Monthly Archives: August 2019

Rock Kestrel

Falco rupicolus

Despite what its name suggests, the Rock Kestrel is at home in a wide variety of habitats and occurs all over South Africa, though they are most numerous in arid, rocky terrain and require cliffs for roosting and nesting. They hunt over open areas for birds (up to the size of doves), small mammals (including bats in flight), reptiles and invertebrates. Adults measure about 32cm in length and weigh around 215g.

Rock Kestrels are often seen sitting on conspicuous perches or hovering over open areas, using both techniques as effective hunting strategies. Pairs are monogamous and territorial, nesting on cliff ledges and lately on tall buildings in towns and cities. Clutches of 1-6 eggs are laid in spring and summer, with the female mostly responsible for the incubation process over a period of about a month. The chicks fledge about 5 weeks after hatching, with the male in turn taking most of the hunting responsibility to provision the ravenous chicks and attending female. The chicks remain with their parents for another few weeks after leaving the nest.

The Rock Kestrel is a common species and not currently in any danger of extinction. Apart from South Africa it can be found as far north on the continent as Tanzania and the DRC. At one time it was considered a subspecies of the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

Rock Kestrel

Rock Kestrels in flight

Rock Kestrel

Forest Canary

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Crithagra scotops

Forest Canaries are endemic to South Africa and Swaziland, where they are found in and on the edges of forest and other moist, dense habitats from the Western Cape to the escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. They feed primarily on small seeds, flowers and fruit and are very fond of bathing, even in cold mountain streams.

Adults measure 13cm in length and weigh around 15g. They nest in summer, when they’re usually encountered in monogamous pairs or small family groups as opposed to larger flocks numbering around 12 individuals outside of the breeding season. The female constructs the bulky, cup-shaped nest in which she incubates the clutch of 2-4 eggs over a two-week period, with the chicks leaving the nest when they’re almost 3 weeks old.

The IUCN considers the Forest Canary to be of least concern.

Forest Canary

Forest Canary (immature)

Forest Canary

Gurney’s Sugarbird

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Promerops gurneyi

Gurney’s Sugarbird has a patchy distribution on the highlands on the border between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, in Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa (suitable parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Kwazulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape), where it inhabits montane grassland and scrub dominated by proteas and aloes. They feed on nectar from a wide range of flowering plants and also include insects and spiders in their diet to a lesser extent.

Usually seen singly or in pairs, Gurney’s Sugarbirds only congregate in larger numbers at rich food sources. When breeding they form monogamous bonds, with the male defending the pair’s territory while the female builds the nest; a shallow, cup-shaped formation of twigs, grass, rootlets and bark lined with grass and fluffy protea-seeds usually placed in a fork in a protea bush. The breeding season spans the spring and summer months. The female alone incubates the clutch of 2 eggs over a period of about 3 weeks, while both parents feed the chicks, which leave the nest when they’re 3 weeks old, on a diet of insects and spiders. The chicks remain dependent on their parents for another 3 weeks or so after fledging. Fully grown Gurney’s Sugarbirds measure up to 29cm long (including the tail) and weigh between 30 and 40g.

Gurney’s Sugarbird is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, owing to an apparent decline in their numbers likely attributable to loss of their preferred habitat to commercial plantations and damaging land management practices.

Gurney’s Sugarbird

Birthday outing to Rietvlei

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This past weekend saw us, accompanied by good friends and close family, heading to our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve to celebrate Joubert’s tenth birthday. The highlight of the day for Joubert and his mates was a tour to Rietvlei’s lions, with the birthday boy getting the seat of honour next to the very knowledgeable ranger-guide.

White Rhino Bull (horns humanely removed to deter poachers)

Cormorant colony at Rietvlei Dam (photo by Joubert)

Reed Cormorant in flight

African Wattled Lapwing

Crowned Lapwing

Blacksmith Lapwing

Waterbuck bull

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Rufous-naped Lark in full song

Rose-ringed Parakeet – these exotics seem to have become established in the reserve.

Red Hartebeest with an itch

Two very dusty zebras (photo by Joubert)

Male ostrich

Immature Dabchick

Lazy lioness (photo by Joubert)

Lioness

Rietvlei’s lions live a life of leisure

Groundscraper Thrush

Grey Go-away Bird

Green, or Red-billed, Wood-Hoopoe

Fork-tailed Drongo

Eland herd

Egyptian Goose

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Common Moorhen

Spotted Dikkop (Spotted Thick-knee)

Cape Longclaw

Buffalo

Blesbok

Black Wildebeest (photo by Joubert)

African Stonechat (photo by Joubert)

African Stonechat male

10 years old: August 2019. Joubert at Rietvlei Nature Reserve celebrating his 10th birthday party

Very special birthday cake

All aboard the safari vehicle!

10 years old: August 2019. Joubert sitting next to the ranger-guide on a tour to see Rietvlei’s lions

Growing up with a love for nature: Joubert turns 10!

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Today is Joubert’s 10th birthday.

Marilize and I thank God for creating Joubert for us and us for him. What more could we need? What a blessing it’s been to watch this bright and beautiful little boy grow up to share our appreciation and deep love for South Africa’s wild places.

Looking back at some photos of him enjoying the great outdoors brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart. Has ten years really flown by so quickly!?

Happy Birthday, Joubert!

2 Months old: October 2009. First visit to the Kruger National Park, and time for a nappy change in the bush!

7 Months old: March 2010. Climbing trees at Olifants in the Kruger National Park.

7 Months old: March 2010. Off-roading pram along the Rademeyer Spruit in the Moreletakloof.

9 Months old: May 2010. Did Dad see the elephants? Spekboom Hide, Addo Elephant Park.

9 Months old: May 2010. Surrounded by Guineafowl in the rest camp at Wilderness in the Garden Route National Park.

1 Year old: September 2010. What to do with these francolins? Biyamiti, Kruger National Park.

1 Year old: November 2010. Game-viewing at Chelmsford Nature Reserve.

1 Year old: November 2010. Time to learn more about birds. Mpila, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

1 Year old: November 2010. Playing on the beach at Cape Vidal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

1 Year old: November 2010. Time for a picnic in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

1 Year old: December 2010. Chasing butterflies through a field on the North West Province farm where Grandpa grew up.

1 Year old: April 2011. Looking for the Big 5 in the Kruger National Park.

1 Year old: April 2011. Just look at that interesting lizard! Letaba, Kruger National Park.

2 Years old: August 2011. Joubert appreciating the view from unit 14 at Olifants

2 Years old: October 2011. Short, unsteady legs over big rocks at Pilanesberg National Park.

2 Years old: December 2011. Inspecting a dead butterfly picked up at the Willem Pretorius Game Reserve.

2 Years old: June 2012. Making the acquaintance of a bushbuck at Letaba in the Kruger National Park.

2 Years old: April 2012. Happiness in a forest at Royal Natal.

2 Years old: June 2012. Just how big is that elephant skull!? Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve.

3 Years old: August 2012. Photographing a warthog at our cottage in Mpila, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

3 Years old: August 2012. Something’s very interesting on the ground at Midmar Nature Reserve.

3 Years old: September 2012. Closer inspection of a nyala ewe in Pafuri Picnic Site, Kruger National Park.

3 Years old: December 2012. Practicing balancing at Ithala Game Reserve.

3 Years old: January 2013. Wet morning in the Moreletakloof.

3 Years old: February 2013. In the hide at Lake Mankwe, Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

3 Years old: March 2013. At the entrance to Chelmsford Nature Reserve.

3 Years old: April 2013. Best seat in the house: Mlondozi Picnic Site, Kruger National Park.

3 Years old: May 2013. Following an elephant at Tembe

3 Years old: July 2013. Almost as high as a pony! Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

4 Years old: August 2013. Being silly at Queen Elizabeth Park in Kwazulu-Natal.

4 Years old: September 2013. Showing one of Letaba’s bushbuck where to go for tastier leaves. Kruger National Park.

4 Years old: November 2013. Taking photos of dung beetles in Pilanesberg National Park is serious business!

4 Years old: December 2013. Fun and games in Golden Gate.

4 Years old: December 2013. Is it safe to venture forth? Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

4 Years old: December 2013. Quiet contemplation atop a hill at Ithala Game Reserve.

4 Years old: March 2014. Setting off on a walk in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

4 Years old: April 2014. Joubert de Wet, Horse Whisperer, at Golden Gate Highlands National Park

4 Years old: April 2014. Calling francolin chicks to come closer at Giant’s Castle.

4 Years old: April 2014. Different perspective on wildlife photography in Kruger National Park.

5 Years old: November 2014. Looking for jewels at Golden Gate Highlands National Park.

5 Years old: December 2014. Chancing being blown off the jetty at Charter’s Creek in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.

5 Years old: December 2014. Figuring out Grandpa’s binoculars

5 Years old: December 2014. Posing at the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife logo at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park’s Centenary Centre

5 Years old: December 2014. Braaiing at Ithala Game Reserve.

5 Years old: December 2014. Wildlife photography at kuMasinga Hide at uMkhuze Game Reserve.

5 Years old: April 2015. Skipping stones on Loskop Dam.

5 Years old: May 2015. Titanic impression on a trout dam at Kamberg in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park.

5 Years old: May 2015. Kamberg tranquility with Mom.

5 Years old: June 2015. Boat cruise on Lake St. Lucia.

6 Years old: August 2015. Scientific experiment from atop a boulder at Tendele in Royal Natal.

6 Years old: September 2015. Photographing the photographer at Ithala Game Reserve.

6 Years old: October 2015. Showing off his ticklist in Pafuri Picnic Spot, Kruger National Park.

6 Years old: December 2015. Again Joubert and a Letaba bushbuck! Kruger National Park.

6 Years old: December 2015. This sign in Rietvlei Nature Reserve doesn’t scare Joubert!

6 Years old: March 2016. Photographing a mangrove-crab at Umlalazi Nature Reserve.

6 Years old: June 2016. Antlions are so interesting! Satara, Kruger Park.

7 Years old: December 2016. Taking a break in Golden Gate Highlands National Park

7 Years old: December 2016. Getting wet at Royal Natal National Park

7 Years old: March 2017. Nsumo Picnic Site, uMkhuze Game Reserve, iSimangaliso Wetland Park

7 Years old: April 2017. Low with the flow at Giant’s Castle

8 Years old: September 2017. Photographing an animal burrow at Nylsvley Nature Reserve.

8 Years old: December 2017. In the information centre at Addo Elephant National park

8 Years old: December 2017. Walking in the Karoo National Park

8 Years old: December 2017. The cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the Table Mountain National Park

8 Years old: December 2017. Sunset over the Atlantic

8 Years old: April 2018. Opening the gate at Haak-en-Steek Cottage in Mokala National Park

9 Years old: August 2018. Celebrating his 9th birthday at Rietvlei Nature Reserve!

9 Years old: December 2018. Joubert the photographer, Mpila, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park

9 years old: March 2019. Joubert photographing guineafowl at Thendele

9 years old: March 2019. Walking in the Mountains

9 years old: May 2019. Joubert at Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary

9 years old: June 2019. Photographing a bull elephant crossing a road near Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park

9 years old: June 2019. Photographing elephants near Shingwedzi in the Kruger National Park

9 years old: June 2019. Playing cricket (his other great love) in the camping area at Shingwedzi in the Kruger Park.

9 years old: June 2019. Joubert photographing San rock art at Giant’s Castle

9 years old: June 2019. Joubert photographing reflections at Giant’s Castle

10 years old: August 2019. Joubert at Rietvlei Nature Reserve celebrating his 10th birthday party

10 years old: August 2019. Joubert sitting next to the ranger-guide on a tour to see Rietvlei’s lions

Drakensberg Prinia

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Prinia hypoxantha

The Drakensberg Prinia is endemic to Swaziland, Lesotho and South Africa, occurring along the Drakensberg Range and its foothills from Limpopo Province to the Eastern Cape. The IUCN considers the Drakensberg Prinia a species of least concern. Some authorities believe it to be a subspecies of the Karoo Prinia.

Usually encountered in monogamous pairs or small family groups, these small (10g, 14cm) but very active birds inhabit grassy mountainous slopes, fern-grown gullies and forest edges in high rainfall areas, where they subsist on a diet of insects and other invertebrates. Their nests are oval, ball-shaped constructions of grass built deep in thick bushes. Clutches of 2-4 eggs are laid in the spring and summer and incubated for about 2 weeks, with the fledglings leaving the nest around that same length of time after hatching.

Drakensberg Prinia

Ouhout

13 Replies

Leucosidea sericea

The Ouhout (Afrikaans for old wood) is a shrub or small tree of up to 4m high, occurring on the escarpment and highveld straddling all South Africa’s provinces (with the exception of the Northern and Western Cape), Lesotho, Swaziland and the highlands of Zimbabwe. It owes its name both to its aged, gnarled appearance and to its slow burning wood that produces copious billows of smoke, like old or decayed wood does. The Ouhout grows best in deep, damp soils in mountainous grasslands and along streams, and can form dense stands in suitable conditions. They’re exceptionally frost resistant, fast-growing and evergreen. Ouhout-wood is soft and not of much use for anything other than firewood and fence posts. Giants’ Castle Game Reserve and Golden Gate Highlands National Park have some exceptional specimens of this plant.

Into a copse of Ouhout Trees at the start of the trail

Ouhout leaves

Looking up into the branches of a sizable Ouhout

Ouhout leaves

Lichens growing in the rough bark of an Ouhout tree

Large Ouhout shrub

Young Ouhout shoots

Ouhout leaves

Into a copse of Ouhout Trees at the start of the trail

What makes the Kruger “THE KRUGER”?

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Well, if you ask us what makes the Kruger National Park “THE KRUGER”, our answer wouldn’t be the prolific game or birdlife, awesome as that might be. To us, what makes the Kruger National Park special is the wide variety of habitats and scenery where all this life finds a niche to flourish. At almost 20,000km² in size, the Kruger National Park is bigger than some countries, and naturally a piece of land that enormous would encompass many different landscapes and habitats; in fact there are pronounced differences in the scenery as one travels from south to north through Kruger’s 350km length.

This first gallery of images were taken during my solo visit at the end of May to Pretoriuskop and Skukuza in the south of the Park.

Scenery near Pretoriuskop, complete with a giraffe

Beautiful Blue Water Lily

Impala Lily

Growing Sausage-Tree fruit

The reed-grown bed of the Sabie River

A Sycomore Fig Tree in a dry stream bed near Phabeni Gate

Sunrise over the Sabie River

Sunset Dam at Lower Sabie

Rocky outcrops are a feature of the Pretoriuskop area

Animals congregating at Transport Dam

The Mountains of Malelane

Rocky outcrops are a feature of the Pretoriuskop area

Rocky outcrops are a feature of the Pretoriuskop area – this hill is called Shabeni

Rocky outcrops are a feature of the Pretoriuskop area

Kruger sunset

Rocky outcrops are a feature of the Pretoriuskop area

Sunset near Pretoriuskop

The north of Kruger has a quite different character to the southern parts. Here, the Mopane and Baobab trees dominate the landscape, by virtue of their numbers and size, respectively.

This gallery of images were taken during our visit from 15 to 24 June to the northern reaches of the Park (based at Shingwedzi Rest Camp)

Animals congregating at a waterhole to the north of Babalala

A wide bend in the Shingwedzi River

Giraffe crossing the dry bed of the Shingwedzi

A pool at Red Rocks

A dry Shingwedzi River near Tshange viewpoint

A seemingly serene pool of water at Red Rocks

Baobab with Buffalo Weaver nests

Impala Lily

Impala Lily (Photo by Joubert)

Mopane leaves are uniquely butterfly- or spoor-shaped

Large Jackalberry tree on the Mphongolo Road

Baobab in a see of mopane, on the way to Bateleur

Sunset at the Mphongolo-Shingwedzi confluence

Mopane shrubs

Mopane tree

Sunset elephants in the Shingwedzi (Photo by Joubert)

The last photo taken today – sunset over the dry bed of the Shingwedzi River

Red Rocks from the viewpoint

Game-viewing in Kruger (May and June 2019)

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When talking about “game-viewing”, most people immediately have images of Africa’s iconic Big Five flashing through their minds. And of course our recent trips to the Kruger National Park did not disappoint at all when it came to these most charismatic of African mammals, as well as many other furry creatures great and small.

This first gallery of pictures were taken during my solo trip to the southern part of the Kruger Park between 30 May and 2 June 2019.

Grooming Chacma Baboons

Baboon youngster thinking of mischief

Blue Wildebeest with an unusual chevron mark on its muzzle

Blue Wildebeest having a rest in the shade

Blue Wildebeest herd

Buffalo bull

Buffalo cow

Buffaloes next to the Sabie River

Bushbuck Ram at sunset

Grey Duiker

Dwarf Mongooses settling an argument in the camping area at Pretoriuskop

Dwarf Mongoose standing sentry atop a termite mound

Elephant youngster enjoying a snack while crossing the road

Elephant herd quenching their thirst at Shitlhave Dam

Elephant enjoying a mud bath

Elephant bull at Mestel Dam

Baby Ellie

Big Elephant Bull in contemplative mood

In the hot African sun any shade will do!

Giraffe

Hippo gang at Sunset Dam

Baby Hippo at Mestel Dam

Impala ram on the bank of the Sabie

Klipspringer

Big Kudu Bull

Immature Kudu Bull at Biyamiti Weir

Mating Kudus

Lioness on the bridge at Lower Sabie

Lions in the grass next to the Crocodile River

Plains Zebra

Spotted Hyenas in profile

Spotted Hyena youngster bullying a sibling

Steenbok pair

Tree Squirrel in the camping area at Pretoriuskop

Vervet Monkey youngster with a pod of some kind

Grooming Vervet Monkeys

Waterbuck Bull

Waterbuck Calf

Waterbuck Cow

Waterbuck herd at Transport Dam

Warthogs investing in their future.

African Wild Dogs

There’s also much interest in the Kruger’s invertebrates (including a bounty of beautiful butterflies), fish, amphibians and reptiles, many of which are difficult to see elsewhere in South Africa.

Water Monitor lizard

Marsh Terrapin encountered on dry land

Rainbow Skink

Striped Skink

Yellow-throated Plated Lizard

Baby Nile Crocodile

Medium-sized Nile Crocodile

Enormous Nile Crocodile at Sunset Dam

Tigerfish in the Sabie River

Juvenile Redbreast Tilapia

Speke’s Hinged Tortoise

Common River Frog in Skukuza

Platanna

Bushveld Rain Frog

Male Mozambique Tilapia (non-breeding colours)

Female Mozambique Tilapia

Young Nile Crocodile

Nile Crocodiles

Baby Nile Crocodile and Adult Water Monitor lying next to a pool in the Shingwedzi River

Matabele Ants

Solifuge a.k.a. Sun Spider

Western Stripe-bellied Sand Snake

Striped Skink

Common Tropical House Gecko

Returning to Kruger two weeks later, this time to Shingwedzi in the north of the Park, proved just as fruitful with memorable encounters not only with predators and rare antelope, but also a menagerie of other mammalian species.

Blue wildebeest herd

Buffalo cow

Buffalo calf

Buffalo bull emerging from the mopane

Buffalo bull

Buffalo cow and calf

Buffalo cow

Buffalo on the Mphongolo loop

Half-blind Buffalo bull

Buffalo calf

Prime Buffalo Bull

Big old Buffalo Bull

Dwarf Mongoose standing sentry atop a termite mound

Elephant calf

Classically shaped ivory

Big old elephant bull

Tiny ellie baby

Elephant calf fast asleep

Beautiful elephant bull

Cute elephant calf

Elephant bull destroying a small tree

Beautiful elephant bull

Elephant cow with interestingly shaped ivory

Beautiful elephant bull

Elephant cow with interestingly shaped ivory

Giraffe calf

Tower of giraffe

Grey Duiker

Common, or Grey, Duiker

Hippo in the dark, grazing past our camp

Honey Badger next to the fence at Shingwedzi

Impala Ram

Kudu bull

Plains Zebra foals

Plains Zebra with unique pattern

Plains zebra mare and foal

Scrub Hare next to the fence at Shingwedzi

Slender mongoose

Steenbok ram

Southern African Tree Squirrel

Vervet Monkey

Warthog

Waterbuck Bull

Bushbuck at the water’s edge

Tree Squirrel (Photo by Joubert)

Plains Zebra (Photo by Joubert)

Impala ewe (Photo by Joubert)

Kudu bull (Photo by Joubert)

Buffalo calf on the run (Photo by Joubert)

Buffalo cow (Photo by Joubert)

Bird-watching in Kruger (May and June 2019)

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With over 500 species recorded, the Kruger National Park deserves its reputation as one of South Africa’s finest bird-watching destinations through and through. We’ve already shown you the cute little Spurfowl chicks that strutted all over the Park during our visits in May and June this year, but there was so much more feathered variety to point our lenses at that it surely deserves a dedicated post!

This first gallery of images were taken in the south of the Park on my solo trip to Pretoriuskop and Skukuza – all in all I ticked 110 species in the 4 days I spent south of the Sabie River.

Ashy Flycatcher

Blacksmith Lapwings

Black-winged Stilt

Goliath Heron with its catch

Grey Heron

Laughing Dove

Purple-crested Turaco

Fulvous Whistling Duck “ducks” as two Water Thick-knees come in to land at Transport Dam

African Firefinch

African Hawk Eagle

Immature Bateleur

Bearded Woodpecker

Black-collared Barbet

Black Crake

Black-crowned Tchagra

Black Flycatcher

Blue Waxbill

Brown-headed Parrot

Brown Snake Eagle

Cape Glossy Starling

Cape Turtle Dove

Chinspot Batis

Common Fiscal

Crested Francolin

African Darter

Egyptian Geese flying low over Lake Panic

African Fish Eagle

Fork-tailed Drongo

Golden-breasted Bunting

Greater Blue-eared Starling

Grey Go-away Bird

Grey-headed Sparrow

Groundscraper Thrush

Helmeted Guineafowl

African Hoopoe

Common (Kurrichane) Buttonquail

Kurrichane Thrush

Lappet-faced Vulture

Lilac-breasted Roller

Little Bee-eater

Magpie Shrike

Neddicky

African Openbill

African Pied Wagtail

Purple Roller

Red-billed Oxpecker

Red-billed Queleas

Green, or Red-billed, Wood Hoopoe

Saddle-billed Stork with nestlings

African Spoonbill (with a Sacred Ibis just behind)

Tawny Eagle

Three-banded Plover

Wattled Starlings

White-backed Vultures

White-crowned Lapwing

Wire-tailed Swallow

Yellow-billed Hornbill

Yellow-billed Stork

Yellow-breasted Apalis

Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow

Two weeks later, this time with Marilize and Joubert alongside, we headed to the north of the Kruger Park, basing ourselves at our favourite Shingwedzi for 9 nights, during which time we recorded 99 species of birds.