Flavour of the month November 2013 - S99 Mahonie Loop
Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 7:51 am
S99 - Mahonie Loop is a circle road around Punda Maria in the Northern Part of Kruger National Park.
Mahonie Loop has a length of 24.56 kilometres.
Travelling this route on several occasions during the day, either early morning, high noon or late afternoon, always produces interesting sightings.
• maxspeed: 40
• surface: gravel
The surrounding sandveld has a diversity of vegetation that is reflected in the variety of avian attractions. One should give oneself plenty of time to cover the distance, and travel with windows down and stop frequently, particularly to listern for calls.
The Mahonie Loop is recorded as a good birding route.
The S99 loop has a variety of Antelopes especially the Sharpes’ Grysbok.
Several raptors nest nearby,
including Bateleur,
African Hawk-Eagle,
African Crowned Eagle and
Bat Hawk.
A Mahonie Loop summer special is the Pennant-winged Nightjar.
On a good day one could record birds such as the
White-breasted Cuckoo-shrike,
Arnot’s Chat,
Crowned Hornbill,
Grey-headed Kingfisher*,
Crested Guineafowl,
Gorgeous Bush-Shrike,
Grey-headed Parrot,
Eurasian Golden Oriole* (in summer),
Eastern Nicator*,
Stierling’s Wren-Warbler*,
Narina Trogon and
Dickinson’s Kestrel.
(parts taken from Kruger website)
still sleeping
