Makalali Game Reserve - Week 2

Yet another great week on the game reserve. Some incredible animal encounters this week, thankfully from the vehicle this time. Bird activity has also been good as the temperature has been lower due to local thunderstorms etc.

Probably the highlight was flushing a Small Buttonquail from the roadside one morning. 

I will add the very long mammal list after the trip next week when I visit the Western Cape with my brother. 

All birds capitalised below are all lifers, and yet again only birds of note are included. 

The many highlights this week are:

SMALL BUTTONQUAIL 

Wooly-necked Stork 

Red-breasted Swallow 

RETZ HELMETSHRIKE 

Pygmy Kingfisher 

Brubru 

White-fronted Bee-Eater

White-browed Robin Chat

BRONZE-WINGED COURSER 

Lanner

Common Scimitarbill

Black-bellied Bustard

PURPLE INDIGOBIRD

Collared Sunbird

Crowned Hornbill

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Giant Kingfisher

Black Stork

African Black Duck

An afternoon visit to Legalametse waterfalls produced a couple of new birds in the more cultivated habitats. 

WHITE-WINGED WIDOWBIRD

White-browed Robin Chat

Lesser Masked Weaver

Black-collared Barbet

AFRICAN FIREFINCH

Golden-breasted Bunting

 was nearly its' prey, but thankfully they weren't hungry

 Southern Ground Hornbill

 Retz Helmet Shrike

 Fiery-necked Nightjar

 African Hawk Eagle

Verreaux's Eagle Owl

Makalali Game Reserve - Week 1

A great week volunteering on this game reserve situated about 50 km west of Kruger. Plenty of game drives and also walking in the bush which have led to a couple of memorable experiences. One example was a few days ago we went walking in the bush with armed guides in search of Lions. Without knowing, we got within 5-10 metres of an adult female with two cubs. We however soon found this out when a deep growl sounded only metres away from us indicating that they didn't want us there. A quick retreat was in order and we found a sensible spot to watch these lovely animals. If they were hungry, we could have easily been their dinner.

Four new birds for me this week (been to Kruger before) as well as a wealth of other great species seen which are listed below. Other commoner species aren't listed, but you get an idea of how good it is here. 

Red-chested Cuckoo 

Lilac-breasted Roller

Broad-billed Roller

Green Wood Hoopoe

African Grey Hornbill

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

Red-billed Hornbill

DUSKY INDIGOBIRD

Black-collared Barbet

Black-headed Oriole

Southern Ground Hornbill

White-crested Helmet Shrike

JAMESON'S FIREFINCH

Levaillant's Cuckoo

Natal Francolin

Swainson's Spurfowl

GOLDEN-TAILED WOODPECKER 

Magpie Shrike

SENEGAL LAPWING

Water Thick Knee

Violet-backed Starling

Chinspot Batis

Black-backed Puffback

Bateleur 

Wahlberg's Eagle

Red-billed Buffalo Weaver

Red-headed Weaver

Southern Black Tit

 Giraffe

 Black-backed Jackal

 Levaillant's Cuckoo

 Senegal Lapwing

 Waterbuck

 Red-crested Korhaan

Impala

South Africa - Day 6 -18/1/15

Today I drove from Port Nolloth all the way down to Cape Town which took 6hrs 40mins. Once in the south, I had some spare time so I birded Strandfontein Sewage Works seeing some decent stuff.

Tomorrow I'm flying to Hoedspruit to stay on Makalali Game Reserve for two weeks so maybe not many updates, though I'll try my best. Pictures from all the days will be added when I get back home on the 7th Feb. 

Strandfontein Sewage Works

Maccoa Duck - 8

Red-billed Teal - 1

Cape Teal - ca.150

Cape Shoveler - 2

Southern Pochard - 30

Greater Flamingo - 75

Blacksmith Plover - 5

African Pipit - 3

Great White Pelican - 1

Black-necked Grebe - 50

 Greater Flamingo, Cape Teal and Blacksmith Plover

 Maccoa Duck

 Blacksmith Plover

Great White Pelican

South Africa - Day 5 - 17/1/15

The day of the Larks!!! Yet again, another memorable day in the Northern Cape where I cleared up on everything I wanted to see (except from the unlikely Damara Tern).

I started the day on the Koa Dunes where I was actually shivering, mainly because it was still dark when I arrived. The expected Red Lark finally gave themselves up, and I scored with an unexpected Fawn-coloured Lark. It was then time for the long drive to Port Nolloth which is situated on the far NE coast of SA. I detoured to Geogap where amusingly I was just about to sign the papers for me to go in, when a group of Karoo Eremomelas (my target species here) flitted past. The lady seemed annoyed that I no longer wanted to visit the reserve, but hey ho, I was happy. This gave me plenty of time in Port Nolloth to score one of the big targets......Barlow's Lark, plus another unexpected Lark. 

I had completed everything by mid afternoon so I rewarded myself with some cider and chilled on the beach. A great way to end before the mammoth drive tomorrow. 

Birds capitalised are lifers and only species of note included below. 

Koa Dunes

RED LARK - 3 

FAWN-COLOURED LARK - 1

Rufous-eared Warbler - 2

Pygmy Falcon - 1

Namaqua Sandgrouse - 13

Lark Like Bunting - ca.200

Geogap NR (entrance)

KAROO EREMOMELA - 13

Port Nolloth

BARLOW'S LARK - 3

Barlow's Lark/Karoo Lark hybrid - 1 possible

CAPE LONG-BILLED LARK - 4

CAPE PENDULINE TIT - 5

Crowned Cormorant - ca.150

Hartlaub's Gull - 50

CHAT FLYCATCHER - 2

Kelp Gull - 30

Southern Double Collared Sunbird - 3

White-fronted Plover - 7

Greater Crested Tern - 5

Mammals seen today:

Common Duiker - 1

Meerkat - 6

Bat-eared Fox - 2

 the stunning Red Lark

 Karoo Eremomela

 the highly localized and endemic Barlow's Lark. Both images depict the same bird. Note the very heavy bill and unstreaked flanks. No hint of hybridisation with Karoo Lark!! I did have to sneak into a diamond field to find this pure bird, whereas in the 'safe' area I was not convinced by two individuals, both looking like hybrids. 

 Cape Long-billed Lark

 Hartlaub's Gull

 Port Nolloth - a welcome relief to see the sea after five days of arid land

 Koa Dunes

 on route to Port Nolloth - home to Meerkats

feeling small in the Koa Dunes

South Africa - Day 4 - 16/1/15

An interesting day today. After yesterday's sweet success, today was the opposite, even though the bird species seen were very good. First of all, I arrived at the gates to Augrabies NP to find out the park didn't open for another hour, then after some good birding from the road, I discovered I had a flat tyre!!!

Two reasons why this was not ideal, first I was more then 1000km from Cape Town now on a spare wheel, but also my plans had been ruined for the day as I had planned to go to Onseepkans on the Namibian border for some Lovebirds. Needless to say this didn't happen but I enjoyed the day (although anxious about my tyre) and saw some good bits, as well as seeing the very impressive waterfalls. I then drove 130km to Pofadder and stayed the night with the spare wheel still in one piece. 

Species capitalised are lifers and only birds of note included below.

Augrabies entrance road

ACACIA PIED BARBET - 1

Red-faced Mousebird - 5

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater - 1

Augrabies NP (campsite)

Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler - 1

Fiscal Flycatcher - 1

ASHY TIT - 2

African Hoopoe - 1

Acacia Pied Barbet - 3

Cape Robin Chat - 2

Southern Grey-headed Sparrow - 4

Pririt Batis - 2

African Fish Eagle - 3

Verreaux's Eagle - 2

Orange River White-Eye - ca. 30

Cardinal Woodpecker - 2

Mammals today were: 

Little Mongoose

Ground Squirrel

 Pale-winged Starling

 African Red-eyed Bulbul

 Acacia Pied Barbet

 Chestnut-vented Tit-babbler

 Dusky Sunbird

 Black-chested Prinia

 Augrabie Falls NP

 east of Pofadder

welcome to Pofadder. 

South Africa - Day 3 - 15/1/15

What a brilliant day. As usual I was out just before light (5am) and I worked all morning in the areas east of Brandvlei. By far the highlight of the morning were two Bat-eared Foxes that sat by the side of the road for a very short time. All morning was spent searching for Sclater's Lark without success, but there was still plenty to see.

I then headed north on the R27 and concentrated my efforts 20-40km South of Kenhardt, where after spending a couple of sweltering hours in the 40 celcius heat, I was finally rewarded with a Lark duo. I was buzzing after this and I soon found myself heading north to Kakamas where I stayed at Meerkat Compound, via a couple of stops on the Orange River. 

This amazing day was rounded off with one of the best steaks I've ever had, and a cold cider. Perfect!!!

Species capitalised are lifer, and only birds of interest included. 

East of Brandvlei

Black-chested Prinia - 7

Sabota Lark - 3

SCALY-FEATHERED FINCH - 6

Karoo Korhaan - 1

Haasfontein Road east of Brandvlei

Black-eared Sparrowlark - 16

Rufous-eared Warbler - 5

LARK LIKE BUNTING - 10+

Karoo Korhaan - 2

GREATER KESTREL - 2

20-30km sth of Kenhardt

SOCIABLE WEAVER - ca. 80

White-rumped Swift - 1

SCLATER'S LARK - 2 at Booysen Dam

STARK'S LARK - 2 at Booysen Dam

Layard's Tit-babbler - 1

Southern Pale Chanting Goshawk - 8

Keimoes

RED-EYED BULBUL - 4

Southern Red Bishop - 2

Red-billed Quelea - 50

Helmeted Guineafowl - 2

Kakamas

ORANGE RIVER WHITE-EYE - 1

Karoo Thrush - 2

Spotted Flycatcher - 1

African Palm Swift - 2

Red-eyed Bulbul - 7

 Karoo Korhaan

 horrid picture of a delightful little bird - Black-eared Sparrowlark

Namaqua Sandgrouse

 Greater Kestrel

 Sclater's Larks - one of the highlights of the trip. Note the dark 'teardrop' which is diagnostic of this species.

 Stark's Lark - note the crest

 Sabota Lark - it was so hot this bird refused to move out of the shade, allowing very close approach

 Lark-like Bunting

 Sociable Weaver nest - bigger then my car

 sparse!!

 outskirts of Brandvlei

R27