Walking and some good Birding

The seasons have changed and we are now entering into the very hot time of the year. October is often called “the death month”, and well, that is very true. The area is so dry now, rivers are low, it’s dusty and the bush really needs some rain now. Even without rain we are seeing newborn warthogs, impala and Liechtenstein Hartebeest.

Other than the bush looking, a bit miserable, we have managed to some very good sightings of animals on walks and bird sightings have being quite good.

One afternoon Nic followed up on some drag marks across the road. It was obvious to him and his tracker that a lion had killed something and then dragged it off. This always gets one very interested and wanting to know what is at the other side. So they decided to follow up. After about a kilometre and a half of tracking through burn’t areas, the drag mark started to lead up to one of the smaller inselbergs. They then started to smell the stench of the carcass, but could not see anything. When all of a sudden they saw a lioness. A cub was also seen at the time. At first the lions moved off, then the female stopped and turned, and charged at Nic and the guests and stopping 15 meters short. By now the adrenalin is pumping so much, you can also feel your heart pounding so much it feels like it wants to jump out of you body. By now the lioness had laid flat on the ground, growling at them and her tail swishing from side to side. By then it was obviously time to retreat back slowly, to which they did.

Another moment on walk, that Nic had, was also a lion encounter. This time they head on a morning walk into the Ngalonge mountain range. They got walking on one of the big elephant paths that pass all the way through the range. You can just imagine what these paths have seen all these years. If only these paths could speak!!!! Anyway all was going well and great birds were seen, such as Purple Crested Turaco, Bohms’ and White fronted Bee-eaters and many Trumpeter Hornbills. They also had a sighting of a single bushbuck. They then decided to take a break from the morning heat, and were quenching their thirst when the Yellow baboons and Samango monkeys started to give off alarm calls. When there is a possible predator close to any of these primates they will let the whole world know that there is danger in the area. So Nic and the guests decided to pursue and see what the whole commotion was about. Following the alarm calls they started to follow a small stream that was leading parallel with the game path, they started to near an open clearing which looked as if it also could be the source of the stream. As they where approaching, three lions shot up from their mid morning siesta and bolted. They managed to get a quick view of them, and then once again, but then they vanished into the bamboo thickets.

View into the Ngalonge Mountain range.

Now, when one thinks of the two incidents, what great sightings they were. As too see a lion on foot is always a privilege and one must not forget of the dangers that may happen. This is two different scenarios, with two different reactions from the lions. The first one was a lion feeling she needed to protect here young and the second one feeling that they would rather move away quickly, as they obviously had not encountered to many humans on foot.

Another great walking experience was one of Nic and his guests being approached by a honey badger, which seemed to have its mind in a total different world. When it eventually got to within 10 meters of them, it realised that this was no place to be and turned and high-tailed it away from them. Nic jokingly said afterwards that all the guys needed to hold onto their crowned jewels….. Honey Badgers are known to be very aggressive to any thing that is perceived to be a threat to them and would not hesitate to latch onto the vulnerable areas!!!!!

Birding has also being great this month. Here is a list of some of the good sightings that we have had of birds in and around the concession.

Bohms’ Bee-eater

Swallow-tailed Bee-eater

Bohms’ Spinetail

Spectacled Weaver

African Skimmer

African Hawk Eagle - feeding on a francolin

Ayres’ Hawk Eagle - a first for me

White-breasted Cuckoo shrike

Martial Eagle

Bateleur

Yellow-throated Longclaw

Pale-billed Hornbill

Lizzard Buzzard – feeding on Four-toed elephant shrew

Shikra

Helmeted Guinea fowl – a lot of them around at the moment

Crested Guinea fowl

Red-throated Twinspot

Eastern Nicator

Cabanis Bunting

African Hawk Eagle with Francolin.

Spectacled Weaver.

Ayres' Hawk Eagle.

Next post will be soon, and will be on fly camping and our trip up Mecula Mountain (which includes some serious low range driving - not for the faint hearted!!)

Watch this space!