures possibility, unlocking doors patience alone could not open.” ~ anonymous

This is a small eagle with a distinctive crest at the back of its small head It has a small beak with a large gape. Its relatively small beak size is suited to its diet which is mainly reptiles such as snakes and lizards, small mammals like squirrels, mongooses and hares, and small birds. It will also feed on insects such as termites, grasshoppers and beetles.

I have thousands of Lilac-breasted roller shots but cannot resist taking photographs of these gorgeous rollers in the bush. This particular roller had caught an insect and was clambering up a dead tree stump to its mate.

The pair of Lilac breasted rollers perched on to top of the dead tree trunk for quite a while. Since this species is not sexually dimorphic, it was difficult to tell the male and female apart. I assumed from the behaviour of the lower partner offering the insect to the higher partner that he was a male. For some reason when the (supposed) female bent down to take the offering the male would not give it to her. He eventually ate it, flew off and caught another insect which he proceeded to feed on himself.

” Sharing strengthens bonds. For humanity it is the root of civilisation.” ~ Mike Haworth

This particular journey was filled with migrants. As we were driving back from Skukuza toward Pretoriuskop there is a open grassland area with numerous dry small bush stumps. We saw three Jacobin cuckoos in this area. The Jacobin cuckoo can be identified by its black upper parts and white underparts and the small somewhat scraggy crest on the back of its head. The Striped cuckoo looks similar but has dark stripes on its white breast

Jacobin cuckoos prefer savanna and woodland habitats where they can find plentiful caterpillars. Like most cuckoos this species is a brood parasite primarily targeting bulbuls (like Cape, Red-eyed, and Dark-capped Bulbuls) and shrikes (like the Common Fiscal) in southern Africa.

On our way on the S3 gravel road from Pretoriuskop to Phabeni, we stopped when we heard a distinctive cuckoo call. It is very difficult to tell the difference between an African and Common Cuckoo. Two factors made me think it was an African cuckoo. The first was that distinctive cuckoo call (but not as distinctive as the Common Cuckoo) and the second was the large orange yellow base to its beak.

This was a first for me as they are usually so hard to see and more often only heard. This individual flew from its open perch to a well wooded branch where it was much better camouflaged. It remained dead still for ages, so needless to say I took many images mostly in the same position. The African cuckoo brood parasites a wide variety of small birds, with common hosts including weavers, bishops, warblers, sparrows, sunbirds, and robins.

We did not get to see many mammals due to the rain and thick lush vegetation but the birdlife was certainly on show. For many of the cars following us along the road, when we stopped to view and photograph a bird, passersby would ask us what we were looking at, when we said we were looking at a bird, most cars quickly moved off as many tourists seem to want to see the big mammals, not these interesting birds.

“Often the best way to find birds in the bush is to listen. The ears can often locate better than the eyes.” ~ Mike Haworth

Listening for birds can be as important as seeing them. Often, once you hear a bird you can usually pinpoint its location and with a little searching you can see it.

“One who listens learns, and one who learns listens.” ~ Matshona Dhliwayo

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

Have fun, Mike