Category Archives: South Africa

Giant’s Castle – Jackal buzzards

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One of the best reasons for visiting Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve is its vulture hide. The hide is about five kilometres north of the camp on top of an elevated ridge on the east side of the Bushman’s River valley. The vulture hide in Giant’s Castle National Reserve is always productive from a birding and photographic point of view.

“Birds will give you a window, if you allow them. They will show you secrets from another world– fresh vision that, though it is avian, can accompany you home and alter your life. They will do this for you even if you don’t know their names– though such knowing is a thoughtful gesture. They will do this for you if you watch them.” ~ Lyanda Lynn Haupt

The Jackal buzzard got its name from its call. This strikingly plumed raptor is named for its loud, yelping call that sounds a lot like a Black-backed jackal. One, and often the pair, can be heard calling as they fly above the Bushman’s river valley. When in the hide you have to be wide awake because the raptors do not make a sound when they approach the feeding terrace in front of the hide. At least when the Jackal buzzards call, you know they are in the area. It’s time to keep a more attentive eye out for them.

This species of buzzard is regularly seen perched on rocks, trees and utility poles in open areas, scanning for prey. It is also known to hunt on the wing. This raptor “still-hunts” by dropping on its prey from a perch, which is either a tree or roadside pole or post. It takes its prey almost exclusively on bare ground, including roads.

“Watching birds soar through the sky evokes feelings of freedom, inspiration and a connection with nature.” ~ Unknown

The Jackal buzzard feeds mainly on small ground mammals, especially rodents but can take prey up to the size of a hare. It will also feed on ground feeding birds varying from nestlings to sandgrouse, francolins and spurfowl.

During the winter months, the Jackal buzzard will scavenge at carcasses and road kill. This scavenging behaviour is what attracts them to the feeding terrace in front of the hide. Visitors who have booked the hide are given a bucket of cut bones with lots of fat and flesh on them. The fat on the bones also attracts the Red-winged starlings and White-necked ravens.

While the Jackal buzzards do spend time tearing fat and flesh off the bones on the feeding terrace. They also regularly fly off into the valley below carrying large bones with most of the nutrients still on them. During the breeding season they carry food back to their chicks. During the non-breeding season they probably just want to eat in peace without being harassed by the gangs of White-necked ravens.

The tail of Jackal buzzards is typically rufous and distinctive in flight.

A Jackal buzzard female is larger than the male and has a deeper pitched call. A breeding pair can often be seen engaging in impressive aerial displays while regularly calling to each other. This aerial displaying occurs outside the breeding season. Jackal buzzards are generally monogamous and form pair bonds for life. Although some instances of polyandry (one female with multiple males) have been observed.

Jackal buzzards exhibit significant variation in their underpart colouration, with three main colour morphs observed. The upper parts are typically a slate-grey with flecks of white. The underparts display a range of patterns and colours. The typical Jackal buzzard colouring is a slaty-grey neck with white flecks, a rufous chest patch, and a black-and-white barred belly.

Among the three colour morphs of the Jackal Buzzard the typical morph remains the most common. Both the dark and the pale morphs are rarer. The colour morphs are generally defined by the appearance of the chest band that extends across the body of the individual. In most individuals, this band is predominantly rufous in colour, with the presence of white and black. In the pale and dark morphs, this band can lack one or even two of the three colours. In dark morphs, you will find that the chest band can be completely black. In pale morphs, there will usually be a lack of rufous colouring, and they will be mostly white.

“On a day like this, I can’t imagine anything better that might happen in a person’s life than for them to start paying attention to birds—to become aware of this magical world that exists all around us, unnoticed by many but totally captivating for those who know its secrets.” ~ Kenn Kaufman

The Jackal buzzard has a very short tail, broad wings, bulky body and large beak compared to most other buzzards (besides the Augur buzzard). Jackal buzzards have a relatively large wing area which facilitates higher wing loadings but results in their lower aspect ratio which does reduce their flight speeds

The combination of a relatively large wingspan ranging from 1.2 to 1.4 metres and wide wing panels suggest a relatively low aspect ratio. This ratio is the square of the wingspan divided by the wing area. Low aspect ratio wings, characterised by their short, wide shape, are beneficial for several reasons. They offer increased maneuverability and higher roll rates. They also produce more drag, lower flight speeds and can be less efficient for sustained flight. This is where the strong winds and updrafts in the hills and mountains help.

The adult Jackal buzzard is strikingly plumaged and arguably one of the most “handsome” buzzards. It has distinctive black and rufous plumage with patches of white. When seen in flight from below and above, the adult Jackal Buzzard shows white flight feathers with black tips forming a broad black terminal band. The underwing and overwing coverts are black. All colour forms have pale rufous tail feathers.

Jackal Buzzards are medium to large Buzzards with a body length of 44-55 cm. Females are generally larger than males,and their weights ranging from 1.0 kg to 1.7 kg.

This species is endemic to Southern Africa and usually found in mountainous and hilly regions above altitudes around 3000 metres. Their range extends from the north-west of Namibia and through most of South Africa. Their preference is for mountainous and hilly areas with short grass and low vegetation coverage where associated strong winds and updrafts help hovering and assist their hunting behaviour.

“Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes.” ~ Neil Young

The Jackal buzzard is of least concern on the IUCN Red list. This means that the species is not currently considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. The population trend is believed to be stable.

There are periods in the hide that can be deadly boring. Nevertheless, you have to be constantly alert because the raptors, and many larger birds, do not give any warning that they are flying in towards the feeding terrace. Often they emerge above the terrace flying at speed and with purpose. If you are not ready you will miss the incoming drama and only see the raptor when it has landed and is walking towards the bones.

“Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Breeze driftin’ on by you know how I feel
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me
And I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good.” ~ Nina Simone

The thrill of watching a large raptor flying toward the feeding terrace is hard to describe. Often the approach results in a flyby but every now and then an individual will land. Usually the raptor will land on the rocks at the far end of the feeding terrace and check to see if there are any threats. If they sense the all is clear they fly closer to feed on the bones. These approaches create the best photographic moments.

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

Have fun, Mike

Giant’s Castle – summer muze

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Helen and I visited Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve, one of our favourite places in South Africa, in November last year. We try to visit this reserve at different times of the year to experience the differences in the wildlife, flora and scenery each time.

“There is no time to be bored in a world like this.” ~ Unknown

Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve is located in the southern end of central section of uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. The latter is a World Heritage Site. The Drakensberg rises to more than 3,475 metres and extends roughly northeast to southwest for 1 125 km parallel to the southeastern coast of South Africa.

The most-elevated stretch of the Drakensberg, in eastern and southern Lesotho, is composed of severely eroded basalt capping a sandstone base. Its pinnacles, broken and fractured blocks present a steep eastern scarp of 3 000 to 3 300 metres in elevation along the length of the border between Lesotho and KwaZulu-Natal; a steep southern scarp of 2 400 to 3 000 metres in elevation lies along the length of the Lesotho–Eastern Cape province border.

“Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.” ~ Edward Abbey

The main hutted camp in Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve overlooks the Bushman’s river. Looking west from the camp up the Bushman’s river you will see Giant’s Castle peak which is 3 314 metres high. Giant’s Castle gets its name from the outline of the peaks and escarpment that combine to resemble the profile of a sleeping giant.

Giant’s Castle Nature Reserve is about four and a half hour’s drive from Johannesburg depending on road conditions. After checking in and getting settled in our chalet we went for a late afternoon walk along the Bushman’s river trail towards the main caves. This walk revealed many birds on the rocks and on the trees, shrubs and proteas alongside the path. November is summer in South Africa so most of the birds had already adorned their breeding colours. They looked like jewels in the sunshine.

A male Greater double-collared sunbird in full breeding colours perched on a twig jutting out of a lichen encrusted branch of an Oldwood tree.

A Green white eye perched on a young shoot of an Oldwood tree in front of our chalet.

We can see three species of White-eye in South Africa, the Cape, Green, and Yellow. The Green White-eye has a broken white eye ring at the point closest to its beak and has a greenish breast and belly colouring. By contrast, the Cape White eye has the same broken white eyering but its flanks, breast and belly colour is grey.

A Bush Blackcap in a deciduous shrub in front of our chalet. This species has a distinct blackcap and a coral red beak and its underparts are light grey.

The Bush Blackcap has a melodious call. It is musical and varied. With this character singing so beautifully in front of our chalet and sitting in such an open position I just had to pick up my camera and photograph it.

There are numerous Kurrichane thrushes in and around the Giant’s Castle camp. More often than not you will find this species on the ground flicking through loose leaf litter with its beak, probably searching for earthworms. This species has an orange beak and orange flanks. It had been raining so the black malar stripe was not evident. It has the typical repetitive thrush whistle.

“Just living is not enough… one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” ~ Hans Christian Andersen

On our walk out of camp along the trail to the main caves we found this male Buff Streaked chat which was very talkative from his prominent position on the large rocks alongside the path. He has a distinct buff eyebrow, a black face mask and neck and an orange breast which fades to white at his belly and vent. He has distinct black wing and tail feathers. The female is a buff colour but not nearly as strikingly coloured.

A male Malachite sunbird in the process of regrowing his breeding colours. He was perched on a protea stem trying to hang on in a stiff wind. Once he has grown his full breeding plumage he will be a bright metallic green all over and will have a yellow shoulder sash. His tail will consist of two long middle tail feathers.

“The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive. The great opportunity is where you are.” ~ John Burroughs

A male Malachite sunbird in full breeding plumage perched on a dead shrub next to a large boulder trying to get some protection from the strong wind gusting down the Bushman’s river valley.

A male Cape canary on a lichen encrusted rock. The male has a grey nape and mustard yellow face throat, breast and belly.

This male Canary was on his own. The female is a buff colour with heavy streaking on her breast and belly.

A Cape long claw watching the passers by from a prominent bush. This species is one of three in Southern Africa. It has a distinctive orange throat. Like all longclaws it has a black colour, cryptic upper parts and a long hind claw to help it climb over long grasses.

The Bush Blackcaps were very obliging on this trip. In the past I have struggled to see them out in the open.

An adult Gurney’s sugarbird perched on top of a shrub soaking in the late afternoon sun after a rain shower. This species of sugarbird looks and behaves in a similar manner to sunbirds but is in a different family and is much larger than all the sunbirds. This species can often be found on the protea roupelliae, the Silver sugarbush.

“May I dust you lightly with my charisma.” ~ Peter Carroll

In South Africa we can see two species of sugarbird but only the Gurney’s sugarbird is found in the Drakensberg. It has a rufous breast and cap. It has a yellow vent similar to bulbuls. The Gurney’s sugarbird has long tail feathers but they are much shorter than those of the Cape sugarbird.

These were just a few of the birds we saw on our first afternoon at the Giant’s Castle Camp. The weather was variable with sunshine, heavy clouds, winds and sporadic rain showers all of which we expected in late November in this part of the world.

Sunset looking up the Bushman’s river toward Giant’s Castle.

The main purpose of the trip was firstly to get into the wild to refresh our souls with mountain air and allow our eyes to glide over spectacular vistas. The second reason was to spend five days in the Bearded vulture hide. With the weather being so variable we decided one or two days at the hide would be a hit an miss in terms of photographic and avian sighting productivity.

“Wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

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

Have fun, Mike

Amakhosi’s birds

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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.

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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.

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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

Amakhosi-wild things

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Amakhosi is a private game reserve about 25 kilometres south of Pongola in northern KwaZulu Natal, sited around the Mkuze river. The Amakhosi game reserve comprises a blend of savannah, wetlands and mountains. The reserve recently acquired access to the adjacent private game reserve more than doubling the traversing area.

“It is in the wild places, where the edge of the earth meets the corners of the sky, the human spirit is fed.” ~ Art Wolfe

We were usually up and having coffee and a rusk or muffin at 6h00 to leave for the morning game drive by 6h30. September was the beginning of spring in South Africa which meant cool mornings and hot days with little likelihood of rain. he next image is a shot taken at dawn looking east across the mist rising from the Mkuze river.

A small herd of elephant bulls were browsing on the small trees in the section south of the lodge. Two youngsters were more interested in testing their strength against each other than feeding. This was not a serious tussle and they were just pushing each other around though when their tusks clashed they made quite a loud “crack”.

I had never before seen giraffe browsing on the leaves of a Tamboti tree. The Tamboti is known for the milky latex it secretes which is poisonous to humans, but not to animals. It is a food source for many species of antelope, elephants and monkeys and black rhino. Porcupines relish the bark of the tree but if they ring bark the tree too much they can kill it. Tambotis are found in groves.

“Slow down to understand and feel the rhythm of the wild place around you. Then you will begin to see and hear things you never noticed before. This new found depth and complexity creates wonder and gratefulness.” ~ Mike Haworth

A large kudu bull browsing on the leaves of an acacia. This species forages on leaves, shoots and grass. Its is a selective browser, utilising its prehensile lips and long tongue to extract nutritious foliage from a range of plant species including long thorned acacia trees.

There is plenty of lush vegetation along the Mkuze river which is an ideal habitat for Cape buffalo. The main difference between the horn structure of a male and female Cape buffalo is that only males have a boss, which is a shield-like structure that joins their horns in the middle. This middle-aged bull kept a wary eye on us as we passed by.

Amakhosi has recently acquired traversing rights to a large adjacent game farm. The lion prides, especially females, had been crossing the fence between the game farms where the fence crosses the river. Now with increased access guests are able to see the lions even if they have crossed into the neighbouring game farm. On our last day, we crossed into the adjacent game reserve to find a pride of four lionesses and their adolescent cubs. The lion pride was lying on a small hill with a view onto the surrounding open grassland.

“The vastness of the African wilderness humbles you, reminding you of your place in the grand canvas of life. Here, amidst the towering trees and endless plains, one feels an acute awareness of our connection to the natural world.” ~ Peter Matthiessen

The lionesses were lying quietly in the morning sun when suddenly one lioness got up on her front legs fully alert. She had heard something that none of us on the game vehicle heard even with the engine turned off. She listened and looked in the direction of the sound for about a minute assessing what it might be.

Having decided that this was something she should investigate she got up and walked with purpose in the direction of the sound.

She half walked with head down to position herself behind a bush to better see what was making the noise she heard. We thought she had seen a potential hunting opportunity but after a few minutes she lay down behind the bushes.

We disturbed a young elephant bull while he was foraging on some low bushes. We must have given him a fright because he whirled to face us with ears flapping and trumpeting loudly. Thankfully he did not charge the vehicle. The bush was relatively thick and he was about 25 metres off the gravel road so we were a safe distance from him. After apologising to him for disturbing his breakfast we moved without incident.

There is a low concrete causeway across the Mkuze river which is an ideal place to stop and have a look up and down river as we start our game drive early in the morning. This particular morning the sun was up but mist was still rising off the river.

A view of the main lodge at Amakhosi from a hill opposite the lodge. The green vegetation indicates the proximity to the Mkuze river which flows just in front of the lodge.

“There is a charm about the African wilds that grips the heart and will not let go. It is a charm that knows no season, that is potent alike under the fierce glare of the noonday sun and under the soft, mysterious light of the moon.” ~ Frederick Courtney Selous

We were fortunate enough to have the private house which is part of the Amakhosi safari lodge accommodation. It was the owner’s previous house and is superbly positioned on a rocky cliff overlooking the Mkuze river.

A view from the patio of the private house looking over the Mkuze river valley. This house is “private” and a five minute drive to the lodge. A perfect place to spend a few days in the bush with a view and no disturbance.

“Africa is a living laboratory of evolution, and its landscapes hold the secrets to our past and the clues to our future.” ~ Louis Leakey

Amakhosi is one of our favourite places in the bush to visit. The lodge itself is well appointed and the staff are friendly and efficient. The location is superb with a large deck overlooking the Mkuze river and a very comfortable place to have breakfast and dinner. The game viewing in Amakhosi is very good and the birds are especially good. This is one place we will keep returning to.

“Cherish sunsets, wild creatures, and wild places. Have a love affair with the wonder and beauty of the earth!” ~ Stewart Udall

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

Have fun, Mike

Mkuze Game Reserve – Masinga hide

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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

Malibala hide-don’t miss the small things!

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So often when wildlife enthusiasts go to a hide, they go to see mainly animals and the larger birds. You can see so much more if time is invested in those quiet spells just looking out for the smaller birds at the edge of the waterhole. You will marvel at the abundance and their wonderfully varied plumage.

“There is a way that nature speaks – that land speaks – most of the time we are simply not patient enough – quiet enough – to pay attention to the story” ~ Linda Hogan

A Golden breasted bunting came down for a drink of water. The male has this golden breast plumage and all buntings have the black head with white eye stripes.

We saw many Sombre bulbuls. They usually came down to drink at the water’s edge singly. The olive-green plumage seemed to vary somewhat from a lighter green to almost grey in different individuals. That creamy-white eye is unmistakable and diagnostic.

A Jameson’s firefinch with its vivid crimson front and face. It looks very similar to the Red-billed firefinch but is more vivid in colour and has a black upper mandible and light grey lower mandible.

“Enjoy the little things in life because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” – Kurt Vonnegut

A female Three-banded plover with her two young chicks. The chicks are born precocial, meaning they can fend for themselves soon after being born. They do on occasions go and tuck under their mother’s wings for warmth and protection. These chicks were tiny, probably only 40 mm in length.

A Common sandpiper foraging along the water’s edge looking for small insects and invertebrates. Its diagnostic white pectoral region above the folded wing was clearly visible.

“Wisdom comes with the ability to be still. Just look and just listen. No more is needed. Being still, looking, and listening activates the non-conceptual intelligence within you. Let stillness direct your words and actions.”
~ Eckhart Tolle

A male Orange-breasted bush shrike in a hook thorn on the other side of the waterhole. It had its back to us so you cannot see the orange breast but the vivid yellow underparts and primaries helped the identification. The male has the black eye band but the female does not.

A lone Hammerkop parked on a rock next to the water’s edge to roost and watch all the goings on around the waterhole. Before resting it had been very busy looking for frogs and insects around the waterhole.

“Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections.”
~ Ryan Holiday

A Three-banded plover chick looking for edibles in the well trodden mud around the waterhole. As I mentioned earlier the two chicks were very small being around 40mm in length and when they stopped moving were very well camouflaged against the broken mud and soil.

Often looking at the grass near the water’s edge can reveal small insectivores such as this Rattling cisticola. It was picking small insects off the grass stems.

“The earth has its music for those who will listen.” ~ Reginald Holmes

We saw many Yellow-fronted canaries which usually came down to drink in small groups. This small canary has a grey crown and nape and black facial markings and its under parts are a bright yellow. They did not drink for long but flew down to drink frequently.

A Blue waxbill. We saw many, and like the canaries they drink a little often and then fly off into the bush to forage.

A male and female Jameson’s firefinch. The female is noticeably paler and more peach coloured. Both sexes have similar coloured upper tail coverts and rectrices.

A noisy gathering of mainly Black-headed bulbuls with a single Blue waxbill and a pair of Yellow-fronted canaries. This type of gathering is useful to see the relative sizes of the different species.

“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.” –Albert Einstein

An Emerald-spotted wood-dove. It has the two distinctive sets of emerald green wing spots. Doves and pigeons are the only birds that suck water into their mouths when they drink. This species of dove has such a sad sounding call.

A Black flycatcher keeping an eye on the waterhole from its perch in a dead tree at the edge of the tree line around the waterhole. This species can often be seen catching insects above the water but that morning it was too cold and windy for hunting .

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

A solitary Purple-crested turaco came down to drink and was joined by a Black-headed bulbul. We only saw this species once in the four days we visited this hide.

Another smaller gathering. The different species do not seem to mind each other at all. The two Black-headed bulbuls were joined by a Cape Glossy starling and a Black-collared barbet. I did see an Acacia Pied barbet but it was too quick for me to get a decent image.

“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” ~ E.B.White

A pair of Water Thick-knees brought their two drinks down to the edge of the waterhole. I did not see any of the family drink any water. The two chicks were incredibly well camouflaged among the small stones around the edge of the waterhole.

On our way out of the hide at the first gate along the walkway to the hide we saw this White-browed scrub robin. It was unafraid of us and we watched it call and display for about ten minutes.

These few images give you a sense of the abundance of small bird species around the waterhole. They are fascinating to watch and their plumage is vividly coloured. If you are only looking for the big things and leave once the mammals and large birds have left the waterhole you would miss all these small avian jewels.

“Slow down, be quiet, be patient and in that stillness nature will reveal things to you way beyond your expectations.” ~ Mike Haworth

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

Have fun, Mike

Malibala hide – goose fight

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One morning at the Malibala hide in the Mkuze Game Reserve the peace was broken by a pair of Egyptian geese. Up until that time, they had been the only geese at the waterhole and all had been quiet. As soon as a wandering pair of Egyptian geese flew towards the waterhole, the pair on the ground started to hiss and honk.

“Birds will give you a window, if you allow them. They will show you secrets from another world – fresh vision that, though it is avian, can accompany you home and alter your life. They will do this for you even if you don’t know their names– though such knowing is a thoughtful gesture. They will do this for you if you watch them.”― Lyanda Lynn Haupt

The plumage of both sexes Egyptian geese are identical but the males are usually larger. Their plumage varies greatly in tone, with some birds greyer and others browner. This plumage tone variation is not thought to be sex- or age-related.

Egyptian geese are very vocal, and have a repertoire of snarls, grunts, honks, and hisses. Both sexes hiss in alarm and honk when taking flight, but only males snarl and only females grunt.

Male Egyptian geese fight each other to protect their territory and their females. They are monogamous, so have one mate for life. Despite their territorial imperative, Egyptian geese are known to congregate in large flocks outside breeding season in areas with enough grazing. We have seen this spectacle along the Chobe river. At the waterholes there was usually one resident pair, suggesting that there was not enough food for more than one pair or that the pair were breeding.

“Life’s challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they’re supposed to help you discover who you are.” ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon

Both sexes are aggressively territorial towards their own species when breeding. Egyptian Geese breed just once each year and lay up to eight eggs. The majority breed in the spring or at the end of the dry season. The breeding season can be anytime from July to March, depending on the area.

“It is not the strength of body that counts but the strength of spirit.” ~JRR Tolkien

When talking about birds fighting, we need to differentiate fighting among individuals of the same species from other aggressive interactions. The latter could include the hunting and killing of other birds as seen with many raptor species.

Direct physical combat between individuals of the same species is not common. Birds have ways to “fight” using ritualised signals and behaviours so that more often than not they can avoid a potentially costly physical fight.

On this particular morning, the early ritualised threats quickly gave way to full on physical fighting. The two males were using the chests to push their opponent around. When that was not enough they started to bite each other. They seldom use their webbed feet in a fight as a raptor would do. Rather they need their feet to find purchase on the ground so they push their opponent.

The fights can get aggressive with both males trying to bite the other on the neck and back. They also hit each other with their wings. Turtle and Laughing doves, and pigeons are often seen slapping each other with their wings in a violent display called “wing fighting”, especially around food.

“Better to fight for something than live for nothing.” ~ George S. Patton

Fighting can be a dangerous time for the combatants. They become so focussed on fighting each other and they are not aware of what is around them. Egyptian geese need to be on the look-out for leopards, lions, cheetahs, hyaenas, and crocodiles which will attack them given half a chance. Raptors such as Black sparrowhawks, African fish-eagles and Wahlberg’s eagles are known to feed on Egyptian geese.

The songs of birds, some of which are wonderful to listen to, are the ultimate signal (usually males to other male birds) of the singer’s territorial imperative, and any intrusions into it will be dealt with harshly. If one male is foolish enough to ignore the message of territoriality from the song of another and violates the space of the singer, then behaviours may quickly escalate. If the singing doesn’t do the trick, the next step may be the communication of aggression through a specific ritualised behaviour. If that does not deter the intruder then the behaviour is likely to get physical.

The waterhole’sresident male Egyptian goose, spurred on by his female, decided the intruder needed to be taught a lesson. So the fight went into the second round.

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” ~ Margaret Thatcher

If the songs and rituals aren’t enough to stop two aggressive individuals from challenging each other then, beak, claw and wings are needed. With Egyptian geese, the threat posture is shown by an extended neck and hissing. Threatened birds mostly avoided the opponent, with only one in forty encounters resulted in a physical fight.

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston Churchill

When it comes to winning bird feuds, researchers have determined that beaks and build are the best predictors of who wins the battle.

Egyptian geese mostly eat seeds, leaves, grasses and plant stems, which is why they remain close to waterholes or wetlands. Occasionally, they will eat locusts, worms, or other small invertebrates.

“Don’t fight a battle if you don’t gain anything by winning”. ~ The Art of War by Sun Tzu 

Egyptian geese moult annually, migrating to a safe wetland to shed their flight feathers. The moult period lasts about 3–4 weeks, during which time the geese are unable to fly. We have seen a huge flock of Egyptian geese unable to fly next to the Chobe river. When trying to get away from our boat, the flock effectively did butterfly strokes with their wings to propel themselves across the water.

Egyptian geese are beautiful birds but in South African urban areas they can be a pest and can be very noisy. Out in the bush they are not so common and given some quiet time at a waterhole you may be fortunate enough is see some fascinating behaviour from them.

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~ Anais Nin

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

Have fun, Mike

Malibala hide – avian diversity

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The Malibala hide is half way between the Mshophi gate and the Matuma camp in the Mkuze Game Reserve in northern KwaZulu Natal.

Helen and I visited the hide every day for four days. The weather proved variable. It was surprisingly cold in late September, which is springtime. This can be a very hot part of the world in summer. It was overcast and raining intermittently. There was a cold easterly wind blowing for much of the time we were in the hide. To our very pleasant surprise all the hides we visited in Mkuze Game Reserve were in excellent condition. Well maintained and positioned for best views of the waterhole.

Whilst we did not see many different mammal species we saw plenty of birds despite the difficult weather conditions. I have no doubt that we would have seen many more bird species if it had been warm and sunny.

There were many young birds around in late September. We were fortunate enough to see Three banded plover chicks with their mother and Water Thick-knee chicks with both parents.

The Water Thick-knee is crepuscular and nocturnal. It is never far from water. It is a tall, dome-headed, plover-like bird with large, yellow eyes. It is mostly brownish in colour, and has a grayish wing panel that is bordered above with a narrow white bar. 

The greyish wing panel is clearly visible on the adults’ wings.

The colour of the chicks blended so well with the grass and even in the stoney area leading down to the water’s edge. The parent were very attentive.

After drinking at the waterhole in front of the Malibala hide a wildebeest bull started walking towards the Water Thick-knee family. Immediately the male Thick-knee spread his wings in a defensive posture. Despite the vast size difference the male Thick-knee stood his ground and the Wildebeest walked around the family with no incident.

The Water Thick-knee family were on the far side of the waterhole but thankfully a Three-banded plover and her two chicks were close to the hide on the left hand side. Just as well as this plover is very small. Needless to say her chicks were even smaller. When the wind blew strongly or it was getting too cold, the chicks would nestle under their mother’s wings and all you could see were numerous legs and feet under her body.

The chicks were minute. The Three-banded plover chicks are precocial. This means they are born with a downy covering, open eyes, and are able to move around and find food almost immediately. We have seen this behaviour among African Jacana chicks.

Precocial chicks need to be able to escape danger from the moment they hatch. They rely on their crypsis to evade predators by staying motionless on the ground. Crypsis is the ability of a creature to conceal itself especially from a predator by having a colour, pattern, and shape that allows it to blend into the surrounding environment.

In the four days we visited the Malibala hide we only saw a solitary White-backed vulture. It landed in the morning around 9h00 when the conditions were cold and windy and it was overcast. It was probably waiting for the air to warm up and thermals to develop. While waiting, it decided to have a drink of water.

This vulture drank water in a similar way to all other raptors. Raptor do generally not need to drink water often because they get most of their fluids from their prey. Most bird species drink by dipping their beak into the water, then tip their head backwards to swallow. Doves and pigeons are the only birds that use suction to draw water into their throats. Vultures also frequently bathe to keep their feathers clean.

There was a single Grey heron at the waterhole while we were watching. Grey herons tend to operate at the water’s edge unlike the Black -headed heron which hunts in the grass and reeds along side the water. Most birds stretch their wings to keep supple and get blood flow to their muscles in case they need to take flight suddenly.

The Grey heron can take on comical poses at times. It is always on the look out for aerial raptors which can swoop in and radically change the dynamics at the water’s edge.

On the few occasions that the sun emerged, the Grey heron shook its feathers and took in the ambient warmth.

We had a solitary “lightning bird” fly down to the water’s edge. The Hamerkop, also known as the Lightning Bird, is one of Africa’s most fascinating species and the subject of many traditional beliefs amongst the people of Africa. Some African cultures believe that if you tamper with its nest you will be struck by lightning. With no lightning around this Hammerkop just walked around the edge of the waterhole looking for something to eat.

The Hamerkop feeds predominantly on tadpoles and adult frogs, fish and some insects. It hunts by moving along the water’s edge and puddles of water in a dirt road stirring up mud with its feet to find edibles that are lurking in the shallow water.

As you can see from the images there are plenty of birds that frequent the water’s edge. In the next post I will show some of the smaller birds that we saw along the edge of the waterhole at the Malibala hide.

If you are prepared to take the time to slow down and wait for mother nature to reveal herself at her own pace you will be amazed at what you will see. The show is not preordained and does not happen at regular intervals but some time quietly invested can reveal wonders.

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

Have fun, Mike

Mkuze Game Reserve- mammals visiting the Malibala hide

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In late September last year, Helen and I visited Mkuze Game Reserve. After such good wildlife sightings at both Amakhosi Game Reserve and Rhino River Lodge in the Manyoni Game Reserve, which area in the same part of the world, we thought we would explore this part of the world a little more.

We stayed at Ghost Mountain Inn which is about 16 kilometres from the Mshophi Gate in the Mkuze Game Reserve. The road from the Inn to the gate would put off the ‘faint of heart’. We mistakenly thought that we would get warm weather with blue skies at that time of the year. We were completely wrong. The weather cold, overcast, rainy with strong easterly wind blowing for a good part of our visit.

After the initial rough drive to the Mshophi gate we were not sure what to expect. But once in the game reserve we were pleasantly surprised. The main roads were tarred and good condition. The gravel roads were also in good condition. We were really impressed with quality of the four hides we visited in the game reserve. They were well positioned and well maintained.

The first hide we visited was the Malibala hide. It was half way between the Mshophi gate and Matuma camp. Despite difficult conditions with initially freezing cold temperatures, strong easterly winds and rain, we had good sightings when the weather partially cleared on several occasions for a short period.

The “big five” can be seen in the Mkuze Game Reserve but we did not see them because of the weather. Though we did have some good sightings of Nyala, Wildebeest, Zebra, Giraffe and Warthog. Despite the tough weather conditions we had some interesting birds visit the waterhole.

Nyala families came down to drink at the waterhole regularly during the day even though it was overcast and cold in the morning with intermittent rain.

The interaction between the Nyala bulls was interesting. There was a clear hierarchy. The bulls circle each other, with heads lowered, backs arched with horns facing forward. They circle each other broad side in a lateral display, attempting to make themselves appear as big as possible. They fluff up their tails and the dorsal manes on their back. Perhaps because of the lack of other mammals, the Red-billed oxpeckers were paying all their attention to the Nyala bulls.

A family of Warthogs came down to drink at the waterhole. The waterhole was large around 50 metres in diameter.

All the herbivores approached the waterhole from the east and south west. This was probably because of the openness. The hide was on the north west side of the waterhole and there was quite thick vegetation on the north side which would have been ideal for predator ambushes. Small herds of Plains zebra came down to drink frequently during the day.

These Plains zebra only had very light shadow stripes on their flanks. Zebra often walk deep into the water to get the clean undisturbed water but not on this occasion.

A few Blue wildebeest came down to drink only once and did not return. The occasional single bull also came down to drink, temporarily leaving his territory.

The Red-billed oxpeckers remained close to the water and took advantage of any and all herbivores that came down to drink.

On the road driving away from the Malibala hide we saw a few Southern African giraffe, identified by their distinctive pelage pattern. It is dark brown rounded patches on a tawny background. The patches are mostly convex with irregular incisions and extend down the legs, getting smaller as they go. The darker the pelage usually the older the giraffe. Also the small hairy ossicones signify the young age of the giraffe. The mature males have no hair on the top of their ossicles as it gets rubbed off when fighting.

We also came across a troop of Chacma baboons with one of the large males high up in what looked like a Appleleaf tree. He looked to be on sentry duty but was taking advantage of the trees blooms.

We did not see buffalo, rhino or elephant, neither did we see lions or a leopard. In fact we drove all around the game reserve with no sightings of the “big five”. This was not an issue because the birdlife in the game reserve was prolific.

At the Matuma camp it was very quiet but the weather brought out the blooms of the Impala lily. In Southern Africa, this lily is known as a source of fish poison and arrow poison. The poison is prepared from latex in the bark and fleshy parts of the trunk, and is always used in combination with other poisons.

This post showed a few of the mammals we saw at and around the Malibala hide. In the next post I will show you some of the wonderful birdlife we saw despite the cold, rainy and strong windy conditions which usually keep the birds tucked away in the shelter of the trees.

We were very impressed with the condition of the hide. It was spacious and well maintained.

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

Have fun, Mike

Marievale Bird Sanctuary at the start of spring

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This is my first post in seven months after an extensive home renovation which was a complete and prolonged distraction.

Helen and I visited Marievale Bird Sanctuary in mid-September. This bird sanctuary is about 45 kilometres south of Johannesburg in the Highveld region of South Africa. Marievale Bird Sanctuary is a protected wetland area and a Ramsar site. It is about 15 km2 in size, and constitutes the southern half of the Blesbokspruit wetland, which extends from near the town of Springs to the town of Nigel. The Blesbokspruit is a major perennial river in Gauteng and is flanked by extensive floodplains. Surrounding the Marievale sanctuary are the old mine dumps left over from an erstwhile thriving gold mining community.

The Blesbokspruit wetland is designated as an Important Bird Area with almost 300 bird species recorded, according to the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA). Helen and I have been visiting Marievale for about 15 years. It is a wonderful place to practice bird photography skills and to see and learn about new birds and bird behaviour.

Mid-spring on the Highveld in South Africa was a time when the temperature started to warm up but it was very dry. The rains were only expected to start around mid-November and turned out to be late. The weather on this particular day was variable. It was cool in the early part of the morning with plenty of wind but it warmed up by late morning. It was partly cloudy dictating that the photographic light and colour was variable.

A view from the access road looking east across a dry pan in front of the Flamingo hide. This was the first time I had seen this pan bone dry.

From a hydrological perspective, wetlands have many functions. Although often viewed as waste lands they play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of both flood and drought conditions in a watershed. Wetlands act like a sponge and in so doing help store and release water relative to the amount of water in the surrounding area. They also filter and clean polluted water, recharge ground water, provide habitats for wildlife, and provide recreational value.

Natural water regimes dictated by rainfall and groundwater flow provide a pattern of wetting and drying which are the key to the health of rivers, wetlands and floodplains. High flows and floods connect rivers to floodplains and wetlands, moving nutrients around, allowing seeds to germinate and supporting breeding and movement of birds, frogs, fish and other animals. Low flows keep rivers flowing, allowing fish to migrate and breed. Dry periods where there are no flows can be important too and don’t necessarily indicate a wetland is not healthy. (Source: Wetlands and changes in water flows, Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water Wetland publications).

On the South African highveld, late spring and early summer was a particularly dry period which reduced the water levels in the Marievale Bird Sanctuary to the lowest I have seen in the years I have been visiting this bird haven. The intriguing aspect of the water levels in the wetland waterways is the profound effect it has on which birds you are likely to see and photograph.

An African rail, skittish as usual, running away to hide in the reeds.

Prolonged low water flows have an important impact on wetlands such as reduced carbon absorption through loss of river bank vegetation; increased algal blooms; decreases in waterbird populations—when wetland habitats are lost or reduced and water is not available at the right time for breeding or feeding; increased pest fish species (such as carp) leading to loss of native species—when the patterns of flow favour introduced species over native species.

The unusually low water levels meant that the water’s edge was further from the hides so longer lenses were needed to capture the small birds.

On this particular visit we saw more African snipe than in all our previous visits combined. Usually when the water levels were higher we found African snipe foraging at the edge of the reeds because the water was too deep for them. On this occasion, the depth of the water was ideal for them given their short legs and long beaks.

This snipe’s plumage looks cryptic from above. Its upperparts, head and neck are streaked and patterned with bold dark brown stripes and gold edges to the feathers forming lines down its back. The belly is white, with some brown barring on the flanks. Its beak is dark brown, long (for the bird’s size), straight and fairly robust. The legs and feet are yellowish-olive to greenish-grey. The sexes have similarly coloured plumage.

It was very unusual to see these African snipe wading around in the open water areas. The image below on the right hand side shows several African snipe together in just small area. Usually, we only see an individual.

Ruffs are often the first Palearctic migrants to arrive at Marievale. These large sandpipers have their non-breeding plumage in the South African spring and summer months. They are plain-looking waders, with a longish neck and small head. Non-breeding birds are a pale fawn-brown all over, with a paler belly. These waders have a slightly de-curved beak and long yellow-orange legs.

Ruffs are usually found foraging either in shallow water or exposed mud flats. They feed mainly on insects but will also go for spiders, crustaceans, worms, small fish, frogs, and seeds.

Little stint stretching its wing. This diminutive wader forages for mainly small invertebrates such as midges, crustaceans and gastropods, like slugs and snails. This diminutive wader does most of its foraging in very shallow water or mud.

The low water levels suited the Lesser flamingos. Lesser flamingos have a much finer beak filter than Greater flamingos and are surface feeders that skim the top layer of water for nutrients like blue-green algae and diatoms. Lesser flamingos and Greater flamingos can feed in the same water sources without competing for food because they have different diets and feeding methods. By contrast, Greater flamingoes forage by sifting food from the lake bed of shallow water bodies consuming mainly crustaceans like shrimp, mollusks, and other invertebrates but will also feed on small organisms like plankton, tiny fish, and fly larvae.

Lesser flamingos have a carmine red beak and pink plumage whereas Greater flamingos have a pink beak with a black tip and its plumage is white with pink tinges. Its wing covers are pink and its primary and secondary wing feathers are black.

A group of Lesser flamingos walking through the shallows. It was cold so the front flamingo was puffed up and had pulled its neck in to keep warm.

A pair of Cape shovellers with their unique shaped bill.

Glossy ibises were the only species of ibis we saw at Marievale on this visit. Glossy ibises have a purple and green iridescent gloss on the feathers. In the breeding season, the head and neck have a reddish brown plumage. When non- breeding, the head and neck are a duller brown with white streaks and the plumage loses its iridescence and so is duller.

There were quite a few Pied avocets enjoying the relatively shallow water. Avocets use their long, up-curved beaks to feed by sweeping them from side to side in shallow water to stir up prey.

Avocets feed on aquatic insects, worms, crustaceans, and sometimes seeds. They are good swimmers and are able to dabble when the water is too deep for them to stand in. The food that this species feeds on is small so they have to forage for long periods to ingest sufficient nutrients.

There were several pairs of Red-billed teal swimming in the open channels of water feeding regularly. Red-billed teal are a type of dabbling duck. The species is the largest of all the teal family, and slightly smaller than a Yellow-billed duck. The Red-billed teal and Cape teal look quite similar but the Red-billed teal has a brown crown, forehead and nape where as the Cape teal has a pale, mottled gray head and neck, with distinctive pink rather than red bill. 

A Black crake walking across the muddy remains of an erstwhile channel in front of the Hadeda hide. The wetland birds looked quite scruffy due to all the mud. This member of the rail family usually has a vivid yellow beak and bright pink-red legs. As usual this Black crake was skittish and dashed for the reeds as soon is it saw us.

The only Marsh sandpiper we saw was also enjoying the relatively shallow water which enabled it to forage over a larger area. This is a relatively large sandpiper which feeds by probing in the shallows. The Marsh sandpiper is easily mistaken for a Greenshank but the former has longer legs, is more slender and has a longer neck and beak. The Marsh sandpiper is a Palearctic breeder so it migrates to Southern Africa in our summer season.

The ubiquitous Black-headed heron in the wet and marshy areas along side the water ways. This voracious hunter seeks rats, mice, frogs and insects in the undergrowth and grasses. It does not usually venture into the water or even hunt along the water’s edge like a Grey-headed heron.

A Cape wagtail walking in the shallow water in front of the Otter hide. This wagtail forages on tiny insects on the surface of the water and sand and mud on the water’s edge. The Cape wagtail has a grey head and back and a distinctive black “v” shaped collar. All wagtails forage for food while walking along the ground, bobbing its head and tail constantly.

A White-throated swallow perched on a falling log in front of Otter hide. We always see a pair at this hide because they have built their mud nest in the roof of the hide. The White-throated swallow has distinctly different markings to the Barn swallow in that its throat is white and it has a dark blue necklace.

A male Long-tailed widow bird with its non breeding plumage. Outside the breeding season, the males of this species lose their long black tail feathers and black body and wing plumage. These seedeaters are normally seen around many females but we saw very few females on this visit.

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is the largest wetland area in South Africa but the largest and most unique wetland in southern Africa is the Okavango Delta. To better understand the dynamics of one the main rivers feed the delta, Dr Steve Boyes and his research team’s journeyed from the source of the Cuito river in the Angolan highlands to the Okavango Delta. En route they encountered a huge peatland which is a unique type of wetland which is estimated to be 1634 square kilometres in size in the Cuito river basin (Source: Jennifer M. Fitchett etal, Angolan highlands peatlands: Extent, age and growth dynamics). Through carbon dating the team revealed that for thousands of years this living landscape has been absorbing carbon dioxide. Peat layers are estimated to contain between 4 and 25 times more carbon than the trees. Healthy peatlands capture CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Because the plants that grow on peatlands do not fully decompose under wet conditions, they do not release carbon which would otherwise be returned to the atmosphere as CO2. The peatland is also a massive sponge which regulates water flow of water from the Quito river into the delta.

The Marievale wetland is less than 1/100 th of the area of the Cuito peatland but plays an important role in the urban highveld environment and is a wonderful place for avian enthusiasts to enjoy a large variety of species up close.

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

Have fun, Mike