After the Umlalazi weekend outing (some photos shown at the end of this report), Sally and I headed north to Bahati Game Farm. Here we camped for five nights. Bahati is very close to Bonamanzi – about half a kilometre on the opposite side to Bonamanzi heading to Hluhluwe town.
Sally and I are back from our impromptu wanderings around Natal. We headed to Mahai for 5 days, Ithala and Ndumo for 4 days each then 2 days each in Bonamanzi and Richards Bay.
We had interesting sightings in most places.
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Mahai
At the Tower of Pizza restaurant (10kms before the entrance gate to the Royal Natal NP) at roosting time the tree behind the restaurant served as the roost for what appeared to be thousands of Amur Falcons. The sky turned black (much like the swallows used to do at Mount Moreland) and then they fell as rain into the tree making a loud racket as they did so.
Even more surprising at the same venue in the trees and cell phone tower beside the main road, we saw at least 70 (and likely more) Southern Bald Ibis taking up their roost positions for the night. Some were even on the wires across the road.
Southern Bald Ibis – Mahai
Southern Bald Ibis, Mahai
Nearby there is a Parks Board reserve called Poccolan-Robertson’s Bush NR. (GPS: S28.33.890; E29.05.053). There is an Eskom power plant pumping facility at Kilburn Lake immediately before the reserve. Venturing to the top we found an excellent mix of Bushveld and Highveld birds. The two habitats meeting in a transition zone. There were Chorister Robin-Chats mixing with Acacia Pied Barbets for example.
Chorister Robin-Chat, Mahai
Bush Blackcap was heard and seen in the bush beside RN NP Reception. Other specials seen/heard in the area include: Ground Woodpecker, Cape Rock-Thrush, Bokmakierie, Mocking Cliff-Chat, Peregrine and Lanner Falcons, Fiscal Flycatcher, Malachite Sunbird, Mountain Wagtail, Barratt’s Warbler, Cape Vultures.
African Olive Pigeon, Mahai
Cape Glossy Starling, Mahai
Cape Rock-Thrush – female, Mahai
Cape Rock-Thrush – male, Mahai
Cape White-eyes, Mahai
Ground Woodpecker, Mahai
Ground Woodpeckers, Mahai
Groundscraper Thrush, Mahai
Levaillant’s Cisticola, Mahai
Malachite Sunbird, Mahai
Mountain Wagtail, Mahai
Red-collared Widowbird, Mahai
Spotted Eagle-Owl, Mahai
On the path between Tiger Falls and Gudu we were lucky to see a Grey Rhebok – a species of antelope neither of us had seen before. The way it fled over the steep and dense grass terrain was amazing.
Golden Gate
The new Vulture Hide is quite impressive. It has 2 rooms. One with windows totally glassed and the other with pull up flaps for photographers beside each look out window – as shown below.
Golden Gate Vulture Hide
Golden Gate Vulture Hide
However no-one could tells us who to contact to find out about new carcass placements. Several Black-backed Jackal were seen and a couple of Cape Vultures flew overhead. 30 or more White-necked Ravens hung onto the cliff face below the “Restaurant”.
Ithala
The camp site now has a HOT water outdoor shower with 2 shower heads side by side.
Ithala Shower
Two Blue Cranes at a water hole just after the Lookout Point on the Ngulumbeni Loop.
Blue Cranes, Ithala
Shelly’s Francolin unperturbed by us – but a lifer for me! Often heard in the past but until now never seen.
Shelley’s Francolin, Ithala
The following butterfly took us by surprise. We were looking down when suddenly what we thought was a leaf took off. Its camouflage was unbelievable – if we had not seen it move we would never have spotted it. Someone please ID it for us.
Ithala Butterfly – for ID Please
Some other sightings of interest include:
Secretarybird, Ithala
Red-billed Oxpecker, Ithala
Red-billed Oxpecker- juvenile, Ithala
Mocking Cliff-Chat, Ithala
Mocking Cliff-Chat, Ithala
Ithala Smelly Pooh – please ID
Ithala Smelly Pooh – please ID
Eland, Ithala
Ndumo
The water levels in the pans were so high that trying to find waders was impossible from any of the hides. However on a drive with Bongani to the back of the Nyamithi Pan we eventually saw many – some in breeding plumage like this Little Stint.
Little Stint in breeding plumage alongside a Common Ringed Plover, Ndumo
Opposite Nyamithi Hide there must be over 500 Yellow-billed storks, 100 Pink-backed Pelicans, Great White Cormorants all nesting in the Fever trees. Numerous Spur-winged Geese are also present.
Nesting Site, Ndumo. Only a small portion shown.
A number of other sightings can be seen in the following gallery:
Senegal Lapwing, Ndumo
Saddle-billed Stork, Ndumo
Martial Eagle – juvenile, Ndumo
Malachite Kingfisher with dinner for his young in the base of the uprooted Fever tree, Ndumo
Grey-headed Bushshrike, Ndumo
Gorgeous Bushshrike, Ndumo
Common Sandpiper, Ndumo
Black-winged Stilt, Ndumo
African Harrier-Hawk, Ndumo
African Green Pigeons, Ndumo
African Fish-Eagle, Ndumo
Yellow-billed Stork, Ndumo
Yellow-billed Stork – Ndumo
Trumpeter Hornbills, Ndumo
Woodland Kingfisher – Ndumo
Woodland Kingfisher – Ndumo
Tembe
As always an excellent place to find impressive elephants and to get chased by the youngsters. Birding was quiet in most areas.
Black-crowned Tchagra, Tembe
Elephants, Tembe
Bonamanzi
The birding was quiet so we spent part of our time at False Bay. Some birds seen include:
Bearded Scrub-Robin, Bonamanzi
Thick-billed Weaver, Bonamanzi
Brown-hooded Kingfisher, False Bay
Long-crested Eagle, False Bay
Richards Bay
A small collection of 5 different terns (Common, Lesser Crested, Swift, Sandwich and Little) and 2 gulls (Kelp and Grey-headed) were together on the sand banks along the end of the Casurina trail – see following gallery:
Sandwich Tern in breeding plumage, Richards Bay
Sandwich and Lesser Crested Terns in breeding and non-breeding plumage, Richards Bay
Little Terns in non-breeding plumage – Richards Bay
Little Tern in breeding plumage, Richards Bay
Lesser Crested Terns, – one in breeding plumage, Richards Bay
Lesser Crested Terns – one in breeding plumage – Richards Bay
Terns, Richards Bay
Terns – Richards Bay
Swift Tern in breeding plumage, Richards Bay
Red-billed Firefinch – female, Richards Bay
White-fronted Plover coming into breeding plumage, Richards Bay