South Africa November 6th-20th 2014

South Africa a trip report from Johannesburg northwards towards Nylsvley, Magaobaskloof , Musina, Pafuri and back through the Kruger National Park.

For four or more decades I have been watching Sir David Attenborough wander through The Kruger NP and various other places throughout Africa. Expertly describing  fascinating traits about wildlife that only made my curiosity grow. I suspect this was the same for other armchair enthusiasts.

Click any image for a larger view.

Technology today is wonderful and has made huge advances forwards,but not even todays high tech HD screens can offer anything like being there. No screen can show you the width and depth or field of view that you will see whilst you watch a group of Hippo bathe in the Luvuvhu river, or the buzz you will feel as two Honey Badgers run across the road 20 metres in front of you.
No TV is capable of delivering the warmth of the sun on your back and the feel of a breeze in your face as  you watch a Martial Eagle soar overhead.

After picking up the hire car from Johannasberg airport I drove towards Bela Bela and Birdsong cottages. A good place to start and not far from Nylsvley NR. Once in my comfortable cottage I walked around the grounds and the two small lakes below the cottages. Southern masked Weavers, Southern black tits, and Streaky headed seedeaters flitted through bush. Whilst a pair of Little Grebes courted around the edge of one lake. Scanning the hillsides gave sightings of Jackal Buzzards and my first ever Zebra.
The next morning I set off early towards Nylsvley NR. I would love to see this area when the rains have started and the waders have arrived though I will not complain about what I did see through the day. Giraffes posed nicely from the dusty track and Magpie Shrikes seemed numerous. Meeting Jean and Suzaan  Vav Rooyen was a bonus and we tagged along together. African Jacana, Stonechat, fish eagles, Spoonbills, Great white and Little egrets, Blacksmith Plover and the first Martial eagle of the trip was great. Southern boubou, Brown crowned tchagra, African paradise flycatcher, Fork tailed drongo and a superb Crested barbet delighted us.

Crested Barbet

Bird of the day was seen whilst having coffee at the café  a superb Violet backed starling. Add to this Barn swollows, Cinnamon breasted bunting, Red billed queleas,  Grey heron and my first ever Ostrich the bird count was soaring. Spur winged geese, Meves starling and several Lilac breasted rollers kept us going. European rollers, and a Crimson breasted shrike added more good birds to the list.

On the Mammal list the day started on the dusty track towards the main road. Two young Impala bucks locked horns though not with any real conviction and a Common warthog drank from a nearby pond. At Nylsvley several good antelope showed well near the bird hide. A small herd of Black Wildebeest mingled with Zebra whilst Ostrich strutted just behind them. Blue Wildebeest were less numerous though they did come closer. The striking facial pattern of Roan antelope was easy to identify and their numbers were good. A single possible Puku gave brief views from the edge of a large bush and Common Reedbuck and Nyala were also seen. Back at Birdsong cottages a Grey Go Away bird was calling like a lost lamb on Helium one of the strangest calls I have ever heard. They are said to be saying "GO AWAY" but I have no idea in which language. A Pearl spotted owlet was also heard but not located.

Below is a sound clip of a Grey Go- Away bird ( Lourie)..you may agree with me that it is a very unusual call to hear from a bird.








My next move was to Magoebaskloof and a tree house in the jungle for 3 nights. I had booked 2 days out with David and a evenings stroll around the local area. I had really high hopes for this part of my journey northwards. I had sent a e-mail wish list to the Karisa Moya camp and I received a good response. The evening stroll shortly after I arrived was good with Forest Buzzard, Jackal Buzzard, Chorister robin chat and brief views of a Alpine Swift. The highlight of the evening was in a makeshift hide built by David. The construction was good and he had obviously put some effort into this project. He had built this hide in a area where he could tempt Green Twinspots close. The evening was successful and we had two female twinspots and one male visit the area, along with Red billed firefinch.The walk back from the hide was quite unproductive with brief views of Narina Trogan and a Pair of Blue- Manteled Crested Flycatchers.

 A A heart stopping moment came when 2 rampaging bush pigs ran across my path in the low light on my way back to my treehouse. The next morning was a 5.30 AM start and we set off in search of Cape Parrots , Verraux Eagles and Bat hawks. Joining the road just outside camp we spotted a male Pin tailed Whydah trying to entice a female with his courtship display and amorous advances. Along the way to the mountain road we spotted Jackal buzzard but nothing on the mammal front.

The mountain road was the best chance we had to see Cape Parrot and David knew of a nest site that we observed for awhile with no luck. Though we did catch views of Cardinal Woodpecker and Olive Woodpecker. David tried to call a Orange ground thrush in, but the brief views we had of it could not be classed as a true sighting. Though we did have good views of  Yellow streaked Greenbul and both Pale and Ashy Flycatchers. Whilst photographing the Ashy flycatcher several other birds flew along the edges of the trees and over the mountain road that we had parked upon. Obviously needing a guide in this part of the world I turned to David for advice but he had sat down on a rock several yards behind me and showed no indication of moving. A few minutes later whilst still sitting on his rock I shouted that two large raptors were circling overhead and towards us... this made him move. A pair of Verraux Eagles headed towards the higher ground way above our position .David had replied in his e-mail that we would visit this nest site whilst in this area. Walking back to the Cape Parrot nest site David sat down again whilst I checked to see if the Parrots had returned but no such luck at the nest hole. I hung around and luckily after several minutes I had a group of five Cape parrots fly just over the trees and past my position that gave me decent views. David then decided that we should go further down the mountain path towards Dengbi falls a well known spot for Mountain Wagtails. This came as a surprise as it meant us going away from the Verraux Eagles nest site that I had been promised we would visit. The falls are beautiful and the area is obviously well used by many visitors. The Wagtail flew past quickly and out of sight before flying back downstream onto a nearby pool edge just yards away from. Two adults and a juvenile. Comparing Mountain Wagtails to Cape Wagtails my first thought was how cleaner and crisper these birds are in adult plumage than Cape Wagtails. Moving on we headed towards Magoebaskloof Dam, this puzzled me. It seemed a strange choice with Tzaneen dam nature reserve being only another 10km further along the road and a much more rewarding area according to the books and trip reports. On our arrival though we did have Abdim's Stork flying over and on the far banking we scoped Little and Cattle egrets and a single Spoonbill. Along the edge of the Dam we picked up several Cape Wagtails and White Bellied Sunbirds both male and female. Along with Tawny flanked Prinia. After a drink and a bight to eat we moved to a residential garden in a posh part of town. Obviously a friend of Davids this lady was attracting Magpie Manakins to her garden feeder. Bronze Manakins seemed fairly common at the feeder but the Magpie Manakins seemed a little more cautious about coming down from the higher branches.

 After awhile though they did and I was able to take some decent photographs. We moved again a little further into town to what seemed a odd location. It was on the edge of a park where some new dwellings were being built. Still quite residential and quite busy. Behind some overgrown bushes and vegetation was a small stream and behind that new building plots and more open areas of land. Several small birds flitted through the undergrowth and I found it hard to get decent views of them but nearer the partially built homes a pair of Long tailed Widowbirds flew by, the male was stunning  with his long tail and beautiful plumage. Yellow Bishops and Yellow fronted Canary showed well for the camera. After a short stay here we moved to The Bat Hawk nesting site high above the town and back into the mountains. At the nest site the female Bat Hawk was sat tightly upon the nest, her head and rump barely visible above the collection of branches and twigs.  Several metres away in another tree the male was also sat tightly upon his chosen branch making photography from below near impossible though I did take some record shots. Not wanting to disturb the birds for the sake of a better photograph  we drove around the area only ticking off Ovambo Sparrowhawk and White necked Raven. After this David decided that the day was over and it was time to head back towards Kurisa Moya. Though the day had been fairly successful I had not been taken to the sites that I had been promised in the e-mails and this was a huge disappointment. In my opinion I had been taken around a well worn path and shown the areas that everyone else was shown. I was more annoyed by the lack of enthusiasm from David throughout the day than failing to be taken somewhere off the beaten track, so I rested and slept in my treehouse and left early to head towards Musina.

Quitting Karisa Moya early and moving to The Sandriver resort near Musina was far from a mistake. Stopping at a Steers restaurant for breakfast was worthwhile, a fully cooked hearty  breakfast with coffee and orange juice was about £3  The hotel just off the main N1 is next to a handy petrol station and supermarket and the rooms are good and clean. The restaurant is very good and the service is as good as any decent western place. Arriving around lunch time I visited Musina nature reserve, not a huge place but fairly close to the hotel and quite handy for a afternoons drive. First bird of note was a Western banded snake Eagle and several European Bee eaters feeding on the abundant insects. A lone Giraffe came quite close to the car and gave good views. One of the smallest and cutest mammals I came across was a Damara Dik Dik.

Also close by and giving good views. Lilac breasted rollers were now being seen at every place I visited along with  Southern Red and Yellow billed hornbills. Yellow billed Kites and Red billed Firefinch started to become common sightings now. A Bateleur Eagle proved hard to get close to with the camera and a soaring Martial Eagle stayed to high for me to photograph. The afternoon was pleasant but  held nothing rare or unusual. Around the hotel though was quite entertaining with Green Vervet Monkeys running over the chalet roofs and colony of Southern Masked Weavers nesting at the side of the bar area. Next door at the petrol station I noticed a large number of swallows constantly hunting insect above and around the canopy that shaded the pumps. Walking over I noticed Lesser and Greater stripped Swallows and a few Barn Swallows. In total around 100 birds hawking insects around the forecourt.   In this mix of birds I noticed 2 or 3 smaller Spinetail like birds with 4 white even spots on the undertail that I still have not identified. The evening meal of oxtail was worth the journey alone and the whole place was friendly and relaxing.

The next day the 12th I headed off to Mapungubwe NP. The road to the National park was a good drive but it held some good sightings along the way there and back. Yellow billed kites, White crested Helmetshrike and Natal Spurfowl to name a few.

Southern White Crowned Shrike.

A magnificent Greater Kudu gave good photographic poses and Warthogs and Baboons, the latter in large groups ran across the road as the car approached. Brown snake Eagles became numerous as did several species of Hirundies. Once in the park Giraffe Zebra and Elephants were seen regularly. Bee eaters and rollers also. Some distance  behind the entrance gates is a large rock face where Verraux Eagles could be seen soaring at distance, I later found out that 3 pairs use this area of the park. My first real new sighting was of a Kori Bustard as I drove along. We both noticed each other at the same time and though this large unusual bird kept a safe distance I did manage some decent shots. A cracking Male Southern Oryx gave good views for the camera and shortly after my first Martial eagle of the day soared overhead. Another Crimson breasted Shrike evaded my lens as I drove to the Limpopo river and the wooden walkway that was now broken by floods but still partly accessible. Zimbabwe boarders the Limpopo with South Africa at this point.The water level was low but along its banks Greenshanks, Black Crakes, Black winged Stilts and Sacred Ibis could be seen. In the trees above the walkway Vervet monkeys foraged and African Hoopoe, Green wood Hoopoe, and Grey Hornbill showed well. A Ovambo Sparrowhawk twisted through the trees and then dived into a bush below the monkeys and attacked some small finch type birds. Scoping the banks further down the river I was lucky to spot a Openbill stork and several other river dwelling birds. Fish Eagles perched whilst Elephants and hippos drank and wallowed in the river. Driving around the park gave more good views of the most regular birds again though Pale chanting Goshawk was a nice sight to watch for awhile. Mapungubwe was a good place to visit and I will visit again soon I hope.

 

Bird watching or  amateur wildlife photography  does not give you the views like the ones we are used to from our television and  armchair.... and you certainly don't get any help or commentary from Sir David. What we often get are views just beyond the reach of our lenses or a good animal or bird slightly obscured by foliage. Often the bird or animal will have a twig that you didn't notice in the viewfinder across its face or a leaf in the background that will make it look like it is wearing a tiara today. I do not know what percentage of keepers ( good quality photos worth keeping ) others achieve but I do know that I delete between 80% and 85%.

 

The next day after breakfast I set off towards Pafuri River camp just outside the Kruger National Park. It was a fair old drive but also a interesting road to drive along. A distance of 120 km the road was good and easy to navigate. The first bird of note was one of my favourites. Whilst in Gambia I had failed to get anywhere near close to this bird but as i had just got underway a  beautiful Black shouldered Kite flew slowly past and behind the car perching high upon a tree behind me.

I reversed slowly expecting the bird to slip away but it stayed focused at the ground below. Several minutes later it did move on but I had taken some great photos and admired the bird from close range. At the roadside nearby I was lucky to pick out Chinspot Batis and Scaly feathered finch to add to the start of a good day. The next bird I found soon afterwards was hard to identify a Marico Flycatcher. Only after studying the photos afterwards could I tell it from a Pale Flycatcher. All along the road Lesser and Greater Swallows perched upon the telegraph wires but Barn Swallows were less numerous but still quite evident. The road towards Pafuri is lush and green but in other parts it was also quite arid. Scanning over some arid places I picked up a male Chestnut backed sparrow lark. Driving on towards my new camp a stunning Steppe Buzzard stayed quite high above me but gave  decent photos. A pair of Hammerkops also graced the air above me later, looking in flight like a throwback to some prehistoric age. Close to Hek gate and Pafuri the road was quiet and very straight and at this point just before the final village a pair of harrier type birds drifted from one side of the road to the other, being fairly close to the birds as they headed forwards I sped off in front and parked up I could see the birds approach and I tried to hide myself behind the car. I was lucky to get fairly decent photos of these Harriers a Male and female Montagu's  Harrier. Great stuff !

The track down to Pafuri river camp was a little hard to find so I asked a park ranger at  Hek gate that leads into the Kruger NP. Whilst talking and taking directions from him another Englishman came from the offices asking if I was staying at Pafuri river camp. As we chatted he explained to me that a couple of hours earlier a South African man had been gored by a Buffalo right inside the camp. Later on the full story emerged that this Buffalo, one of a pair had been chased and hunted by the park rangers for 3 days and it was also injured. The park rangers had failed to warn anyone in the area or at the camp that a pair of Buffalo were being chased and that they could pose a significant threat towards humans . Also that this poor animal had not fed or rested for these 3 days.

The pair unaware to the rangers had doubled back from a nearby area and onto the side of the river that edges Pafuri river camp. The day that I arrived the man who was gored had taken breakfast and  with a friend decided to walk around the camp bird watching. At the river bank they must of come across the Buffalo at fairly close range. The Buffalo thinking they had found safety charged the pair of men hitting one of them head on and tossing him to the side breaking ribs and cutting his side open from below his armpit towards his waist. The other man another South African was permitted to carry a firearm and shot his pistol into the ground twice near the Buffalo. This was enough to scare the Buffalo away. The injured man was taken to a nearby mine where the medical facilities are first class I believe. Later we heard that he was poorly but not in danger. On top of that once I had been shown to my tree house lodgings very close to the river bank I noticed a small sign...Beware of Crocodiles !!

Welcome to Pafuri.

My Treehouse Home.

 

The injured Buffalo was shot dead that day by the rangers but its mate had vanished into thin air a few miles away from the camp.

After ample food and coffee from my hosts I walked down to the river and what a place it was. Goliath heron, Green Sandpiper, Greenshank, and my first of many Three banded Plovers. Overhead a Martial eagle soared and a Puff back Shrike showed near the tree house. Helmeted Guineafowl trotted around in fairly large numbers and Golden tailed Woodpecker showed regularly within the camp. African Wattled Lapwing, Pied Kingfisher and Water Thick-knee occupied the edges of the shallow water and nearby pools.

In the afternoon I drove into the Kruger NP wanting to visit the Luvhuvhu bridge a mecca for birdwatchers. You are allowed to exit your car on the bridges but also advised to stay close within the marked lines on the bridges. My first thought was how wonderful this area was. The 20km drive had been fantastic with Bateleur Eagle, Warthog and Bushpig. At the bridge I had African fish Eagle, Giant Kingfisher, Green backed night Heron, Lesser and Greater striped swallow, Malachite and Pygmy Kingfisher and all the regular waders along with Baboons and Vervet monkeys. Vultures are in good numbers and Guineafowl, finches and spurfowl are not uncommon. I am sure I heard Corncrake rattling away on my way back. The whole area is just wonderful and I would say that 60 species could be spotted just around the bridge area alone. It is a truly fantastic area.. Outstanding!!!!

Back at camp for the evening I met with the man I had spoke with at Hek gate earlier. Andy Adcock a good birder from Nottingham and his Russian girlfriend Anastasia He was well travelled and offered good advice. He was also friendly with two of my local birding pals. After a few beers and good food I had a walk with Anastasia around the camp looking for Scorpions with her UV lamp. We spotted several glowing in the nooks of tree bark and then returned to Andy. Whilst we chatted away we could hear Bush baby crying around the camp. One regret I have is that I did not take a large lamp with me, I think if I had we could of lamped the river bank and camp at night. The camp did give us torches but they did not light up much more than 5 yards in front of us. We retired and lying in my bed I heard the most amazing sounds coming into my tree house. I truly felt that I was in the middle of the bush surrounded by wildlife. 5.30 AM I was wakened by thumping noises on my roof something was running amok just above my bed. Looking out as dawn was breaking I had a group of Samango monkeys using my roof as a trampoline, not the alarm clock I was used to using. I was due to meet my guide Frank Mabasa for the day at 6.30 at Pafuri picnic area. I made myself coffee and checked my equipment before driving 20km to meet him. Frank is laid back and quite cool and very knowledgeable we set off and with 5 minutes he was pointing out Retz's Helmetshrikes and Coucals along with Crested Guineafowl and Southern black tit. We  stopped at the side of Luvhuvhu where Frank pointed out a group of Hippo and some rather large Crocodiles along with a perching Fish Eagle and several waders. As I was taking photos Andy and Anastasia pulled up behind us, they had been with Frank the day before. We decided to move together and Frank wanted to show us Ground Hornbills near Crooks Corner , the confluence between 3 countries. No sign of the Hornbills but we did have a pair of large Elephants blocking our way into Crooks Corner parking area.We waited and waited but there was no way past so we turned around and looked at other places nearby. Back on the tarmac road near the border point with Mozambique we drove slowly looking around for sightings. Without warning a huge bull Elephant appeared on our left hand side making its way across the tarmac slowly only  yards in front of us. Frank advised me to stop and let it cross. This bull Elephant was massive, absolutely huge, its head alone was as big as the car that we were sat in. Never in my life have I ever felt so vulnerable, the Elephant was aware that we were there and he had one beady eye on us all the time as he moved slowly across to our right hand side. I would of backed further away from this beast because of the sheer size of the animal he was magnificent and towered way above us. In context he was as big as a double decker bus, his bulk and power was immense and I was certainly daunted by his presence.  Andy and Anastasia were  only a few feet behind us so reversing was not a option. As he moved across the road Frank told me to drive past him slowly keeping to the left. At the point when we came closest to him he turned and shook his mammoth sized head violently, shaking off a cloud of red dust and trumpeting louder than a fog horn  that some practical joker had let off behind you unaware....for one awful second I thought he was going to charge us and I was truly scared, and I think for that same moment Frank was as well. The one moment in Africa that will stay with me forever. Mike Watson had advised me before leaving England to pay the Elephants a lot of respect and back away if needed. Good advise and what a fantastic, scary, frightening, few moments he gave us all. Stopping further down the road Anastasia said to us both that she had never felt so scared in her life and she had also thought the Elephant was about to charge us. Cracking stuff !!!

Later we made it back towards Crooks Corner and the road was clear. The car park is enclosed and quite confined. We scoped the river picking up waders, Crocodile, Hippo and way off in the distance two Saddle billed Storks....superb stuff. One bird was wading from left to right across our field of view the other bird was wading, strutting, walking towards us whilst searching the shallow water for food. At this point the male bird was about 300 yards/metres away but was coming closer. I placed a 1.4X and a 2X converter onto my 300mm lens secured it on a tripod and rested the lens on a sturdy fence post just to get a record shot of these fantastic birds. Anastasia used her 500mm and a 2x converter and did the same. The bird was coming closer but at this rate we would need another 20 minutes to get good shots. Whilst Andy scoped and we took our photos a large rumble sound came from the bushes behind us. Frank said that we should move because he thought that Elephants were heading towards us and could trap us in the small car park and that would not be funny. We clambered into the cars and headed back to the picnic site slightly miffed but safe.

                              The view from Crooks Corner looking towards Mozambique.
Back at the picnic site we hung around just birding the car park and river bank. Great white Egrets, Egyptian Geese and Green backed Night herons showed well. Whilst Ret'z  Helmetshrikes, and a cracking female Red chested Cuckoo added to the days tally.

Back on the bridge on the way back to camp Marico Sunbird and 3 species of Kingfisher... Giant, Pied and Malachite along with Wood Sandpiper, Greenshank , Goliath Heron  waded along the banks. A White headed Vulture soared alone above me. Working my way back up the road slowly Crested Francolin scurried around the grasses and a possible Corncrake hid nearby to a shaded bush. A pair of Double Breasted Sandgrouse caught my eye, with the bare ring of yellow skin around the eye showing clearly. These two small birds added to the list around this rich area and showed just  why I found this place so fantastic.
Back at camp it was becoming dark and as we all sat down to eat Andy could hear a Freckled Nightjar  that he pointed out just behind the camp but viewing without a large was lamp it was going to be impossible. As the night darkened the night time animals could be heard around us. Bush baby being the easiest to identify. The highlight of the evening for me was walking back to the treehouse, on my way down through the camp a Spotted Genet tried to sneak across my path only yards in front of me. Its belly was almost scraping the ground and its shoulder blades protruded higher than its back as it stealthily made for cover only stopping to glance momentarily at the threat I may pose to it. As I stepped forwards another Spotted Genet followed the exact same path and with the same stealth also stopping and glancing at me before disappearing. Utterly Fantastic Stuff !!!
The next morning I was awake and making coffee as dawn was breaking, sitting at my picnic table I noted two large birds walking down towards the river quite a way off. I ran for the camera knowing that these birds could only be Southern Ground Hornbills. I managed to take some of the worst photographs that I have ever taken but I did get a second chance much later. Watching them for awhile I lost them after a few minutes but I was happy that I had seen them. Also at the same area and time I could here a deep hoot, a really deep from the belly sort of hoot from a obvious owl. Scanning the trees I scoped the back of a Verraux Eagle Owl in a lone tree across the river from the camp. This was great 20 minutes out of bed and two fantastic sightings. Sitting back at the table I enjoyed the coffee as a Sparrowhawk whizzed through the trees around me like a missle giving me little chance of a specific identification . Walking the river edge before breakfast I picked up Puffback Shrike and a Long Billed Crombec. At breakfast Andy told me that he had seen two Honey Badgers just half a mile from the gate into the Kruger, a place where Racket tailed rollers had been known to be seen the previous day. I had planned to look at this area anyway so on my way back to the bridge I slowed down and parked up. The Racket tailed Rollers have near myth status and are rarely seen. Five minutes scanning the trees was worth a shot though, as I scanned around two Honey Badgers scurried from cover on my right hand side ran down the tarmac road for a few yards and away into the grass on my left. What a sighting and what a animal. These things don't hang around or plod about, they knew exactly where they were heading and a few seconds was all I was treated to  sighting of them. Further down the road I noted a small pack of Spotted Hyenas, I have wanted to see wild Hyenas for decades.

The small head and powerful back end make this wedge shaped animal a true heavy weight in the animal kingdom. A mouth full of sharp teeth, the pack hunting instincts, allow these predators to tussle with a prides of Lions and sometimes relieve the pride of a kill.  . Though usually only through out numbering them. These Hyenas seemed to be wandering with no real purpose but still what a fantastic animal to witness. This was Africa.
I was trying my luck on my own today, Frank was busy so I thought I would try for better shots at some wildlife in this superb area. The day was cooler and a little rain fell, the Greater and Lesser striped swallows flew quite low around the bridge and a Yellow billed Kite dropped in for a drink. Whilst trying to photograph the Swallows in flight around the bridge I noticed Some smaller swallow type birds known as Spinetails. I knew they were not Mottled Spinetails because these show a serrated edge to the tail. I had seen these in Gambia. Though I knew a large colony of Mottled Spinetails famously roosted in a large Boabab tree a  couple of miles away. My guess was Bohms Spinetail judging by the size and markings. of these birds. Later Frank explained that when the temperature was high Bohms hawk insects high and are hard to find and see. When the temperature is cooler they come down  lower and hawk for insects... and yes they were Bohms Spinetails.

The Dentist in the Bush.

Taking a route away from the bridge I noted some small groups of Red billed Firefinch and larger flocks of Red billed Quelea than I had ever seen before. Zebra,Giraffe and Common Waterbuck fed in the quieter parts away from the tarmac road and  Greater Kudu stared as I drove past. On one of these quieter routes a bird that had never given me good shots perched and I drove towards it slowly with bated breath. Closing in I managed to get close to this beautiful Bateleur Eagle. I had not seen these birds perched often so this was a good chance of some decent shots, luckily it stayed perched for a few photos.

Moving on and taking another quiet route I picked up nothing of note until a Wahlbergs Eagle flew over but too high for a photograph. Somewhere between Punda Maria and Crooks Corner a raptor was perched high on a dead tree soaked from the rain but reluctant to fly away. I edged the car as close as I could and took a few shots. Only when the bird shook the rain from itself did I realise that this was another bird for my new species list... A Black chested snake Eagle. I felt for this raptor as it sat getting soaked by the fine drizzle but the bird seemed  happy just shaking itself every few minutes.

Making my way to Crooks Corner again I failed to spot the Saddle billed Stork or anything else really it was very quiet. Further down the river  a pod of hippo wollowed as the heat began to rise and the rain stopped. Whilst observing these magnificent beasts I noticed a large hole in a tree that looked a likely place for a nest. Several minutes later a Trumpeter Hornbill landed close by and made its way towards the hole...thinking that this bird had occupied the hole I watched as the bird showed obvious interest in this hole looking in several times but no more than that. No other bird was inside but this Hornbill was taking a good look at a possible nest site for itself and maybe a future partner. Back at the Hippos I took some decent pictures and noticed to my far left a Saddle billed Stork walking away from me.. I jumped in the car knowing that another pull in place was just beyond the bird. As I pulled in I could see the bird strutting towards me along the rivers edge. This gave me my best opportunity of decent shots of one of the best birds I have ever seen.

These birds are something special and I still can not decide what it is about them that I love. The bold markings of black and white plus the pink knees and ankles make it striking, but there is some sort of futuristic look about the head and bill. That make me think that these birds were made in a special effects studio and not by nature herself. The red bill with black band is unusual and the frontal shield ( the saddle) is also very catching. The bird in the photo is a male, note the small yellow wattles at the base of the bill and the brown/black eyes... the female has bright yellow eyes and no wattles. She is also slightly smaller. Both birds have a bare patch of skin showing upon the chest that becomes darker at breeding times. At first I thought this patch was a brooding pouch but both sexes are alike.
This was my last day in the area so I headed towards Punda Maria camp spotting the usual but still exciting birds and animals. In the Kruger you are advised not to step out of your vehicle unless
in a safe designated area. On my little drive I came across a elderly lady some yards away from her husband and car. Stopping by her side I asked her if she was ok and she replied she had seen two Dickinson's Kestrels , the first she had seen in nearly five years she added. Jumping from my car and leaving the door wide open I managed to pick the closer one out quickly, and another a little further behind. Enjoying a few minutes with this lady and these fairly rare birds she explained that they both lived nearby and she had become quite excited at seeing these birds perching as they drove past.
Returning to camp was bitter sweet knowing that this place would take some beating, even though I had missed Pel's Fishing Owl and several more species I was more than satisfied with the sightings that I had been treated too.
Hind sight is a wonderful thing, and moving was a mistake. Setting off early I headed south through the Kruger towards Balule river camp near Phalaborwa. Lots of sightings along the way but the first new bird of note was a Tawny Eagle.  As I drove along I noticed a  huge raptor being mobbed by two Spur winged Plovers. The size difference between them was epic. The Plovers calling franticly as the huge Eagle flew past only ten metres above the ground. The plovers flew around the Eagle  with ease harassing the great bird endlessly, suddenly one plover flew just below the Tawny Eagle and slightly ahead. Within the blink of a eye the Eagle twisted and stooped and grabbed the Plover falling to the ground with it's catch and out of view in the dry grass.

Tawny Eagle being mobbed by Plover

The other Plover circling and calling just above where the birds had fallen. Five minutes later the Eagle was airborne again and perching on top of a nearby tree. This was a impressive few minutes to witness and one of the things that is now clearly embedded in my memory. Along the road through the Kruger NP there are numerous  smaller loop roads, some are just elongated pull in spots, others are 20kms or longer. Along one of these such loop roads I was watching a Goliath Heron and some distant basking Crocodiles when 4 Southern Ground hornbills strutted onto the riverbank from nowhere. After taking the worst photographs ever of Southern Ground Hornbills back at Pafuri I was able to grab some more credible shots this time. The Southern Ground Hornbill is a unusual looking bird and this quartet was made up of two adults and two juveniles, these birds are now being monitored in the Kruger NP because the numbers of these birds have decreased by two thirds in the last century. Nomadic and scarce I had been more than fortunate to of seen these incredible birds  twice at two different locations and along with two juveniles made it very pleasing. My next detour from the main road onto another loop brought good sightings of Hippo. and like the Southern Ground Hornbill and the British Bulldog it is beautiful in it ugliness. To be able to sit and watch this Hippo and it's calf at close quarters even for a short while was a privilege. This is their home and we are visitors, we must ensure that these wonderful creatures remain  with plenty of suitable habitat and space to roam and breed uninterrupted. We as visitors we must view and observe from a safe distance and leave them in peace.

 The next part of my journey was a disaster, first of all the road was being worked on and I had to make detour after detour eventually arriving at the wrong Balule camp. Though after onwards at speed one of my most wanted birds appeared at the roadside. Tall and leggy a Secretarybird lifted and flew a short distance. This was bad timing, rushing to get back on track and one of my top 10 birds was strutting away from me in the long grass. Wishing for a pair of step ladders the bird flew up again and away, and away.
Stopping for fuel I found the right camp and was told by the owner that he had no record of payment or information about my arrival. Also the camp was fully booked by a group for several days. I had paid Agoda booking agents up front and showed him all the confirmation e- mails. The owner was superb and gave me great advise though I had to turn around and head to Phalaborwa.  On my way back towards the main road from the camp I was lucky to spot a beautiful African Wild cat as the light was fading. I saw the cat cross the dusty track as I drove closer towards her, she crouched close to the ground. I knew she would disappear if I took my eyes off her but she seemed to vanish as I was watching her.  I still have no idea how she vanished. But what a beautiful sighting and what a lucky few moments i had staring at her staring back at me. Luckily the hotel I was advised to try turned out to be better expected. The C U Hotel was modern and stylish and about £30 for a good room, good food and a hearty breakfast . After the day from hell it was good to sit and chat with  Kylie from Botswana who was the manageress of the restaurant and now lived locally. We spent awhile talking about wildlife and birds and it was surprising how knowledgeable she was on some  of the rarer birds that could be found around this area.
The next day i entered the Kruger NP again and headed towards lake Panic.  A  well known haunt for birders and a place with good reviews. The first new exciting sighting was a small pride of lions taking shade under some trees. Three females and two males puffed and panted and seemed unable to settle in the heat and it was still quite early in the day. Manoeuvring the car into a position where I could get shots was a little tough but I managed a few decent shots through the bushes and grasses, I came away happy...they are true big cats and taller than I realised at the shoulder.

A male Lion can stand 1.2 meters at the shoulder that is 4ft in old money. The female 1 metre at the shoulder or 3ft 3 inch.. it is very impressive. What a animal... what beast these cats are massive powerful and without doubt a true animal of the African bush !
The bird hide at Lake Panic gave limited views of the lake but was tucked away in a small corner but a good corner. One of the first birds of note  was a male Red chested Cuckoo calling high from a nearby tree. A large Crocodile was basking below the hide but facing away from me  and not offering any really good shots, but underneath the hide there was some commotion and obviously something was running around below the floor under the stilted legs of the hide. Looking down through the windows I glimpsed a  Black Crake step out and rush back under the hide like a cat with it's bum on fire. The bird was very skittish running back under the hide frequently but giving good views when it was out in the open. Other birds of note at the hide included Grey and Squacco heron a distant Green backed heron and Water thicknees.
Slowly driving through the Kruger stopping where I thought was a good spot and scanning around was ok but slightly frustrating. Being unable to step out of the car and set up the scope when I wanted spoiled things a little. One thing that did become clear was the lack of interest from others in anything apart from the big 5 or anything that was more than a few metres away. One such example was a soaring Martial eagle drifting in my direction . I was asked by a park guide what I had, he was carrying half a dozen punters in his high backed tourist truck and after explaining what was above us they moved on without a glance. Two or three kilometres down the road the same truck load of punters snapped away at Zebra at the edge of the road. Talking to some folks at the picnic spots and camps left me more frustrated at the lack of research they had done before entering the park. Why bother coming I kept thinking to myself.
One of the best things I found on my own was a mother White Rhino and her calf, distant but obviously a White Rhino. The White Rhino is separated from the Black Rhino by the shape of the upper lip. The  White Rhino has a straight flat upper lip that the animal uses for grazing . The word white may of come from the Dutch word "Weit " or wide in reference towards its wide muzzle.
The Black Rhino has a hooked upper lip, that it uses to feed on twigs or woody plants and herbaceous plants. Also the  white Rhino  has a more pronounced hump around the shoulders that the Black Rhino does not appear to have. Though a little distant I was happy to watch these two for awhile and this was one of the animals that was high on my list.

Ponds pools and streams seemed hard to find from the car, places where birds and animals may be seen wading and drinking . A lot of the smaller streams had dried up and finding waders was difficult. One small place I found was by the roadside, a pair of Turtles surfaced onto a fallen log and

copulated in front of my eyes. Above them a Pied Kingfisher showed absolutely no interest in the Turtles action and a Three Banded Plover ran along the waters edge looking for food. Egyptian Geese with young stayed close to the edge whilst a Squacco heron stalked fish a little further away.

A large Eagle perched nearby and surveyed the area. A little further along a young enthusiastic South African couple had spied another Rhino this time closer but the animal was in deep cover and reluctant to come out into the open. We jockeyed for better views but the animal moved deeper into the thickets feeding on the branches with its back to us. The brief views we got its head convinced us that this was not a White Rhino but the rarer Black Rhino. When I did catch a glimpse of its head I did see a little hooked upper lip  and the fact that it was feeding on the twigs and branches and not grazing the ground made up our minds for us on this identification.
Continuing through the NP Black shouldered Kites and Bateleur Eagle showed quite well. Zebra, Warthog and Bushpig also. Other  sightings included plenty of Rollers and Magpie Shrikes along with Woodland and Striped Kingfisher.

 Back in the hotel grounds Scarlet chested Sunbird and White browed Robin Chat foraged through the trees outside my room  and a single Hadeda Ibis ran across the Hotel lawn quite surprisingly.

 

 The next day I continued back towards Johannesburg deciding to stop near Marievale a place recommended by Jean and Suzanne who I had met at Nylsvley Nature reserve. The drive was long and it was mid afternoon before I arrived . The sky was bible black by the time I managed to get into the first hide . I didn't even get my scope set up before the heavens opened and the rain lashed the whole area making birding impossible. Soon after the rains had started I overheard two men talking and one stated that he was leaving before the roads leading to Marievale became flooded. I had noticed that roads close to the reserve were not great so I asked  the mans advice and he said they flooded quickly and easily making driving without a 4x4 very difficult. He was not wrong my hire car was struggling and at times the water must of been over the car cills.Staying any longer and I would of been in trouble. The rain was relentless and lasted for over two hours drenching the whole area.  When it did clear I managed a little birding just off the main R42 road. Stopping at a service area for coffee. Behind the service area restaurant was a small lake that was not visible from the road. Whilst drinking my coffee  I noticed a Reed Cormorant fly past and perch on fence post next to a African Darter on the far side of the lake. Moving outside with the weather improving I grabbed the camera and made my way towards some waterside reeds. A beautiful male Southern Red Bishop gave decent views whilst moving through the reeds. Across the water I could see two Tern like birds elegantly flying over the water and after looking through my guide book it was clear that they were Whiskered Terns. The birds didn't come close and I was reluctant to go closer towards the reeds because they could of hidden crocodiles.  Moving towards my new hotel I was lucky to catch a male Long tailed Widowbird at the roadside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Birding between Building ( a new look kitchen).

Time flies when your busy. Especially when your working at home trying to improve things that should of been done two years earlier. A new look kitchen, roofing work and rendering outside soaks up time and that's without touching my electrical problems....but "Hey Ho", enough about that !
Since my last posting I have managed to venture out with the scope and camera but not as often as I would normally.

Preston docklands was a place I visited on a couple of short trips, Common Terns have chosen to nest upon the concrete rafts that span out across the docks. These have been laid out with painted white tyres, old logs and man made wooden  platforms for the benefit of the Terns. It clearly works because on my first visit I estimated around 100 nesting pairs with 2 Pairs of Artic terns, though they didn't seem to be nesting at the time.
The Terns provide great practise for..( birds in flight photography), they wiz past you  twisting and turning acrobatically sometimes yards from your camera. If you miss a handful of shots there is no need to worry more Terns will give you another chance with minutes.
My first visit this year was going well with Gulls and Terns flying peacefully around when all of a sudden the entire bird population of the docks rose from the water in a instance. Gulls and Terns  in unison cried out in a mighty mass panic.

I scanned the air for a raptor, a passing Peregrine or something  similar maybe...then I spotted what was causing this hysteria. A single Great Skua or Bonxie was descending towards the water above the nesting Terns across the other side of the docks. By the time it had landed upon the water it was nearer to me but far to my right hand side. I grabbed my gear and ran towards where I could see a host of Terns swooping.  The Skua was close to the dock wall and below me when I re-found it. The Terns dive bombed it endlessly sometime covering it with excrement as they flew past. A group of Mallards floated over keeping a safe distance whilst voicing their displeasure at the Skuas arrival. Slowly the Skua drifted towards the open water and away from me passing through the noisy Mallards without a care. The Terns continued the attacks for several minutes as the Skua made it's way towards the far corner of the docks and further away from the Terns nesting rafts. The Skua constantly washed itself even after the Terns had retreated and I also noticed how this bird struggled when it tried to take off  though it did look healthy at close quarters. After a few efforts it managed to fly onto the opposite dock wall and away again after that a little later.

The Great Skua is a scarce breeding bird in Britain confined to the far north of Scotland, Faroes, and Iceland. It is a thick set powerful bird that will pursue and out fly other sea birds making them surrender any food they may have earned..A true pirate of the air.
The same size as our largest Seagull the Great Black-Backed Gull. Though more agile, but less so than the other 3 Skuas..Pomerine, Artic and Long Tailed Skua.


Artic Terns : note ...Blood red bill with no black tip, very short legs,
Generally greyer below with pure white cheeks standing out.


Another local trip out was to see the Long eared owls near to where I live. They have bred at the same location now for a few years and when the evening draws in you can hear the young starting to  make what has been described as a old rusty gate noise swinging in the wind. It really is a strange call. When the light started to fall the youngsters call grew a little louder and I could see one of the parent birds perched in a tree some distance away. The young birds at times sound very close but spotting where they are calling from is another mater, it can be very frustrating to find them. On this occasion I did take some shots but with the light failing and being unable to get a decent shutter speed the photos are quite poor...well that's my excuse and its the best excuse I can offer.

I went back again a few days later and realised that there was another breeding pair of owls further along the track and I estimated that between the two pairs they probably had 7 or maybe 8 young. Whilst looking out and listening I received a text from Casper our local birding hotline, a Rose Coloured Starling had been seen only two miles away perching upon aerials and chimney pots of several local houses. Running back to the car I found the location but had no sighting of the Starling....Damn.

The next day was Saturday and I arrived at the Rose Coloured Starling site early. Several other birders joined but after a few hours of looking around the residential area nothing was found. A break in the afternoon gave me chance to tidy the yard before returning in the evening. Pulling the car into Essex drive Burnley , I glanced at the roof top to my right hand side and there it was sat  upon a aerial with several other Starlings. The contrast of  pink upon this bird is quite strong when placed alongside our Common Starlings.

 I managed only five shots at the Pink bird before it flew away over the houses. Sunday was spent again searching the neighbourhood without any luck really, but Monday evening gave us better views a few streets away for more than a few seconds this time. The Pink Starling spent sometime upon a aerial preening and sometimes looking like it ready for a good long sleep with its head tucked beneath its wing.












Other outings though few and infrequent produced some good birds but nothing rare. A drive around the "Trough of Bowland " gave decent views of Pied Flycatcher and Spotted Flycatcher. Common Buzzard, Common Sandpiper. Swallows, Swifts and Matins in abudance along with decent numbers of Goldfinch, Reed Buntings. Less numerous birds included Great spotted Woodpecker, Chiffchaff and even a couple of young Whinchat. A female Hen Harrier showed briefly along the road towards Bentham before disappearing into a gully and not being seen again.

 
Overall with limited time some good birds really.

Gambia Pt2 March 2014.

Gambia March 19th-29th 2014.

Click any Image for Larger view.

Going back to Gambia and using up my remaining holidays before April seemed a good idea.
I wanted to pick up a few birds I had missed in December and also to improve my photography.
My accommodation was The Badala Park hotel a friendly place that needs a lick of paint and some cosmetic upgrading. Though the food was good and the atmosphere was better than the Palm beach hotel. It was a cheap and cheerful place to stay for a budget hotel. The rooms are clean and the beds are comfy also the showers worked well, the staff are a friendly and they had a Pearl spotted owlet somewhere in the gardens that sounded like it was sat on my balcony most mornings around 4am.
Arriving early afternoon I walked over towards the water treatment ponds and bird watchers garden to see Matty and Lamin. The ponds had the usual Egrets,Stilts and Sandpipers around.
Lamin was the guide that I used this time, proving that I had made a good choice throughout my stay. Matty is the best cook in Gambia and works for Lamin at the garden.

Matty the best cook in Gambia.

20th March. I was due to visit Farasuto and Faraba Banta with Njogu Bah  but he sent his brother Moses instead 45 minutes late. Hence the deision to use Lamin for the more serious bird watching trips later. The morning out was ok but Moses was no help as a guide though he is a nice guy and did his best. We picked up Harrier hawk, Shikra, Grey kestrel, Red cheeked Cordon Bleu along with Plantain Eaters, various Sunbirds and a female Whinchat.

 Later in the afternoon I had a walk with Matty along the cycle path behind the hotel. I had been told where we may catch some Painted snipe and Matty was keen to try and photograph them. We found them in good numbers well hidden away.  Other birds of note that afternoon were African Hobby, Little Bee Eater, Greenshank, Black Crake.
21st March saw us off to Abuko nature reserve, the day was red hot and by noon I was flagging with the heat. Sightings of Palm nut vulture, Long tailed glossy starlings and Giant kingfisher pleased us. Green vervet and Red colobus monkeys fed in the trees around us. Malachite and Pygmy kingfishers gave us good views, and the bird of the day was a beautiful male African paradise flycatcher that posed for awhile. Other birds of note at Abuko were, Green wood
Hoopoe, Yellow fronted leaflove, and Grey hornbill. On our way back to the taxi the heat was so intense that the soles of my shoes had become hot and after a quick look across the road at some Hadada Ibis I was glad to be on my way back towards the hotel. The rest of the day was spent avoiding the heat and relaxing at the hotel.

22nd March was a day around the hotel area. After breakfast I walked around the gardens. The Pearl Spotted Owlet had woken me briefly again at 4am and I was hoping to find it roosting. Plenty of birds flew around the trees at the car park and those of note were Bearded Barbet, Rose ringed Parakeets, Senegal Parrots, Red billed Hornbill, Broad billed Roller and a surprising immature African Harrier Hawk landed briefly in front of me.
Matty joined me at the hotel around 10am for a walk and we decided to try the large pond just at the side of hotel. Sacred Ibis, Pied Kingfisher, African Spoonbill and Western reef heron graced the edges. Further along we picked up Wood and Green Sandpiper, Black headed Heron, White faced whistling ducks and African Jacana . Later after refreshments at the poolside we headed towards the bridge and rice fields near the golf course. We tried to sneak close towards a Dwarf Bittern but with no luck of a photograph, but we did notice 3 Yellow wagtails one was later noted as a Blue headed yellow wagtail by Gary Waddington from the photograph. Thanks Gary.... Take a look at his blog it is full of good stuff.  http://garysbirdingblog.blogspot.co.uk/     click link.

Along the paths we spotted Purple Gallinule, a single Painted snipe, Senegal Coucal, Whimbrel, Black egret and the old German flag orYellow crowned Gonolek. Walking the edge of the golf course we had a single Osprey overhead and 2 passing Lanner falcons. Hornbills hopped along the ground ahead of us and before turning back we had a small group of Piapiac stealing rides on the backs of the local pigs. At the bridge we took shots at Wattled Plovers and Wire tailed Swallows before heading back to the hotel. Once at the hotel after a cool fruit cocktail we went to freshen up. Walking to the room along the path I looked up and what was sat out in the open looking down at us  , Bold as brass at 4.30 in the afternoon..my unwanted early morning alarm clock...The Pearl Spotted Owlet. I grabbed 5 shots at it before it flew away laughing at me I am sure...Damn thing.

23rd March was my first outing with Lamin and a bit more serious birding. We headed for Cape point and the Bund road area. Lamin is quite well known as a good guide but he lacks a bit in people skills, but he does work hard for you and is very direct and straight to the point. I found him to be very good overall and very knowledgeable....I will use him again before any other guide.
We started looking for  Yellow throated Longclaw in a open area that Lamin knew, he called  to them over and over but we only managed scoped views. Further on we watched Caspian Terns hover and dive for their breakfast, whilst Pink backed Pelicans sat upon the water in numbers. Long tailed and Great Cormorants perched nearby. Pied and Yellow Wagtails ran up and down the edges of the mud and Pied Kingfishers numbers passed 20 on the telegraph wires above us.
We looked at a patch behind a factory that you would never of glanced at twice but Lamin produced some decent birds here, more distant Longclaws, Swallow tailed Bee Eaters and a Osprey perched  a long way off. On the Bund road he wanted flamingo but they seemed absent today, he search hard for everything getting Blue bellied and Abyssinian Rollers as we walked towards better light away from the road.  Glancing back towards our taxi  Lamin picked up a very distant Goliath heron and adviced me on how we would get closer without disturbing this shy bird. I followed his lead and we soon had chance of a record shot that I took but we had a large patch of water between us and the bird.

 Lamin told me to take my shoes off and get in the water using the bushes on a small island to my far left as cover, this made me nervous but I did it. I halved the distance and got some detail of the heron in the photograph that pleased me  before nervously wading back through the water and mud and onto drier land. Washing my feet at a well and recovering from the effort  Lamin found a Grey headed woodpecker behind us. Back on the Bund road we noted Blue cheeked bee eaters and  Purple heron. We spent a long time trying to get good photos of a Striated heron that I found but to no avail. We did catch Malachite kingfisher and Osprey again before setting off back. 100 yards down the road we halted the taxi quickly, a single Yellow billed sStork gave us superb views from the taxi  windows only yards away. These large comical looking birds never fail to please me, with bright yellow bills and red faces contrasting with the stark white body and long red legs  I was chuffed that I was able to click away at it feeding....brilliant !

Along the road back towards the hotel we had a nice Shikra pose for us along with Lizzard buzzard and one of a few Grasshopper Buzzards that I saw.

24th March most of the day was taken up with a visit to Serekunda market and lunch with Matty and her family. The meal was prepared and made by Matty and was called "Streams" or as we call them here Bloody big prawns served with a fried rice and spices. It was the best thing I have tasted in Gambia without doubt.  The home was basic but spotless with a homely feel to it. They had two large bedrooms a large living room and a bathroom with shower and wc. Also a small veranda and a yard outside. Creature comforts included large TV, DVD, some sort of satellite box and the essential ceiling fans. The walls had pictures of the family all over them and the sofa and chairs were comfortable. It was a nice experience to be invited into a typical African home to eat though I suspect this was much better than a lot of homes in Gambia.
Later we went back towards the Painted snipe site for another look, we picked up African Hobby again and Lizard buzzard along with Fork tailed Drongo, Pied crows, Common Sandpiper and Namaqua dove.
25th March was not a success, we visited Bijilo nature reserve but failed to find anything of note. We hired a taxi to the reserve and took a local guide from the entrance with us. This is the best and cheapest way around these places and is what we had done at Abuko. We had a Lanner falcon and Abyssinian roller and several Little bee eaters. A Northern black flycatcher was a good find and Common Wattle Eye are nice birds as well. The visit was ok but we found nothing that we hadn't seen before and we came away a little disappointed....but that is birding for you.

26th March, I was at breakfast early and picked up a White Crowned Robin Chat in the car park along with a Shikra flying high over the hotel before Lamin arrived. We headed for Tujereng and the surrounding areas. As soon as we had  parked up and walked five yards from the taxi  we spotted Black headed Plover and a few minutes later Lamin pointed out a White fronted black Chat perched on a dead tree, 60-70 yards away I took a record shot and crept closer. Gaining ground I stood still focusing on the bird and it flew from view..Damn.

Almost immediately a Dark chanting goshawk landed where the chat had been, two for the price of one I thought....taking a few decent shots I backed off smiling at Lamin. We walked awhile following a Senegal Batis and then a White Souldered Black Tit both good birds.

 Soon we were lucky to stumble on a Black bellied Bustard that kept its distance from us throughout the morning. Lamin wanted to go towards a single fig tree that had fruit for Barbets and Turacos. On our way through the scrub I witnessed one of the most spectacular things that I have ever seen. As we walked we flushed two rabbits from under our feet, speeding away from us they broke cover and ran across a open patch just yards in front of us ...then, Quicker than a bolt from the blue, a Long crested Eagle pounced with lightening speed, flying low and hard from our blind side grabbing one poor rabbit with ease. The squeal was a horrible sound to hear but the way the Eagle took it's quarry was to be admired. The bird must of been able to see Lamin and myself less than 50 yards away and it used whatever sparse cover there was to stay undetected from both us and the rabbits. The speed was epic and the  final few feet of attack was timed to shear perfection.  
Grabbing the rabbit fast and hard around the torso with both sets of talons hardly slowed the huge bird down, gaining height immediately showed us how powerful this bird was. The bird flew to a tall tree far to our left but flew off again as we made our way over to photograph it...damn bird . We stood and watched the Eagle with it's quarry fly someway into the distance.  Lamin suggested we walked the way the bird had flown just in case we managed to get lucky and find it again. Ten minutes later we spotted it and noted that by now it was engrossed in tearing the poor rabbit apart. We used the nearby cover well and came away with some good  photographs...Quality Stuff.

  Moving over towards the fig tree we had sightings of Violet Turaco and
Vieillot's Barbet both feeding on figs and both good birds to see...it was turning into a epic day.

Views of both male and female Whinchat pleased me and made me wonder if they would be in England soon. Adding to the days tally we had Bru Bru Shrike and then Woodchat Shrike, Chestnut backed sparrow weaver along with Black crowned Tchagra and Greater blue eared glossy starling . A Pearl spotted owlet gave us brief views as we moved towards a site that Lamin thought may hold Coursers. At first nothing was evident we walked the open area for quite sometime before we saw any movement on the ground...we had a pair of Temminck's Coursers. We approached them slowly but had no real cover so "Stealth stalking" was the order of the day. Walking slowly and trying not to show them any interest was the only way we could get closer, it worked to some degree but sitting down and hoping they came closer was just as effective....these are not easy birds to photograph. The one thing that did work was to watch where they looked likely to be heading and then get in front of them and wait...tricky birds  these.

Though I think I did fairly well with them. We left soon after because the heat was now unbearable. What a full and rewarding half day we had.  
27th March, Woken again by the Pearl spotted owlet at 4.30am I was lucky I fell asleep again. The day was spent relaxing with a leisurely breakfast and a walk around the gardens. Hooded vultures and Yellow billed kites patrol the skies and are abundant.   Rose ringed parakeets made a racket around the hotel car park and a Bearded barbet squabbled with a Plantain eater in a nearby fig tree. Senegal parrots and Red billed hornbills gathered fruits and a group of Brown Babblers fought amongst themselves in the bushes. A Shikra circled over the hotel again and  Beautiful sunbirds flitted around the palms.

A trip to the bank was eventful with the cash machine out of order,finding another bank was no easy task either. Mid morning I went towards the bird watchers garden for a cool drink before looking for the Dwarf Bittern again only to glance it at distance before it vanished. Moving towards the bridge I spotted Whimbrel, Purple Swamphen, Painted snipe and Blue breasted kingfisher. At the bridge a male Giant Kingfisher and Broad billed roller showed along with Grey and Black headed gulls numbering into the hundreds on the baking mud along the creek.
Behind the bird guides office a single Oriole warbler showed briefly just outside the hide.
After lunch we walked around the cycle path and nearby ponds finding more waders such as Greenshank, Wood Green and Common sandpipers. The local Black crake was not in a photographic frame of mind today and a deadly Shikra struck at small unidentified wader without luck as we walked along.
Making our way towards a small hidden pond we noted two unusual things, first was a pair of Thicknees that looked taller,cleaner and crisper than all the other Thicknees around. They also seemed calm by our presence unlike the others. The obvious grey wing panel was
the first point of interest and the obvious difference in behaviour was more interesting. I have looked at the photographs many times now and I am still not 100% convinced on these birds being either Senegal or Water Thicknees.

 Around the pond we had had Black egret and 15 Painted snipe and a small wader that stood out that was a lovely Grey Plover.
Looking for African Hobby later in the day became impossible as the wind was strong and gusty.
28th March and a long half day with Lamin was very productive. Heading towards Bunto rice fields and forest. Mandina Ba area was our first stop. A small village on the main route, we parked behind some houses and walked through some farmland. The first birds we came across were a large flock of Orange cheeked waxbills and a single male Red billed Firefich feeding along the pathway, one bird did stand out amongst the flock. A female Pin-tailed Whydah, she joined the feeding group on the ground but kept herself to herself, being a little more nervous than the waxbills. Next we had a Violet Turaco land upon a leafless tree behind us, offering only a brief opportunity of a few shots before flying off. Walking away from the lifeless tree I glanced back to see a African Harrier Hawk land where the Turaco had been...Typical. The old German flag ( Yellow crowned Gonolek ) and Grey Hornbill showed themselves before we moved towards Farasuto Forest. We walked along with a local guide at Farasuto who pointed out a distant White throated Bee Eater, we approached slowly keeping what cover we could find between us and the bird. A large pond was on our left and little was to be seen upon or around it, cautiously we crept along towards a tall bush shortening the space between myself and the bird, then all of a sudden from the edge of the pond a White backed night Heron flew up and away from us, surprising us all . Landing in a large palm tree I ran back a few yards and took some pictures, watching as it slowly creep into the thickness of the palm.... what a bonus.

 Getting back to Lamin and the guide we managed some fairly average shots of the White throated bee Eater before I notice a Melanistic Senegal Thicknee shading itself on the edge of the pond. The bird did not pose well for me though I did get some record shots and had to settle for that. Walking back towards the enterance we did get better shots of the some other White throated Bee Eaters.

Lamin was asking the guide about the possibility of seeing a African wood Owl and the guide walked us over towards the edge of the forest. He stopped and waved us over, we knew had found something so we positioned ourselves just behind him...as he pointed up towards the middle of the tree the owl flew out and away...a split second view of a obvious owl flying away was not a happy moment for me. Lamin looked like I felt.... totally gutted.
We had a cool drink at the enterance and watched the water bowls that the birds used for drinking . Picking up Lesser Honeyguide, White crowned Robin chat and Red cheeked Cordon Bleu. A Shikra landed in the canopy right above our heads in the dense cover of the canopy. Moving on our way towards Bunto rice fields another Long crested Eagle and a pair of Whinchat showed.
Bunto rice fields was hard work, the heat was rising and the ground was baking hot. We came across a pair of Yellow billed Oxpeckers upon a donkey and venturing onto the rice fields I noticed that the Yellow throated Longclaws  really didn't like me, once again  they kept well out of range of the camera. On a more positive note a Plain backed Pipit did allow me to approach ever closer and was very obliging for the camera. We spent about a hour in the heat before giving up on the Longclaws and making our way towards Bunto Forest, only catching sight of Grey Kestrels and Pied Crows.

Inside Bunto Forest we met a guide at the enterance that I remembered from December, he was young and was sat with a bunch of friends making green tea. Lamin asked him about the African Wood owl and he replied that with a little luck we may see one. Lamin stayed with the group and I sat off with the guide. The forest is dense in places and we walked for 20 minutes or so into it. He slowed down and started to glance upwards at one large tree for a minute, but then shook his head and walked on. A few minutes later he stopped again looking upwards into the dark canopy...nothing. Moving on further he slowed down again and walked around the base of a tree looking up for the owl, my heart sank when he shook his head again. A few minutes later we were back on the path and walking back towards the entrance. He explained that the owl had been seen over the past couple of weeks but they did seem to disappear for a couple of weeks before being spotted again in the area.  Halfway down the track he turned left back into the thickness of the forest and weaved through the trees. After a few minutes he stopped and looked up, the canopy was darker. He bent down slightly and pointed towards the middle of the tree, I could see it's outline but I knew the camera would struggle to focus in this light so I cranked the ISO setting to over 2000 before taking a few test shots.  Glancing at the camera screen I had captured this bird almost perfect....what a find and what stroke of luck it was after our failure at Farasuto. Back with Lamin and the group we claimed that we had seen nothing and said the bird was not to be found. Lamin looked disappointed whilst drinking his green tea. I grabbed a cool drink  before sitting down next to him and sighed heavily my face was glum and I could see the cogs in Lamins head turning as he was thinking. After a few minutes I asked Lamin if he could identify a bird I had photographed whilst on the walk with guide...he glanced at the camera and the African Wood owl photograph on the screen...  his face lit up as he reached out and across for my throat, laughing with the broadest grin in Africa. The young guide had stayed silent as I had asked him. After studying the photographs Lamin told me they were amongst the best photographs he had ever seen of this bird...a real compliment I feel.

I have now visited Bunto forest 3 times, the first time I Photographed a Western Little Sparrowhawk, the 2nd time I saw a White-spotted Flufftail and the 3rd time a beautiful African Wood Owl...not bad going !
We moved towards Faraba Banta it was now somewhere around 40 degrees and as we approached Faraba Banta Lamin spoke to a man that he obviously knew well. We had planned to make our way towards a hide that Lamin knew of but the man he spoke with advised him that a swarm of Killer Bees had settled near the water hole in front of the hide...we took another route away from them. Parking the taxi I slid the side door open and stepped out into what felt  like a oven, the heat hit me square on, it was now beyond a joke. The air was hot, the sun was huge and right above us and I was now suffering and feeling faint. The heat haze rose from the ground wherever you looked and my feet burnt inside my walking shoes. We didn't stay long because I think Lamin was also feeling the heat, but we did manage to hide in the shade for awhile and pick up Klaas's Cuckoo a pair of African Golden Oriole along with Bearded Barbet and various sunbirds. The last birds we found before heading off pleased me because I found them both... White Crested Helmet Shrike and a Brown backed Woodpecker.
My last day birding in Gambia and probably our best day.

We made our way along the road stopping for ice cold drinks at the first opportunity.
29th March...home today and a quick round of goodbyes...it had been a superb holiday with many good moments and some memorable birds.

I would like to thank : Matty for her help with lots of everyday things like Choosing better taxis for us, showing me around the markets and stalls in Serekunda, keeping bumsters and con artists at bay, and showing me a little of true African life. Lamin for his help finding some great birds and showing me places that I would never of found myself, and also for being patient with me at times.
Gary Waddington for advice and tips and places to visit again.

In total we found 206 birds this time and loved every minute of my stay .