Flavour of the month November 2013 - S99 Mahonie Loop

[Duke]

Enjoy Robert We had 2 leopards on one morning drive but could only get a "Spot the leopard" Photo



Nice Nyala RP

Did you say yellow billed oxpecker

[nan]

and what about these opportunist

Yellow-billed Oxpecker

[Amoli]

Oxpeckers... Nyalas Eurasion Hobby Buffalo - Super sightings on this road.

RT - there are some pics on the net regarding the Leopard on this loop - very real and true..

Some more good sightings :

A Drongo


Brown headed kingfisher

[Flutterby]

What Nigel Dennis has to say in "Where to watch game in the Kruger National Park":

The 26-kilometre S99 Mahonie Loop traces a wide circle around the camp. Although I rate this as one of the best drives in the area, it tends to be rather inconsistent. I hasten to add, though, that I have had wonderful sightings of lion and wild dog on the loop, and kudu and nyala are usually around; Sharpe's grysbok too, may be seen - with a bit of luck! The rare suni is thought to exist in small numbers in the rocky, well-wooded terrain, but I have yet to obtain even a glimpse of this secretive creature.

[RobertT]

Going to give a little story of our sunset drive on this route in2008.

We had Betelgeuse as our guide and mads was visiting with her so also came along on drive. They were unaware that I was a member of the forum and the vehicle was pretty full. We turned left on the road out of camp and were ambling along, with sightings generally a bit slower in the north, the guides all stop and impart some wisdom. Betelgeuse stopped next to a gwarrie bush (spl?) and proceeded to pick a twig from it and explained how the locals use it as a toothbrush and during explaining, demonstrated how by placing itin her mouth and brushing. At this point I turned to Tammy and loudly asked Tammy if this was not the bush we saw a giraffe urinating on earlier.

[Duke]

Magic (Guarri) Story Robert

Amoli, yep, drongos and Brown hooded kingfishers





and also the brown headed parrot

[Amoli]

Would your parrot mind some company...

[nan]

Broad-billed Roller/Rollier violet



not a good picture but the only one I saw

[Richprins]

I've been going around that loop for decades!

I think all the water points are "broken" now, except for a small turnoff to a small dam about 5km west of Coetzer. This results in a lot of activity at Punda's waterhole, which is a bit sinister, IMO, but there we are!


Anyway, one can do the loop clockwise or anti-, and the general idea is to do it anti in the early morning, with sunrise behind you, and a bit of "shade" from the ridges as you face the sun again coming east!

Maritubi is a winner for a quick sundowner trip after having set up camp or booked in, whatever...it cannot be destroyed as it is a fountain stream.

In a similar vein, the whole Matukwala stream runs along the western extremity of the loop, also a fountain stream now with global warming/wet cycle.

[Amoli]

Some good looking Kudu..







I saw some Red waxbill also, but had not learnt how to be patient yet... so no pics.