Tag Archives: Summertide Rambles 2020-2021

Summertide Diary: Exploring Addo (part two)

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29 December 2020

The first leg of our route through the Addo Elephant Park this morning, again managing to leave camp as the gates opened, went past Gwarrie Pan and Rooidam towards Hapoor Dam. Still being early in the morning there was little animal activity around the watering holes but lots to see along the way nevertheless, both big and small.

Bush Karoo Rat
Warthog
Elephant cow and calf

It was on arrival at Hapoor Dam that the morning turned really exciting as we came across spotted hyenas feeding on the carcass of a buffalo calf, soon to have their feast interrupted by a very annoyed elephant bull. More on that tomorrow!

Annoyed elephant spoiling the hyena feast

I think by now the birds inhabiting Jack’s Picnic Spot started to recognise us as friends, for they were very eager to join us at our breakfast table and didn’t let any rusk crumbs that dared drop to the ground go unpunished!

Southern Boubou
Cape Robin-Chat
Terrestrial Brownbul
Bar-throated Apalis

From “Jack’s” we headed south-east as far as Arizona Dam before turning back to camp along the same way we came, just in case there was still some drama at Hapoor (which there was, but this time it involved elephants waiting for a work crew to fix an errant water pump so they could get their morning drink).

Another cute elephant calf
Scrub Hare
Jackal Buzzard
Elephants waiting at Hapoor Dam for the humans to finish fixing a pump
Angulate Tortoise
Red Hartebeest (photo by Joubert)
Red Hartebeest
Malachite Sunbird with Pig’s Ear flowers

From the moment we left camp for our afternoon drive it was noticeable that there was a sudden explosion in the Park’s Warthog population, as seemingly every sow we saw was accompanied by little bundles of joy – not something we noticed on any of our previous drives.

Warthog piglets with their mom
Warthog piglets with their mom
Warthog piglets with their moms
Warthog piglets
Warthog piglet
Warthog piglets
Warthog boar

Another notable encounter in the afternoon, which by then turned exceedingly windy, was with a family of foraging Meerkats, a perennial favourite with visitors to our parks.

Meerkat sentry
Meerkat sentry
Meerkats foraging
Meerkat sentry
Meerkats searching for food

But warthogs and meerkats weren’t all that we crossed our path that afternoon and we returned to camp very pleased with our day – again!

Karoo Boer-bean flowers
Elephant drinking at Spekboom waterhole
Leopard Tortoises are commonly encountered in Addo
Curious young kudu bull

If you’d like to learn more about the Addo Elephant National Park’s history and all it has to offer visitors, why not have a read through this post we compiled after our previous visit? And to follow along on our travels through Addo, you might find this map (from the SANParks website) most handy.Addo map from https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/tourism/map.php

Summertide Diary: Elephant Antics

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It probably goes without saying that the African Elephants are the star attractions at Addo Elephant National Park, and the grey behemoths certainly are not shy to show themselves. These charismatic creatures are a joy to behold as they go about their daily routines, and their social interactions are always fascinating to watch.

Young elephants especially are full of energy and just love roughhousing with a playmate whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Rowdy elephant youngsters
Rowdy elephant youngsters
Rowdy elephant youngsters (photo by Joubert)
Rowdy elephant youngsters (photo by Joubert)
Rowdy elephant youngsters
Rowdy elephant youngsters
Rowdy elephant youngsters
Rowdy elephant youngsters

And if there’s no other elephant youngsters around to play with, warthogs and zebras will do just as well – if only they’d stand still!

Elephant mock-charging a nervous warthog at Marion Baree waterhole
Elephant mock-charging a nervous warthog at Marion Baree waterhole (photo by Joubert)
Elephant mock-charging a nervous warthog at Marion Baree waterhole (photo by Joubert)
Warthog fleeing!
Warthog fleeing while a bemused zebra looks on
Who wants to play!?
Who wants to play!?
Who wants to play!?
Who wants to play!?
Hey. where are you going!?

When watching elephants in the water there’s just no denying that they are having loads of fun at the pool!

Baby elephants playing in the mud
Baby elephants playing in the mud
Baby elephants playing in the mud
Baby elephants playing in the mud (photo by Joubert)
Baby elephants playing in the mud (photo by Joubert)
Baby elephants playing in the mud (photo by Joubert)
Whole group of elephants enjoying the muddy water!
Rough and tumble in the water
Rough and tumble in the water
Rough and tumble in the water
Rough and tumble in the water
Rough and tumble in the water (photo by Joubert)
Rough and tumble in the water (photo by Joubert)

Mid-morning at Addo’s Hapoor Dam we were watching a herd around the waterhole, and noticed two baby elephants playing together. One little tyke sauntered off to its mother for a drink of milk, while one remained standing in the original spot. And when he realised he was all alone, and feeling hungry, there’s only one thing a baby elephant knows to do to get mom’s attention: THROW A TANTRUM! He squealed and trumpeted, stomped his feet and even stood on his hind legs for a split second, until mom came running looking more than a little embarrassed at her boy’s behaviour! What parent doesn’t know that feeling?

Playful Baby Elephants
First baby walks off with mom
But where’s my mom!?
Baby Elephant tantrum!
Baby Elephant tantrum!
Baby Elephant tantrum!
Baby Elephant tantrum!
At last Mom arrives
Pushing at Mom’s leg for attention
Ah! Finally!!!
Mom saunters off to join her sister and the two friends are re-united

At the hide in the camp we peaked through a hole in the fence to get this picture of a touching moment between mother and calf. Elephant heaven.

Summertide Diary: Exploring Addo (part one)

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28 December 2020

This morning we’re just in time for the gates opening at of 05:30 and ready to search and explore everything Addo Elephant National Park has to offer. The signs along the way give a good indication of what we might expect to see…

Taking care of dung beetles at Addo Elephant National Park
Addo signs
Addo signs

We head for the Gorah Loop in the east, where the more open vistas make game-viewing much easier than in the thickets that predominate over other sections of the park.

Ant-eating Chat
Bat-eared Fox
Pied Crow strutting his stuff!
Black-backed Jackal
Scrub Hares
Plains Zebra
Addo Flightless Dung Beetle

Having left so early meant no breakfast before we headed out the door, so by now there was only one logical place to head to – Jack’s Picnic Spot – so that we could fill up on coffee and rusks. Jack’s is well frequented in the early morning, and not only by humans!

Plumbago flowers
Cape Bulbul
Southern Boubou
Brimstone Canary

Heading back to camp we have some wonderful encounters with elephants and buffaloes, the two members of the “Big 5” most commonly seen here at Addo.

Sleepy elephants
Big old buffalo
Red-billed Teals

Back at camp there’s ample opportunity to walk around, and there’s few better places to do that inside Addo Main Rest Camp than on the Discovery Trail, where interesting information is provided on the park’s fauna and flora as you amble along.

Southern Masked Weaver female
Southern Boubou
Cape Bulbul
Cape Glossy Starling
African Common White
Pig’s Ear flower
African Squill (Drimia altissima) flowers
African Squill (Drimia altissima) flowers being devoured by caterpillars of the (probably) Heliconiinae family of butterflies
Spekboom
Vygie
Probably Crassula perforata
Probably Crassula perforata
Mother-in-law’s tongue
I’m still trying to figure out which tree this belongs to!
Vygie
Cape Batis male
Karoo Num-num flowers
African Small White butterfly on Karoo Num-num flowers
Baboons
Red-winged Starling female
Red-winged Starling male
A big elephant bull almost disappears in the wide open spaces of the Addo Elephant National Park
Malachite Sunbird
Vervet Monkey drinking from an airconditioner outlet

 

For our afternoon drive we opt for another jaunt along Gorah Loop, and again it doesn’t disappoint!

Black-headed Heron
Karoo Boer-bean buds
Jackal Buzzard
Brimstone Canary
Red-capped Lark
Helmeted Guineafowl
Small group of Kudu ewes
Pale Chanting Goshawk
Herd of Eland

This young kudu bull was in quite a hurry – why and where it was headed to was less clear.

Kudu on the run
Kudu on the run
Kudu on the run

If you’d like to learn more about the Addo Elephant National Park’s history and all it has to offer visitors, why not have a read through this post we compiled after our previous visit? And to follow along on our travels through Addo, you might find this map (from the SANParks website) most handy.Addo map from https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/tourism/map.php

 

Summertide Diary: Spending time with hungry elephants

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I can’t think of another reserve in South Africa where the elephants are quite so relaxed around humans and their vehicles as they are in the Addo Elephant National Park. Of course this allows visitors to observe up close just how dexterously elephants use their trunks – and feet! – to uproot even tiny morsels of tasty plants.

Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on
Marveling at the skill of an elephant uprooting plants to feed on

Summertide Diary: Arriving at Addo

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27 December 2020

After spending a lovely three days over Christmas at home with Marilize’s parents, whom we haven’t seen in person since they retired to Jeffreys Bay 15 months ago, we all headed together to the Addo Elephant National Park‘s Matyholweni Gate, just an hour’s drive away, for a four night visit to this very special place.

It takes a few hours of leisurely driving to travel through the Park from Matyholweni to the Main Camp where we were booked to stay, and this of course means there’s wonderful sightseeing, bird-watching and game-viewing along the way! Jack’s Picnic Spot, just a little over halfway, is a great place to stretch tired legs while enjoying visits from all kinds of birds and other small creatures at your picnic table.

Steppe Buzzard (photo by Joubert)
Fiscal Flycatcher
Plains Zebra stallion close-up (photo by Joubert)
Playful Plains Zebra stallion
Scenic road snaking through Addo Elephant National Park
Yellow Mongoose
European Roller
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Jackal Buzzard
Looking out over Addo Elephant National Park to Algoa Bay in the background
Brown-veined White butterfly
Cape Weaver female
Big elephant bull being very protective of a youngster at the Marion Baree waterhole
Sombre Greenbul at Jack’s Picnic Spot
Speckled Mousebird at Jack’s Picnic Spot
Albany, or Striped, Sandveld Lizard at Jack’s Picnic Spot
Karoo Prinia at Jack’s Picnic Spot
The future is secure for Addo’s elephants
One of the elephants that Addo is famous for

In the afternoon, and after getting settled into our comfortable chalet, we have a little time to take a drive along a few loop roads close to camp before the gates close.

Family Chalet 16 at Addo Main Rest Camp
Cape Bulbul coming to welcome us at our cottage
Red-throated Wryneck
Juvenile Black-winged Stilt at Rooidam
An Eland, our biggest antelope
One of the elephants that Addo is famous for

If you’d like to learn more about the Addo Elephant National Park’s history and all it has to offer visitors, why not have a read through this post we compiled after our previous visit? And to follow along on our travels through Addo, you might find this map (from the SANParks website) most handy.Addo map from https://www.sanparks.org/parks/addo/tourism/map.php

 

 

Summertide Diary: Nature’s Valley (Garden Route National Park)

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22 – 24 December 2020

Located at the mouth of the Groot River, the small holiday town of Nature’s Valley is surrounded by the western reaches of the Tsitsikamma section of the Garden Route National Park. The town is connected to the N2 national highway by the Groot River Pass which makes for a magnificent drive as one descends through the forest canopy to the town below.

South African National Parks manages the De Vasselot Rest Camp, which offers two fully-equipped chalets, ten rustic forest huts and a camping area on the outskirts of town. Private holiday homes are available to hire in town where there’s also a small general store and restaurant. Several hiking trails traverse the forests and beaches around Nature’s Valley, and canoes can be hired to explore the river and lagoon.

We spent two nights at the De Vasselot Rest Camp at Nature’s Valley during our 2020-21 Summertide Ramble, arriving in the early afternoon on the 22nd and departing again late morning on the 24th of December 2020. Our chalet on the bank of the Groot River had a lovely setting from which we could wonder at the beauty of Nature’s Valley.

Chalet 12 at Nature’s Valley Rest Camp
The view from chalet 12 at Nature’s Valley Rest Camp
A view downstream from the island in front of Chalet 12
Forest Buzzard circling over the Groot River
Pied Kingfisher
Collared Sunbird
Knysna Turaco visiting us at our chalet in Nature’s Valley (photo by Joubert)
Tsitsikamma forest at Nature’s Valley
Yellow-billed Duck
African Dusky Flycatcher
Young Fish Eagle overhead
Bushbuck ewe

When the sun was out we enjoyed the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets from our stoep. When it was raining, the sound of the drops hitting the river and the quacking of the raucous toad beneath the deck combined to make a soothing lullaby, lulling me to sleep right there on the veranda.

Sunset at Nature’s Valley
It’s raining! It’s pouring! It’s Dries that you hear snoring…
The “golden hour” at Nature’s Valley
The “golden hour” at Nature’s Valley

We didn’t see the sun very often during our time at Nature’s Valley and couldn’t explore as widely as we wanted to due both to the very rainy weather and government restrictions imposed to clamp down on South Africa’s “second wave” of COVID-19 infections, and we’ll definitely have to return to remedy that. Still, there were many trails that we did explore in between (and sometimes during) the rain showers, and even walking in the camp and town proved very rewarding.

The Groot River Pass is a beautiful drive through the forest at Nature’s Valley
Driving through the forest at Nature’s Valley
Ode to a tree
Outeniqua Yellowwoods (Podocarpus falcatus) towering over the road near Nature’s Valley
Majestic Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus)
Groot River and the Tsitsikamma
The Groot River at Nature’s Valley
Groot River
Groot River at De Vasselot Rest Camp
A side-loop of the Groot River
A side-loop of the Groot River
A side loop of the Groot River
Groot River at De Vasselot Rest Camp
Groot River estuary at Nature’s Valley
Groot River near its mouth, with the forested foothills of the Tsitsikamma range in the background
Groot River near its mouth, with the forested foothills of the Tsitsikamma range in the background
The deserted beach at Nature’s Valley
The deserted beach at Nature’s Valley
Vygies
Vygies
Cape Chestnut
I’m still trying to identify the tree bearing these fruit
I’m still trying to identify the tree bearing these fruit
Not sure about the identity of these flowers either
Pincushion
Not sure about the identity of these flowers either
Not sure about the identity of these flowers either
Not sure about the identity of this plant either
Leprous Grasshopper
Old Man’s Beard lichens abound in the forest at Nature’s Valley
Bushbuck ewe
Cape Brown butterfly
Black-headed Oriole
Cape White-eye
Levaillant’s Cisticola

One of our hikes took us on a forest trail in the early morning, and we were hoping to reach a cliff-top vantage point overlooking the Indian Ocean. But we got lost in the forest. Thankfully we could trace our steps back after realising that we lost our way. And we could swing on monkey vines (yes, strong enough to hold even me!). And we got soaking wet after it started raining. And yet there was so much life to marvel at that the hike really was still more than worth the effort. The fact that we really do want to go see that viewpoint is just another reason why we have to return to Nature’s Valley!

About to cross the Groot River at Nature’s Valley
Curious baby Baboon
Young Baboon
Pill-millipede
Hiking at Nature’s Valley
Hiking at Nature’s Valley
Hiking through the forest at Nature’s Valley
Impenetrable forest vegetation at Nature’s Valley
Common Bush Brown
Common Bush Brown
The damp of the forest provides ideal conditions for fungi to thrive
The damp of the forest provides ideal conditions for fungi to thrive
Well camouflaged Raucous Toad
A jeep track through the forest
Groot River from a spot along our hike
Old Man’s Beard hanging over a serene pool in the Groot River

 

Nature’s Valley location (Google Maps) Click on the map for an enlarged view.

 

Summertide Diary: Departing Wilderness

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22 December 2020

Our last morning in Wilderness and one final chance to take a walk through the camp – even if it was drizzling slightly it’s amazing to still find so much new to see!

Bushbuck Ram heading to the reeds to hide
Cape Lappet Moth Caterpillar, kindly identified by Carol from Nature Back In
Wild Plum
Cape Chestnut
Knysna Turaco
Red-eyed Dove
Egyptian Goose
Unidentified blooms in Wilderness
Black-bellied Starling
Pompon Tree
Bush-tick Berry or Bietou
The Serpentine river snaking past Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp
Intricately patterned geranium leaves
African Darter
Common Starling
Common Dwarf Gecko

As we start our drive to our next destination, the sun finally puts in an appearance, inviting us to pull to the side of the road and enjoy the view over Swartvlei, the largest of the lakes in the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park.

A view over Swartvlei from a lay-by along the N2-highway

If you’d like to read more about the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, please have a look at this special feature about it that we published a while ago.

Summertide Diary: Exploring Wilderness and surrounds

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21 December 2020

It pays to be out early in South Africa’s wild places, and the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park is no exception. Even when the sky is still heavy with rain and the sun nowhere to be seen.

A damp sunrise over the Serpentine
African Reed Warbler
Beware of children being followed by guineafowl and tortoises…
Pelargonium
Unidentified flower
Unidentified flower
Ertjieblom (identified with the kiind assistance of Bonnita Hill)
Sombre Greenbul looking even more glum in the rain…
Wild Camphor Bush
Grass Flower-heads
Red-eyed Dove
Brown-hooded Kingfisher
Greater Striped Swallow

After breakfast we felt like exploring a little further afield, and so headed to the Woodville indigenous forest a few kilometers away from Ebb-and-Flow. We explored the wet forest, marveled at the enormous Outeniqua Yellowwood that rules over it and kept a lookout for birds and other creatures trying to hide from us, until we could stand the pestering mosquitoes no more!

Woodville Forest
Woodville Forest’s giant Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus)
Woodville Forest – Common Arum Lily
Common Arum Lily
Unidentified flower
Woodville Forest
Woodville Forest
Woodville Forest’s giant Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus)
Woodville Forest’s giant Outeniqua Yellowwood (Podocarpus falcatus)
Large Wild Iris
African Paradise Flycatcher
African Paradise Flycatcher
Common Bush Brown
Forest Buzzard
Forest Buzzard

From Woodville we extended our joy ride to Rondevlei and the Swartvlei beach, and then had a quick look around the holiday town of Sedgefield, of which I have many happy childhood memories, before heading back to camp.

Unidentified flower
Unidentified flower
Water droplets on a blade of grass
Unidentified flower
White-breasted Cormorant
Cross-berry
Swartvlei Beach with Gericke’s Point
Kelp Gull scavenging on the beach

Just being outside at Wilderness was such balm for the soul. You don’t always have to be out chasing the “hairy and scary” animals for which Africa is famous to enjoy yourself in our wild places…

African Hoopoe
Common Star-Apple
Grass Flower-head
As yet unidentified tree in Wilderness
Sooty Blue butterfly
Another Wilderness mystery plant
Unidentified flower
Sour Fig
Guineafowl feather
Water droplets on aloe leaves
Bar-throated Apalis

More frog hunting before bed-time resulted in these photographs of Raucous Toads:

Raucous Toad
Raucous Toad

If you’d like to read more about the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, please have a look at this special feature about it that we published a while ago.

Greater Red Musk Shrew

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Crocidura flavescens

One of the real highlights of our visit to the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park was an encounter with a rarely seen small mammal: a Greater Red Musk Shrew.

Although it is tiny, weighing only about 30g, the Greater Red Musk Shrew is one of the biggest members of the shrew-family occurring in South Africa. We found the shrew next to a reed bed along the Touw River – typical habitat for the species, although they do occasionally venture into gardens and houses. Greater Red Musk Shrews are insectivores, feeding on a wide range of insects, worms and other invertebrates, and like other shrews have a relatively enormous appetite needing to consume at least half its own weight on a daily basis.

These cute creatures are mostly nocturnal, so we count ourselves very lucky seeing one in daylight (although heavily overcast) and out in the open. By day they hide in grass-nests built slightly above ground level in dense grass cover.

Females give birth to up to 7 young after a gestation of only a month, mainly in the summer months. The babies follow their mother around from 6 days old by forming a “train” nose-to-tail with their siblings. Like other shrews they live extremely fast-paced lives – the young are weaned at only 3 weeks old, reaching sexual maturity when they’re 2-3 months old and then have a life expectancy of maximum 18 months!

The IUCN considers the Greater Red Musk Shrew to be of least concern in conservation terms. It is almost endemic to South Africa, occurring all along our coast from Namaqualand to Maputaland and into extreme southern Mozambique and also along the Drakensberg through Lesotho and eSwatini to the escarpment in Mpumalanga.

Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew (photo by Joubert)
Greater Red Musk Shrew (photo by Joubert)
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Greater Red Musk Shrew (photo by Joubert)
Greater Red Musk Shrew (photo by Joubert)

Joubert photographing the Greater Red Musk Shrew at Wilderness

Summertide Diary: Arriving at Wilderness

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20 December 2020 (cont.)

Even though we arrived at the Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp in the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park under heavy skies, there was no reason to be gloomy. There’s no doubt that the Garden Route is one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa, no matter the weather.

Wilderness Ebb-and-Flow Cottage 13A
Serpentine wetlands
Serpentine River in front of our cottage

There’s no containing our enthusiasm for exploring a destination once we’ve arrived and not even the threat of a downpour was going to keep us indoors while the expansive Ebb-and-Flow Rest Camp beckoned outside our log cabin, however comfortable it may be.

Unidentified blooms at Ebb-and-Flow
Egyptian Goose (photo by Joubert)
Cape Wagtail
Touw River
This is the enormous nest of the Cocktail Ant
Large Yellow Eulophia (Eulophia speciosa) at Ebb-and-Flow, identified with the kind assistance of Carol from Nature Back In
Greater Red Musk Shrew (photo by Joubert)
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Joubert photographing the Greater Red Musk Shrew at Wilderness
Greater Red Musk Shrew
Scenery in an overcast and wet Wilderness
Brimstone Canary
Natal Plum (or Large Num-num) flower
White Bristle Bush
Glossy Currant berries
Unidentified but most interesting plant seen at Ebb-and-Flow

By now you probably know that we have a propensity to extend our explorations into the hours of darkness. Most of the camps in our national parks are safe to do just that and if you apply some common sense rules like walking with closed shoes you’re likely to be handsomely rewarded with some unusual encounters, like these we had on our first night at Ebb-and-Flow.

Olive House Snake
Raucous Toad
Spotted Eagle Owl

If you’d like to read more about the Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, please have a look at this special feature about it that we published a while ago.