We finally landed back in South Africa on 11th November: exactly eight months & one day after we left! It had been one hell of a journey! Sometimes frustrating, but certainly interesting & very, very different. We quickly drove to Burkea Park where Delana's house is & heaved a big sigh of relief! We had made it! I was very pleased, because immigration had given me ninety days upon entry whereas normally coming from a country which is not my home country I would get only thirty days.
The next day was all about unpacking & settling in but I did manage to do some birding around Burkea Park Estate on 13th November. And very good it was too, recording eighty five species including five species of Cuckoo! Best birds were Great Spotted Cuckoo & Brown-backed Honeybird, but I didn't manage to get a photo of either of them.
The next day we stayed at home doing chores but a Levaillant Cuckoo in the garden livened things up. In the evening we recorded Eurasian Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar; barn & African Scop's Owls. We also had a small gathering to celebrate us being back in South Africa.
On 17th November I was up early & out & about. It was another excellent mornings birding with 82 species recorded. There are a series of small ponds in a less developed area of the estate which proved good for water birds.
