Tag Archives: nature

Just look at those teeth!

This vicious looking snarl, photographed on a recent tour of the Kruger National Park, is actually just a Spotted Hyena yawning. The jaws of a spotted hyena are extremely powerful and its dentition specifically adapted to be capable of crushing the long bones of even giraffe and buffalo carcasses.

Spotted Hyena showing a toothy grin

Just to remind us that Spotted Hyenas are actually very interesting animals that certainly don’t deserve the bad PR they’ve been getting, here’s a photograph of two very cute cubs taken on the same trip.

Cute Spotted Hyena cubs

I am a fully accredited and legally registered tour guide (with all the necessary insurance, professional drivers license and first aid certification) – don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like me to arrange a guided tour of beautiful South Africa and all her natural wonders, like the Kruger National Park, for you as well, or even just to assist with your holiday reservations for our national parks and nature reserves throughout the country.

Southern African Vlei Rat

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Otomys irroratus

The Southern African Vlei Rat is found in South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The species is closely associated with wet and marshy areas in grassland and heathland, often on mountains and hillsides, feeding mainly on fresh shoots of grasses, reeds and sedges. Like others of the family the Southern African Vlei Rat is diurnal and move along singly or in family groups using well worn pathways radiating from their nest, built in a thicket using a variety of plant materials.

The Southern African Vlei Rat is extremely fertile and females may have up to 7 litters of as many as 7 babies each in a year. The babies are weaned by the time they’re between 2 and 3 weeks old and females are sexually mature before they’re 3 months of age. Fully grown adults weigh around 120g and measure about 25cm in length (including their tail). They have a life expectancy of less than 2 years in the wild and are a favourite prey of a wide range of predatory mammals and birds.

Southern African Vlei Rat

Toad Tree

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Tabernaemontana elegans

The Toad Tree gets its name from its characteristic warty green fruit’s superficial resemblance to the amphibian. They’re usually found in the form of a shrub or small tree up to 5m tall, growing along riverbanks in the Lowveld or the coastal forests of Kwazulu-Natal. Toad Trees flower in our summer months. The ripe fruit, often still on the plant, split open to reveal the pulp inside, which is eaten by a range of animals and birds, including people and black rhinos. Most browsing animals will also feed on the leaves. Other parts of the plant is sometimes used in traditional medicine though some of these have been found to be toxic.

Toad Tree pods

Toad Tree blossoms

Opened Toad Tree pods

Toad Tree leaves

Peregrine Falcon

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Falco peregrinus

The Peregrine Falcon is a cosmopolitan bird, found on every continent except Antarctica. According to the IUCN the species is growing in number and therefore considered to be of least concern. Though widely distributed in South Africa they’re not common here. Most local birds are resident throughout the year, though some migrants join them during our summer months.

Peregrine Falcons are fond of mountainous areas, where they breed on the cliffs. In urban locations city skyscrapers are useful alternatives to cliffs and as a result they can be a very effective biological control agent of pigeon population in city centres, as Peregrine Falcons feed mainly on birds caught and killed in flight – in a dive they can reach speeds of 300km/h, usually killing their prey instantly when striking it with their talons at high speed.

Peregrine Falcons form permanent monogamous pairs, building a stick platform nest on a ledge or cavity (natural or man-made) in which they usually lay a clutch of 1-4 eggs at the end of winter or early spring. The female is mostly responsible for incubating the eggs over a 5 week period, while the male will provide food for her at the nest. The chicks make their first flight at about 7 weeks of age but only become independent at about 4-5 months old.

Peregrine Falcon

During a visit to the Dullstroom Bird of Prey and Rehabilitation Centre in September 2020 we were treated to a display of the Peregrine Falcon’s prowess in the sky by Charlie, a hand-raised bird being cared for at the centre.

Charlie the Peregrine Falcon

A Waterbuck’s end and a Crocodile’s fortune

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On a recent tour of the Kruger National Park my guest and I were treated to this amazing sighting. We were following the course of the Olifants River when we saw a downed Waterbuck bull splashing in shallow water. How the Waterbuck ended up there is open to speculation, though it appeared to have a wound in its stomach and one of the other bulls standing on the riverbank might have had something to do with that. In any event the Waterbuck was not able to get back up and it didn’t take long for its splashing to attract a Nile Crocodile. It was extremely interesting to see how gingerly the Crocodile dealt with the Waterbuck, even after the antelope drowned itself, and this is likely due to the distasteful oily secretions that covers its coat.

July ’25 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

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June and July was busy months for me and there wasn’t much opportunity to guide walks and drives at Rietvlei Nature Reserve the past two months. Still, on the few occasions I could, we had marvelous sightings even if the winter weather was bitterly cold!

Spotted-necked Otter

Malachite Kingfisher

African Darter

White-breasted Cormorants

Island View at Rietvlei in the early morning

Sacred Ibis

Dabchick

Sacred Ibis

White-breasted Cormorant

Grey-headed Gull

Reed Cormorant

Greater Flamingo

Egyptian Goose

Reed Cormorant

Lesser Swamp Warbler

Red-knobbed Coot

Reed Cormorant

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Malachite Kingfisher

Wattled Lapwing

Spotted Dikkop

African Stone-chat

Common Duiker

Cape Glossy Starling

Yellow-eyed Canary

Ring-necked Parakeet

Black Sparrowhawk with a dove it killed being mobbed by a Pied Crow

Black Sparrowhawk with a dove it killed

Young Buffalo

Red Hartebeest

Island View Hide

African Stone-chat

Reed Cormorant

Buffalo bull

Crimson-breasted Shrike

Frost covering a wooden railing

Blesbok

African Pipit

Ostriches

Buffalo bull

Young buffalo

Waterbuck bull

Black-chested Prinia

Arrow-marked Babbler

Blesbok

Buffalo bull

White Rhino’s ear

Yellow-billed Duck

Green-backed Heron

If you’d like to join me on a guided tour of Rietvlei – on a hike or on an open vehicle drive – you can book through melanie@rietvleicoffee.co.za / +27(0)74-820-9926.

List of birds seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during June & July 2025:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Acridotheres tristis	Indiese Spreeu	Common Myna
Acrocephalus gracilirostris	Kaapse Rietsanger	Lesser Swamp Warbler
Afrotis afraoides	Witvlerkkorhaan	Northern Black Korhaan
Alopochen aegyptiaca	Kolgans	Egyptian Goose
Amandava subflava	Rooiassie	Orange-breasted Waxbill
Amblyospiza albifrons	Dikbekwewer	Thick-billed Weaver
Anas erythrorhyncha	Rooibekeend	Red-billed Teal
Anas undulata	Geelbekeend	Yellow-billed Duck
Anhinga rufa	Slanghalsvoel	African Darter
Anthus cinnamomeus	Gewone Koester	African Pipit
Ardea melanocephala	Swartkopreier	Black-headed Heron
Ardeola ralloides	Ralreier	Squacco Heron
Astur melanoleucus	Swartsperwer	Black Sparrowhawk
Bostrychia hagedash	Hadeda	Hadeda Ibis
Burhinus capensis	Gewone Dikkop	Spotted Thick-knee
Butorides striata	Groenrugreier	Green-backed Heron
Centropus burchellii	Gewone Vleiloerie	Burchell’s Coucal
Ceryle rudis	Bontvisvanger	Pied Kingfisher
Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus	Gryskopmeeu	Grey-headed Gull
Circaetus pectoralis	Swartborsslangarend	Black-chested Snake Eagle
Cisticola fulvicapilla	Neddikkie	Neddicky
Cisticola tinniens	Vleitinktinkie	Levaillant’s Cisticola
Colius striatus	Gevlekte Muisvoel	Speckled Mousebird
Corvus albus	Witborskraai	Pied Cow
Corythornis cristatus	Kuifkopvisvanger	Malachite Kingfisher
Crinifer concolor	Kwevoel	Grey Go-Away Bird
Crithagra mozambica	Geeloogkanarie	Yellow-fronted Canary
Curruca subcoerulea	Bosveldtjeriktik	Chestnut-vented Warbler
Dendrocygna viduata	Nonnetjie-eend	White-faced Whistling Duck
Dendropicos fuscescens	Kardinaalspeg	Cardinal Woodpecker
Dessonornis caffer	Gewone Janfrederik	Cape Robin-Chat
Dicrurus adsimilis	Mikstertbyvanger	Fork-tailed Drongo
Elanus caeruleus	Blouvalk	Black-winged Kite
Estrilda astrild	Rooibeksysie	Common Waxbill
Euplectes orix	Rooivink	Southern Red Bishop
Euplectes progne	Langstertflap	Longtailed Widowbird
Fulica cristata	Bleshoender	Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinago nigripennis	Afrikaanse Snip	African Snipe
Gallinula chloropus	Grootwaterhoender	Common Moorhen
Icthyophaga vocifer	Visarend	Fish Eagle
Jynx ruficollis	Draaihals	Red-throated Wryneck
Lamprotornis bicolor	Witgatspreeu	Pied Starling
Lamprotornis nitens	Kleinglansspreeu	Cape Glossy Starling
Laniarius atrococcineus	Rooiborslaksman	Crimson-breasted Shrike
Laniarius ferrugineus	Suidelike Waterfiskaal	Southern Boubou
Lanius collaris	Fiskaallaksman	Common Fiscal
Lophoceros nasutus	Grysneushoringvoel	African Grey Hornbill
Macronyx capensis	Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie	Cape Longclaw
Megaceryle maxima	Reusevisvanger	Giant Kingfisher
Microcarbo africanus	Rietduiker	Reed Cormorant
Mirafra africana	Rooineklewerik	Rufous-naped Lark
Motacilla capensis	Gewone Kwikkie	Cape Wagtail
Netta erythrophthalma	Bruineend	Southern Pochard
Numida meleagris	Gewone Tarentaal	Helmeted Guineafowl
Passer diffusus	Gryskopmossie	Southern Grey-headed Sparrow
Passer melanurus	Gewone Mossie	Cape Sparrow
Phalacrocorax lucidus	Witborsduiker	White-breasted Cormorant
Phoenicopterus roseus	Grootflamink	Greater Flamingo
Phoeniculus purpureus	Rooibekkakelaar	Green Wood-hoopoe
Platalea alba	Lepelaar	African Spoonbill
Ploceus capensis	Kaapse Wewer	Cape Weaver
Ploceus velatus	Swartkeelgeelvink	Southern Masked Weaver
Prinia flavicans	Swartbandlangstertjie	Black-chested Prinia
Prinia subflava	Bruinsylangstertjie	Tawny-flanked Prinia
Psittacula krameri	Ringnekparkiet	Rose-ringed Parakeet
Pternistis swainsonii	Bosveldfisant	Swainson’s Spurfowl
Pycnonotus tricolor	Swartoogtiptol	Dark-capped Bulbul
Saxicola torquatus	Gewone Bontrokkie	African Stonechat
Sigelus silens	Fiskaalvlieevanger	Fiscal Flycatcher
Spilopelia senegalensis	Rooiborsduifie	Laughing Dove
Streptopelia capicola	Gewone Tortelduif	Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia semitorquata	Grootringduif	Red-eyed Dove
Struthio camelus	Volstruis	Common Ostrich
Tachybaptus ruficollis	Kleindobbertjie	Little Grebe
Tadorna cana	Kopereend	South African Shelduck
Telophorus zeylonus	Bokmakierie	Bokmakierie
Threskiornis aethiopicus	Skoorsteenveer	African Sacred Ibis
Turdoides jardineii	Pylvlekkatlagter	Arrow-marked Babbler
Turdus smithi	Geelbeklyster	Karoo Thrush
Vanellus armatus	Bontkiewiet	Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus	Kroonkiewiet	Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus	Lelkiewiet	Wattled Lapwing
Zapornia flavirostra	Swartriethaan	Black Crake
Zosterops virens	Kaapse Glasogie	Cape White-eye

List of mammals seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during June & July 2025:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Alcelaphus buselaphus	Rooihartbees	Red Hartebeest
Canis mesomelas	Rooijakkals	Black-backed Jackal
Ceratotherium simum	Witrenoster	White Rhinoceros
Connochaetes gnou	Swartwildebees	Black Wildebeest
Cynictis penicillata	Witkwasmuishond	Yellow Mongoose
Damaliscus pygargus	Blesbok	Blesbuck
Equus quagga	Bontsebra	Plains Zebra
Hippopotamus amphibius	Seekoei	Hippopotamus
Hydrictis maculicollis	Kleinotter	Spotted-necked Otter
Kobus ellipsyprymnus	Waterbok	Waterbuck
Sylvicapra grimmia	Grysduiker	Common Duiker
Syncerus caffer	Buffel	Cape Buffalo
Taurotragus oryx	Eland	Eland

A Giraffe with a bone to pick

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While on a recent tour of the Pilanesberg National Park we came across this Giraffe comically sucking on an old bone it picked up in the veld. Osteophagia – the behaviour in which herbivorous animals chew on bones – is thought to be a way for these animals to supplement the calcium and phosphate levels in their bodies, especially during the dry season when their usual fodder – leaves, in the case of giraffes – may not be adequately providing in their needs.

Giraffe chewing on a bone in the Pilanesberg National Park

A hard day’s work in Dinokeng

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Last week we had opportunity for a quick day visit to the Dinokeng Game Reserve and thankfully the chilly winter weather let up for a little while, allowing us to spend the day in the great outdoors, exploring the only game reserve where the “Big 5” roam freely within our home province of Gauteng, while also getting a bit of work done.

Southern Pied Babblers

Blue Wildebeest

Coqui Francolin

Kudu bull

Magpie Shrike

Kudu cow

Kudu bull

Kudu cow

Black Springbok

“Standard” Springbok

White Springbok

Grey Go-away Bird

Blue Wildebeest

Warthog

Larry’s Dam

Burnt-necked Eremomela

Giraffe

Purple Heron

Stream crossing in Dinokeng

Nyala

Kalahari Scrub Robin

White Rhinos

Stream crossing in Dinokeng

Elephant bull

Pienaars River

Pienaars River in Dinokeng

The reason for our trip to Dinokeng Game Reserve was an introductory visit to Ngata Safari Lodge, the newest addition to DeWetsWild’s portfolio of wild destinations that we offer a reservation service for and that we can use as base for our guided tours. Ngata is a small venue inside the reserve and less than an hour’s drive from our home in Pretoria, offering safari-style tents with en-suite bathrooms – the epitome of “glamping” – and breakfast included in the rate. There is also camping sites where you can pitch your own tent or caravan and use either private or communal ablution blocks. On site there is a restaurant, function venue, boma and swimming pool. We were very impressed with Ngata’s facilities and personnel and if you’d like to book a visit don’t hesitate to reach out – you will probably run into us there one day soon!

Safari-style tent at Ngata Safari Lodge

The tents are equipped with double beds

and en-suite bathroom with wc, bath and shower!

Camping site at Ngata

Communal ablution block

The finest views are from campsite 1, which has its own private bathroom

Ngata’s boma is ideal for fireside get-togethers

Ngata’s function venue

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 5 (16 June)

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It always astounds me just how quickly time goes by when we’re out in South Africa’s wild places, and our June 2025 Manyeleti Magic photo-safari and workshop, hosted in conjunction with Hannes Rossouw Photography at Buffelshoek in the Manyeleti Nature Reserve, was no exception. All too soon our final morning arrived and we had just one more drive from camp to enjoy with our guests before everyone headed home again.

Early morning light reveals a herd of elephants

Still excited about the amazing photo-session with the cheetah-family the previous afternoon we opted to go looking for them again, and found them up another termite mound from where they were surveying their Lowveld home for prey and danger. Two spotted hyenas were also hanging around, hoping to get an easy meal if the devoted cheetah mother made a kill. The cubs were in a playful mood and practiced their hunting strides on each other and even occasionally on the hyenas, giving us a lot of entertainment.

Cheetah cubs

Cheetah cubs – there’s always that one in a family photo that has their eyes closed!

Cheetah cubs

Cheetah cub

Cheetah cubs

Cheetah female

Spotted Hyena

Cheetah family

Cheetah family watching the hyena closely

Cheetah family

Cheetah cub

Cheetah cubs

Cheetah female

Cheetah cub

Cheetah female

Cheetah cubs

Cheetah cub

Cheetah cubs

Soon after leaving the cheetahs we found a herd of elephant at a nearby waterhole – drinking elephants always make for interesting photographs!

Elephants at the waterhole

By now it was time to start making our way back to Buffelshoek for breakfast, but a tree full of vultures distracted us. Nearing the spot the vultures took flight – great for attempting some pictures of them in the air – and then we noticed two magnificent male lions walking around in circles around the area, smelling and marking as they went. It was obvious that the two shared a close bond and woe to the interlopers that try to muscle in on their territory!

White-backed vulture in flight

Lion male

Lion males

Lion male at Manyeleti

Lion male marking territory

Lion male

Lion males

Lion male

Lion males

Lion male

Lion males

A small herd of plains zebra and blue wildebeest were our final sighting before arriving back at camp after yet another exhilarating drive.

Plains Zebras

Blue Wildebeest

Plains Zebra

After a final scrumptious breakfast it was time to say goodbye to the management and staff of Buffelshoek who took care of us so wonderfully the past couple of days. On the way to the gate, and home beyond that, Manyeleti had a final gift for us – another encounter with the cheetah family pacing through the veld!

Cheetah female

Cheetah cubs

Manyeleti certainly delivered the magic again! Hannes and I will be hosting two photo-safari workshops at Buffelshoek again in 2026, in June and September – do get in touch with us to keep a spot for you!

Manyeleti Magic 2025: Day 4 (15 June)

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Our first early morning sighting, of a little Crowned Lapwing chick, shortly after setting out from Buffelshoek was quite suprising, considering how dark and cold it was for the little one to be venturing out from underneath his mother’s wing!

Crowned Lapwing chick

Soon afterwards the sun was rising beautifully over the Lowveld horizon and we couldn’t resist parking and watching in awe as the rich colours tinted the sky, nor could we resist attempting to capture it with our cameras.

Manyeleti sunrise

A pack of spotted hyenas lounging at a waterhole was our first predator sighting of the morning. In the waterhole a hamerkop was trying to catch frogs, not in the least worried about the hyenas all around.

Spotted Hyena

Spotted Hyenas

Spotted Hyena

Hamerkop

Our next sighting of note was of a breeding herd of elephants accompanied by a very impressive tusker.

Impressive Tusker

Elephant family

Baby elephant

Of course we also saw many other kinds of birds and animals on our morning excursion before getting back to Buffelshoek, where three elephant bulls visited the local waterhole just after we finished breakfast.

Lilac-breasted Roller

Magpie Shrike

Grey Go-away Bird

Rattling Cisticola

Kudu cow

Kudu bull

Giraffe

Elephant bulls

Elephant bull

Our afternoon drive delivered spectacularly again when an off-duty guide sent word of a female cheetah with four cubs, about 7 months old, just a short drive from Buffelshoek. When we arrived at the spot the family lay claim to a termite mound from which they could keep an eye out for both prey and danger. Apparently just the day before we arrived in Manyeleti the mother was hurt in a fight with a leopard and the wounds were still evident on her right front leg, though it didn’t appear to have caused her too much discomfort and she is expected to make a full recovery.

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah Cubs

Cheetah Family

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah Family

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

Cheetah Cub

Cheetah female

With Buffelshoek being so far from all the other lodges in Manyeleti we had the beautiful cheetah family all to ourselves for a considerable time, and by the time vehicles from other lodges joined the sighting we had taken more than our fair share of photographs. We could therefore move on to another of Manyeleti’s special corners, a tranquil spot next to a stretch of water where we could enjoy our sundowners being watched – and serenaded – by hippos!

Grey Heron

Being watched by a hippo

Manyeleti sunset

Back at Buffelshoek my new Scops Owl friend was calling from early on. What a way to end another day in wild Africa…

Scops Owl

In the next post we’ll show you everything we encountered on the final morning of our 2025 Manyeleti Magic photo-safari and workshop. The 2026 dates are yet to be confirmed, but do get in touch with us to keep a spot for you!