Elephants!

The knobthorn tree below our deck,
next to the birdpool before the elephant.

Leopard’s View birdpool is a magnet for many species of birds and some mammals as well.  Visiting birds make use of a couple of knobthorn trees and a Y-thorn torchwood bush for perches and for cover.  On Thursday 20th, mid-way through the afternoon, two elephants appeared at the Lodge, the Reserve’s biggest bull, "Ezulwini", and a much smaller companion.  The large one proceeded to push over the big knobthorn just to the left of the birdpool, snapping the trunk completely -  no mean feat given that the diameter at that point was 40 cm, although there were signs of rot inside. 

The big bull and the felled tree

However, we were not pleased since this tree was important visually and also for the birds.

The big bull behind Kudu Hut

The two elephants then browsed on the fresh foliage (since the rain of two weeks previously) before doing a tour right round the Lodge and our house, eating fresh grasses and raisin bush leaves and stems. 

Who needs building inspectors?  "Ezulwini" checks
out work on our new septic tank for the kitchens.

They returned the following morning and at least had the decency to eat much of the remaining foliage from the knocked-down tree (elephants often push over a tree, eat a couple of mouthfuls and then move off.) 

The big bull below the decks:  waterhole in the background

The same pair reappeared on Tuesday 25^th, again doing a tour right round the camp.  The smaller bull is relatively nervous but the large one is very relaxed around buildings, fences and the people inside them, and will feed very close by without showing any signs of tension unless one makes a sudden loud noise or sharp movement. 

The young bull or "askari" that goes round
with the big one.

"Ezulwini" outside Duiker Hut

Wonderful viewing but one beautiful, mature tree less!

Hail storm

 We wouldn’t normally expect to get any serious rain here until late October or even into November. 

Mid-storm: hail, rain and run-off

Hail stones:  the wall is 24 cm wide
and the vertical post 15cm  in diameter

However, on 3^rd October we had an unusually early storm:  dark clouds gathered, thunder rolled ever nearer, and then came a noise like an approaching train as the wind came closer and hit with a vengeance.  We had torrential rain for about 30 minutes plus hail on a grand scale!  Hail is common on the highveld but is far less frequent here in the lowveld.  The noise of the hail-stones hitting the roofs and the windows was incredible.  We measured the stones afterwards and the biggest were over 5 cm in diameter so we were lucky to have only one window broken.  Trees and shrubs in leaf were shredded and there was debris everywhere:  four days later, we are still clearing it up.  As usual with heavy rain, there has been much erosion of paths and tracks. 

The river in our valley flowing more strongly than ever

While we were clearing up immediately after the storm we became aware of a rushing sound from the valley below the lodge:  our dry river was in spate, flowing fuller and faster than we have seen in our three years here.  It was the first time that this river has flowed since April-May 2010.  Many of the dams in the reserve that have been relatively empty have benefitted greatly from the run-off.

With further rain later in the day (mercifully gentle!) we had a total of 32 mm, and another couple since.  By next morning the lawns in the lodge had greened up beautifully.  The grass out in the bush is turning green too and no doubt the trees will produce leaves (again, in the case of those that lost them to the hail.)  Given the early nature of this rain, we hope that there will be more before too long and that all the new growth will not burn up in the heat if we have to wait many weeks.