Padraig
Well-known member
My very first trip to the Kruger, something I've looked forward to for years.
I hired a car at Nelspruit airport on the 25th Feb and stayed in a lodge at Hazyview.
Next morning I was up before the sun at it early. Birds that were Southern Africa lifers are in bold. Apologies to seasoned SA birders, this may be a bit like ticking Wood Pigeons and Blackbirds in the UK.
Palm Swift, Black Collared Barbet, Woodland Kingfisher,
Spectacled Weaver, Scarlet Chested Sunbird, Yellow Fronted Canary, African Green Pigeon, dark Capped Bulbul, Violet Backed Starling- female (this bird threw me for some time, I thought it was a thrush), Fork Tailed Drongo, Pin Tailed Wydah, Egyptian Goose, White Fronted Bee-eater, Cattle Egret.
After breakfast I drove off towards Phalaborwa Gate. Along the way, I encountered a mass protest against poor services (electricity, water etc) and was blocked from following my route. Fortunately a friendly man agreed to hop in my car and we spent an hour doing a detour along a bumpy road. After another hour I managed to get past the blockage, only to be stoped my the police for not having fully stopped at a Stop sign.
" That's very dangerous" said the cop, the fine is R750. "I'll pay it at the police station" I said. After 10 minutes further 'interrogation' he let me off with no fine. Always insist at paying at the police station and the 'fine' will be dropped, what they are doing is illegal and they know it.
En route to the gate I saw Purple Crested Turaco, Lilac Breasted Roller, Cape Glossy Starling, Magpie Shrike, Bataleur,
European Roller (this was by far the commonest and most widespread bird I saw in the park), Little Swift.
Once inside the park, I headed for Sable Dam. Here I saw my first SA Red Billed Oxpecker on an Impala, a solitary Fish Eagle, Little Bee-Eater, Blacksmith Plover, Lesser Grey Shrike.
Emerging from the Dam, I saw my very first ever wild elephant! That was an exciting moment. At last, I had arrived.
By early afternoon I arrived at Letaba Camp alongside a magnificent river.
I hired a car at Nelspruit airport on the 25th Feb and stayed in a lodge at Hazyview.
Next morning I was up before the sun at it early. Birds that were Southern Africa lifers are in bold. Apologies to seasoned SA birders, this may be a bit like ticking Wood Pigeons and Blackbirds in the UK.
Palm Swift, Black Collared Barbet, Woodland Kingfisher,
Spectacled Weaver, Scarlet Chested Sunbird, Yellow Fronted Canary, African Green Pigeon, dark Capped Bulbul, Violet Backed Starling- female (this bird threw me for some time, I thought it was a thrush), Fork Tailed Drongo, Pin Tailed Wydah, Egyptian Goose, White Fronted Bee-eater, Cattle Egret.
After breakfast I drove off towards Phalaborwa Gate. Along the way, I encountered a mass protest against poor services (electricity, water etc) and was blocked from following my route. Fortunately a friendly man agreed to hop in my car and we spent an hour doing a detour along a bumpy road. After another hour I managed to get past the blockage, only to be stoped my the police for not having fully stopped at a Stop sign.
" That's very dangerous" said the cop, the fine is R750. "I'll pay it at the police station" I said. After 10 minutes further 'interrogation' he let me off with no fine. Always insist at paying at the police station and the 'fine' will be dropped, what they are doing is illegal and they know it.
En route to the gate I saw Purple Crested Turaco, Lilac Breasted Roller, Cape Glossy Starling, Magpie Shrike, Bataleur,
European Roller (this was by far the commonest and most widespread bird I saw in the park), Little Swift.
Once inside the park, I headed for Sable Dam. Here I saw my first SA Red Billed Oxpecker on an Impala, a solitary Fish Eagle, Little Bee-Eater, Blacksmith Plover, Lesser Grey Shrike.
Emerging from the Dam, I saw my very first ever wild elephant! That was an exciting moment. At last, I had arrived.
By early afternoon I arrived at Letaba Camp alongside a magnificent river.
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