Sweni Bird Hide H1-3/S37

[Toko]

Sweni Bird Hide is good for an outing from Satara Rest Camp. The hide overlooks the Sweni River. A rther large hide in L-shape and it can be crowded.

How to get there:
From Satara, follow the tarred road out to the T-junction and turn right onto the H1-3. After 5km, turn left onto the H6 and follow this road for 20 km – almost to its end. You’ll see the signpost telling you to turn right onto the S37. After another 2.5 km of dirt road, you’ll arrive at Sweni Bird Hide.

GPS coordinates: -24.47377, 31.97291

[Richprins]

Link to rest of S-37 Trichardt Road here: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=263&t=592


From pooky 2013:

We went on to Sweni hide - always a favourite spot but again not many birds but plenty of water
and hippo





a croc cruised past.



This juvenile malachite kingfisher keep us amused for a while

https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=2320

[Richprins]

From Twigga, 2013:


After a scrumptious breakfast we decided to go to Sweni bird hide, haven't been there in ages


DSC_0362 by twigga2011, on Flickr


DSC_0365 by twigga2011, on Flickr


DSC_0347 by twigga2011, on Flickr


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[Richprins]

From a 2013 Pumbaa report:

After the obligatory pit stop at the N’wanetsi picnic spot we paid today the Sweni bird hide a visit because tomorrow will already be our last day in Satara and at this stage we did not know whether we would make it tomorrow to that hide. Gladly we were the only people there and the dam was full and soon Timon was already shouting: “There is a red one!” and from that time on our nick name for the red bishop was simply the “red one”.



But the usual noisy suspects could also be heard and seen and here especially a mom with her little one located a bit farer away from the other hippos.



Lots of the red ones could be easily spotted in the reeds as the colours of their red and black feathers definitely could not be overlooked and on top the also ever present woodland kingfisher was also present and still sitting on its favourite branch where we do spot same normally always when paying a visit here.



Only a handful of the present red ones half-heartedly were building nests or at least were pretending in doing so especially when a female came closer but then the nest was forgotten and they started to behave like mad and believe me as already seen a couple of times it is always a pleasure to watch such crazy display show.



Especially when they flew from one reed to another to attract the female’s attention they always do look to me like barbarous mutated bumble bees!



Our reeds here do look in summer similar and can you believe it whenever watching our reeds in summer here I think or maybe it is always wishful thinking that a red one would flew by!



Finally they gave the female enough space and we could capture her as well whilst showing interest in one of the red ones.

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[Richprins]

Froma 2014 Sharifa report:

We at the Sweni Hide and settle down for a long break and lunch, fish anyone

Fish Eagle'



Common Moorhen





Two of each - Yellow Billed Stock and Croc





Zebra



Fisher Bird standing motionless, ready to strike

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[Richprins]

A 2014 Blutuna Report:

After breakfast we took a detour to the Sweni Hide and found a Golly.






Some Terrapins sharing a rock.


A sunbathing Hippo


A hippo that was looking on....


As two others were mating.

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[Richprins]

A Pumbaa 2014 report:

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=3940&start=40

Meanwhile it was already 10.00 o’clock, however, we enjoyed the presence of the honeymoon couple extensively although we were now in an urgent need and so we were not that unhappy that whilst carrying along the S41 into the direction of Sweni bird hide it was totally quiet animal wise besides this beautiful black-shouldered kite who was located a bit too far away.



At Sweni we stretched also our legs a bit and after a nice break we headed forward to Sweni hide which was gladly deserted so that we had same all to ourselves. Although bird wise nothing excited could be spotted, however, the noisy hippos could neither be overheard nor overlooked.



A lot of different coloured dragonflies were willing to pose and gladly landed always in the blades of grass close by to where we were sitting



and hundreds of spider webs were not located that far and in some also Mrs. spider was around



and more dragonflies appeared.



Due to the lack of birdies we decided to carry on but before we had to drive to the close look out point where we were able to get a close look into the reeds where a thick billed weaver was busy in building a nest



which could be spotted already from the hide but from there they reeds were simply too far away for a decent picture and so it was with the red bishop



who was always located in the reeds on the close by causeway and we already noticed a red dot whilst in the hide. Unfortunately this was the only red bishop we could find this year in the entire park. On the other side of the causeway into the direction of the famous rock formation a goliath heron was standing motionless and eyeing something.

[Richprins]

pooky again in 2014:

After breakfast we made our way to Sweni where there was a great selection of birds. First up a great egret followed



by a pair of spur-winged geese, probably mum and baby.



Then an open-billed stork



This green-backed heron was quite different to the first one, which I think was ajuvenile.



A pied kingfisher sat on the ground for a few minutes before flying off again



and an african jacana was high stepping through the shallow water.



This master fisherman, goliath heron, waited patiently to make a catch



which he duly did.







A grey heron wasn't so successful with fishing.



Lastly in this section is a black-crowned night heron with, what looks like, at first glance, a woodlands kingfisher.
But it can't be, too early and wrong colour beak, so it must be a brown-hooded kingfisher - a very white one.

Please correct me if I am wrong with any of the ID's

More to follow later

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[Richprins]

Blutuna 2014:

There was plenty to see at the Sweni Hide.

Black Crowned Night Heron Juvenile and Adult.



Grey Heron.


Storks.



Spurwing Goose.



Hippos.


A Croc.

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[Richprins]

pooky 2015:

On to Sweni hide. One of my favourite places.

a grey heron had caught himself a nice big fish








A couple of ellie families came down to drink.

We spent a long time watching the comings and goings and just relaxing. Blue-cheeked bee-eaters were flying
around, but never sat still long enough for a good pic.





We did manage to photograph this bronze mannikin (I think)

There were quite a few hippo lying up against each other. This one was on her own. Then we saw why. The tiniest
hippo. It couldn't have been more than a day old and mum wasn't letting anyone come anywhere near her.



Mum ushered her baby to the bank, so we could get a really good look. Its loose skin hadn't even filled out yet.









This was tiring business,a nap was needed.





We watched these two for a long while until mum pushed the little one back into the water.

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