Part 9 of our Southern African Holiday - in KwaZulu-Natal and Christmas Greetings

Continuing on from part 8, still with Gordon and Julie.....

As we approached the entrance gate of Mkhuze Game Reserve, which is situated in northern KwaZulu-Natal, we were thankful that Gordon's Toyota had 4 wheel drive! You can get an idea of how much rain had recently fallen, by the amount of floodwater crossing the road. That section of road is in concrete for a good reason!

Our accommodation for the night!  Sleeping quarters in the raised tent on the left and the kitchen on the right. Simple but effective!

Inside the tent now, with a shower and toilet through the bamboo cane decorated door on the left - all mod cons!

A night-time visitor to the kitchen, attracted by the prospect of food! There were quite a number of them in the trees around our tent. Bush babies (or Brown greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) are mainly nocturnal, their large eyes giving them good night vision. Also they have strong hind limbs for leaping from tree to tree, acute hearing, and long tails that help them balance. Their bat-like ears  allow them to track insects in the dark;they catch them either on the ground or snatch them out of the air! Fascinating and incredibly agile animal!

"Do not feed the animals!" - not easy when there is a thief in our midst creeping into the kitchen!!!

Nyala male (Tragelaphus angasii). The handsome slate-brown shaggy coat is marked with white vertical stripes and spots on the flanks. Males (or Rams ) appear more charcoal-grey in colour and have long inward curved horns and a white chevroned face.....

  

The females are browner, do not have horns, and are very much smaller than the male.

Impala male (Aepyceros melampus) It is one of the most common and most graceful of all Africa’s antelopes. A slender, agile creature, it can clear formidable obstacles and run at speeds faster than 60km/h. Only the males have horns.

Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) It is a sociable bird, usually living in groups of two to five individuals, although sometimes as many as fifty. It is a locally common resident of the tropical evergreen forests. They eat fruit or large insects.

African helmeted turtle (Pelomedusa subrufa), also known as the marsh terrapin. They eat almost anything (!) including carrion and can be found throughout Africa in rivers, dams and lakes.


The white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata). A common bird  that lives in large flocks.

Great White Pelican on the water (Pelecanus onocrotalus). This is an enormous waterbird, mostly white with short legs and a massive, broad and very long azure blue bill, which has a central red stripe and ends in a small, red hook. The mostly white bird has contrasting black flight feathers on the wings. Their diet is mainly fish, but they do feed on insects and small mammals as well.

Red-billed oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) on a giraffe. They feed almost exclusively on ticks or insects collected from the skin of large African mammals.  See my previous posts for more information!

Blue Wildebeest also called gnu, a genus of antelopes, (Connochaetes taurinus). They generally congregate in herds and both sexes have horns, though the female is smaller  in size than the male.

African White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus). It is very typical, with its bald head, broad wings and short tail.  Their main food source comprises dead animals around its habitat. They are on the endangered list, mainly because of urbanisation, poisoning and use of their body parts in witchcraft.

Yellow-throated longclaw (Macronyx croceus) is found in most of Africa.  Usually in pairs or small groups feeding off insects.

Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchellii), is a species of cuckoo. This common resident of southern Africa is usually seen either as a solitary individual or in pairs, often making their way by clambering through the riverine or coastal bush. In this habitat they are often hard to see.The female lays 3 to 4 eggs and both male and female help with feeding the chicks. This bird has a very distinctive call, and it calls often before, during and just after heavy rain, thus its popular name of the Rainbird!

 Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) is the largest freshwater predator ... It is one of the most dangerous species of crocodile and is responsible for hundreds of human deaths every year.. .

The red-crested korhaan or red-crested bustard (Lophotis ruficrista) feeds on insects, seeds and fruit. They are usually solitary or in pairs and they can stand very still, relying on camouflage for concealment.  We were lucky that Gordon's sharp eyes saw this bird quite close to the gravel road.

Finally, the views all around in KwaZulu-Natal (the land of 1000 hills) are spectacular.

This covers most of our travel in Southern Africa, but I still have many photos that I may put on at a later date!!

Happy holidays

I would like to wish all my followers who celebrate Christmas the very 

best over the holidays!

I am going into blog hibernation until well into the New Year. We are off to see friends in Nevis for two weeks, then we will have a quiet Christmas in the UK with my FIL.  Meanwhile I will try to keep the PhotoDiary going when possible. 

Take care everyone; see you all after the holidays.

Part 3 of our trip to Botswana and South Africa.

We spent some time the next morning driving around the Rhino Sanctuary  (see Part 2) before going back onto the main road and heading for Chobe National Park, situated along the Chobe river in northern Botswana. The park is the third largest park in the country.

Crimson-breasted Gonolek or Crimson-breasted Shrike  (Laniarius atrococcineus).  A  very striking bird which is unlikely to be confused with any other species. The male and female both have brilliant crimson chests.  They feed on small insects and fruit.

Grey Loerie (Corythaixoides concolor) which is now officially called the Grey Go-away bird.  It is named for its alarm call, "Kuh-wê!", which sounds like 'Go Away!'

So many birds have recently had name changes.  Something to do with International naming and I must admit to being more that a little confused, after so long with the old names!   

Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus lunatus). They are grazers and prefer feeding on new shoots. The tsessebe are often found with other species such as zebra and wildebeest. Generally, there is no competition for food, as all three species prefer different parts of the plants they feed on. They are also the fastest antelope in Africa.

As stated in my previous post, the white rhinoceros (ceratotherium simum) used to be common, but because of poaching, they are close to being endangered.  Botswana has very strict anti-poaching laws and the government is doing everything possible to look after its rhino population. Many rhino have migrated here from countries to the east, presumably because they perceive it is safer.

Shaft-tailed whydah (Vidua regia). This is a male in breeding plumage, easily recognised by the long thin tail feathers with broadened ends.

Giant African bullfrogs (Pyxicephalus adspersus) are the largest amphibians found in Southern Africa. Males can reach a body length of 245 mm (9 ½ inches) and a mass of 1.4 kg (3 lbs).  They can also be quite aggressive as my father discovered some years ago, when he put his foot out towards one. Luckily he had good shoes on, as the front of the size 10 shoe almost vanished from sight into its mouth!!!

Blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)  This ungainly antelope, is also called the brindled gnu. The gnu was made famous in the 1950's by Flanders and Swann, who sung a popular comedy hit entitled "I'm a Gnu!!"  Here you see adults with their young.

We had booked to stay at River View Lodge, a fairly small and exclusive development, situated right on the bank of the beautiful Chobe River in the Kasane region of Botswana.  Our host was the delightful Candy, who made our stay there an absolutely unforgettable pleasure, including arranging all our trips for us.  Not only in this post, where were treating ourselves to a private "booze cruise" on the Chobe river, but also, as you will see in the next post, to take a trip across to Zambia to see the mighty and magnificent Victoria Falls.

Out in the cruise boat in the late afternoon, we saw this young elephant doing its very best to keep up with its mother.... There are no fences here and the wild animals wander at will anywhere they like. Often you will find an elephant right in the centre of the road.  It is best to just stop and wait for them to move out of the way.  BUT beware, if the trunk should go up and their ears flap while looking in your direction, reversing at top speed is advisable! They can be very dangerous!

This one was having great fun playing in the river.

An unlikely meeting, a young elephant showing off and approaching an African (also known as a Cape) buffalo. (Syncerus caffer).  I was sorry I did not take a video, as the buffalo was not at all concerned, but trotted off with the young elephant triumphantly chasing after it!

We had a very light shower of rain while out in the boat, as this faint rainbow shows.

Getting a little too close for comfort!

Hippo (Hippopotamus amphibius) are semi-aquatic and found by rivers, floodplains and swamps. The deep grunting of hippos is one of Africa's characteristic sounds. Although they are grazers, hippos are blessed with massive teeth that are used in territorial fights and displays. They are renowned for their aggressive, territorial nature and they are one of Africa’s most dangerous animals!

Feeding on the river banks.

Luckily for us, Kaizer, our guide out on the boat, knew exactly what he was doing and kept us far enough away from any risky situations.  His knowledge of the animal and birdlife was incredible and impressive; he not only identified each and every one we saw, but also informed us about their habits and behaviour.  We all learnt a lot from him!

The first time I have seen a Lechwe (Kobus leche).  They need dry land on which to rest, but are otherwise adapted for life in the seasonal floodplains of Botswana. They have elongated hoofs to adapt to the mud of their habitat, and the hind quarters are larger and more developed than the front to assist when running through the water.

African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus).  Its diet consists largely of insects, although it will also take crustaceans, worms, fish, frogs, lizards and small mammals.  It will also take eggs of other birds and crocodiles!  Brave bird! The nest is a large platform of sticks and branches built in trees or bushes, or placed on the ground on rocky islands.

Returning to River View Lodge; the accommodation was much more comfortable than our night at the Rhino Sanctuary, but both locations offered experiences we all thoroughly enjoyed!

Nothing beats the setting African sun!

As above.

Back at the comfort of the lodge, Diane, Nigel and Patrick having a coffee .... and I am sure a glass or two of excellent South African wine as well!

....while listening to the restful sounds of a  Cardinal Woodpecker (Dendropicos fuscescens) tapping away at a tree close by.

Also see my daily diary HERE

and My Life Before Charente (updated  25 September 2016) I will get back to this eventually!