Northern Kruger Jan’25

It is so difficult to go on a bird photographic trip with a compatible partner. Hours spent trying to track down an elusive bird is enough to drive a normal person bonkers so I am most fortunate to have in Steven (my brother-in-law) the ideal birding partner. His enthusiasm, patience and good nature means that we could spend two weeks together in a like-minded pursuit of special birds with never a whiff of irritation.

This is now our third trip together. Two years ago it was Kgalagadi and last year Etosha, both wonderfully productive trips. Steven has never photographed the ‘special’ birds that one finds in northern Kruger so it is decided that that will be this year’s destination.

Friday, 10th January     I set off from our home in Somerset West at 5am bound for Bloemfontein, about 1,000kms distant. Fortunately, driving long distances has never been a problem for me and I enjoy the mountains of the Cape, the stark Karoo scenery which later gives way to the greenery of a well watered Free-State.

Saturday, 11th     Leaving Bloem at 5am I meet heavy rain around Kroonstad where the surrounding farmlands are flooded. At 2pm I am at OT Airport in Johannesburg to meet Steven who has flown up from Richards Bay and we then head due north for Polokwane where we will overnight. Again we go through some heavy rain, especially near Polokwane where we encounter some really appalling driving. On a long downward descent towards  the town we come across three accidents within 1km of each other and we ourselves are nearly rammed by a speeding bus.

Sunday, 12th    Rain falls steadily throughout the night but begins to lift in the morning as we leave Polokwane. We are heading for Phalaborwa Gate into Kruger and the road takes us down the spectacular Magoebaskloof Pass to Tzaneen and then on to Phalaborwa. Here we breakfast and then stock up on groceries which we will need during our stay in the remote Pafuri part of Kruger. Thereafter, into Kruger at 10am passing Mopane and  on to Shingwedzi where we will stay for three nights. Two weeks ago Kruger was dry and scorched but we have been fortunate that the rains arrived – followed by the birds.

One immediate drawback from the rain is that all the gravel roads are closed which is disappointing as this includes the S50 to the once Kanniedood Dam, a favourite hangout of the Grey-headed Kingfisher, something Steven is particularly keen to photograph.

Today is 34ºC with high humidity and we spend the late afternoon along the roads close to camp.

Monday, 13th    We awake to a real downpour and the camp is awash. The Shingwedzi River rises rapidly during the day but although flowing strongly bank to bank, it is far from flooding.

Tuesday, 14th     The rain has eased today and we head up the H1-7 main road. Some 25km along the road we come to the lovely pan of water at Boyela. Here the birdlife is prolific and the Dwarf Bitterns in particular are everywhere.

We see the beautiful female Painted Snipe but are unable to photograph it. However, this is well compensated for when we find a female Little Bittern, something that is so illusive and difficult to find.

We have heard reports of many African Crakes in pans of water next to the road at the H13-1/H1-8 intersection so we push on northward. We do not find our bird but the “horse’s hooves” call of the Stierlings Wren-Warbler alerts us to this little bird.

Stierling’s Wren-WarblerAlong the road back to Shingwedzi we get a distant view of the Eurasian Golden Oriole but as is its way, it stubbornly refuses to come closer. What a great day it will be when I finally manage to photograph this beautiful bird. Meanwhile Steven has gone down with some flu and is not feeling good.

Wednesday, 15th    Today we move to Pafuri so it is back up the H1-7 heading northward. We drop down into the Luvuvhu River valley and then turn right along the tarred S63 to the Pafuri Border Post. Here we move into our accommodation in the Mockford Cottage, so named after a pioneer in these parts. Steven has a friend named Mockford since school days and this lad is a direct descendant.

We note that again all the gravel roads are closed including Crook’s  Corner which is rather a setback. The Luvuvuhu River and its surrounds is the setting for many of the  specials that we wish to photograph and being confined to the tarred roads limits our chances. Scattered showers overnight rule out any chance of the gravel roads opening. Meanwhile I have now caught Steven’s flu and am not feeling at all good.

Thursday, 16th         We set off to the H1-8 bridge over the Luvuvhu River. With the help of  our Robert’s bird caller we begin tracking down our birds – all new to a charged up Steven. We quickly find a Burnt-necked Eremomela but this tiny bird proves difficult to photograph and I must draw on a photo I took on a previous trip.

Between 8 – 11km beyond the bridge along the H1-9 towards the Pafuri Gate, the Racket-tailed Roller has been seen and we push on there. All to no avail and a guide tells us that a pair are nesting 300m off the road at the 8km point.

If we are going to stay at Pafuri then we must know if the gravel roads are going to be opening soon. At midday we decide to risk the wrath of the section ranger and disturb him in his house during his lunch break. But Richard could not be friendlier and kinder and offers to take us down to off limits Crooks Corner at 4pm – something we readily agree to.

So at 4pm Steven and I clamber onto the back of Richard’s Land Cruiser and we make our way across the soaked flood plain. Richard warns us that the floodwaters of the Limpopo River should arrive this afternoon and he doubts if we will reach Crook’s Corner. Which is exactly what happens as we meet the brown water surging towards us along the road.

Richard explains the  fascinating dynamics at play whereby the Limpopo pushes back up the Luvuvhu River which then overflows into a vast floodplain which very understandably leads to road closures.  The good  news is that Richard will be opening a section of the road between the picnic site and the main road in the morning.

Friday, 17th    Sure  enough the gravel road is partially open and we make good use of the good light.

Saturday, 18th             Of course there is always the really standout bird that we dream about finding but seldom do. The Three-banded Courser is nocturnal and I have spent many hours at dawn and dusk trying to find them. Steven and I decide on desperate measures. Our very relaxed camp has no fence or gate so this evening we are going to take my powerful torch and stay out a bit later hoping to find OUR BIRD. But that must wait.

This morning we do our usual crawl along the tarred road over the Luvuvuvhu Bridge. 500m beyond we come upon a tour bakkie filled with tourists stopped on the road. Goggle eyed we find that they are watching three Three-Banded Coursers right next to the road in broad daylight and not a bit rattled by our presence. The tour bakkie leaves with the occupants little appreciating the enormity of what they have seen. Steven and I then get busy with our cameras hard at work.

Well satisfied with this outstanding sight, we return to camp.

Sunday, 19th             This is our last day at Pafuri and yesterday’s Coursers have turned a normal trip into a highly successful one. Near the Luvuvhu Bridge we come to a pool of water close to the road. Amongst the sparse grasses growing in the water is a brown coloured one. Only after close inspection and after it turns do we find it to be a male Little Bittern which has taken up its highly effective camouflage pose.

These specials that we find at Pafuri become more common north of SA into Zims and beyond. The Luvuvhu River marks their southernmost extent.

Our trip has been a little spoilt by flu but has still been so enjoyable.

Monday, 20th      Today we head for Punda Maria some 60kms away. We leave early so that we can be at the excellent Klopperfontein Dam and surrounds S61 early.

Here the lush grass is alive with Harlequin Quails which stubbornly keep to the thick grass making their “whit whit whit” calls.

This must be the most attractive and productive area around Punda Maria.  We press on and where the S61 and S60 roads meet, we come across a grassy pool of water. We just know that this is perfect for Crakes and it does not take long to coax out a pair.

After a lovely morning we push on to the old historic Punda Maria camp where we are due to spend four nights.

Tuesday,  21st       The area around the camp is wet, lush and very green. Early this morning we take off anti-clockwise along the 25km Mahonie Loop that circles the camp. Creeping along this beautiful road amongst the hills is exhilarating but… very little stirs and we don’t lift our cameras.

Things liven up this afternoon as we find a pair of Arnot’s Chats next to the road along the H13-1.

And that really marks the end of our successes at Punda. Lovely camp that it is, the birdlife is so quiet that we decide to change plans and head south. Rain does tend to scatter birds and animals alike.

Thursday, 23rd            We leave early again en route to Satara for  two nights. But first we stop at Boyela Pan along the H1-7 towards Shingwedzi and here at last we find our Painted Snipes.

Buoyed again by our success, we continue to Shingwedzi where we scour again the S50 Kanniedood road looking for the Grey-headed Kingfisher. Disappointingly, we fail so push on southward to Satara arriving at 1pm. Lunch at the excellent Cattle Baron and we then move into our chalet.

Of course everything is  lush and green here too and the streams are all gushing water.

All the dams are overflowing and this really is a season of bounty for the animals. Scattered away from the dams and rivers we see very little of both animal and bird. I must remark that there has been a marked improvement in the upkeep of the roads. Only once along the S36 did we encounter bad corrugations. And the accommodation really showed improvement.

We did see a leopard along the Sweni S126 road but the sight of a big lens poking out of a window was enough t0 put it to flight.

Saturday, 25th               A report of the nocturnal White-backed Night Heron at Mavumbye along the S90 sends us there at 4.45am in the dark. But again our luck is out. We begin the trip down to Skukuza. At the Nwanetsi Bridge we come across this common sight in Kruger – a large black maned lion snoozing  in the road.

Our real destination today is the wonderful Leeupan just south of Tshokwane. What could go wrong here after all the rain? Strangely, it is far from full of water and is disappointingly short of both reeds and birds.

We press on to Skukuza noting how the H4-1 river road to Lower Sabie is closed following the road wash-aways. We call at a grassy Lake Panic and then lunch at the Skukuza Golf Club that is very busy – this being a Saturday. Late afternoon we go out along the H1-2 over the Sand River and  then the H12 across the high level Sabie River bridge. But like Satara, things are quiet and we barely lift our cameras.

Sunday, 26th           That is then the end of our two week trip that was fantastic but did end a little tamely. We take the Doispan S1 road to exit the Park at the Phabeni Gate. Again, a splendid early morning lion sees us on our way.

Then Hazyview, Nelspruit, Millies and OT Airport at 12 noon for Steven to catch his flight home. I press on the Bloemfontein for the night and on Monday reach Somerset West at 4.30pm.  A lovely trip.