Nzuma Lodge, Klaserie Reserve, South Africa - part 2

Our second full day was dominated by African Wild Dogs. The African Wild Dog is one of the most endangered mammals in Africa, with a small population of just a few thousand, dropping in numbers year on year. During our evening safari we encountered a pack on 7 individuals on the hunt. We followed the pack for around 2 hours. At one point they were hot on the hooves of an Impala which luckily got away. Seeing a successful Wild Dog hunt and kill is rare, and we were told is very violent and brutal with the unfortunate animal caught, pulled limb from limb and eaten alive, although our guide assured us death is quick. We were quite pleased to miss out on that to be honest.
           

 

10 meters behind an Impala 

The first of many Lilac Breasted Rollers (c50 seen)

Record shot of a Magpie Shrike

Zebra were surprisingly scarce 

We ended the evening safari with this impressive Verreaux's Eagle Owl - the only owl seen on our entire trip

  

Nzumba Lodge, Klaserie Reserve, South Africa - part 1

On out very first safari we came across this beautiful Leopard. At the time we didn't realise how lucky we were with other guests struggling to connect with this species during their entire stay.
 

Red Crested Koorhan (the Suicide bird)

Dark Chanting Goshawk - one of the more common raptors seen in South Africa    

Impala visiting the watering hole

Tawny Eagle - one of around half a dozen seen on the trip 

African Fish Eagle - again around half a dozen seen

Southern Red Billed Hornbill (Zazu from The Lion King)  

South Africa - 3 camp safari, July 2018 - introduction

Our annual family holiday usually involves some sort of wildlife watching, even if it just a well chosen location for some decent birding, but this year we went for it with a 9 night, 3 camp, 3 reserve safari in South Africa.

As has become usual we booked via The Responsible Travel Company, who put us in touch with On Track Safari. We (myself, my wife and grown up kids, Sophie (20) and Jamie (18), flew into Johannesburg then had an 11 hour (yes 11 hours) by road to get us to our first camp. In hindsight we should have flown up. At the end of the holiday we flew back down (45 mins) and it was not massively expensive.

Itinerary:

1. Nzuma Lodge, Klaserie Reserve, 3 nights - 5 safaris, https://www.klaseriecamps.com/nzumba

2. Rukiya Camp, Wild Rivers Nature Reserve, 3 nights - 6 safaris, https://www.rukiyacamp.com

3. Tangala Safari Camp, Thornybush Reserve, 3 nights, 6 safaris -  http://tangalasafaricamp.co.za

Each camp and each reserve were quite different. Overall we were very glad we went to Tangala last as it is on a much bigger reserve with more vehicles, although not too many, and therefore we got more news and saw more animals. The game viewing at the other sites may have seemed like hard work after seeing so much at Tangala, so in retrospect we were very happy with the order of our itinerary.

Overall we had a great time and saw loads. The only major target we missed out on was Cheetah, but we saw plenty of fantastic animals and around 110 species of birds.     
       

Ornate Hawk Eagle, Arenal, Costa Rica

Found this beauty on a walk around Arenal. It was sitting just 30 feet away when we walked out on to a viewing platform.  One of just two seen all trip.

Resplendent Quetzal - San Gerardo, Costa Rica

After a night in San Jose, we picked up the hire car and headed to the cloud forest. We stayed 2 nights at Trogon Lodge, San Gerardo de Dota, a prime location for most birders number one target bird in Costa Rica; the Resplendent Quetzal. One was seen at the lodge within an hour of arriving although it was the following morning when taken to a private site, when cracking views of up to 6 birds were had.              

Red Footed Falcon Vange Marsh RSPB

I'm back. Over 6 months since my last post. A combination of a lack of birding home or abroad and training for a half marathon and marathon has resulted in not a lot of interest to write a post about.

It hasn't been all work and no play. Two weeks ago Hawky and I had a day at Dungeness, Kent, and year ticked Wood Warbler, Black Tern and on the way home saw the Meena form of Oriental Turtle Dove, which one day if split from Orientalis, could be a mega armchair tick.

Yesterday, I was at Abberton Reservoir to get my first tick of the year, a Franklin's Gull. It never came close but provided ok scope views. (BOU 421).

Today turned out to be great. News of 2 Black Winged Stilts at Vange Marsh, just 30 minutes away meant I would do my planned supermarket at the store just 5 minutes from that site and not my local one. Jamie and I (my son now 16) headed off and was on site soon after, the stilts were easy to locate and showed well through the scope. After 30 minutes or so in the supermarket as we left to come home, Hawky calls to ask me if I was still in the areas as a Red Footed Falcon had been found back at Vange Marsh. We were 200 yards away! We parked up and 10 minutes later we were enjoying great views of my 4th Red Foot. This female being my second. We enjoyed cracking views for 30 minutes before heading home to unpack the shopping!        

Crag in the bag! - Crag Martin, Chesterfield

There was no chance last week of getting any time off work, so when Chesterfield's amazing record of European Crag Martin was still flying about the famous crocked spire yesterday and appeared to go to roost at Chesterfield Football club's stadium, I couldn't resist a twitch.

Lee "indoorstoomuch" Brown was my partner in crime again. Lee picked me up at 5.30am. I'd had a heavy night with friends over, drinking far too much and not getting to bed until just before 1am. When the alarm woke me at 5.10am I was in a bad way, but I crawled out of bed, got dressed, brushed my teeth and waited to be collected.

Two and half long hours later, I perked up as news came through that the bird was showing at the football stadium. Thirty minutes later we were pulling up and, easy-peasy, there it was, hawking insects inside the stadium. It remained on view, proving good bins views for 30+ minutes, until it disappeared.          

It was time for a quick breakfast stop (McDs obviously) then it was time to go see the famous crocked spire of Chesterfield cathedral. The birds again showed well around the clock tower as it zoomed around in high winds making photography almost impossible, well for me anyway.   

After c3 hours on site it was time to head south. I was home by 1.30pm, bagging not only the mega rare hirundine, but also a few brownie points from the Mrs. I wonder if that will be the last tick of 2015?