From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Richprins]

Pumbaa!

Great colours!

I've always felt sorry for the weavers when the women come and tear up the nest...you can see that last one looking disapproving!

Did you pre-order at the Spar?

[Flutterby]

A lovely variety of birds to start your trip.

[Lisbeth]

Is that the Gwenya Lodge, Pumbaa?

Those orange flowers are beautiful, never seen any like those before

Lots and lots of beautiful birds and an amazing number of species

Lovely

[Sprocky]

Pumbaa, great colourful birding pics!

[Pumbaa]

A wonderful start with so many pretty birds

And even more to come

Pumbaa!

Great colours!

I've always felt sorry for the weavers when the women come and tear up the nest...you can see that last one looking disapproving!

Did you pre-order at the Spar?

Obviously she was not amused......No, we simply went in and got everything - This is always working fine for us

[Pumbaa]

A lovely variety of birds to start your trip.

The birdies were indeed plentiful in the beginning

Is that the Gwenya Lodge, Pumbaa?

Those orange flowers are beautiful, never seen any like those before

Lots and lots of beautiful birds and an amazing number of species

Lovely

It is the Rio Vista lodge - Highly recommendable

Pumbaa, great colourful birding pics!

It was great to spot that many colourful feathered friends

[Pumbaa]

Finally also the gang of speckled mousbirds returned as well and luckily for us now were extreme good visible.



One of them was addicted to the berries on the bush



and was eating one after the other – Yummy!



The other one was only in the mood to hang around but nevertheless we had a great time in watching them.



Now we also noticed a couple of black with a bit of white and yellow in the riverbed and we spotted already that early our first white winged widowbird during this trip.



A couple of sacred ibises flew by and landed a bit farer away on the island joining some mates,



we saw cattle egrets and finally also the African fish eagle we noticed already earlier extreme far away now in the other side of the riverbed in a tree.



Very close to where we stood we noticed a fence post and there a curious blacked eyed bulbul landed



and started to sang us a song



and were indeed not disturbed by our close presence or the one by a larger family on a balcony close to us and the bulbul.



It did not take long until also a mate appeared and wanted to know what’s all the fuss about.

[Pumbaa]

We saw quite a couple of waterbucks but far in the distance and the only mammal we saw was an extreme good hidden bushbuck who was not willing to stand up.



Another nice surprise was then the sighting of a black-crowned night heron also a bird which is not coming around that often.



Quite noisy hadedas could also be noticed in the river and then the light started to fade and it was time to prepare ourselves for the dinner at the restaurant. Luckily we booked a table already from home as the restaurant was packed and lots of people had to be sent away as all tables and seats were occupied. After a delicious meal we strolled back to our room and felt into the bed immediately but could only sleep until 03.00 o’clock then we were wide awake and could not sleep any longer – The excitement to be finally back…..

Friday, 08. February 2019 – Malelane – Berg en Dal

Roads we paid a visit: H3 – S110 – S120 – H3 – H2-2 – S113 – S23 – S114 – S118 – H3 – S110

Due to the fact that we already were awake that early we were ready and packed everything together in no minute and were already on the way to the gate. The gate before the bridge across the Crocodile river was still closed but when we arrived same was opened and as already quite a number of cars had queued up already and hurried to the gate we decided to stop on the bridge and to check what is around. It was lovely quiet as no other cars were around and so we started to look around and soon noticed extreme close egrets on a rock,



quite a number of grey herons,



lots of resting waterbucks in the distance,



water dikkops and more egrets.



Close to where we stood I then realized two malachite kingfishers out of one was a juvenile one and same started to beg for food.



We were already that happy about all the different birds we spotted today and also yesterday that it looked extreme promising birdwise.



After quite a while we carried on to the gate and now we were the only people there and so the formalities went extreme quick and uncomplicated and soon we finally could enter our second home.

The sun was shining and the light was brilliant that early in the morning and the first animals that crossed our path were waterbucks,



hamerkops on a dead tree and



a red-backed shrike.



to be continued.......

[Richprins]

Pumbaa!


So difficult to get those kingfisher shots, and never seen a juvenile!


Glad you finally got in so as to relax!

What was the food at the lodge?

I fear many of those plants in the river are invaders, unfortunately...

[Alf]

Wonderful bird sightings again