Tag Archives: Eastern Shores

Autumn Adventure: Autumn Birding

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Whenever we’re out exploring South Africa’s wild places, bird-watching is one of the pastimes we most enjoy. In this regard we rate the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park very highly, as both these reserves have a wonderful combination of bird species on offer, several of which are unique to the area in a South African context. During our visit in March, we managed to identify 105 different species at uMkhuze Game Reserve and 89 species on the Eastern Shores of Lake St. Lucia (both part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park) and 104 species in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. These photographs feature just a few of them.

Acacia Pied Barbet
African Darter
African Harrier-Hawk
African Hoopoe
African Jacana (photo by Joubert)
African Marsh Harrier
African Pipit
Ashy Flycatcher
Barn Swallow
Bateleur
Bearded Scrub-Robin
Black-backed Puffback
Black-crowned Night Herons
Female Black Cuckooshrike
Black Flycatcher
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue Waxbill
Brown Snake Eagle
Burchell’s Coucal
Chinspot Batis
Collared Sunbird
Common Waxbill
Crested Francolin
Crested Guineafowl
Crowned Hornbill
Dark-capped Bulbul (photo by Joubert)
Diederik Cuckoo
Dwarf Bittern
Emerald-spotted Wood Dove
European Bee-eater
European Nightjar
European Roller (photo by Joubert)
Familiar Chat
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Golden-breasted Bunting
Golden-tailed Woodpecker
Green-backed Camaroptera
Green-backed Heron (immature)
Green-winged Pytilia
Grey-headed Gull
Grey Heron
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Grey Waxbill
Hadeda in flight – photo by Joubert
House Sparrow
Jacobin Cuckoo (dark morph)
Jameson’s Firefinch
Little Bee-eaters
Malachite Kingfisher
Martial Eagle
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Mountain Wagtail
Pied Wagtail
Olive Sunbird (photo by Joubert)
Pink-throated Twinspot
Purple-crested Turaco
Rattling Cisticola
Red-backed Shrike
Red-billed Oxpecker (photo by Joubert)
Reed Cormorant
Rudd’s Apalis
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Saddle-billed Stork in silhouette at sunrise
Sombre Greenbul
Speckled Mousebird
Spotted Eagle Owl (photo by Joubert)
Southern Fiscal
Squacco Heron
Southern Black Flycatcher
Thick-billed Weaver female
Village Weaver
White-backed Vulture
White-browed Scrub Robin
White-crested Helmetshrike
White-eared Barbet
White-faced Whistling Duck family
White-headed Vulture (photo by Joubert)
Wire-tailed Swallow
Woolly-necked Stork
Woodward’s Batis (photo by Joubert)
Yellow-breasted Apalis
Yellow-fronted Canary
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-throated Bush Sparrow
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Tiny Zitting Cisticola with a massive tick on its head

Autumn Adventure: Butterflies in abundance

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Whenever we get a chance to explore South Africa’s wild places I am amazed at the variety and number of butterflies that are on show. This certainly was the case again when we visited the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park in March this year.

African Veined White
African Clouded Yellow
African Common White
African Migrant
Ant-heap White
Ant-heap Whites
Ant-heap White
Banded Gold Tip
Banded Gold Tip
Brown Commodore, aka Brown Pansy
Brown Commodore, aka Brown Pansy
Brown-veined White
Buquet’s Vagrant
Clouded Mother-of-Pearl
Common Black-eye
Common Bush Brown
Common Bush Brown
Common Diadem
Common Dotted Border
Common Mother-of-Pearl
Dusky Acraea
Dusky Copper
Dwarf Blue – South Africa’s smallest butterfly
Green-banded Swallowtail
Female Mocker Swallowtail butterfly female
Natal Acraea
Natal Acraea butterfly
Novice butterfly (photo by Joubert)
Painted Lady
Painted Lady
Pearl Emperor
Pied Piper
Scarlet Tip butterfly
Small Orange Tip
Smokey Orange Tip
Soldier Pansy
Spotted Pentila
Sulphur Orange Tip
Sulphur Orange Tip
Sulphur Orange Tip
Tailed Black-eye Butterfly
Tailed Black-eye Butterfly
Veined Tip butterfly
Vine-leaf Vagrant
Vine-leaf Vagrant
Vine-leaf Vagrant
Zebra White
Zebra White

Autumn Adventure – Elephants: Cape Vidal’s Highway Patrol

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Over the years we’ve visited Cape Vidal, in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, many times – our most recent visit was the twelfth time I had been there – but up until this latest visit we’ve only had one fleeting sighting of an Elephant there before. Seeing them so frequently this time around was therefore a real treat! It must be noted that the elephants roaming the shores of Lake St. Lucia have a reputation for cantankerous temperaments; this year January a family were lucky to escape without serious injury when a bull flipped their car on the main road leading to Cape Vidal, and so it goes without saying that we treat them with the utmost respect.

Soon after arriving through the Bhangazi Gate on the 23rd of March we took a detour along the Vlei Loop, where we had our first encounter with a herd of elephants emerging from a dense thicket into the road. Aside from one youngster who wanted to show off his menacing moves, this encounter went off calmly and without incident.

An elephant cow emerging from the dense vegetation (photo by Joubert)
Another elephant cow stepping out of the thicket and into the road (photo by Joubert)
Another elephant cow stepping out of the thicket and into the road (photo by Joubert)
Off the pair goes along the road (photo by Joubert)
Elephant bull emerging from the forest (photo by Joubert)
The bull following the rest of the herd down the road (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)

Where the Vlei Loop rejoins the main road we found a lone bull on his way to the iZindondwe Pan, and we couldn’t believe our luck!

Elephant bull on his way to the pan for a drink (photo by Joubert)
Elephant bull on his way to the pan for a drink
Elephant drinking from a seasonal pan

After the bull walked off from his drink we got underway ourselves again, only to find the herd of elephants now also at the junction with the Vlei Loop. They were still very calm, though the older cows were keeping a vigilant eye on us, and we could watch them at leisure from our Duster. We especially enjoyed a youngster having a good scratch on a road marker! Eventually the matriarch gave the signal and the entire herd set off in the direction of Mission Rocks.

Relaxed elephant cow on the road to Cape Vidal
Relaxed elephant cow on the road to Cape Vidal
Elephant calf having a good scratch
Young elephant having a good scratch
Elephant calf having a good scratch (photo by Joubert)
Elephant calf having a good scratch
Mother and calf at the side of the road
Matriarch (photo by Joubert)
The matriarch gives the signal and the herd gets on the move
Elephant herd on a stroll (photo by Joubert)

Well, we thought that it was the entire herd, but as we started rolling this frantic youngster came charging from the thick bush along the road. These “teenage” elephants can be real pranksters so there’s no telling whether he “ambushed” us or were really feeling lost having fallen behind the rest of his herd.

Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)

The next morning we were heading to St. Lucia town to stock up on groceries, and just after our picnic breakfast at Mission Rocks we found the herd blocking our way yet again. This time they were solidly laying claim to the road and we were not going to argue their right of way. Besides, elephants walking towards you always make better pictures than elephants walking away!

Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Luciack (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia (photo by Joubert)
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia

Eventually the herd reversed us back all the way to the Mission Rocks turnoff, and we thought that was a splendid spot to get out of their way and watch the parade pass in front of us.

Elephant parade arriving at the junction to Mission Rocks (photo by Marilize)
Elephant parade arriving at the junction to Mission Rocks (photo by Marilize)
Elephant parade arriving at the junction to Mission Rocks (photo by Joubert)
Elephant parade passing at the junction to Mission Rocks
Elephant cow keeping the youngsters safe
Elephant parade passing at the junction to Mission Rock
Dancing elephant (photo by Joubert)
Elephant procession passing the turnoff to Mission Rocks (photo by Marilize)

What we didn’t know was that a portion of the herd decided to do some bundu-bashing and emerged from the forest immediately next to the spot we chose to watch their family members walk along the road. We very quickly had to start the car and get out of their way, because now THEIR way was blocked by US and they were not happy!

Elephant cow emerging from the forest to find us in her way (don’t worry, we moved away quickly!)(photo by Joubert)
Showing her disdain at our presence (photo by Joubert)
Showing her disdain at our presence (photo by Joubert)
Showing her disdain at our presence (photo by Joubert)
Showing her disdain at our presence (photo by Joubert)
Showing her disdain at our presence (photo by Joubert)

Once the road was clear ahead of us we could return to the junction. Looking right we could see the herd moving along in the direction of Cape Vidal, but as we turned left in the direction of Bhangazi Gate and St. Lucia town, we were stopped in our tracks again by two young stragglers chasing each other around.

The elephant parade passed and were now strolling along in the direction of Cape Vidal
Two young elephants playing in the road
Two young elephants playing in the road (photo by Joubert)
Two young elephants playing in the road (photo by Joubert)

Altogether we saw elephants 6 times during our 3 days on the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia. We felt really lucky, and know that next time we visit we’re going to recall all these encounters every time we pass the same spots.

Elephant herd blocking the road…again!

Autumn Adventure – Cape Vidal 25 March 2022

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Another wonderful day spent in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park – our last full day here for this trip. Tomorrow our plans take us to Hilltop Rest Camp in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park.

Spotted Hyena cub near Cape Vidal
Saddle-billed Stork in silhouette at sunrise
Vervet Monkey
Bushbuck ram
Elephant herd blocking the road…again!
Hadeda in flight – photo by Joubert
Hippo going walkabout in broad daylight
Kudu calf nursing
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Natal Acraea butterfly
Samango Monkey
Interesting caterpillar
Wary Buffalo bull
Black-crowned Night Herons
Buffaloes at sunset

Autumn Adventure – Cape Vidal 24 March 2022

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The Isimangaliso Wetland Park, and especially when using Cape Vidal as a base, really offers the best combination of both bush and beach you could hope for.

Angry Buffalo bull
Sunrise at Mission Rocks
Natal Rock Crab (photo by Joubert)
Sleepy Warthog
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Lucia
Elephant roadblock between Cape Vidal and St. Luciack (photo by Joubert)
Elephant cow keeping the youngsters safe
Dancing elephant (photo by Joubert)
Elephant cow emerging from the forest to find us in her way (don’t worry, we moved away quickly!)(photo by Joubert)
Elephant procession passing the turnoff to Mission Rocks (photo by Marilize)
Crested Guineafowl
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Prancing Kudu cow (photo by Joubert)
Tonga Red Bush Squirrel
Natal Acraea
Small fish in a rock pool at Cape Vidal
Convict Surgeonfish in a rock pool at Cape Vidal
Convict Surgeonfish in a rock pool at Cape Vidal
White-fronted Plover
Grey-headed Gull
Plains Zebra
African Marsh Harrier
Thick-tailed Bushbaby

Autumn Adventure – Cape Vidal 23 March 2022

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Today we moved camps to Cape Vidal, another of the overnight options in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park. Cape Vidal is located on the Indian Ocean coast, on a stretch of land wedged between Lake St.Lucia and the sea and surrounded by forests, wetlands and grasslands.

Elephant bull emerging from the forest (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant showing off (photo by Joubert)
Young elephant having a good scratch
Elephant herd on a stroll (photo by Joubert)
Elephant drinking from a seasonal pan
White-eared Barbet
Kudu bull
Crowned Hornbill
Samango Monkey (photo by Marilize)
Log Cabin 25, Cape Vidal, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, March 2022
Cape Vidal beach
Cheeky Bushbuck (photo by Joubert)
Hippos in the Mfazana Swamps (photo by Joubert)
Chacma Baboon
Buffalo in the golden glow of sunset
Sunset over Lake St. Lucia
Spotted Hyena

Summertide Diary: Exploring iSimangaliso (final instalment)

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22 January 2021

It’s our last full day in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and it’s one of those beautiful mornings that you can only experience out in wild Africa. Clear skies, golden light, inspiring scenery and beautiful creatures along the Grassland Loop all conspired to make us want the moment to last forever.

Mfabeni landscape
Yellow-throated Longclaws
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Red-breasted Swallow
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Heavily pregnant Plains Zebra mare
Black-belliedBustard
European Honey Buzzard
Warthog
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Herd of buffalo on the Mfabeni swamp
Red Duiker

Heading back to camp after our breakfast at the lookout point near Mission Rocks, from where we could see both the Indian Ocean to the east and Lake St. Lucia to the west while drinking our morning coffee, we couldn’t help but reflect on why this is one of our favourite corners of South Africa.

Kudu hiding in the shade of a small Wild Date Palm
Black Monkey Orange fruit
Natal Iron Plum fruit
Looking up into the branches of a Flat-crown tree
Lake Bhangazi
Bushbuck
Yellow-bellied Greenbul

Seeing as it may be some time before we see the sea again we opted to spend our final afternoon in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park on the beach at Cape Vidal.

Cape Vidal beach at low tide

23 January 2021

Sadly our time at Cape Vidal in the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, and with it our Summertide Ramble through the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal, has come to an end. The 30km to the Bhangazi Gate goes by far too quickly for our liking, despite some good sightings along the way, and with heavy hearts we tackle the road back to Pretoria…

A huge thanks to each and every one of you that joined us for our daily recollections of this most memorable trip!

Spotted Hyena (photo by Joubert)
Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena
Crowned Hornbill
Amazibu Pan

Map of the eastern shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (from https://isimangaliso.com/)

Summertide Diary: iSimangaliso Rhinos

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The iSimangaliso Wetland Park is home to healthy populations of both White and Black Rhinoceros, jealously guarded by the reserve’s rangers and routinely dehorned to deter poachers. Rhino populations all over our country are under severe threat and seeing these animals in the wild, even without their trademark horns, is an experience we’re very grateful for.

Being diurnal in habit and much less skittish, the White Rhino is the easier of the two African species to find while driving around iSimangaliso.

White Rhinos
White Rhino
White Rhino rubbing mud from its face
White Rhinos
Lazy White Rhinos
White Rhino

Black Rhinos are solitary, shy, more nocturnal and consequently seen less often than White Rhinos.

Black Rhino on the eastern shores of Lake St. Lucia
Black Rhinoceros (photo by Joubert)
Black Rhinoceros

This muddy signpost in the park was used by a muddy rhino as a rubbing post. Rolling in mud, leaving it to dry and then rubbing the caked mud off against a sturdy rock, tree or …signpost, is a way for the rhino to rid itself of external parasites like ticks.

Signpost re-modelled by a muddy rhinoceros

Summertide Diary: Exploring iSimangaliso (part five)

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21 January 2021

After a night of heavy rainfall our first encounter of the morning was with an amphibian, probably no surprize there. It was however the first time we saw the tiny Bush Squeaker frog – this one, no bigger than a thumbnail, was sitting next to our vehicle as we wanted to climb aboard for our morning excursion.

Bush Squeaker

Everything was crisp and clean along the Grassland Loop after the rainstorm the previous night.

African Pygmy Kingfisher
Sunrise over Lake Bhangazi and the forested dunes of Cape Vidal
Cuckoo Hawk
Immature Burchell’s Coucal
Red-breasted Swallows

Climbing to the top of the Kwasheleni Tower and taking in the beautiful views in the morning light with the smell of a wet forest all around was magical.

Kwasheleni Tower
Steps leading up to the Kwasheleni Tower
Thorny Bone-apple fruit
Indian Ocean from Kwasheleni Tower
View towards the north-west from Kwasheleni Tower
View southwards from Kwasheleni Tower
View to the south-west from Kwasheleni Tower, with Lake St. Lucia in the background

There was lots to see along the remainder of the road back to camp

Distant view of a Crowned Eagle in the forest
Buffalo close-up
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Bell’s Hinged Tortoise
Crested Guineafowl leaving home for work (photo by Joubert)
Samango Monkey
Black-bellied Starling

With low tide arriving around 15:00 this afternoon we used the opportunity to go down to Mission Rocks and explore the wonders of the rocky shoreline there. This gallery is just a little teaser of what we have in store for you tomorrow.

Wild Date Palm
Mission Rocks
Interesting plantlife above the high water mark at Mission Rocks
Little Blenny fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks
Natal Rock Crab at Mission Rocks
Interesting plantlife above the high water mark at Mission Rocks
Little fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks
Heart-shaped rock pool at Mission Rocks
Mission Rocks
Barred Flagtail in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

After a wonderful time around the rock pools at Mission Rocks the road back to Cape Vidal was buzzing with lots to see.

Cute little Vervet Monkeys – just look at that smile!
Flat-crown Tree
Scenery along the Vlei Loop on the Eastern Shores of Lake St. Lucia
Black-bellied Starling at its nest
Black-bellied Starling at its nest
Kudu bull close-up
Kudu bull

 

Map of the eastern shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (from https://isimangaliso.com/)

Summertide Diary: Exploring iSimangaliso (part four)

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20 January 2021

Morning broke at Cape Vidal with a thick blanket of fog covering the coast, and knowing that visibility along the Grassland Loop would be limited as a result we stuck to the main road out of camp, heading south as far as Amazibu Pan.

Thick fog blanket the Mfabeni swamp
Scruffy-looking Spotted Hyena
Scruffy-looking Spotted Hyena
African Pygmy Kingfisher
Spectacled Weaver
Immature Cuckoo Hawk
Crowned Hornbill

As per usual Amazibu Pan was abuzz with a variety of mammalian and avian wildlife when we arrived.

Burchell’s Coucal
Blue-cheeked Bee-eaters
Small herd of buffaloes
Black-belled Bustard
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Kudu cow

Next on our itinerary for the morning was a jaunt along the Vlei Loop, though in these early hours not much game were around the waterholes as yet.

Black-crowned Tchagra
Crowned Hornbill (photo by Joubert)
Common Duiker

Then followed a short detour along the Forest Loop…

Peek-a-boo! Mother and baby Vervet Monkey
Red Duiker
Black-backed Puffback displaying
Flat-crown Tree
Green Monkey Orange

…and the Dune Loop…

Female Fan-tailed Widowbird
Flat-crown Tree
Cinnamon-breasted Bunting

… before arriving back at our cabin in Cape Vidal where some interesting visitors were already in attendance.

Square-tailed Drongo
Eastern Coastal Skink
Collared Sunbird
Giant-leaved Fig growing precariously
Dark-backed Weaver

Having had to skip the Grassland Loop in the morning, that is where our attention was focused for our afternoon drive.

Flat-crown Tree
Wild Date Palm
Enormous Kudu bull in the Mfabeni Swamp
Bushbuck ram
Rainbow along the Grassland Loop
Trumpeter Hornbill

In the evening while having dinner on the deck of our cabin the Tropical House Gecko kept us thoroughly entertained by catching moths attracted to the outside light.

Tropical House Gecko

Map of the eastern shores section of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park (from https://isimangaliso.com/)