Birding with Sea Eagle from the Kruger to Drakensburg.
Arrived at Jo'burg 45 mins late, which was good flying as we had been delayed at Heathrow with ice on our wings. Had to wait for a de-icing machine(?) before the Pilot would take us up and away!
Uneventful flight - had 2 seats to myself but a more uncomfortable economy seat I have never experienced before. Thanks SAS! The armrests didn't go down far enough. Enough already!
At Joburg started the List!
African Palm Swift my first SA bird! Crag Martin, Red-winged Starling,Cape Sparrow and Cape Wagtail. Then it was the familiar House Sparrow and Feral Pigeon.Little Swifts flying with a Cattle Egret up a gantry! Glossy Ibis flew past and Common Mynas stalked the floor!
So to Phalaborwa - aboard a small plane. with props- well -I remember a Soviet Fly boy with oodles of medals telling me in 1981 when flying in a similar plane, its not the propeller going round that should worry you its when it stops!
Unfortunately the weather was a bit overcast so not the best views.
Arrived at the airport -to find that my luggage hadn't arrived with me.
Glad I had put that spare T-shirt in my backpack! But no cosmetics - sun protection to you ...eek.No long sleeves eeeekkkk -I react to bites - no protection there then! Hope that a shop would be open at the first camp!
Wonder when the luggage would arrive?
Then it was leaving the Lesser Masked Weavers to build their nests with the Drongo's buzzing about. Now everything happened at a really alaming rate....
birds left right and centre with mammals added into the mix. Quite where one was supposed to look!
Grey-headed Hornbills with White -backed Vulture on a nest.A European Beeeater! A Magpie Shrike and a Bearded Woodpecker.
Then it was the Raptors....a tight-rope walking Bateleur, Wahlbergs Eagle on a nest. African Fish and Tawny Eagles. Great stuff!
Then the bird I had been hoping to see Lilac-breasted Roller and after swooning -there was a Purple Roller! Chin-spot Batis and their "three blind mice" song!
Then there were the Storks - aptly named Woolly -necked and the magnificant Marabou. Then some noisy individual and collectively Helmeted Guineafowl.
Help overload....
The Mammals seen on route to Letaba Camp included Warthogs,
the wonderful Elephants, Impalas (stripy bottoms) a couple of male Lions and Baboons.
When we arrived at the Camp we took a walk. Bushbucks all over and the birds were incredibly tame. More Lesser masked Weavers, Greater Blue-eared Starlings (quite the dashing gigalo!) Speckled Mousebird and the Crested Barbet...what a great bird that is! Oh and the tree Squirrels.
Green Pigeons (African) were pretending to be Parrots. (sorry inside joke for Jan!)
We had an opportunity to look across the Letaba River where we spotted a Nile Crocodile (rather glad it was where it was and no closer!) Blacksmith's Plovers were picked out in their very smart uniforms, Water Thick Knee, Little Egrets and Three-banded Plovers looking really lovely with their grey cheeks and smart bands. We also saw an Elephant and then finally a Collared Praticole. Have to admit it was quite nice to see a bird one recognised instead of thinking whats-sthat?
I went to the shop and found one longsleved garment I could be seen dead or alive in! (The blouses were just aweful -do people really wear these ruffled edged cotton things? Actually a rather nice lightweight hooded jacket -which did for going out later on! (So a hoodie I became!)
The suntan cream I bought I was allergic too - but learnt that the following day...it was very cheap -but the most expensive in the shop...I ought to have borrowed some!
I have to say I was knackered - we ate at the Camp Restaurant - either the food was average or I was so tired I didn't notice!
Sleep! To the sounds of the African bush and darkness.