Quite one of the best game drives I have ever been on! We headed for Red Rocks, a place where the sandy Shongweni riverbed is cut by a different geological layer resulting in an impressive cataract / waterfall.
To get back to camp we had two options: Back the way we’d come with a wall of green Mopani woodland on either side, or cross the river and head north and downstream along the left bank on a route I remembered as more open savannah dotted with big trees and glimpses of the sandy riverbed en route.
So glad we chose the latter.
It was beautiful. Miles of mixed herds of zebra, impala and wildebeest, lots of giraffe – up to sixteen in a bunch; one herd of eles with tiny babies; many waterbuck with young; one solitary warthog that got a fright, then chased our car like a dog!
The light was perfect, the trees – jackalberry, sycamore fig, fever tree, nyala, natal mahogany, mopani, apple-leaf – magnificent. The open grasslands between were a relief from miles of Mopani and that’s where the rutting impala ram noisily chased his target doe for the day; zebras kicked each other, raising dust, and wildebeests stared dopily while lying in the shade. The eles were peaceful except for one young bull who swore at us and raised his middle trunk as we passed.
Hornbills, including the big ‘Thunderbirds’ shown, fish eagles, puffbacks, go-away birds, weavers, 3-banded plover, crowned lapwing, hamerkop, drongo. All ‘ordinary’ birds and animals but in a wonderful quintessential African setting on a lovely cloud-and-blue-sky day.
Progress on the panelbeating of the Ford Ranger, but no end-date yet, so Jess and I did our usual dash to Kruger park. Waiting is hell in a town, bliss in a game reserve. Slowing progress is that scourge of old vehicles, *rust*!
We got one night in Mopani camp, three nights in Shingwedzi. On arrival we snagged another two here.
Lush green growth and lots of surface water after recent rains, so animals quite scarce. Some roads closed due to flood damage and much repair and reconstruction going on. Nature looking good, its our man-made infrastructure that gets damaged.
The couple camped permanently are still here. We met them when we had an mfezi in our bonnet some time ago. That’ll be well over two years they’ve been camped on the same spot in Shingwedzi!
One day we must ask to stay in one of the older bungalows here:
Hey, we got one of the 1935 huts! See how they’re much as they were back then – on the outside. The interiors are new and smart. Tiled, big shower, fully-equipped kitchen on the porch.
Those mopani tree trunks in the foreground look only a little thicker after 85yrs!
– last drive on a drizzly day – – Bennets Woodpecker female –– Bronze-winged Courser –– tiny tortoise – about 90mm nose to tail –
How you doin’? I asked Indomitable Felix, after a night on a sandy riverbank under a clear, jet-black starry sky. We both pretended not to be stiff or limping. He’s been fitted with spare parts made of yards of titanium, used plastic buckets, steel tubing, iron bars and crushed Tafel beer cans, but after considering the question for half a second he announced with a huge grin, “Swanie, I’m RIDDLED with good health.”
Had I asked him the same question forty two years earlier on a riverbank fifteen thousand kilometres NW of the riverbank we were now on, I’ve no doubt the answer would have been in much the same vein. That was the last time we’d been on a river trip together.
…. I knew this Felix Unite trip was going to be great, with good people, good grub, spectacular scenery, and that we would be fine with the unknowns – the weather and the water level. It actually turned out amazing above and beyond. Felix’s gang of friends were terrific. They love the man, and they included and accepted me warmly. The food was next level; Felix’s men were skilled, well-trained, friendly and genuinely helpful. The weather and the river level fine-chooned themselves skilfully to be friendly and helpful; the moon also obligingly tucked away behind the western hills early so the ink-black sky could be at peak clarity. We had twenty four stars on the river and a billion in the sky.
And then to me the biggest tell – the thing I loved the most of all on this magic float down his river: The way he, as the founder and legend they had heard about from their fathers and uncles, treated his men; mucking in and helping them, coaching them, telling them the forty-year history of his famous river adventure company. He strummed his guitar round the kitchen fire, singing off-key and in-choon both, them joining in when they could. He quietly gave generously of his time. Above and beyond.
Also for a birthday:
I am so glad that, thanks to Lang Dawid Walker’s ongoing friendship and staying in touch, I finally made good on my decades long intention of, “I must do one of Felix’s trips one day.”
I’ve done some unforgettable river trips; they’re forever part of my memories. This one moved to the very top of them all.
I drew a long straw for a paddling partner on my first Orange River trip. I got Monica, who has been down this river many times. Here’s the point on the first day when she realised the oke in the back of her boat was no evinrude:
Quite often I had to lie down and rest as I watched these energetic ancients bustling about. I declined an invitation to climb this mountain, choosing to think n drink in camp instead.
All too soon we had to klim innie bus for the ride back to base camp and a delicious last meal:
It rained in the mountains of the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Quite a lot. But I think only in the last few days after our Chimanimani stop at the Frog & Fern cottages did we have days where it rained almost non-stop.
Frog & Fern
I remember the drive from Chimani to Gona, and the last day from Gona to Beit Bridge as being the rainiest. In Gona we had a rather windy night at the Chipinda Pools campsite. I tried to position my camper to block some wind and Dave erected a groundsheet to block more, but only when Esme put up a second groundsheet did we finally get some effective shelter.
Chipinda Pools campsite
The Rhunde river was really high and it kept rising. Jess and I went to look at the submerged causeway downstream. The next day Dave and Esme went, and the river was about three metres higher!
Rhunde causewaySame causeway one day later
Most of the roads had been blocked off. We really could only traverse up and down the main Chipinda – Chilojo road. We made the most of it, plus the road to the dam and the causeway.
Saw way too little of Gona. A return trip here is a must.
Back to the highways! Jess spotted a flap-necked chameleon on the road. We moved him off the tar.
That was nineteen wonderful days in friendly Zimbabwe. Four one-night-stands and the rest two to four night stopovers. Lots of weather, lots of birds, good grub and good friendship. A trip to be remembered.
The Vumba Mountains or The Bvumba – Misty Mountains just SE of Mutare on the Zim / Moz border. Our base was the well-known Seldom Seen cottages where the staff did us proud in a large comfy farmhouse with a great view eastwards into Mocambique.
Resident birding guide and everything-else Buluwezi was great. He took us up into the Miombo woodland in search of the very special African Spotted Creeper. One flew in and gave great binocular views but was too quick for the cameras. Then one arrived and sat still for maybe ten minutes! Most un-creeper-like. So we all got pictures, even me.
He’s Spotted – and hard to spotUntil he moves
Also Red-faced Crombec, Purple-crested Turaco, Yellow-streaked Greenbul, Miombo Double-collared Sunbird, Black-eared Seedeater, and yay! at last, a Stripe-cheeked Greenbul sat and looked at me!
On our own walks we saw Black-fronted Bushshrike, Cape Robin-Chat, Lemon Dove, Stone Chat, Long-crested Eagle, Fiscal Shrike, Bronzy Sunbird, Tawny-flanked Prinia.
Buluwezi saved my most-wanted-bird of the whole trip for last. After a big circular walk to various spots in the forest below the homestead, he brought us back to near the garden and had us lying down in the damp soil and leaf litter peering into the gloom. There a male Swynnerton’s Robin sat inches off the ground and preened itself for ages while we got saturation views. I didn’t bother with my camera, just kept my Zeiss binnies glued to him. I hope to get a pic from Dave or Esme to show here. Here’s wikipedia’s pic by Maans Booysen as a place-holder.
For decades I kept a neat little wooden box with a hinged lid on my grandfather Frank’s oak desk. On it some artist had decoupaged and varnished a picture of a Swynnertons Robin. Now, at last, the real thing!
Onward! South to the Chimanimani Mountains and Chirinda Forest. Except the latest intel on Chirinda Forest was that the road was simply too bad to be worth it. So Chimanimani, then straight to Gonarezhou.
– Frog & Fern cottages outside Chimanimani village –
…
Here’s our Zim route in pink; and bottom: Four of our stays in the highlands marked.
On the way north to Aberfoyle near the Mocambique border we enjoyed one of Dave’s signature tea stops: Chair and table out under a big tree; hebcooler and Stanley flask out; Soon lovely tea and a snack. While we were enjoying our break, Jess said, Dad there’s a bird. I brought her binocs and she got a good view of a beautiful Pytilia in among the miles of tea plants. Hey, she said, That was actually quite cool! Her first bit of interest in what we had been doing all along. Also her last.
Roadside Cafe DavidMelba Finch -Pytilia – wikipedia
We booked into one of Aberfoyle’s self-catering cottages a couple k’s above the lodge. A great option, quiet and comfy – and Jess could stay on the lodge veranda while we went birding. Here too we had some solid downpours where we were glad we had some solid corrugated iron overhead!
Jess’ lodge stoep waiting stationdownpour
On the way down to the lodge we got a great view of Swynnerton’s Spurfowl, the local tuxedo-morph of the Red-necked Spurfowl. At the lodge the Red-throated Twinspot posed dutifully so even my sedate, patience-testing little camera could get reasonable shots. Resident birder Morgan Saineti then took us straight to the very rare Lesser Cuckoo he had discovered. I got a good view, but no chance of a picture. It was most certainly a cuckoo, but was it a Lesser? Yes, cos I believe Morgan as he has showed it to a lot of good photographic birders. I got good views of Green-backed Woodpecker,Singing Cisticola and Green Twinspot. The Blue-spotted and Tambourine Wood Doves sat still; My camera tried its best…
Here’s a lone Zambezi Indigobird in miles and miles of tea where there should be grasslands.
Whattapleasure to be taken by Morgan to where he knows his birds hang out . .
We needed a place to stay. Aberfoyle’s cottages were full and we were not going to pay Aberfoyle Lodge prices. Dave, as he usually did, found the solution: You can camp at Pungwe B power station – and only US$5 a head! Boy, I like prices like that.
We had traveled south to get down the mountain. As we headed east across the Honde Vally we saw the falls we’d hiked to a few days prior: Mutarazi Falls and its twin – the Muchururu Falls.
Red arrow = Mutaraziboth falls – waterflow more than we saw
The road to the power station was quite rugged and steep. Beautiful, and – birds along the way. On the way there I got a pair of Red-throated Twinspots. On the way out, Dave got a Black-winged Red Bishop. New to me in southern Africa – I had seen one in Malawi under ‘interesting’ circumstances decades before.
The weather was fair; The weather was foul; We had sunshine and we had a few torrential downpours that got the stream roaring. They’re used to rain in the mountains – check the roof for the outdoor braai.
Once again a communal shelter came to the rescue – we could cook and eat in dry comfort. We did ironically have a little power outage as we sat in the power station, but they soon fixed that.
And outside our loo with a view, Hooligan’s Robin sang his heart out.
Cossypha heuglini – The White-browed Robin-Chat, thanks xeno-canto.org
And here I have to admit the camper canvas seemed to have sprung a tiny leak and the mattress was ever so slightly damp! Jess may dispute my downplayed description of the problem! She was a star as ever, simply getting on with life.
Two nights here and now on to the famous Aberfoyle that every keen southern African birder has read about.
On South-Eastward to Marondera, which Helen Worswick had told me in 1973 was a beautiful place called Marandellas, which we prompty teasingly dubbed Marandeadloss. We were Rotary exchange students to Oklahoma back then. Well, if Gosho Park is anything to go by, she was right. We loved the two nights we camped there, even when the heavens opened on the second evening and a torrential downpour had us sheltering under the high roof of the educational centre and ablution structure. Luckily Dave’s years of outdoor life experience guiding trips down the Groot Gariep (or Orange) River saw him sensing the impending deluge, and by the time the real downpour started we had already relocated!
That night Esme had her own Night at the Museum experience:
If any of the creatures moved around that night, we didn’t notice it. And I think we’d have heard the giraffe’s neck creaking…
New birds for me at Gosho were the long-desired Southern Hyliota, the very special Collared Flycatcher and the Miombo Tit, plus a perfect view of the White-breasted Cuckooshrike. At night I heard Freckled and Fiery-necked Nightjars, Spotted Eagle, Wood and Barn Owls.
The campsites are set among the big rock outcrops in the woodland. We chose a site nearest the education centre. As the only people there we had use of the teachers facilities, much better than the rustic ones for the kids!
Walking in Gosho Park was a joy, across grasslands, past vleis, through woodland – Miombo woodland, 72 tree species recorded – and past high rocky outcrops. We agreed that if we ever got back to Zim we’d visit Gosho again, and for longer.
Now we’d trek on to Zimbabwe’s famous Eastern Highlands on the Mozambique border, a must-go destination for anyone wanting to see all southern Africa’s birds. I’d long promised myself I’d get there and here it was about to happen!
What lovely hospitality we were treated to at Crake Cottage near the Monavale Vlei. Dorothy and John adopted and spoilt us, looking after Jess whenever we were out birding, actually ferrying us to the vlei in John’s red fire engine, and producing a big pot of tea on the wide veranda on our return from trampling around vleis, sewage ponds n parks. We booked for two nights but stayed for four. “We” being Dave, Esme and me – three old birders – and young non-birder Jess, driving around Zimbabwe in a 2012 Toyota RAV 4X4 and a 2008 Ford Ranger 2X4, focused on camping but willing to chalet when wet weather dictated such a copout.
Birding spots we visited around Harare:
Monavale Vlei – A RAMSAR wetland and important source of water around the capital city. Our host Dorothy Wakeling has been actively involved in promoting the need for looking after these special places for many years. We didn’t spot any of the famous crakes and flufftails, the vlei had dried out somewhat already, but firsts for me were the Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Red-faced Cisticola singing – cisticolas have to say who they are for me to ID them – and Variable Sunbird. Our birding guide Jimmy Muropa was great.
Mazowe Botanical Reserve in Christon Bank – About 30km north of town we were taken on a lovely walk in the granite hills by birding guide Abel Nzaka. Here we followed bird parties up and down the hills among the boulders, spotting birds, including including these these that were new to me: Miombo Rock Thrush, Cabanis’ Bunting (seen once before, but in Malawi), Eastern Miombo Sunbird, White-breasted Cuckooshrike and Whyte’s Barbet.We glimpsed, but didn’t nail down, the Boulder Chat.
Haka Park – Just 10km east of Harare city centre, this park is paradise. Grasslands, my favourite biome, and islands of trees and big boulders, flanked by Miombo woodland. The tree islands have perfect shady campsites. Long-tailed Paradise Whydah and Senegal Coucal.
Mukuvisi Woodland – A midday walk around Mukuvisi was not very productive and we ended up looping around (not ‘getting lost!’) longer than we intended. Another special natural area close to the city. If you started earlier on a good day I’m sure it would hum. We did get a picture of a Guineafowl Butterfly.
We left Harare with great memories of good people, delicious shared meals and enjoyable birding. Roads in the city are lousy, but the highways to and from the city were mostly fine, except for detours.
Jess and I needed to get away – waiting for the insurance company to make a decision on our damaged vehicle was taking forever – so we chose one of our favourite places, Kruger National Park. For the first time we stayed in Orpen camp, the only camp we had never stayed in. And what a lovely little camp it is too.
The report was glowing when I fetched the bakkie from D&B Motorcare in Durban. Fully serviced, “It’s in wonderful shape, ready for your trip to Zimbabwe,” said the reliable father and son team who keep it shipshape.
Um, except ‘One front tyre is wearing skwiff, have the wheels aligned, OK?’
So off to Richards Bay where the Tyre Tannies had more to say. Something about wearing skwiff, yes, but also different tyres, de-laminating, bulging, ens. And why are the Oom, who’s a Swanepoel, speaking English? So four new matching tyres were needed, not just an alignment, it turned out.
Jessie’s spotting again. We booked a stay in a treehouse at Bonamanzi. Arriving too early for check-in, we took a walk in the camp while waiting for the key.
Dad there’s a yellow frog. Where, Jess? Omigawd Dad, there’s a snake! Where, Jess?
I aim my binocs where she’s pointing on the ground and spot a beautiful, slender green snake. It lunges forward. Now I’m watching a bright green snake with a bright yellow frog in its beak. It makes for a tree, carrying it’s prey like a tiny peeled mango. Now, if there’s one thing I’m sure of, it’s that our little yellow frog has croaked.
– Aargh! Didn’t have my camera with me! –
But wait! The unhappy frog is unwilling to die, and with a mighty kick it ruks los and hops off, snake in pursuit. That frog hopped well over twenty times higher than its full 36mm body length, three huge jumps in a row with that frog-catching specialist snake in hot pursuit. Then suddenly, maybe becoming aware of our presence, the snake changed it’s mind, abandoned the chase and beetled off. The frog paused for a breather and let me get close:
– cellphone camera is better for close-ups –
The frog was a Tinker Reed Frog, the snake likely a Natal Green Snake, but could also have been a Green Water Snake. About 600mm long I’d guess.
– the scene of the hunt, the grip and the escape –
Here he is, saying Holy Shit That Was Close!
Actually, I couldn’t find his call, so as a placeholder, I used a frog I hope to hear in the Chimanimani mountains on our upcoming trip to Zimbabwe. Enjoy.
~~oo0oo~~
ruks los – heroically frees himself with a well-aimed kick in the fangs with his one leg the snake didn’t quite secure; or maybe boxed him a left hook with his free fist?
Park, watch and listen. The creatures will come, almost anywhere. That’s my theory (I have many). Take coffee.
See this pic of one of my stakeouts? There are lots and lots of creatures watching me and listening intently, methinks. So I counter-lurk, waiting for them to make a move or a chirp. I do this regularly. The theory hypothesises thus: As you drive or walk in nature, all the creatures think, Hark! A dangerous predator approacheth. The most dangerous one, in fact. So they keep tjoepstil, duck behind a leaf or a branch, a bush or below the grass, depending on where they find themselves and how big or small they are. And freeze. You then hove into view making a helluva racket – and that’s when you’re tip-toeing and not talking. Once you’re safely past they give a giggle (interpreted by ethologists as an ‘all-clear’ signal which correctly interpreted says “intruder’s gone”) and carry on with their daily business. This explains why you can go on a long ‘birding walk’ and see buggerall; then in camp over a cold beer you can be mobbed by flocks.
Phabeni Gate and upper Sabie River area
As Jess was studying for her nature guide course online exam, holed up in our room at Sleepover, where we found good wifi signal, I went for morning drives, entering the Kruger through Phabeni Gate nearby. In the park, Jess prefers to keep moving – ‘it’s called a Game *Drive* for a reason, Dad’ – so this is my chance to practice my gentle lurking skills. By doing one of my patented lurks: Sort of Game ‘Parking.’ Saving diesel.
Forgot my coffee the first morning, so bought a cuppa from this mobile caffeine pusher at the gate. Thutty five South African Ront, followed by his salesman patter, ‘It’s usually forty Ront, but you are my first customer this fine morning.’ It was indeed a fine morning, so he got R35 plus a R5 tip.
Soon a Dark Chanting Goshawk started chanting on the uppermost twigs;
a Slender Mongoose stared at me briefly after crossing the road to the left; a Grey Duiker and tiny fawn dashed across the road to the right – I wondered if something was chasing them; nothing appeared; Redheaded Weavers were nesting in the untidy grassy nests, a Sabota Lark started singing.
Goshawk, Weaver & Lark
Brubru, Black Flycatcher, Rattling Cisticola, Southern Black Tit, Fork-tailed Drongo, Cape Turtle Dove, Blue Waxbill, Golden-breasted Bunting, Crested Barbet, Grey Hornbill, Bulbul, Gorgeous Bush-shrike, Emerald-spotted Wood Dove; Here’s a Black-crowned Tchagra, thanks to xeno-canto.org
At my next stakeout, within earshot of the Sabie river, a big Boer Bean Schotia, an Apple-leaf in flower, and a Marula were the trees I could identify. Green Pigeon, Red-eyed Dove, White-bellied Sunbird, Violet-backed Starling feasting on berries, Burchell’s Starling, Greater Blue-eared glossy Starling, Fish Eagle, Black-bellied Starling, Marico Sunbird. And a juvenile Martial Eagle being escorted off the premises by a Drongo.
~~oo0oo~~
Once Jess tagged along and we drove the right bank of the Sabie. We* saw more animals, tis true, including these, plus impala and nyala.
*We – Jess slept for more than half the drive!
~~oOo~~
audio from xeno-canto.org – thank you – a wonderful site
Jess is an amazing spotter. She has spotted two snakes in trees, one snake I had missed on the ground and once in Shingwedzi campsite she said, Dad, a snake just fell out of that tree! If it had been anyone else I’d have laughed and said, ‘Pull The Other One,’ but being Jess, I knew a snake had just dropped out of a tree.
Now she said, Dad, there’s a warthog in that tree! and of course there was, and now she was trying to get me to spot the leopard that had put it up there.
There, Dad! His ear flicked! I stared and stared through my Zeiss binocs. I double- and triple-checked I was looking in the right place. We carefully tracked the rock, the branch and the twig where she was looking, but each ear twitch and each I can see his spots through a gap in the branches had me thinking, the wind has stirred a leaf, or she’s seeing dappled sunlight.
After thirty minutes of focused peering and Jessie’s exasperation at Dof Dad: ‘Omigoodness Jess, a leopard just sat up! Right there where you said!’
