Great Egret

Ardea (Egretta) alba

At almost a metre tall with a wingspan of 1.7m and a weight of up to 1½kg, the Great Egret (or Great White Heron) is the largest of the white herons (or egrets) occurring in South Africa.

Great Egrets normally forage alone or in small, loosely associated groups, although they do sleep and breed in large colonies of up to a thousand pairs (often with other kinds of herons as well as cormorants and ibises). They are usually seen in flooded grasslands, along rivers and dams and at estuaries and lagoons, where they prey mainly on fish and frogs and occasionally on other vertebrates. Nests are built of sticks, over water in sturdy trees or reedbeds or on islands. In South Africa most breeding occurs during the rainy summer season. Both sexes incubate the clutch of up to 6 eggs for a little over 3 weeks, and then feed the chicks on regurgitated food until they are able to fly within two months of hatching.

Great Egrets occur on all the continents except Antarctica, and is commonly encountered over most of Africa south of the Sahara. Owing to its enormous distribution and large population, the IUCN considers the species of Least Concern. In South Africa, they are absent only from the arid west of the country.

Great Egret

Great White Egret

Great White Egret struggling to swallow a Tilapia

Great Egret

Black-headed Heron

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Ardea melanocephala

Unlike most other herons, the Black-headed Heron isn’t closely associated with water, and they are mostly seen stalking grasslands, scrublands and cultivated fields and only infrequently in marshes or next to waterbodies, for prey that ranges from insects to mammals, reptiles and birds the size of doves.

Black-headed Herons stand about 90cm tall with a wingspan of 1.5m and weigh around 1½ kilograms.

Pairs are monogamous and nest colonially (up to 200 pairs) with other herons of their own kind or in mixed-species congregations with herons, ibises and cormorants. Nests are large platforms built of sticks in high trees, reedbeds or cliffs, in which clutches of 2 to 4 eggs are incubated. In South Africa breeding has been recorded throughout the year, with a peak in the summer months.

Black-headed Herons are commonly encountered over most of South Africa, even in suburban parks, open plots and road verges in cities and towns. It is also common over most of Sub-Saharan Africa and the IUCN considers it to be of Least Concern with an increasing population, benefiting from the clearing of land for agricultural enterprises .

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron on the Kamberg Road

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Herons

Black-headed Heron

Black-headed Herons

Black-headed Heron

Black Heron

Black-headed Heron

Goliath Heron

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Ardea goliath

Weighing in at between 4 and 5kg and standing up to 1.5m high with a wingspan of over 2.3m, the Goliath Heron is the biggest of its kind.

Goliath Herons are found along large rivers, dams, swamps, lakes and estuaries, usually lined with extensive stands of reeds or papyrus, where they prey on fairly large fish, frogs, crabs and small reptiles and mammals. Despite their large size, Goliath Herons often loose their prey to African Fish Eagles. They readily wade into fairly deep water well away from the shore and will mostly fly over the water along watercourses rather than over land. Monogamous pairs usually nest alone, although sometimes in loosely associated colonies (also with other species of herons), in large nests built of sticks or reeds in trees, reedbeds or on rocky islands. in South Africa nesting has been recorded throughout the year, with a peak in spring. Clutches usually consist of 4 or 5 eggs, incubated for between 3 and 4 weeks with the hatchlings leaving the nest at about 5 weeks of age but being cared for by the parents for up to another three months.

Goliath Herons can be found on the wetter eastern parts of South Africa and along the Orange River in the dry west of the country, and further occurs over most of Africa south of the Sahara and in a few spots in Asia and the Middle-East. They are considered of Least Concern by the IUCN.

Goliath Heron

Goliath Heron with its catch

Goliath Heron

Goliath Herons at their nest

Goliath Heron

A special time at the Giant’s Castle

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Spending Easter in a beautiful natural location is almost a given for the de Wets. Our original plans for this particular long weekend was to visit the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, and specifically the Cathedral Peak area, but a last minute change in reservations had us heading for the Giant’s Castle area of the Park instead. A special place to celebrate a special holiday!

While we had only three days to spend at Giant’s Castle, the weather made sure we experienced almost every climatic experience the Drakensberg mountain range can conjure (with the exception of snowfall). Dark thunder clouds one day gave way to heavy fog and a constant drenching drizzle the next, followed in turn by a day of glorious sunshine! Giant’s Castle must be one of the scenically most spectacular parts of the entire Drakensberg range, and you cannot help but stand in awe at the shear majesty of the landscape surrounding you.

Thunder clouds descending on the Giant’s Castle area

Waking to a heavy fog

The road into the Giant’s Castle area

Bushmans River under overcast skies

Crystal clear mountain water

Beautiful little pond just below the camp at Giant’s Castle

the Drakensberg bathed in a glorious sunrise

Can you see the giant lying on his back?

Giant’s Castle scenery

Walking along the Bushmans River

Giant’s Castle scenery

Whether it rains or shines, Giant’s Castle’s grandiose scenery will keep your jaw dropping every so often. When that happens, and you bend down to pick it back up, take a moment to enjoy the magnificent juxtaposition of tiny beauties – pretty flowers, exquisite butterflies, delightful droplets, ornamental moss and lichens, and dainty insects – all around you!

Wildflowers abound in the Drakensberg

Mist-formed droplets on a spiders web

Orange Acraea

Lichen on a rockface

Beetles congregating on a bloom

Ladybug

Common Hottentot Skipper (male)

Water Bronze

Gaudy Commodore (dry season form)

Wichgraf’s Brown

Wildflowers abound in the Drakensberg

Eyed Pansy

It goes without saying that such a scenically attractive piece of earth wouldn’t be complete without a myriad of wildlife to round off the picture, even if, as at Giant’s Castle, they have to be content with taking a back seat to the surrounding landscape.

Eland being dwarfed by the magnificent landscape

Silhouetted Eland

The rangers’ horses huddled together on a cold morning

Bushbuck ewe

Mountain reedbuck in silhouette

Buff-streaked Chat

Olive Thrush

Cape Robin-Chat in the garden at Giant’s Castle Camp

Chorister Robin-Chat

Cape Rock-Thrush (male)

Red-winged Starling atop a boulder

Lucky visitors may spot a Bearded Vulture soaring above

Jackal Buzzard in flight

Black Saw-Wing

Common waxbill

White-necked Raven

Bold baboons frequent the camp at Giant’s Castle

Giant’s Castle is one of our favourite destinations in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, and we can’t imagine that we’d ever get enough of it (our previous visit was also over Easter, in 2014). Excellent amenities in the camp (managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife) and a terrific network of short and longer walking trails ensures that every visit is a pleasant and fulfilling experience, one we can highly recommend!

Giant’s Castle Chalet #4, uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, April 2017

Sitting pretty in the ‘Berg

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Well, maybe not so much pretty as comfortably…

Wintry weather in the ‘Berg

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A cold, overcast and rainy day at Giant’s Castle allowed just a short walk along the Bushmans River this morning

Easter in the ‘Berg

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We’re wishing you a blessed Easter from spectacular Giant’s Castle Game Reserve in the Drakensberg Mountains!

(Click on the image for a larger view)

Grey Heron

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Ardea cinerea

The conspicuous and well-known Grey Heron is widespread over most of Eurasia and Africa, being a seasonal migrant over much of that range. The South African population however is resident throughout the year. It is a large heron, standing a metre tall and weighing up to 2kg.

Grey Herons frequent shallow pans, dams, slow flowing rivers, marshlands, lagoons, estuaries and sheltered rock pools in coastal waters, and are seldom seen away from aquatic habitats such as these. They breed communally, often in mixed colonies together with other types of herons, egrets, ibisses and cormorants, in reedbeds, stands of tall trees near water or on cliffs. in South Africa nesting has been recorded throughout the year, with a peak in spring and early summer. Nests are platforms built of sticks and reeds, and often used year after year, being ever expanded until it becomes too bulky to stay intact. Clutches contain three to five eggs, incubated by both parents for around 25 days. Chicks fledge at about two months old. Grey Herons are active by day (especially around dawn and dusk), hunting for fish, frogs, crabs and other aquatic invertebrates, and small mammals and birds. At night they sleep in tall trees or on cliffs, often in groups.

The IUCN evaluates the Grey Heron as “Least Concern” thanks to its wide distribution and large population (estimated at as many as 3.7-million). They occur commonly all over South Africa, although in the drier western parts of the country they are concentrated along the coast and major river courses, and have benefited from the building of artificial waterbodies and planting of exotic trees in especially arid areas.

The Grey Heron closely resembles the larger Great Blue Heron that occurs in North America and the Caribbean.

Grey Heron

Grey Heron using a hippo as an island

Grey Heron

Grey heron

Grey heron in the Sabie

Grey heron at Lake Panic

Grey Heron

Grey Heron using a hippo as a fishing island at Sunset Dam

Grey Heron at Sweni Hide

Grey Heron baking dry

Grey Heron swooping down (photo by Joubert)

Grey Heron

Grey Heron (photo by Joubert)

Grey Heron

Grey Heron using a hippo as an island

Grey Heron regurgitating its latest meal

Grey Heron trying a piece of the regurgitated fish

…but not liking it at all

Going down to the water to wash out its mouth

Grey Heron on the bank of Transport Dam

Grey Heron

Creatures Great and Small at uMkhuze

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Despite the lush greenery making it a little more difficult than normal, we were treated to some amazing game-viewing at uMkhuze Game Reserve when we visited in March, and what better way to conclude our trip reports than with some photos of the “hairies and scaries” we encountered along the way?

With so many habitats, uMkhuze is home to an astounding variety of invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles and mammals (not forgetting the birds we showed you earlier), and the galleries to follow should give you some idea of what you could expect to see when visiting this wonderful place!

Striped Skink enjoying a grasshopper meal

Scrub Hare

Tortoises have right of way on uMkhuze’s roads – this is a Natal Hinged Tortoise

Tortoise have right of way on uMkhuze’s roads

Butterflies abound in uMkhuze’s sand forests

Serrated Terrapins soaking up the sun at Nsumo Pan

Thick-tailed Bushbabies visited our tent at uMkhuze every night

Jumping Spider navigating the raindrops in one of the hides

Velvet Ant female – This flightless wasp mimics an ant whle searching for unsuspecting prey.

Juvenile African (Edible) (Lesser) Bullfrog

One would think that the bigger the animals the easier they are to see? Please go tell that to uMkhuze’s elephants, rhinos and lions that kept so well hidden during our visit!? Jokes aside though, we reveled in some wonderful encounters with plains zebra, nyala, kudu, impala, hippos, grey duiker, baboons, vervet monkeys, spotted hyenas, buffaloes, blue wildebeest and giraffe.

Plains zebras

Nyala

Nyala lambs

Nyala lamb

Nyala

Kudu family caught in the rain

Impala lamb

Impala ram

Impala ewe

Impala herd

Hippos

Grey Duiker

Vervet Monkey

Baboon

Spotted hyena

uMkhuze’s buffaloes are not frequently seen

Blue wildebeest

Giraffe

Giraffe calf

The arrival of autumn heralds the start of the rutting season for many antelope, and it was hard not to notice the testosterone flowing strongly in many male nyalas and impalas as they established their place in the hierarchy and started herding together their harems!

Young nyalas testing each other’s strength

Adult nyalas use ritualised posturing to try and intimidate one another

Dueling nyala bulls

Impala ram running to meet an intruder

Impala standoff

The loser apologising to the winner

uMkhuze Game Reserve has so much to offer, and with every visit we’re given only a little taste of it, just enough to keep us going back for more!

uMkhuze Birding

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With a list of over 400 recorded bird species, the uMkhuze Game Reserve (part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park) is one of South Africa’s most highly-rated birdwatching destinations. The reserve is home to many commonly seen and well-known species, both residents and summer migrants, but also hosts several species rarely encountered in South Africa – we, for instance, had our first ever sighting of the African Pygmy Goose at uMkhuze’s Nsumo Pan when we visited the reserve in March, though we sadly didn’t manage a photograph of it. This gallery however shows just some of the almost 100 species we managed to find during our three day visit!