By Mark Sutton
Introduction
This report covers a birding trip taken to the Transvaal & Natal regions of South Africa by myself, my wife Linda, our 6 year old son Brent and my brother Richard. This was my second trip to South Africa, the other being to the Cape region the previous autumn. We were particularly interested in seeing as many of the remaining regional endemics as possible.
Transport
The hire car was arranged from the UK by E-mail with a company I located through the Internet. We hired a Toyota Corolla1.6i saloon, with air-con.. The cost was about 500 for 21 days, which included additional drivers & airport collection & drop off . We did not take the additional insurance, to cover the excess which was about, 500.If you want to drive through Swaziland you have to have a document from the hire company stating that you are authorised to drive in the country. We forgot to get a certificate so had one faxed through to Mkuzi.
The company we used was Swans Rent A Car E-mail address:info@swans.tm.za.
We flew with Iberian Airways (never again) at a cost of £ 370 per adult including tax. They managed to leave one of our bags, containing all our camping gear & some clothes, in Spain. The bag did not arrive in S.Africa for another week! As a result we had to buy replacements for all the contents. We collected the bag on our return to Johannesburg at the end of the holiday. They did reimburse all costs on our return to the UK.
Food
The food was of a very high standard and at a reasonable price e.g. A full evening meal with dessert, wine, coffee etc varied from about 50R to about 75R each. Breakfast was usually in the region of 10R to 20R. As a lot of the accommodation was self catering we often ate in, buying food at local supermarkets.
Weather
Dry and sunny most days, with a couple of days when we had showers. It was cool in the morning and evenings around Wakkerstroom & Underberg. Long trousers, sweatshirt and Jacket were worn on the Sani Pass and in Lesotho.
The northern section of the Kruger N.P. was the hottest area visited, when it was too hot to bird (mid 30's) in the heat of the day.
Books & Tapes
The only books I took with me were: the Birds of South Africa by I. Sinclair, P. Hackey, and W. Tarboton - SASOL, Ian Sinclair (photographic) Birds of Southern Africa, Top Birding Spots in Southern Africa by Hugh Chittenden (highly recommended), South Africa Handbook (Travel Guide) by Sebastian Ballard, published by Footprints, ISBN 1-900940-07-5 and the Mammals of Southern Africa
by Smithers.
I also had the South African Bird Sounds - a set of 6 tapes by Guy Gibbon- obtained in the UK from Wildsounds.
Money
We took a couple of hundred pounds worth of Rand with us from the UK, the rest was taken as American Express $ Travellers Cheques, which were easily exchanged in local banks. We also paid for some Hotels by Visa, which was readily accepted in most hotels and restaurants.
Accommodation
The places we stayed on a nightly basis are shown in the following itinerary. A lot of the accommodation was booked through e-mail & telephone from the UK:
Sparrows Nest - Wakkerstroom tel 0027 017 730 0101.
Robin Guy Underberg/Sani Pass tel 0027033 701 1020 & E-mail: rguysani@hotmail.com.
Robin has an excellent 3 bed roomed cottage in his garden, which we hired at a cost of 16 per night. This was the best value accommodation of the trip.
Umlalazi: Chalet which we booked on arrival at the reserve. Very lucky as all accommodation was booked but somebody had not turned up.
Cape Vidal: We booked the camping on arrival at St Lucia. Again very lucky as there was only one pitch left. There was accommodation available around St Lucia its self though.
Mkuzi: 5 bedded cottage cost R450 per night. Pre booked form UK tel 0027 035 573 0003.
Kruger: The lady that dealt with our booking was: Sharon Jeffery E-mail SharonJ@parks-sa.co.za. All accommodation was pre-booked but, on our arrival in the park, we upgraded from camping to a cottage for the two nights at Punda Maria.
Magoebaskloof Lodge. Very comfortable and reasonably priced chalet accommodation. Cost approx 25 for 2 bed roomed chalet, good restaurant & swimming pool. We camped at several sites. The sites here are excellent, very clean and tidy with hot showers.
Night drives
The three Kruger N.P. night drives were pre-booked from the UK. The Mkuzi night drive was booked on our arrival at the park.
Useful web sites
ZABIRDSTUFF: General info on birding in South Africa, Trip Reports, Accommodation, Sites etc. http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/4074/
Itinerary
2/4 Arrive at Johannesburg around mid day & drove to Wakkerstroom (2.5 hr journey). Spent the evening around the reservoir, Martins Dam, near the guest house. Stayed at Weavers Nest Guest House. -Wakkerstroom
3/4 Spent the morning & early afternoon with John McAllister. This had been arranged in advance, when we booked the guest house. Late afternoon & evening spent birding the Amersfoort road. Stayed at Weavers Nest Guest House. -Wakkerstroom
4/4 Early am spend birding the Vlei just outside town. After breakfast we drove to Underberg. The evening was spent around Robin’s garden. Stayed at Underberg- Robin Guy's cottage
5/4 Am: Xumeni forest. Pm: Robin arranged for us to a visit a farm for Wattled Cranes. The evening was spent at a Vlei near Franklin. Stayed at Underberg Robin Guy's cottage
6/4 The day was spent with Robin birding the Sani Pass & Lesotho. The Sani pass is only passable by 4WD. Robin charges 1,200 R for the day, including packed lunch. Stayed at Underberg Robin Guy's cottage
7/4 Am: The Swamp@ Pm: Xumeni forest. Stayed at Underberg Robin Guy's cottage
8/4 The morning was spent shopping, for camping equipment. in Pietermartizburg.Pm: drove to Mtunzini / Umlalazi & spent the evening along the estuary. Stayed at Chalet at Umlalazi N.R. near Mtunzini
9/4 Am: Umlalazi - Birded the estuary early am, spent the rest of the morning on the Dune Forest trail. Pm: Drove to Cape Vidal, evening spent around campsite. Camped at Cape Vidal
10/4 All day spent around the Cape Vidal area and along the road to St Lucia. Camped at Cape Vidal
11/4 Am: early am, birded along the road near the campsite and the first few of the nearby forest trail. Pm: Drove to Mkuzi - picking up a speeding ticket on the way! Drove to the Erisuma Dam in the evening. Stayed at Mkuzi- Cottage
12/4 All day spent around the reserve. In the evening we went on an organised night drive. Stayed at Mkuzi - Cottage
13/4 Am: spent in the Fig Forest. Mid am: Left the park & drove through Swaziland to the Crocodile Bridge entrance of the Kruger N.P. Evening: spent the evening in the grounds of Lower Sabie Camp. Stayed at Lower Sabie- Bungalow
14/4 Am: Birded from the car around Lower Sabie and the nearby Sunset dam & back to Lower Sabie for breakfast. Drove along the H4-1 to Skukuza, via the Nkuhlu rest site. Late pm: Drove to the nursery, stopping at the bird hide & pool. In the evening we went on an organised night drive. Camped at Skukuza.
15/4 Early am: Birded around the grounds of the camp. Drove to Letaba via Satara where we stopped for lunch. Camped at Letaba
16/4 Early am: birded around the grounds of the camp. Drove to Shingwedzi via Mopani where we stopped for lunch. In the evening we went on an organised night drive. Stayed at Shingwedzi - Cottage
17/4 Early am: birded around the grounds of the camp. Drove to Punda Maria, arriving early pm. Late Pm: drove around the Mahone Loop trail. Stayed at Punda Maria - Cottage
18/4 Am: as soon as the gate opened we drove straight to Pafur, drove back to Punda Maria mid pm. In the evening we went on an organised night drive. Stayed at Punda Maria- Cottage
19/4 Am: drove around the Mahonie Loop trail. Left the park mid am and drove to Magoebaskloof, arriving early pm. Late Pm & evening was spent birding the nearby forest. Stayed at Magoebaskloof Lodge
20/4 Am: Debenjeni falls & nearby indigenous forest near the De Hoek Forest Station. Early PM: chilled out around the hotel & swimming pool.Evening: back to the nearby forest. Stayed at Magoebaskloof Lodge
21/4 Am: Drove to Nylsvlei Pm: Drove to the airport Fly Home
Sites Visited
Wakkerstroom
Is situated about 25Km east of Volkrust on the R543 Piet Retief road and is about a 2.5 hour drive from Johannesburg. The area is most well known as being a site for the rare Botha's & Rudd's Larks, but we were present at the wrong time of year. They are more easily found during Spring, when they are holding territory. Even at this time of year a number of highveld specialities can still be seen.
Highlights: African Rail, Blue Korhaan, Southern Bald Ibis & Yellow breasted Pipit.
Underberg area
Sani Pass: The pass, which leads into Lesotho, is only accessible by 4 wheel drive, beyond the S.African border post. We accompanied Robin Guy for the day, which must be one of the best options for visiting the pass. Highlights: Bush Blackcap, Gurney'
s Sugarbird, Drakensberg SiskinOrange breasted Rockjumper.
The Swamp: This nature reserve lies East of Underberg and is about 20Km by road. Its basically an overgrown Vlei and a good site for Broad Tailed Warbler (and apparently Flufftails). From Underberg travel about 14Km East on the R617 and take a left turn heading north. After about 8Km you reach a T junction (shortly after crossing a railway line). Turn left at the T junction and the Swamp is on your left after about 1 Km.
Xumeni Forest nr Donnybrook: This reserve lies about 50 Km to the SE of Underberg and provides excellent forest birding. Highlights: Starred Robin, Olive Bush Shrike, Cape Parrot & Barrats Warbler.
Wattled Crane Site: A private farm known to Robin Guy.
Franklin: The town of Franklin lies about 90Km south of Underberg on the R617. Just outside the town list lies a large reed covered Vlei. Highlight: Great Bittern.
Umlalazi N.R.
This Nature Reserve lies just outside the town of Mtunzini which is situated about 5Km east of the N2. There is access to and from the N2 at the Mtunzini Toll Plaza. There are no shops of cafes within the reserve, we ate & shopped in Mtunzini.
Umlalazi is well known as a site for Palm-nut Vultures & Trumpeter Hornbill neither of which we saw (but hardly tried). Highlights: African Finfoot, White-eared Barbet, Natal/ Red-capped Robin-chat, Yellow-bellied Bulbul & Ashy (Blue-grey) Flycatcher.
Cape Vidal (St Lucia)
Cape Vidal lies within the St Lucia Reserve and is situated about 30 Km north of the town of St Lucia. There are limited facilities here such as a small shop for basic provisions. We birded (from the car) the dirt road from St Lucia to Cape Vidal, the section of road near the campsite (on foot) & the first few Km's of the forest trail. Highlights: Woodwards Batis, Brown Robin, Olive Sunbird, Grey Sunbird, Grey Waxbill, & Terrestrial Bulbul.
Mkuzi
Mkuzi is signposted off the N2 and the entrance gate is about a 15Km drive.
There are no restaurant facilities here but the shop does sell basic provisions. You do not cook your food in the chalets but in a nearby a communal kitchen. (Your meals can apparently be cooked for you , but we cooked our own.). You can not get out of the car in the reserve, except the short trails from the car parks to the hides, the only exception to this being the Fig Forest which can be worked on foot. Highlights: White Rhino, Neegaards Sunbird, Pink Throated Twinspot, Bushveld Pipit, Rudd's Apalis & Gorgeous Bush Shrike.
Kruger N.P.
We decided to cover the whole length of the reserve, in order to gain the best cross section of birds possible. We entered at the Crocodile Bridge (Southern) gate and left at the Punda Maria gate, a total distance of 377Kms (although we covered many more km's that this).Within the park the following speed limits apply: tarred roads =50km/h; untarred roads = 40km/h.
The speed limits and the fact that you are constantly stopping for birds/ animals means that the majority of our day was spent driving between camps. You are not allowed out of the car accept at authorised get out points and camps. When you enter the park you receive a good map which shows all the roads, get-out points, camps & camp facilities etc. All the main camps had shops, petrol stations & restaurants, the accommodation and food was excellent, although rather expensive compared to the rest of S.Africa. Highlights: Red-crested Bustard, Bronze-winged Courser, White-headed Lapwing, Double-banded Sandgrouse, Giant Eagle-owl.
Magoebaskloof
The village of Magoesbaskloof lies west of the town of tanzeen. There are several accessible tracts of indigenous forest in this area. A 15Km detour from the main road takes you through some of this forest, this rout also takes you past the Debenjeni (water)Falls. Highlights: Knysna Lourie, Wood Owl, Striped Pipit, Chorister Robin, Barrett's Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler & Long-tailed Wagtail & Black fronted Bush Shrike.
Click here for full species list