May 13 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
We were earlier than usual - for us...
Left camp before 8 and drove the Mahonie Loop widershins. Lots of wildlife both fauna and avian. Specials: a young elephant on his/her own right next to the road. We asked where Mom was, whereupon he trumpeted like a full-grown male. Mom responded - on theRead more
May 12 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Once unpacked and rested we walked down to the hide - about 5 pm.
Nothing there except a few three-banded plovers, turtle doves, blacksmith lapwing and far away on a dead tree two marabou storks. After that all the stuff in the pictures! The ellies were fascinating - they all came with trunks inRead more
May 12 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 19 °CFinally! We left Kokanje about 8:30. Considered the R101 vs N1 and decided on the highway. Lots of traffic coming south, but not much going north. Polokwane was awful - road construction and trucks slowed us down. We had lunch at 11 at the Capricorn toll gate Steers - toasted sandwich! Next stretchRead more
February 9, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
Left Memel about 07h15 - we ARE early birds! Drove through some mist over the high ground and then there were 1000's of Amur falcons between Memel and Vrede - Yay 😀
After that it was fairly plain sailing.
We completed the Circumnavigation when we rejoined the N3 at Villiers.
Whew.
Took aRead more
February 8, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 18 °CSchalk arranged for us to visit the Lion Farm (we have been there once before) owned by Ted and Kiewiet. We picked him up at 10h30 and headed south along the Vlei. Had to stop on the way for a bunch of birds - including both glossy and bald ibis and a black raptor we couldn't identify. (I reckonedRead more
February 7, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
Schalk came for breakfast and then we went birding in the Seekoeivlei. It was quite wet and there were one or two watery 4x4 spots we had to swim through.
We checked in at the first bird hide - which we all reckoned was not ideally designed; at the second hide the road was a river so we couldn'tRead more
February 6, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
We were a bit lazier today as we didn't have far to go. After all the excitement of baby cuckoos we had breakfast in Naunton's dining room (R100 each - ouch!) and then packed up the car in the rain. Yes, it was still raining.
Decided to do a bit of shopping at Newcastle as it was still too early toRead more
February 6, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
Naunton's was nice. The room was comfortable with a big window on a rather lovely garden.
The big excitement was this morning with lots of birds in the garden even in the rain. There was a pair of familiar chats desperately trying to feed a red-crested cuckoo chick at least 3 times their size!
February 5, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Of course we woke at 06h00 - and we had arranged for our stuff to be portered back to the car at 08h00 - so we were ready early!!
In the end we left The Old Hatchery just after 8.
And it was cloudy and rainy all the way to Ladysmith.
There was a turnoff to Marutswa Forest so we had a look. PerhapsRead more
February 4, 2017 in South Africa ⋅ 🌙 20 °C
We had a bigger adventure in the afternoon.
Decided to find the road we went on with Stuart yesterday out of Himeville. This was great to start with - the white storks and bald ibis were still in the same place. Stuart had told us that if we continued straight the gravel road would eventuallyRead more
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