The road to the camp was quite tough driving
in some places.
The main house.
They had an orphaned Springbok
which they were raising.
We climbed the nearby hill in late afternoon &
were rewarded with awesome views.
Looking down on the camp.
On 17th August we
drove towards Purros through some
scenic landscapes. On a whim we decided to try out a small camp that sounded interesting
around 5kms off the road called Camp
Aussicht. It was a bit of a drive to get there with some tricky bits in
4x4. The camp was small, but every site had their own bathroom & toilet
which kept Delana happy! It was in a wilderness setting & we climbed to the
top of a nearby hill which had a lookout tower & enjoyed the views.
We went for Hornbill feeding at 5pm & we were treated to dozens of Monteiro’s Hornbills feeding on sadza! Later that night we visited the lodge again & had fantastic close up views of four Porcupines which came to be fed. It was an amazing experience to be up so close to these normally very secretive animals.
Red eyed Bulbuls were everywhere
around the campsite!
Carp's Tit also put in an appearance.
But best of all was point blank views of
Ruppell's Parrot!
Brilliant!
Monteiro's Hornbill
They came!
Around 50 Hornbills came in for the feeding.
It was mayhem!
They eat huge chunks of pap!
You don't get closer than this!
Great Sparrows were on hand to pick up
the left-overs.
Porcupines came into the house to be fed!
One doesn't get closer than this!
We went for Hornbill feeding at 5pm & we were treated to dozens of Monteiro’s Hornbills feeding on sadza! Later that night we visited the lodge again & had fantastic close up views of four Porcupines which came to be fed. It was an amazing experience to be up so close to these normally very secretive animals.
Heading from the camp early the next morning.
The old fort here is now an hotel.
We enjoyed a late breakfast here
& then filled up with fuel.
The dry Purros River.
In the village was this bar!
We made camp under beautiful shady trees
on the banks of the river.
The view from our camp.
We were up early the next day, back on the road to Purros, which we reached mid afternoon. The camp was in an
excellent situation on the banks of a dry riverbed with stunning views. So we
set up camp & enjoyed the evening.
Greenshank
2 Little Stint were early migrants here.
Three banded Plover were scattered
all down the wadi.
Egyptian Goose
Speckled Rock Pigeons
Auger Buzzard
We had Desert Elephants feeding
around our camp during the night.
We should have taken heed!
The at first, dry river bed.
A brief stop along the way.
It soon started to get green
It was a stunning drive.
all down the wadi.
Delana wading across, to see if we can cross
with the vehicle.
One of the many splashy moments!
Mountain Chat
Fiscal Shrike
Bokmakerie
Long billed Pipit
On 19th we drove
down the riverbed towards Purros Canyon.
At first it was dry, but soon we came into pools of water & patches of
bright green grass! We had to cross many tricky watery sections & Delana had to walk across first testing
the ground before I drove the vehicle across in low ratio 4x4.
It is amazing to see Giraffe in this habitat.
These animals are totally desert adapted.
Springbok
These animals are totally desert adapted.
After sometime in camp we drove towards the Purros Community Campsite where Delana had stayed previously seeing quite a few Giraffe &
Springbok.
Then we climbed a steep track to the top of a hill for amazing views of the surrounding landscape.
Great views were had from the top of the hill.
Delana, on top of the world!
Shadows were lengthening.
Time for a sundowner!
The end of another great day!
Then we climbed a steep track to the top of a hill for amazing views of the surrounding landscape.
Hoarusib River.
Black Rhino spoor in the river bed.
Look carefully!
Desert Elephant!
At last!
A great drive amid spectacular scenery.
Black chested Snake Eagle
Lunch stop.
Giraffe.
It is totally amazing seeing these animals
in this scenery.
Gemsbok.
in this scenery.
The 20th was quite
exciting, as we drove along the Hoarusib
dry riverbed for around 30kms & then up a subsidiary. We saw plenty of
Giraffe & Springbok, plus a couple of Gemsbok. But really we were searching
for Desert Elephant & eventually
Delana spotted two hidden in the
riverine trees. Views were not great, but we watched them for quite sometime,
before enjoying a brilliant lunch in a lovely spot under shaded trees by the
side the dry riverbed.
Familiar Chat
We returned to camp in the middle of the afternoon & enjoyed our time under the trees.
Delana did some laundry & the goats came
to drink the water!
Looking down the river bed, late afternoon.
We returned to camp in the middle of the afternoon & enjoyed our time under the trees.
In the middle of the night we were visited by at least one possibly two
Elephants which we feeding close to our camp & then we heard the sound of
demolition!
The Elephant had ripped the wall away
to get water from the pipes.
But had left all our bathroom stuff which was inside
untouched!
30 minutes later we were back in business!
Waking up early on 21st
we looked outside & saw that our bathroom had been demolished in the
Elephants search for water! It had ripped out the pipes but all of our stuff
inside the bathroom was untouched! Amazing! We had planned to stay another
night but thought the Ellie would return & next time we might not be so
fortunate.
Birds:
Common Ostrich; Red-billed Spurfowl; Helmeted Guineafowl; Egyptian Goose; Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill; African Grey Hornbill; Common Scimitarbill; Swallow-tailed Bee-eater; White-backed Mousebird; Rüppell's Parrot; Rosy-faced Lovebird; African Palm Swift; Little Swift; Grey Go-away-bird; African Scops Owl; Speckled Pigeon; Laughing Dove; African Mourning Dove; Cape Turtle Dove; Red-eyed Dove; Rueppell's Korhaan; Namaqua Sandgrouse; Common Greenshank; Wood Sandpiper; Little Stint; Three-banded Plover; Blacksmith Lapwing; Black-chested Snake Eagle; Brown Snake Eagle; Augur Buzzard; Black Stork; Common Fiscal; Pied Crow; Fork-tailed Drongo; White-tailed Shrike; Brubru; Crimson-breasted Shrike; Bokmakierie; Pririt Batis; Chat Flycatcher; White-browed Scrub Robin; Mountain Wheatear; Pale-winged Starling; Cape Glossy Starling; Yellow-billed Oxpecker; Rock Martin; South African Cliff Swallow; African Red-eyed Bulbul; Black-chested Prinia; Long-billed Crombec; Dusky Sunbird; Great Sparrow; Cape Wagtail; Long-billed Pipit; White-browed Sparrow-Weaver; Southern Masked Weaver; Common Waxbill; White-throated Canary.
Birds:
Common Ostrich; Red-billed Spurfowl; Helmeted Guineafowl; Egyptian Goose; Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill; African Grey Hornbill; Common Scimitarbill; Swallow-tailed Bee-eater; White-backed Mousebird; Rüppell's Parrot; Rosy-faced Lovebird; African Palm Swift; Little Swift; Grey Go-away-bird; African Scops Owl; Speckled Pigeon; Laughing Dove; African Mourning Dove; Cape Turtle Dove; Red-eyed Dove; Rueppell's Korhaan; Namaqua Sandgrouse; Common Greenshank; Wood Sandpiper; Little Stint; Three-banded Plover; Blacksmith Lapwing; Black-chested Snake Eagle; Brown Snake Eagle; Augur Buzzard; Black Stork; Common Fiscal; Pied Crow; Fork-tailed Drongo; White-tailed Shrike; Brubru; Crimson-breasted Shrike; Bokmakierie; Pririt Batis; Chat Flycatcher; White-browed Scrub Robin; Mountain Wheatear; Pale-winged Starling; Cape Glossy Starling; Yellow-billed Oxpecker; Rock Martin; South African Cliff Swallow; African Red-eyed Bulbul; Black-chested Prinia; Long-billed Crombec; Dusky Sunbird; Great Sparrow; Cape Wagtail; Long-billed Pipit; White-browed Sparrow-Weaver; Southern Masked Weaver; Common Waxbill; White-throated Canary.
No comments:
Post a Comment