South Africa Nov 9th to 29th 2009 itinerary (1 Viewer)

[Reader]

Thanks for that Dave.

There are some incredible birds you have mentioned.

My mate has a where to find birds in S.A and I borrowed it a few months ago and I did look at what birds could be seen in given areas and there were some breakdowns of birds for areas you seem to have mentioned. I gave David the book back, complete with the map, so a few months on I couldn't remember where some of these places where. Now that you guys have mentioned the odd one or two sites it is beginning to make sense.

I did a very large breakdown birds that could be seen at many sites and did a very large spreadsheet covering what birds were possible and here are a few breakdowns at sites that I think fall in the area both Dave & Sal have mentioned.

Mtunzini & Umlalazi
African Finfoot
Black-bellied Starling
Black-throated Wattle-eye
Gorgeous Bush-Shrike
Green Twinspot
Grey Sunbird
Grey waxbill
Narina Trogon
Olive Sunbird
Palm-nut Vulture
Purple-banded Sunbird
Purple-crested Turaco
Red-breasted Swallow
Red-capped Robin-Chat
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Terrestial Brownbul
Trumpeter Hornbill
White-eared Barbet
Wooly-necked Stork
Yellow Weaver
Yellow-bellied Greenbul
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Yellow-throated Longclaw

Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park
African Finfoot
African Green Pigeon
African Scops-Owl
African Wood-Owl
Ashy Flycatcher
Bateleur
Bearded Woodpecker
Black Coucal
Black Stork
Black-bellied Bustard
Black-bellied Starling
Black-collared Barbet
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher
Bronze-winged Courser
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Buff Spotted Flufftail
Bushveld Pipit
Cape Batis
Crowned Hornbill
Fiery-necked Nightjar
Flappet lark
Gorgeous Bush Shrike
Green Malkoha
Green Twinspot
Green-winged Pytilia
Grey Tit-Flycatcher
Lanner Falcon
Lappet-faced Vulture
Lemon Dove
Mocking Cliff-Chat
Narina Trogon
Olive Bush-Shrike
Purple-crested Turaco
Red-backed Shrike
Red-headed Quela
Sabota Lark
Secretarybird
Southern Ground-Hornbill
Southern White-faced Scops Owl
Spotted Eagle-Owl
Spotted Thick-knee
Striped Pipit
Tawny Eagle
Trumpeter Hornbill
Verreaux's Eagle-Owl
Water Thick-knee
White Helmet-Shrike
White-backed Night-Heron
White-backed Vulture
White-eared Barbet
White-faced Vulture
White-fronted Bee-eater
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird

Hluhluwe River Flood Plain
African Crake
African Pygmy Goose
Black-rumped Buttonquail
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Cape Longclaw
Collared Pratincole
Golden Weaver
Goliath Heron
Great White Pelican
Greater Painted Snipe
Kurrichane Buttonquail
Lemon-breasted canary
Red-headed Quela
Rosy-breasted Longclaw
Southern Brown-throated Weaver
Yellow-throated Longclaw
Plus large numbers of Ducks & Storks

Greater St Lucia Wetland park
African Broadbill
African Pygmy Goose
African Wood-Owl
Bearded Scrub-Robin
Black-bellied Starling
Blue-cheeked Bee-eater
Blue-mantled Crested Flycatcher
Brown Noddy
Brown Scrub-Robin
Buff-spotted Flufftail
Caspian Tern
Crested Guineafowl
Eastern Nicator
Fulvous Duck
Great White Pelican
Greater Frigatebird
Green Malkkoha
Green Twinspot
Grey Plover
Grey Sunbird
Grey Waxbill
Grey-rumped Swallow
Lesser Crested Tern
Lesser Jacana
Little Tern
Livingstone's Turaco
Mangrove Kingfisher
Narina Trogon
Oystercatcher
Pale Flycatcher
Pale-crowned Cisticola
Pied Avocet
Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-throated Twinspot
Purple-crested Turaco
Red-backed Mannikin
Rosy-breasted Longclaw
Rudd's Apalis
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruff
Rufous-winged Cisticola
Saddle-billed Stork
Sooty Tern
Southern Banded Snake-Eagle
Southern-Brown-throated Weaver
Square-tailed Drongo
Swamp Nightjar
White-backed Duck
Wire-tailed Swallow
Woodward's Batis
Wooly-necked Stork
Yellow-billed Stork
Yellow-breasted Apalis

I don't know if these sites do fall in the catchment area you have mentioned but I agree that we will not be rushing around, or walking, as Dave has suggested we shouldn't do. I think the sites Dave has mentioned are probably what we will possibly do. I just wondered if the sites above cover the same areas.

John

 

[Sal]

Bonamanzi is very close to Hluhluwe town, about 50km north from St Lucia. It is fairly close to the entrance to Hluhluwe Game Park. I would say either go to Bonamanzi (it has a camp site ) or to Hluhluwe/Imfolozi, especially if you are going to use that free night in Kruger. (I would use it to give you two nights at Satara, so you get two nights in each camp.)

 

[Sal]

Here is a map:

 

[Jos Stratford]

Do not do anything foolish, however….there are wild animals around, so take care not to go walking any old where.

I'd worry more about the wild muggers in some areas than the wild animals More tourists to South Africa go home in tears due to violent robberies than by being chomped by animals.

PS. John, be alert to the crime situation in South Africa, but do not be paranoid. As well as the usual reminders about not leaving valuables in cars, especially near urban centres, eg Sir Lowry's Pass, remember some areas are just plain dodgy - eg Strandfontein Sewage Works is in an area which is far from safe.

This said, South Africans are generally amongst the most helpful and friendly of folks about and birding all the main localities in completely safe, eg Kruger, etc.

 

[Reader]

Thanks Sal

I have saved and printed out the map. Thanks for that.

If we were only to do one of those two which would you go for?

Regarding Kruger. David was thinking of making a third night at Lower Sabi. I know you suggested Satara but would two days at each camp be the best or two at the first, three at Lower Sabi and one at Satara be better?

John

Bonamanzi is very close to Hluhluwe town, about 50km north from St Lucia. It is fairly close to the entrance to Hluhluwe Game Park. I would say either go to Bonamanzi (it has a camp site ) or to Hluhluwe/Imfolozi, especially if you are going to use that free night in Kruger. (I would use it to give you two nights at Satara, so you get two nights in each camp.)

 

[Reader]

Hi Jos

One thing that David has stressed throughout is the problems in S.A. He knows quite a few off limit places but obviously not all.

He does actually stay in the country at least three months of the year and his daughter and Son-in Law live in either Knysna or Plett (I always forget which one). His Son-in law runs Pelagics out of Knysna and his daughter is well into photography.

He is very concious of where we go with everything we will be taking with us (including his trailer) and how we should be always on guard on what we do so hopefully we will be ok.

As ever you can't legislate for everything but hopefully all will go ok.

John

I'd worry more about the wild muggers in some areas than the wild animals More tourists to South Africa go home in tears due to violent robberies than by being chomped by animals.

PS. John, be alert to the crime situation in South Africa, but do not be paranoid. As well as the usual reminders about not leaving valuables in cars, especially near urban centres, eg Sir Lowry's Pass, remember some areas are just plain dodgy - eg Strandfontein Sewage Works is in an area which is far from safe.

This said, South Africans are generally amongst the most helpful and friendly of folks about and birding all the main localities in completely safe, eg Kruger, etc.

 

[Sal]

I'm not sure why you want to stay three nights at Lower Sabie? If there is a particular reason, then you should do that. But if there is no specific reason then I think you should stay two nights at each place because you can then cover a wider and more varied vegetation sample of the park and thus put yourself in the position of seeing a greater variety of birds. When you travel up to Satara, go along the Sabie river on the H4-1 to the high level bridge which crosses over to the H12. After 4km, turn right towards Tshokwane. This way is a bit longer, but you will see more birds, and it means that there are several water holes/dams you can visit en route. Make sure you stop at Leeeupan and Silolweni in particular. They are both off the road. But Mazithi and Kumana, higher up, are both on the road on the RHS and worth stopping at as well. You will need to start this day early as you will do a lot of stopping on the way and although Satara doesn't seem that far away in km, it usually takes us all day to get there. You also have to remember that in addition to stopping to look at wild life, you can also be held up by animals on, or crossing, the road. In June we were held up near Satara by 500 buffalo crossing over!

 

[Reader]

Thanks Sal

I will e-mail David with your suggestion.

John

I'm not sure why you want to stay three nights at Lower Sabie? If there is a particular reason, then you should do that. But if there is no specific reason then I think you should stay two nights at each place because you can then cover a wider and more varied vegetation sample of the park and thus put yourself in the position of seeing a greater variety of birds. When you travel up to Satara, go along the Sabie river on the H4-1 to the high level bridge which crosses over to the H12. After 4km, turn right towards Tshokwane. This way is a bit longer, but you will see more birds, and it means that there are several water holes/dams you can visit en route. Make sure you stop at Leeeupan and Silolweni in particular. They are both off the road. But Mazithi and Kumana, higher up, are both on the road on the RHS and worth stopping at as well. You will need to start this day early as you will do a lot of stopping on the way and although Satara doesn't seem that far away in km, it usually takes us all day to get there. You also have to remember that in addition to stopping to look at wild life, you can also be held up by animals on, or crossing, the road. In June we were held up near Satara by 500 buffalo crossing over!

 

[Reader]

David has been given two company's to look at regarding the Cape Town Pelagics. The first is this one.
ANNE ALBATROSS CAPE PELAGICS

The 2nd is this one.
Avian Leisure & The Cape Naturalist

They are both charging the same price (R6500) so pricewise there's nothing to choose from them.

Do any of you guys know anything about these company's and how good they are. You can PM me with your answers if you don't want to comment on this thread.

Regards
John

 

[Reader]

Just to let you guys know, we have all but completed the itinerary.

Nov 9th - 12th in the Cape Town area (including a Pelagic with Zest for birds on Nov 10th).
Nov 13th & 14th at Garingboom
15th & 16th at Sani.
17th, on the way to St Lucia we are doing ½ day in Karkloof with a guide.
17th to 19th in the St Lucia area including one day at Bonmanzi.
20th & 21st at Wakkerstroom
22nd to 26th in Kruger staying at Berg En Dal two nights (could be one). Two nights at Lower Sabie and one, possibly two, at Satara.
27th at Dullstroom.
28th at Pretoria
29th Fly home from Joberg.

Thanks for all your help guys and gals. Hopefully I will have loads to report, complete with photos, when we get back.

John

 

[Sal]

Just to let you guys know, we have all but completed the itinerary.

Thanks for all your help guys and gals. Hopefully I will have loads to report, complete with photos, when we get back.

John

Fantastic itinerary John, thanks for posting it. I hope you all have a wonderful time (well, I'm sure you will!) and look forward to your report and photos when you get back.

 

[Reader]

We have a problem.

The only decent guide we can get for Sani is Malcolm Gemmell and he can only do it on Nov 17th (unless you guys no of anyone else). We have been told that one of the guides died a couple of months ago with pancreatitis and another one was killed last year.

We were due to be guided around Karkloof that day then drive onto Bonamanzi for three nights. Now it looks like the only way we are going to do Sani is to do Karkloof on the 15th then stay at Sani on the 16th & 17th then move onto Bonamanzi on the 18th.

This is the logistical problem I need your help with.

We were originally going to stay three nights at Bonamanzi and two nights at Wakkerstroom. Now because of having to rearrange the nights at Sani we are only left with four days for Bonamanzi & Wakkerstroom.

We are not sure whether to do two nights at Bonamanzi and two nights at Wakkerstroom or just leave out Wakkerstroom and do four nights at Bonamanzi.

If we do two nights at Bonamanzi we won't get to see very much of the St Lucia area on the 2nd day as we wanted to spend one day at Bonamanzi, which would leave us only part of a day to do the St Lucia area. The problem is that we would have to leave in plenty of time to get to Wakkerstroom and that would leave us with only a few hours in the St Lucia area, which is hardly worth it.

Which would you guys do? Which is the better area, St Lucia or Wakkerstroom (we have booked one of the top guides at Wakkerstroom for one day).

Would you do two at Bonamanzi and two at Wakkerstroom or four at Bonamanzi?

I look forward to your answers.

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

Do Sani without a guide, the birding is excellent and, arguably, one of the sites least needing a guide - all easily accessible, no dense forest where knowledge of calls really pays off, etc.

Having planned so well, I would now slack off and let some things 'just turn out as they turn out' - truly these moments often turn out to be amongst the most enjoyable parts of a trip, seeing something unexpected, etc.

 

[Sal]

I don't think you should leave out Wakkerstroom. Keep your two days there, and spend two nights at Bonamanzi, but don't worry about St Lucia - save it for another time. OR cancel Bonamanzi and book into St Lucia and spend your two nights there. It depends on which birds you are after.

Jos is right, Sani is do-able without a guide if you have the right vehicle and a good driver which I believe you have? Which ever way you do it, you will have a stunning trip.

 

[Reader]

Does anyone know how long it would take to get from Garingboom to Sani Pass?

John

 

[jc122463]

I think leaving out Bonamanzi would definitely be an option. Otherwise consider one night St. Lucia, one night Bonamanzi and be sure to keep some time for Wakkerstroom.
Sani Pass is definitely doable without a guide if you have the right vehicle. You should be able to take in Sani Pass and Xumeni with two nights. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about good places to stop for different species.

Cheers,
Benji

 

[Reader]

We have decided to forego the guide we were going to use and go up without one, although there is a possibility of using a local basutho guide that has been recommended by one of the top guides. This will allow us to stay with the original itinerary.

John

 

[Sal]

Great!

 

[Reader]

My mate has posed a question regarding Bonamanzi / St Lucia.

He thinks that if we do Bonamanzi then go on their boat trip as well then there's no need to do around St Lucia.

Is he right or would we miss out on some birding that we wouldn't get at Bonamanzi.

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

St Lucia is a dump

Actually not, but if I were to skip one place, it would be this spot.