Sugarloaf – Birds are our Story

Zululand

Published on September 10, 2024September 10, 2024 by Paul BarthoLeave a comment

12th to 18th July 2024

A week’s break in Zululand was called for – missing nature. We timed it so that we could go to Zamanga on Saturday 13th July which was opened for members of the bird club to see their huge array of Aloes.

We booked 4 nights at Mkuze from the 12th to 16th and a further 3 nights in St. Lucia on the way home.

We always enjoy the Mkuze campsite as it is never full. There is always a shady spot to find, and the ground is flat. The ablutions are passable – just need to chase up about hot water at times. Power is erratic too. Sometimes it is available 5am to 8am and again at 5pm to 10pm – depends on reminding them to run the generator.

The Park has 2 entrances. One on the east (Opansi Gate) and another on the west side (Mshopi Gate).

The campsite is at the entrance on the west of the park at the Mshopi Gate entrance. Other accommodation is at Mantumo – almost halfway between the two gates. Other accommodation includes Chalets, Huts and a Fixed Tents with your own ablutions and cooking facilities.

The campsite always has loads of birds. Calls to wake you up in the morning. There are also some special species and on occasion you get a bird party close-by in the scrub next to your camp.

Now this was mid-winter yet the car did not agree.

34C mid-winter – unbelievably hot. I wonder what summer temperature has in store for us.

So, we spent time driving around (with aircon on to keep cool) and stopping at the various hides. Nsumo Pan was full and windy so there was not much to see there. But a lone Lesser Flamingo was seen on the far side. An African Fish-Eagle flew over with its catch. A White-breasted Cormorant checked out the lesser Flamingo and a Goliath Heron and a Great Egret glided past.

Elsewhere on our drives around the Game Reserve we saw a number of inteeresting birds.

There are two hides where we spend a lot of time. They are very active with both aminals and birds at various times of the day. The two hides are kuMasinga and Malibala. The latter is closest to the campsite. Ku Masinga is quite central and is south of the Mantumo main camp.

We have found that the birds are most active at kuMasinga hide around midday. Aminals appear at any time when they are thirsty.

As you enter the hide, looking left, there is a small tree/bush- leaning right – close to the water’s edge. This is the secure waiting spot for the birds (especially the small ones) before they chance a drink at the water’s edge. They congregate at the water’s edge together for safety.

And then there is the Malibala Hide. We enjoyed this hide often as it is the closest to the campsite. Midday and late afternoons were the best for both birds and aminals.

Then one morning we had the unfortunate sighting of a Nightjar which had been run over during the night.

That summarises our experiences in Mkuze Game Reserve during our stay. However, one morning we visited Zamanga Gardens – some 6kms north beyond the turnoff to Mkuze Town on the M2.

Zamanga Gardens

Saturday 13th July 2024

Such an impressive display of Aloes. The garden is huge approximately 6 hectares I would guess. There was also a large variety of Sunbirds in their different stages of plumage amongst the aloes. And because of this, positive identification of the Sunbirds was a big challenge.

Here is a video trying to show you the extent of the gardens. Clusters of aloes are everywhere.

And here is a slideshow of the aloes.

Birds making an appearance among the aloes were in constant motion, moving quickly between one flower and the next. Various Sunbirds and a Thick-billed Weaver shown here. Photos of the Neergaard’s Sunbird male were too poor to show.

In total we identified 106 different bird species in Mkuze and Zamanga Gardens. Click on the link following to see our list.

Mkuze Bird List Download

Then we were off to St. Lucia.

St. Lucia

16th to 19th July 2024

On our way back to Howick and home, we stopped off in St. Lucia for 3 nights. Camping at Sugarloaf in St. Lucia.

Birdlife in the camp is always good. It is a pleasure to wake up and hear such a variety of bird calls. The challenge is to ID the calls. Animals are spotted too, Banded Mongooses and Small Buck in particular.

Since the Rhino Card is no longer accepted to enter Isimangaliso Wetlands, it is more expensive to enter on a daily basis. Cheaper to stay at Cape Vidal campsite if you intend to stay 3 nights or more as you only pay entry fees once. The advantage of camping at Sugarloaf in St. Lucia is that you are very central with much quicker access to the estuary, Western Shores of Isimangoliso and the Gwala Gwala trail.

At the estuary there were a large number of Swift Terns (Greater Crested Terns now) but they were the only Terns present. Among them there were a few Kelp Gulls and six African Oystercatchers.

On the way to the roost, we had some interesting sightings. The first of which was a lone Cape Cormorant.

Looking out to sea we observed a pair of Cape Gannets flying past. An adult below the juvenile.

Along the shoreline we spotted a Little Egret, White-fronted Plovers, and among an area along the estuary showing a reedy edge, there were Curlew Sandpipers and a Malachite Kingfisher with an erratically unique hairstyle.

Then we had another aerial display from a Western Osprey.

On the way back to the campsite we came across some unusually large bird tracks. Maybe you can ID the bird?

The Isimangoliso Wetland was truly waterlogged. Free standing water was everywhere you went. For this time of the year – July – we had never seen Park like this. Indeed, even in the rainy season we have not seen it so. This made for some good close-by sightings in both the Western and Eastern Shores sections of the Isimangoliso Wetland Park.

We happened to visit the Western Shores on a rainy overcast day. Birding as you might expect was quiet. However, we had some nice sightings: White-backed Ducks, a Martial Eagle on a nest and a curious Eastern Nicator that not only was a few metres away but was not inclined to fly off.

A very short clip of Buffaloes enjoying a swim. Click on the photo.

Buffaloes enjoying a swim

Lake Bengazi was full to the brim. We stopped at one of the pull over stops on the causeway and Sally took this video to show how full it was. Normally when we have visited, the water was a good 100 metres away from where Sally was standing.

Lake Bengazi

Then there was the Eastern Shores and the road close to the Amazibu hide. Again, water beside the road everywhere we went. Amazibu hide was our first destination. We went to see the Rufous-bellied Herons which have been showing well for a long time now.

However, on the way there we stopped overlooking a wetland area beside the road – loads of Spoonbills together feeding with the typical sweeping action of their bill. There was also a Squacco Heron and a Great Egret present. A Reed Cormorant was watching carefully from its perch.

And then we got to the Amazibu Hide and a Rufous-bellied Heron appeared just as we were about to leave.

A short distance further along from the hide was another stretch of water beside the road. In fact on both sides of the road. However, it was the wetland on our right that blew us away with the number and variety of waterbirds present. There were Blue-billed and Red-billed Teals, African Jacanas, White-backed Ducks, many Pygmy Geese – never seen them in such numbers in Isimangoliso before.

And then another Rufous-bellied Heron popped up right next to us beside the road, followed by another a little further along.

Of course, there were other birds about, but these are the special ones we recorded on film.

Although we did not record a lot of different species of birds, this was not unexpected as the weather was poor and the time of year was not in our favour. What we did see were a number of special species.

In all we identified 85 different bird species. You can download our list below to see what we saw.

St. Lucia Bird List Download

Paul and Sally Bartho

Zululand – Part 1

Published on December 18, 2022 by Paul Bartho4 Comments

Needing a break from the Ambers, Sally and I took our campervan to Zululand for 2 weeks. We spent 4 nights in St. Lucia at Sugarloaf campsite; 5 nights in Mkuze; 3 nights in Nyalazi camp (2 kms from the Umfolozi entrance); and then 2 nights in Bonamanzi.

Zululand immediately south of Mozambique – at top of map.

Bonamanzi is not shown on this map, but it is just SE of Hluhluwe town.

Most of the time it was wet and overcast which was a shame, but you take what you get and make the most of it. It certainly did not help with photography.

St. Lucia. Sugarloaf Campsite

October 23rd to 27th 2022

From a birding perspective, Sugarloaf is centrally located to visit a number of interesting birding sites in the immediate area. Both Eastern and Western Shores of Isimangaliso Wetlands are a short drive away; then there is the estuary and beach a short walk from the campsite – as well as the Gwala Gwala trail. An hour’s drive will get you into Umfolozi.

The campground has about 100 sites and 4 ablution blocks. The grounds are a birders paradise. On many an occasion we have recorded over 90 different species in the camp alone. And it harbours specials such as Green Twinspots, Tinkerbirds, Wood Owls, Livingstone’s Turacos, Wattle-eyes, Green Malkoha, Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher, Narina Trogan, Brown Scrub-Robins, Shikra, Little Sparrowhawk, Hornbills, Woodwards Batis among many others.

This time we had an opportunity to take pics of the Green Twinspots and a very friendly Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird as well as a Golden-tailed Woodpecker within metres from our Afrispoor Cheetah.

Apart from monkeys there are buck, Red and Grey Duiker, Mongooses in particular Banded which form part of the attraction in the site. Monkeys were seen actually playing with a young Bushbuck – each playfully chasing each other.

Monkeys come for food so don’t leave any temptations and they will soon stop bothering you.

On the first morning the sun was shining. We took this opportunity to walk down the beach to see the Tern roost next to the new estuary mouth.

On the way, we unexpectedly came across a couple of Eurasian Whimbrels in the dunes. Others were on the beach along with White-fronted Plovers.

Our timing was good as the tide was out. However, the numbers and variety of species was limited and of course IDing the birds was made difficult as they were on the other bank and we had no scope with us. It was still a treat as we were able to sit and watch the antics of the birds and get somewhat excited as new birds flew in.

So that was when the tide was out. One lucky afternoon the sun came out and I was able to go back down to the estuary and watch the tide coming in. Here is a video.

Tide incoming taking part of the bank I was standing on with it.

The rains came and came again most of the time there. However, we still took drives into both Eastern and Western Shores. Western Shores was very quiet and if I remember correctly it took us an hour to see our fist aminal. We came across the Martial Eagle’s nest with a chick on board. Otherwise, the rain kept all the animals and birds in shelter.

At one of the river crossings this Hamerkop remained fishing on the bridge as we crossed, and it let us stop and take a picture.

On one of our trips into the Eastern Shores we came across these three Zebra having a pow-wow. The picture of the three standing in the burnt-out bush looked unreal – as if they were placed there. More like a picture you might see on the cover of a jigsaw puzzle box.

On several occasions we visited the Amazibu Hide to search for the resident family of Rufous-bellied Herons. It was third time lucky but only one appeared. And it moved to a new location, the sun and shadows moved over it and gave it a remarkably blue appearance.

Here are photos taken in mainly the Eastern Shores side of Isimangaliso Wetland Park

At the end of this series, we shall include a bird list showing what we saw and where. From Sugarloaf we headed to Mukuze.

Sally and Paul Bartho

The St. Lucia Ski Boat Club is directly opposite to the entrance to Sugarloaf. We found it a great place to have fish and chips (and a beer) at lunchtime. In the evening the mossies can be bit off-putting.

Zululand

Published on December 20, 2021September 20, 2022 by Paul BarthoLeave a comment

4th to 16th October 2021

Umfolozi and Hluhluwe.

4th to 8th October 2021

Zululand was calling. We always enjoy our time in Zululand and the time of year is usually good for birding especially as the migrants are returning.

Our plan: to spend four nights in each of three campsites: Nyalazi, Bonamanzi and St. Lucia (Sugarloaf).

We had heard that the Nyalazi campsite was close to the Umfolozi gate. Little did we realise it was literally only about 300 metres from the cattle grid which demarks the entrance to the Hluhluwe/Umfolozi Park and less than 3 kms to the Nyalazi entrance gate into the Umfolozi side of the Park.

We had two choices to get to Nyalazi. Travel from Mtubatuba via the R618 and face the two lengthy Stop and Go hazards on the way.

Or alternatively travel 60 Km further north on the N2 to the Centenary Gate entrance to Hluhluwe and then through the Park back south to the Nyalazi Gate. The latter alternative would takes us two or more hours of extra driving – admittedly partly through the Game Reserve. We mulled over the choices and decided to go on the shorter route.

Taking the road from Mtubatuba, we prepared ourselves for the two “Stop and Go s”. A South African experience to be avoided in future. No problems till we got to the first of the Stop and Go signs. It then became apparent that the sign was meaningless for many vehicles. Taxis and other local vehicles overtook the queues and went round the Stop and Go despite it being the right of way for oncoming traffic. This happened at both Stop and Go s.

Painfully slow going but we eventually arrived at the campsite.

The camp has 8 campsites. All well laid out for privacy. Each had water and power. They had been levelled and then coarse sand applied. There was also a communal ablution – clean and with hot water. The campsite owners Nunu and … (http://www.nyalazicamp.com/) met us and were extremely friendly. We chose a site at the lowest point in the camp with a view into Umfolozi some few hundred metres distant.

After setting up camp we took a drive into Umfolozi. The first three animals we saw were Elephant, White Rhino and Buffalo – good start animalwise. Birds however were scarce due to the weather. Cold, cold cloudy with a threat of rain which duly arrived and stayed for most of the time we were there. Mainly as a cold drizzle.

Our days were spent enjoying both Umfolozi – partly overcast with no rain on one day and drizzly on the other. And Hluhluwe – quite rainy and muddy off the tar roads.

Photos of the habitat.

Here are some photos of the birds and animals that we saw in our campsite and in Umfolozi.

As I said earlier we had a very wet and misty day in Hluhluwe. Both animals and birds were scarce. Having said that the sightings we did have were interesting.

Hluhluwe habitats

**Quite a tropical landscape in places.**

Why was this Buffalo lying on the road with an empty stomach?

Perhaps the answer lay nearby.

Then there were two Rhinos playing “Pick up Sticks” (Do you remember the game we played all those years ago?).

A few other photos taken in Hluhluwe.

On our last evening we had a not so cute visitor.

Altogether we identified ….different bird species. Not bad considering the conditions.

On our last morning we drove through Hluhluwe to the Centenary Gate on our way to Bonamanzi.

Bonamanzi

8th to 12th October 2021

On the way to Bonamanzi we hoped to stop at the Checkers in Hluhluwe town to re-provision. We were hoping it had not been burnt down in the riots. Our hopes were granted.

Not everything went smoothly though due to a huge crowd of people inside and outside, power cuts with tellers and customers who dawdled at the checkout tills. A train of blaring political vehicles drove through the garage next to the store causing chaos there and blocking traffic in the sore parking lot. Over an hour later we were on our way again.

At last we arrived at Bonamanzi reception. Through the grapevine we had heard that the Bonamanzi wilderness area was now open for individuals to drive around in their own vehicles. So at the desk I asked them to confirm. To our surprise the receptionist said it was true. To enter the areas we were told to ignore the No Entry signs. We took full advantage of this and covered about perhaps half of the roads/paths.

Our campsite was located at Bundu. Our tracks and coloured Blue.

As you can see from the map of our tracks we covered an extensive area during the 3 full days we were there. On the east we went into the wetland area and followed the canal for about 3 kms. And the north and west tracks are in the Game area.

We had chosen a campsite with our own ablution and kitchen. The site had water and electricity. We were allocated campsite 10. The campsite consisted of only four sites – each with masses of space. On arrival there was only one other camper and we were left alone after 2 nights.

On the second day there the one of the people in the other campsite came across and told us they had seen a huge bull elephant and logged its co-ords. It was until he got back that he realised that it was very close to our campsite. In all the years we have been visiting Bonamanzi we have never seen one there despite the occasional sightings of very old droppings. In our minds it had become a myth.

In Bonamanzi there are six camping areas, A Forest Camp with six sites (own ablutions) The old main camp now split into 2 sections of 6 sites in each. One sharing ablutions and the other with individual toilet and kitchen facilities. Then there was our site with four campsites (own ablutions). The previous campsites numbered 5 and 6 are still the same but now numbered 17 and 18. Finally the Dinizulu picnic area has been converted into 6 non-powered campsites with shared ablutions.

I doubt there were more than 6 campsites occupied in total while we were there.

Of interest, there was a film crew building old African village sets in the Bonamanzi bush. Did not find out what the film was called.

Our time was spent mainly driving around the game area. The weather was also unpredictable here with most days overcast, drizzly from time to time and very windy.

The game and wetland areas were interesting to drive around and a 4×4 was necessary in some places where the roads were muddy and at other times waterlogged.

Here are photos of the lovely birds and animals we saw while there:

At the edge of one of our drives in the game area we came across a flock of Barn Swallows sitting on a fence line. We had seen the odd Barn Swallow but no where near in these numbers. They are back in a big way.

In the wetland area Sally noticed Pelicans flying away from us. They were White-backed Pelicans and above the lower ones there must have been a good 100 flying.

We had seen a bird in Mapungubwe and watched its interesting behaviour of crossing the road like a chameleon. We were so fortunate at the time to watch its behaviour and never expected to see it again – let alone so soon. But there one was before our eyes in the game area doing just that – a Common Buttonquail.

In the grounds around the reception area we found this cycad among several others all with fruit. The fruit had a plastic look to it .

Then there were our night visitors – three of them scampering around our feet as we cooked – quite brazen.

But they were not the only animals visiting our camp. As we sat inside having dinner – cold and windy outside – we heard noises in the campsite. The sound of trampling and bushes and trees being knocked about. Then it became louder and closer. A tree pushed over, then another and another. Quite obviously an unhappy elephant.

It was not to the next morning that we observed the damage. Apart from campsite trees being uprooted, the elephant had up rooted one of the water points and water was everywhere. It was not that he was thirsty as he knows the pool right next door. He was just being his grumpy self. We were later told that he does this regularly at all the campsites and would probably stay away from this site for a month before returning.

During our time there we identified … different bird species.

St. Lucia

12th to 16th October

And then we went to St. Lucia to the Sugarloaf campsite for four nights.

During our time at Sugarloaf we explored both Western and Eastern Shores in Izimangolizo Wetland Park, False Bay and went for a long walk on the beach towards Maphelane.

We have stayed at Sugarloaf often. It has about 100 campsites, each with power. The place is like a garden of Eden – well treed, shady and mostly flat sites. There are 4 ablution blocks spread throughout the camp. It was empty – maximum 6 other campsites occupied during the 4 nights we were there sadly. I remember on one visit we logged about 95 different bird species in the camp.

Here is one of the special birds we saw in the campsite.

St Lucia and Mkhuze – May 2015 – Part One

Published on May 15, 2015 by Paul BarthoLeave a comment

Report by Paul and Sally Bartho

Having been closeted away in Hillcrest for four months it was time to get away – St. Lucia and Mkhuze were the destinations – for four or five nights in each.

Sugarloaf campsite in St. Lucia is ideally located. It is close to the beach and the mouth of the St. Lucia estuary as well as to access to Eastern and Western Shores of Isimangaliso Wetland Park. Furthermore it is only an hours drive to Umfolozi.

The Franklin’s Gull had been seen in the St. Lucia estuary the week before we arrived so it was a target bird for me. Unfortunately I was not to be lucky. It was still around apparently. We met Themba of Themba’s Birding & Eco Tours on the beach and he said he had seen it while we were there. We were in one of the Parks at the time.

However we did see a number of different Terns among the Grey-headed Gulls. These included Swift, Sandwich, Caspian, Lesser Crested and Common Terns.

Caspian, Swift, Sandwich and Lesser Crested Terns

Unexpectedly among the Terns were a dozen Curlew Sandpipers closely knit.

And then we spotted a lone Lesser Sand Plover running among the many Three-banded and White-fronted Plovers and the odd Kittlitz’s Plover.

Some other birds seen at the beach:

Sugarloaf campsite proved almost as good a birding spot as any of the Parks we visited. There were Woodward’s Batises, Green Twinspots, Black-throated Wattle-eyes (five or six chasing each other), African Goshawks, Livingstone’s Turacos, Rudd’s Apalis, Brown Scrub-Robins, Green Malkoha, Wood Owls to name a few of the specials. Campsite regulars included Grey Duiker, Bushbuck (playing with the monkeys), Banded Mongooses and Crested Guineafowl.

Look at the photos of the African Goshawk above. The first impression was the two spots on the tail and we called it “Little Sparrowhawk”. Sally’s second opinion was that it was much larger than a Dove and questioned our first impression. So we checked the books and they told us to check the cere – what colour – yellow or grey. If yellow then Little Sparrowhawk, if grey then African Goshawk. Looking more closely at the spots on the tail you can see that they are in fact bands which are brightest in the middle fading towards the sides. Don’t always go with first impressions – too easy to make a mistake!

Eastern and Western Shores in Isimangaliso Wetland Park – see Part Two of Four.