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South Africa (1 Viewer)

baggy2508

Well-known member
United Kingdom
Hi.
I will be in South Africa in September travelling from Johannesburg down to Cape Town and visiting the Kruger National Park, any advice on birds to see and also on mossies.
Regards John B
 
Hi John,
You'll be covering an amazing area. Any ideas on exactly where you'll be? Around the cape I would suggest going up the west coast, a pelagic, and Tanqua Karoo. There are so many places on the way to Kruger that it's hard to know what you're looking for without more info. Feel free to PM me if you want info on any place in particular.

Cheers,
Benji
 
John, have a look in 'South African Forum' and 'Southern African Birds'. There is already some material in those which you may find useful. Once you have a better idea of the route you will be following, I am sure people here will be able to help you. All you have to do is ask.

Best wishes,
Dave Kennedy
 
Hi John,

I agree there are so many great places to go to and so many different species to see. We specialise is birding safaris to the northern parts of South Africa and especially the Kruger Park. This is not an invite to say book with us, but instead an invite to let me know if there is any particular information that I can assist with for those areas.

Regards

Robert
 
Hi.
Thanks for the replys, I will be visiting the following.
Blyde River Canyon-Sabie River-Nelspruit-Carolina-Bivane River-George-Knysna-Featherbed Nature Reserve-Hartenbos-Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
-Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope

Regards John B
 
John,

Great route you have outlined there. Can I suggest you try this URL, and through sabirding you should be able to access information on most of these areas. Looks like a nice range of habitats on your travels.....you should find plenty birds.

www.sabirding.co.za

Best wishes,
Dave Kennedy
 
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Hi Guys.
Would it be worthwhile taking my Sigma 50-500 lens with me or make do with my Canon 90-300 lens for bird shots, thanks for the URL Dave I have added to my favourites.
Regards John B
 
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Hi John,

We visited a few of the places you intend to visit on our trip in November 2005. We used Canon 100-400IS lenses. You can see our trip report and pictures here
 
Hi Guys.
Would it be worthwhile taking my Sigma 50-500 lens with me or make do with my Canon 90-300 lens for bird shots, thanks for the URL Dave I have added to my favourites.
Regards John B
Definitely take the Bigma - you will regret not having the extra length. Don't forget to pack a monopod though ;)
 
Hi John,
We travel to the Kruger Park a lot, particularly the Sabie river area, and have also been to Blyde river canyon. We haven't yet made it to the south.
One to look out for in the Kruger is the Ground Hornbill - fantastic looking birds. I have a picture of one in the South Africa gallery.
September is near the end of the dry season, so a lot of game is found near the rivers in the Kruger. The bush is bare and dry, and you will often see large burnt areas where there have been veld fires. These can be good for birds. The large animals are also easier to see. If you go to the Lower Sabie restcamp have a look at the aloes on the entrance road - there are often lots of sunbirds. Our first day there it took us an hour to get out of the camp:eek!:
The other good thing is that the mossie count will be low at that time of year. Take malaria tablets though, as Kruger is a malaria area, and it only takes one bite:C
Re the lens - Bigma without a doubt. I only have the standard canon 75-300 zoom, and a lot of the time it just isn't long enough:-C I can still manage some decent shots, but it will be much better with a Bigma.
Have a great time and I'll look forward to some terrific gallery pictures:t:
Allan
 
John

In Kruger, try to get to Punda Maria and Shingwedzi rest camps - PM me and I'll give you a tip on finding the Collared Palm Thrushes at the latter.

I'd wholeheartedly recommend trying for a Cape Town Pelagic trip. We missed out in 2005 but got lucky in October 07 (very lucky, if you fancy Spectacled Petrel and Balck-bellied Storm Petrel + several new albatross species). A guided day in the Tanqua Karoo, doable from Cape Town, is recommended too - we got a fair number of lifers there which we thought was pretty good going after managing 300 species in three weeks in 2005.

I'll put a word in for Dinonyane too, possibly as a first stop from Johannesburg.
 
Another suggestion - subscribe to capebirdnet. Getting their e-mails was worth both Greater Sheathbill and Lesser Flamingo for us in 2005.
 
John,

Go to "Your local patch/South African Forum/post#34". I have some info re malaria/mozzies in that post.

Regards,
Dave Kennedy
 
Hi John, I visited SA a year or so back fantastic everywhere something new, my experience was very good, however I had many warnings frm the police and others to be careful of showing expensive camera gear around town, this was when out and about and being on my own. I am normally unworried assuming environment to be safeish but after visiting Palermo this year and being car-jacked I am more than sensitive about keeping car doors locked when travelling.

I have some pics posted from trip to SA on Bird forum. I hope to return this year.

GiGi
 
Hi.
I will be in South Africa in September travelling from Johannesburg down to Cape Town and visiting the Kruger National Park, any advice on birds to see and also on mossies.
Regards John B

I'll be visiting some of the sites you're going to in July/August. PM and I'll let you know how I did.

Cheers
 
If you are staying any length of time in Nelspruit, try the Nelspruit Botanical Gardens. They have a rainforest (artificial rain), a river, an aloe garden, a lot of indigenous plants and the birding can be quite good there. I agree, take your Sigma 50 - 500 and a monopod, but take note of what GiGi said, and do not flash your gear around when on your own in an unprotected area. If you look on the SANParks Forum they have a birding section :
http://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=46&sid=7a839d021e0480c21366d022cf843e38
you might get some good tips on best birding areas in Kruger. The greatest number of birds are usually in the camps and near water such as rivers or waterholes. With regard to Mozzies, wear long-sleeves and long trousers in the evenings if you sit outside, take citronella candles and use citronella soap. I don't like stuff like Deet so I use citronella oil. You can buy something called Mosquito Wipes which are impregnated with citronella in some places, we found these wonderful - I think Outdoor and Camping Centres may have them. It is essential that you take prophylactics, starting at least four days before you enter the malarial area (this includes Nelspruit) and ending nine days after you have left the area. If you feel as though you are getting a cold/headachey/achey/flu-ish afterwards, go immediately and get a blood test for malaria. It is much easier to treat if caught early. Hope you will have an amazing time. Do you know which camps you will be in in Kruger?
 
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