This is typical sand forest - look familiar? 50 years ago if you wanted to see a Hadeda, this is where you'd have to look, short grass under trees - exactly what most gardeners aspire to. If you hate Hadedas let your grass grow as they won't go near anything 400 mm or over, which is how airports keep them out of plane engines.
.........ever-present and eternally moaning yellow-breasted greenbul, one of whom stopped bitching long enough for a quick feather reshuffle and a photo.
On early morning walks I bumped into a family of warthogs - mum didn't approve but allowed me to pass.............
..............and a magnificent Nyala bull which was within touching distance but totally unafraid..........
............the kids were a little more circumspect.
This was hanging right in front of my face but I didn't even notice it until day three. The Pin-head Orchid Microcoelia exilis must be right up there amongst the world's smallest, it's actually leafless those in the picture belong to the host. I have no idea how the coin got there!
In breeding season Eastern nicators spend a lot of time shouting from the tops of the highest trees and are diabolically difficult to find. If you get to know the call they make when they're feeding in the mid-stratum they a easier to spot - pun intended. This guy just refused to play ball and remained steadfastly uncooperative for the twenty minutes that I stalked him, the yellow spots are on the wing if you're having trouble.
Finally got to Mkuzi but the only bird at kWaMasinga was a dabchick or little grebe. I decided to go and spend time with my darling girl at Nsumo.
It's well over 35 years since I first visited and on the way to Nsumo is this magnificent Umbrella thorn Acacia (I hear we can call them that again) tortilis which hasn't really changed at all since I was first impressed enough to photograph it using 35 mm slide.
False Bay is also near to Bonamanzi and it was really nice to see water there again - on my last visit it was totally dry but by diverting the river at St Lucia it has been restored to pristine beauty. The same can't be said for the rest of the facilities.
I worked out that a mere 38 years ago we ran our first Natal Bird Experiences tour to Bonamanzi. 250 bucks for the weekend which included accommodation, food, booze, two guided walks a day and lectures in the evening. The ten rooms at Lalapanzi, which are still available on a B&B basis are currently R1630 pps. This was where we entertained and fed our guests though the bit on the left has been added since. Fudge, my wife at the time, did all the cooking and Aldo Berutti and I guided and poured drinks - guess we got the better deal.
There's an artificial island which now boasts a wedding venue and is home to an ilala palm that is in the process of being converted into a fig.
As it was a touch on the hot side I moved up to the new camp by the pool and had visitors. There must have been a hundred of them all chattering away and popping into the van to beg - no I didn't. Out of the blue, was a flash and a mighty bang and virtually the whole crew disappeared under the van. With each successive bang the cacophony of wails and shrieks ascended to ear-shattering levels.
The sickle bushes Dicrostachys cinera were festooned with Chinese lanterns.............
...............and what do you know there are still some left - saw three altogether this impressive bull and a cow with a nearly full grown calf.
Back at base this little group are part of the garden crew - they mow the lawn.
On the morning of the 12th day I was out for my constitutional and walked slap bang into the middle of a herd of buffalo, of which I was blissfully unaware. A ranger once told me that when they're in a herd they are usually placid enough to get out of your way, which I can now personally vouch for - though I wouldn't recommend it. The cleaning bills alone............
The western shore section of St Lucia was just around the corner, so went for a drive. Also have rhino but they just don't look right. What a shame we have to resort to this and sometimes they kill them anyway to get the stump - disgusting sods.
There's a short boardwalk to a platform built around and enormous Cape ash Ekebergia capensis.
From here you look out over a pan and coastal dunes in one direction and the lake in the other.
Next move was to Richard's Bay where an excellent caravan park is tucked away in the dunes. Unfortunately massive seas have destroyed the beach access but Alkant Strand is a short drive away.
Found a spot at the top of a dune where monster figs provide shade and there's a good view over the harbour entrance.
Not many places in RSA where you can see ocean-going ships chuntering up a river.
A call reminiscent of European bee-eater had me scanning the casuarinas but these turned out to be Blue-cheeked. Note how I cunningly caught the nictitating membrane covering the eye. Not too sure about the blue cheeks either, looks more like a blue brow.
There's a couple of small islands near the harbour mouth which Transnet has hung onto and saved from the developers - for now. I walked around the larger one and was rather taken with this tug harbour which was nearby.
Ever onwards to Mtunzini a most impressive little seaside town that is largely unchanged since my first visit far too many years ago - may just retire there. Umlalazi provides dozens of good walks and ample opportunities of seeing tiny Red duiker.
Had to get up to Ongoye forest to see if the green barbets were still around, they weren't and neither were people or roads - lots of cows though. Appears there is access to the forest from another tarred road and the local guides take people there instead.
