Birds and bushbabies

Our waterhole is a magnet for a variety of larger birds that are often associated with water:  we see various storks, herons and Egyptian geese there on a regular basis.  During the last few weeks we have heard fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer) calling frequently in the vicinity but they have always been in flight.  We were therefore pleased to see one perched in a tree near the waterhole on 23^rd September and to be able to photograph it.  This one is a juvenile (as indicated by the black streaking on the chest, the poorly developed rufous belly colouration) and the lack of yellow in the cere, the coloured plate just above the beak) and we wonder whether the calls we have heard came from a breeding pair of adults.  As their name suggests, fish eagles catch and eat fish, and so are generally found along rivers or close to large dams, but they also take any other small animals and birds that they can.  .

One of the smaller birds we see and hear often is the long-billed crombec (Sylvietta rufescens).  They are insect eaters and feed by searching for prey along the branches of trees and amongst the leaves, darting about and making themselves difficult to photograph.  One pair recently spent some time in the tree outside the office and provided good photo opportunities.  The distinctive feature of the crombecs is the very short tail.

By way of a progress report, the bushbabies that spend their days in the office veranda roof are still there, five in all, and have provided some excellent viewing for us and for guests.

Acacias in bloom



Knobthorn blossom

 One of the annual signs that spring is here and summer on its way is the flowering of the acacias, especially the knobthorns (Acacia nigrescens).  These produce a mass of white blossom with a smell not unlike that of orange blossom.  The flowers attract many insects and so the trees buzz, while giraffes also enjoy browsing on the blooms.  Other acacias such as the blue-thorn (Acacia erubescens) flower at this time too.  Last year the display across the bush was phenomenal:  this year it looks as though it is going to be rather more restrained.

Giraffe browing on knobthorn flowers

Blue-thorn acacia in bloom in the lodge gardens

New collar for favourite elephant

Soshangane with new satellite tracking collar visible

There are two elephant bulls that we regularly see together in our section of Balule Nature Reserve:  they are very relaxed close to habitation and vehicles. One, known as “Ezulwini”, has targeted the marula trees close to our house this winter.  The other, “Soshangane”, is the oldest bull in the area and the only one so far to have completed his musth cycle here since the fences came down between Balule and Kruger Park.  Soshangane has a satellite tracking collar but for the last couple of years the device has not been working.  On the 30^th August, all the necessary logistics and admin requirements came together and he was darted and a new collar fitted.  The hope is that his data will now be available along with data from other collared elephants in Greater Kruger Park. 

Ezulwini - destroyer of trees!

 These two bulls often team up with other younger ones, the older two acting as mentors.  The groups come together and then go their separate ways as time goes by.  This winter some seven or eight other bulls have accompanied Ezulwini and Soshangane and have been seen often, most recently as a group of nine coming past our house on the morning of 6^th September.  This was the first time we had seen Soshangane since the re-collaring exercise and he seemed none the worse for his experience.  His buddy Ezulwini insisted on taking a branch off a now almost denuded marula tree and would not be coaxed into moving on until he had the branch and could walk off with it, eating it some 30 m away:  just a like a naughty dog with some tit-bit from the table!

One of the younger bulls in Soshangane's group, 6.9.2011