Spring cometh

Since writing the last blog we have seen quite a drastic change in the weather.  The relatively cool winter’s days and nights suddenly changed in the space of a week and the temperatures soared until reaching a scorching 38.4 degrees about a week ago.  Winter had vanished in a flash and spring was heralded in by the blossom on the knob thorn trees around the lodge and throughout the bush here in Balule.



Knob thorn trees in bloom

Knob thorn trees, Acacia nigrescens, are particularly prevalent in our part of the Lowveld and we always look forward to the burst of flowers and their very distinctive, rather sweet perfume.  The tree is easy to spot in the bush because of the knobbly thorns on the trunk and branches, each knob with a very sharp thorn at the end of it. 

There is a traditional belief that the knobs on the tree can be crushed up and applied to a young girl’s chest to ensure she will later on be well-endowed in that area! 

Knob-thorn trees make up a very considerable part of the diet of giraffes, and they particularly like the flowers and fresh new leaves.  At this time of year they come very close to the decks of the lodge where we have several mature trees and can spend up to two hours browsing there.  It is a marvellous sight and our guests can sit within a few yards of these magnificent animals and enjoy the show.

Other local tree specimens in flower now include the Blue thorn, Acacia erubescens, with a similar yellow-white flower spike and a pair of very sharp hooked thorns.  We have been ‘hooked’ many times by these trees whilst walking through the bush.

  

Male Marico Sunbird

Female Marico Sunbird

The brilliant yellow, pea-like flowers of the Sjambok pod, Cassia abbreviata, make it very easy to identify and it was this feature that stood out amongst all the other trees as I was looking out over the bush from our viewing tower.  Its common name comes from the particularly long seed pods that have a passing resemblance to the “sjambok”, a long whip traditionally made from hippo hide.

An unusually early ‘first rain’ of 19mm last week has given Spring a real kick start and has contributed to the burst of new leaves and grass in the bush.  We are always delighted when the first rain comes but also hope that this is not a false alarm with no more rain for weeks, by which time the new grasses will have burned up.  Having lived in England for most of our lives we never thought we would welcome the rain, but it is the cause for real celebration here in the bush.  Let’s hope there will be plenty more to report on next time.



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!