Tag Archives: outdoors

Marico Flycatcher

Bradornis (Melaenornis) mariquensis

The Marico Flycatcher is an insectivorous bird that lives in dry, thorny savannas (they are entirely independent of drinking water), and in South Africa occurs from the Lowveld through Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng and North West through to the Northern Cape and western Free State. Their distribution further extends to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and southern reaches of Zambia and Angola.

Marico Flycatchers live alone, in pairs or small groups of up to 5. They may breed at any time of year. Monogamous pairs raise clutches of 2-4 chicks that hatch in a flimsy cup-shaped nest built by the female. Chicks remain with their parents for up to 2 months after leaving the nest. Adults weigh about 24g and measure approximately 18cm in length.

The IUCN considers the Marico Flycatcher to be of least concern.

Marico Flycatcher

Immature Marico Flycatcher

Barn Swallow

10 Replies

Hirundo rustica

Barn Swallows are amongst the best known birds in the world, occurring on all the continents (except Antarctica) for at least part of the year. They breed in the northern hemisphere and migrate to the southern continents during the northern winter, covering distances of up to 11,500km between their breeding grounds and non-breeding abodes. Locally they arrive from late September and depart again by April and can be seen in basically every corner of the country during that time. The IUCN estimates that there’s at least 290-million Barn Swallows in the world and lists the species as being of least concern.

in South Africa Barn Swallows can be found in any habitat though they reach their highest densities in areas of higher rainfall. They feed mainly on insects caught on the wing. Barn Swallows are highly gregarious and usually roost in reed beds – some of these have been in use for decades and may host up to 3 million birds! Barn Swallows measure about 14cm in length and weigh around 20g.

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallows

Barn Swallow

May ’24 update from Rietvlei Nature Reserve

7 Replies

Another month of guiding guests visiting our local Rietvlei Nature Reserve has passed, and with temperatures at sunrise now touching the 0°C mark near the water and the grass slowly turning brown and less dense there’s no denying that winter is upon us in our corner of the southern hemisphere. Sightings have been excellent as usual and I’ve had some thoroughly entertaining and very memorable drives with my guests.

A quiet corner of the Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Autumn colours in Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Phragmites Reeds thrive at Rietvlei Nature Reserve

Grass influorescence

Doll’s Protea is in fact a member of the daisy family, despite its resemblance to protea flowers

Female Giant Mantis / Common Green Mantis

Green Milkweed Locust

Painted Lady Butterfly

Brown-veined White Butterfly

Grasshopper of the family Pamphagidae

Nile Monitor

Puff Adder

Rietvlei sunrise

Island View on a misty may morning (photo by Joubert)

We managed to identify 94 bird species while out on guided drives this past month.

African Black Duck

African Darter (photo by Joubert)

Immature African Fish Eagle

African Pipit

African Reed Warbler (photo by Joubert)

African Snipe (photo by Joubert)

African Stonechat

African Stonechat female

African Wattled Lapwing (photo by Joubert)

Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)

Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle (photo by Joubert)

Immature Black-chested Snake Eagle in flight (photo by Joubert)

Blacksmith Lapwing

Black-winged Kite

Buffy Pipit

Cape Longclaw (photo by Joubert)

Cape Sparrow (male)

Cape Wagtail

Cattle Egret

Chestnut-vented Warbler

Common Fiscal

Common Moorhen

Common Waxbills

Crowned Lapwing (photo by Joubert)

Greater Flamingoes

Green-backed Heron (photo by Joubert)

Grey Go-away-bird

Helmeted Guineafowl

Levaillant’s Cisticola

Little Grebe (photo by Joubert)

Long-tailed Widowbird (non-breeding)

Northern Black Korhaan male

Northern Black Korhaan pair

Northern Black Korhaan female

Orange River Francolin

Ostrich at sunrise

Ostriches at sunset

Red-billed Teal

Red Bishop

Red-throated Wryneck

Reed Cormorant

Secretary Bird (photo by Joubert)

Swainson’s Spurfowl

Tawny-flanked Prinia

White-breasted Cormorant

Yellow-billed Ducks

Yellow-billed Ducks (photo by Joubert)

And most of the mammals also played along nicely, although the resident cheetah kept herself well hidden!

Blesbok

Buffalo Calf

Buffalo Bull

Buffalo Cow

Buffalo cow

Buffalo Bull

Buffaloes fighting

Common Duiker

Eland

Eland herd (photo by Joubert)

Red Hartebeest

Black-backed Jackal

Slender Mongoose (photo by Joubert)

Yellow Mongoose

Spotted-necked Otters

Waterbuck bull

Waterbuck cow and calves

Black Wildebeest

Plains Zebra

List of birds seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2024:

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 sparsa	Swarteend	African Black Duck
Anas undulata	Geelbekeend	Yellow-billed Duck
Anhinga rufa	Slanghalsvoel	African Darter
Anthus cinnamomeus	Gewone Koester	African Pipit
Anthus vaalensis	Vaalkoester	Buffy Pipit
Apus barbatus	Swartwindswael	African Black Swift
Ardea melanocephala	Swartkopreier	Black-headed Heron
Ardeola ralloides	Ralreier	Squacco Heron
Asio capensis	Vlei-uil	Marsh Owl
Batis molitor	Witliesbosbontrokkie	Chinspot Batis
Bostrychia hagedash	Hadeda	Hadeda Ibis
Bubulcus ibis	Veereier	Western Cattle Egret
Burhinus capensis	Gewone Dikkop	Spotted Thick-knee
Butorides striata	Groenrugreier	Green-backed Heron
Calendulauda sabota	Sabota Lewerik	Sabota Lark
Cecropis cucullata	Grootstreepswael	Greater Striped Swallow
Centropus burchellii	Gewone Vleiloerie	Burchell’s Coucal
Chalcomitra amethystina	Swartsuikerbekkie	Amethyst Sunbird
Circaetus pectoralis	Swartborsslangarend	Black-chested Snake Eagle
Cisticola juncidis	Landeryklopkloppie	Zitting Cisticola
Cisticola tinniens	Vleitinktinkie	Levaillant’s Cisticola
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
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
Falco peregrinus	Swerfvalk	Peregrine Falcon
Falco rupicolus	Kransvalk	Rock Kestrel
Fulica cristata	Bleshoender	Red-knobbed Coot
Gallinago nigripennis	Afrikaanse Snip	African Snipe
Gallinula chloropus	Grootwaterhoender	Common Moorhen
Glaucidium perlatum	Witkoluiltjie	Pearl-spotted Owlet
Icthyophaga vocifer	Visarend	Fish Eagle
Jynx ruficollis	Draaihals	Red-throated Wryneck
Lamprotornis bicolor	Witgatspreeu	Pied Starling
Lamprotornis nitens	Klein Glansspreeu	Cape Glossy Starling
Laniarius atrococcineus	Rooiborslaksman	Crimson-breasted Shrike
Lanius collaris	Fiskaallaksman	Common Fiscal
Lophaetus occipitalis	Langkuifarend	Long-crested Eagle
Lophoceros nasutus	Grysneushoringvoel	African Grey Hornbill
Lybius torquatus	Rooikophoutkapper	Black-collared Barbet
Macronyx capensis	Oranjekeel Kalkoentjie	Cape Longclaw
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
Plectropterus gambensis	Wildemakou	Spur-winged Goose
Ploceus velatus	Swartkeelgeelvink	Southern Masked Weaver
Prinia subflava	Bruinsylangstertjie	Tawny-flanked Prinia
Psittacula krameri	Ringnekparkiet	Rose-ringed Parakeet
Pternistis swainsonii	Bosveldfisant	Swainson’s Spurfowl
Pycnonotus tricolor	Swartoogtiptol	Dark-capped Bulbul
Sagittarius serpentarius	Sekretarisvoel	Secretarybird
Saxicola torquatus	Gewone Bontrokkie	African Stonechat
Scleroptila gutturalis	Kalaharipatrys	Orange River Francolin
Scopus umbretta	Hamerkop	Hamerkop
Sigelus silens	Fiskaalvlieevanger	Fiscal Flycatcher
Sphenoeacus afer	Grasvoel	Cape Grassbird
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
Tachymarptis melba	Witpenswindswael	Alpine Swift
Telophorus zeylonus	Bokmakierie	Bokmakierie
Threskiornis aethiopicus	Skoorsteenveer	African Sacred Ibis
Turdoides jardineii	Pylvlekkatlagter	Arrow-marked Babbler
Turdus smithi	Geelbeklyster	Karoo Thrush
Upupa africana	Hoephoep	African Hoopoe
Urocolius indicus	Rooiwangmuisvoel	Red-faced Mousebird
Vanellus armatus	Bontkiewiet	Blacksmith Lapwing
Vanellus coronatus	Kroonkiewiet	Crowned Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus	Lelkiewiet	Wattled Lapwing
Zosterops virens	Kaapse Glasogie	Cape White-eye

List of mammals seen at Rietvlei Nature Reserve during May 2024:

Scientific	Afrikaans	English
Alcelaphus buselaphus	Rooihartbees	Red Hartebeest
Antidorcas marsupialis	Springbok	Springbuck
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
Herpestes sanguineus	Swartkwasmuishond	Slender Mongoose
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

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.

Wild Date Palm

2 Replies

Phoenix reclinata

The Wild Date Palm is a characteristic tree of forests and moist savannas in the east of South Africa, where it grows from the Eastern Cape through low-lying areas of Kwazulu-Natal and into the Lowveld of Mpumalanga and Limpopo and is classified as a protected tree. Beyond our borders they’re found all the way to Egypt. It only grows in well-watered areas and is most common along streams or in marshy areas. It may be encountered as dense multi-stemmed clumps of 3-6m high or more typically palm-like tall long-stemmed trees of up to 12m tall.

While the fruit, which appears towards the end of summer, isn’t as large as commercial dates, it is still a favourite among fruit-eating birds and mammals, including humans. Elephants browse the leaves. Several local cultures use the fronds to weave hats, mats and baskets and make brooms and fish traps from the stems, while an alcoholic drink is made of the sap.

Wild Date Palm blowing in the wind

Kudu hiding in the shade of a small Wild Date Palm

Wild Date Palm

Wild Date Palms

Wild Date Palm on the Western Shores of Lake Saint Lucia

Wild Date Palms on the Western Shores of Lake Saint Lucia

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbia

7 Replies

Euphorbia cooperi

The Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbia grows as a bush or small tree of up to 7m tall, occurring in the savanna regions of Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West and most commonly found in rocky parts.

In keeping with most Euphorbia plants the milky latex contained in the branches is highly poisonous to humans and animals, causing severe blisters on the skin, blindness if it gets into the eyes and even death if swallowed – it is so potent that even just the smell of it causes a burning sensation in the airways. In rural areas people soak bundles of grass with the latex and then tie it to a stone before dropping it into the water – soon after paralysed fish start floating to the top to be scooped up with ease.

Hill covered by Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbias next to the Tsendze River

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbias on the hill at Shipandani

A closer look at the Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbias growing on a hill near Shipandani Hide

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbia (photo by Joubert)

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbia

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbias

Bushveld Candelabra Euphorbia

Common Tree Euphorbia

12 Replies

Euphorbia ingens

The Common Tree Euphorbia, which grows up to 12m tall, is a succulent savanna plant that favours hot and dry areas, often growing on rocky outcrops or in deep sand. In South Africa it is found over most of Kwazulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo and the North West Province.

The branches of the Common Tree Euphorbia contain a milky latex that is extremely poisonous, causing severe pain and even death if ingested, blindness if it gets in the eyes and terrible irritation of the skin. This is sometimes used as a poison for harvesting fish in rural areas. While it is a beautiful and hardy specimen plant in a garden it should not be used where pets and children may come into contact with it.

Common Tree Euphorbia on a hill between Letaba and Phalaborwa

Common Tree Euphorbia

Common Tree Euphorbias in fruit

Common Tree Euphorbia in fruit

Common Tree Euphorbia

Blennies

6 Replies

Family Blenniidae

The Blennies are a family of fish represented by 42 different species occurring along the South African coastline.

They’re mostly found in rocky areas in the intertidal zone and can live remarkably long outside of the water, being capable of storing oxygen-rich water in their gill chambers and absorbing oxygen straight from the air through their slimy, scaleless skin – handy adaptations for when the retreating tide catches them in a dwindling pool, requiring them to walk and even skip on their strong limb-like fins back to safety over dry mud and rocks.

Blennies feed mainly on algae and micro-organisms. They breed throughout the year and females may lay up to 800 eggs in empty shells, with the territorial male then guarding the eggs until they hatch after a few months. The largest species grows to about 20cm in length but most kinds of Blenny are considerably smaller.

Blenny in a rock pool at Cape Vidal

Blennies in a rock pool

Little Blenny fish in a rock pool at Mission Rocks

Chimpanzee

10 Replies

Today, on Endangered Species Day, we feature another African mammal that isn’t indigenous to South Africa.

Pan troglodytes

The Chimpanzee is considered to be humans’ closest living relative and watching them go about their business it is easy to recognise many of our own traits in them. Adults stand about a metre tall, with males weighing around 50kg and considerably more burly than the lighter (∼30kg) females.

Chimpanzees live in tropical forests and to a lesser extent some woodland associations, often venturing into adjacent grassland clearings when foraging. Fruit and seedpods make up a considerable portion of their diet but they are true omnivores, hunting and eating meat from a wide range of vertebrate sources. They’re among the few creatures that have learned to use tools for various jobs – such as using grass stalks to catch ants or using rocks to crush nuts – and these skills are often taught to others in the community. They construct “nests” using leaves and branches high up in the trees in which they sleep at night.

Communities of Chimpanzees may number between 15 and 125 members, occupying a home range that may extend over areas of up to 400km², although the whole community is rarely together in the same spot at the same time. These communities are organised along a strict hierarchy, with only the most dominant males having mating rights, which often leads to bloody fights. Females give birth to single babies (twins are very rare and seldom survive in the wild) after an 8 month gestation period, with intervals of 4 to 7 years between births as the babies grow slowly, are weaned at around 3 years of age and remain totally dependent on their mothers for the first 5 years of their lives, only becoming fully independent at around 7 or 8 years old. While male chimpanzees usually stay in the community in which they were born, females join other communities when they become sexually mature at around 12 years of age. They have a life expectancy of around 50 years.

Chimpanzees occur naturally in equatorial West and Central Africa, being distributed from Tanzania to Senegal. The IUCN considers it to be an endangered species, citing a declining population estimated at most around 299,000 in 2003. The Jane Goodall Institute established Chimp Eden in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province in 2006 to care for chimpanzees rescued from the pet and bushmeat trades – an ongoing threat despite it being illegal to capture, trade or kill chimpanzees in all the countries where they are found.

Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee female and baby

Chimpanzee baby (photo by Joubert)

Chimpanzee with baby

Chimpanzee

Three new Lodges added to DeWetsWild’s portfolio: Cliffhanger, Leopard Rock and Recce

10 Replies

DeWetsWild is pleased to announce that we’ve added three more wonderful lodges to the portfolio of destinations to which we offer a reservation service, can use on guided tours or for hosting photographic safaris and workshops. The lodges are located on a private game reserve just outside of Bela-Bela in the Limpopo Province, about 160km north of Pretoria. All three are ideally suited for groups of family and friends looking for a comfortable self-catered breakaway within easy reach of the Gauteng metros. The Kritzinger Family, the lodges’ owners who have decorated them very tastefully and furnished the houses with all the modern conveniences, very graciously hosted us there last week to experience it first hand.

Recce Lodge

Recce sleeps up to 12 guests in four air-conditioned en-suite bedrooms, each with a queen-size bed. Two of the rooms also have a loft with two single beds each, suitable only for children.

Recce Lodge

Leopard Rock Lodge

Leopard Rock boasts 3 en-suite bedrooms with a queen-size bed each, two bedrooms also having a loft suitable for 2 children on single beds with a third separate loft providing three single beds, thus accommodating a total of 13 guests.

Leopard Rock Lodge

Cliffhanger Lodge

Cliffhanger has a lovely setting overlooking a dam and the expansive bushveld beyond. Three en-suite bedrooms are furnished with a queen-size bed below and a loft with 2 single beds above (accessed with a ladder and only suitable for children), while a fourth bedroom with a queen-size bed, perfect as a honeymoon suite, perches below the main lodge.

Cliffhanger Lodge

The most direct route to Recce Lodge entails a drive of 18km gravel roads, while that to Cliffhanger and Leopard Rock is about 8km of gravel. Cliffhanger and Leopard Rock Lodges are located in an exclusive-use area of the reserve where private vehicles are not allowed on the game-viewing routes. Guests can however rent an open safari vehicle for self-guided traversing over this part of the reserve, or can book to join guided walks and drives. These options are also available to guests staying at Recce Lodge but guests who overnight there may also access the wider reserve road network which is open to all visitors in their own vehicles, though a vehicle with high ground clearance would be recommended. Aside from the attractions on the game reserve itself guests staying at Recce, Cliffhanger and Leopard Rock can use them as bases from which to explore other attractions in the Waterberg, not least of which is some terrific golf courses located nearby.

Nyala ewe

Plains Zebra

Giraffe and Impala

South African Tree Squirrels

Kudu cows

Kudu bull

Blue Wildebeest

White-backed Duck

Waterbuck bull

Guinea-fowl Butterfly

African Black Ducks

Nile Monitor

Waterberg Bushveld Scenery

If you’d like more information or would like to make a booking at Cliffhanger, Leopard Rock or Recce Lodge, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You are welcome to email us on dries@dewetswild.com with your request or alternatively complete the following form if you would like DeWetsWild to take care of your next reservation in the bushveld (the more detail you provide us, the better service we can provide to you):

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Name & Surname

Please give us the email address we should use for correspondence related to this reservation only.

Please tell us which of the three lodges - Cliffhanger, Leopard Rock or Recce - you'd want to stay at?

Please tell us how many adults and children the required reservation is for (and please provide the ages of the children at the time of the visit)

Please tell us the dates of your intended visit, and please be as specific as possible about your first night, last night and number of nights you're hoping for at the destination, etc.

Any other information you'd want us to be aware of? Give us as much information as possible so that we can provide you with the best possible service.

Freshwater Crabs

12 Replies

Genus Potamonautes

South Africa is home to as many as 19 species of Freshwater Crab, all of them from the genus Potamonautes, and up to 14 of those species are not found in any other country, although the experts still differ on exactly how many species there are and what differentiates them from each other.

Potamonautes crabs are equally at home in cold or warm, deep or shallow, clear or murky and flowing or standing water and are a crucial part of healthy freshwater ecosystems; Freshwater Crabs aerate muddy substrate, break down detritus and control populations of micro-organisms while in turn being a source of food for a multitude of fish, reptiles, birds and mammals. Most species dig tunnels – often well hidden under rocks and logs and in certain species up to 70cm deep – in which they live an amphibious life, spending considerable time out of the water, especially at night.

Female crabs of this genus carry their fertilised eggs – up to 850 – and developing babies in a “purse” formed by their tail below their stomach, releasing them into the water when they are fully formed miniature crabs.