The entrance gate.
We arrived at Blouberg Nature Reserve late afternoon on 4th March. Our journey was longer than anticipated because the last 86 kilometers of so called road, was riddled with pot holes. Being a novice at towing the trailer, I took it easy.
The area had had good recent rains,
so the bush was very lush.
the mountains form a lovely backdrop.
Our first species of game here
was this baby Giraffe.
you never know who is watching!
in the country.
We had heard good things about this reserve: that it was very scenic, has a wonderful wilderness ambience & brilliant campsites. All these turned out to be true. We loved the place. The reserve is situated in far northern Limpopo province close to the small town of Vivo.
Blouberg Mountain
The huge Blouberg Mountain dominates the landscape & plays home to the largest colony of Cape Griffon Vultures in Africa, with over 1,000 pairs present. Some estimates say up to 1,350 pairs in good years. This was the main reason we were here.
The surrounding plains have a mixture of Tamboti & Acacia woodland with a small moist fig forest & many large baobab trees. A good selection of sandy tracks crosses these areas.
This reserve is well managed & we were very impressed.
One unusual aspect is that the hide is set low down,
almost at eye level with the water.
with being so low down.
The next morning we drove out of camp on our game drive, stopping frequently for sightings. After a few kilometers we arrived at the waterhole, where we settled in for a while. It was quiet with just common game species & a few birds arriving to drink.
I am in this photo, somewhere!
We then drove a little further to The Big Tree & it didn't disappoint!
A wonderful atmospheric spot.
Our next stop was the small Fig Forest, which was shaded & we stopped here for a snack.
At the entrance of the Vulture Restaurant
This Little Bee-eater was trapped in the tunnel
at the entrance to the hide.
We managed to release it unharmed.
The next port of call was the Vulture Restaurant, but this hadn't been in operation for some time & was very disappointing.
Crested Guineafowl
We returned to the campsite & Delana spotted these Crested Guineafowl, right in camp! This was a fitting end to our first day in Blouberg. We then enjoyed a nice evening in camp.
We had to drive to the other side of this mountain!
Waterbuck
but otherwise quiet.
On 6th March we decided to take the 4x4 track along the base of the mountain. It was not a difficult drive, but it was a slow one. The forest was lush & thick so we didn't see much game, & the birds we did see were fleeting. However it was a beautiful drive up through the pass in the mountain. Once on the other side, we drove to a more open area & enjoyed a lunch stop under some trees.
Driving was interesting!
Then it was time to tackle the wetter track towards where the Vulture Colony is situated. It was an enjoyable but slow route, with thick bush encroaching on all sides.
Watching the colony!
There are a lot of Cape Vultures in this photo!
However once we arrived at the spot we had a magnificent view of the mountain & about 500 Cape Griffon Vultures on the cliffs! This is this species largest colony by far. It is declining over nearly all of its range. Both of us had never seen anything like it. It was an amazing experience. We also managed to find the adult Ruppell's Vulture, which has been around here for at least 24 years & was an adult when it arrived! Didn't manage to get any photos of it though. Gutted!
A selfie at The Lookout Point
Cape Griffons flew over.
Wahlberg's Eagle
On 7th March we drove to the lookout point. It was a steep climb to the top, but we were rewarded with some great vistas.
This area was just covered in butterflies
of many species.
Wings open
On the way down we photographed some of the many butterflies present. It was a lovely morning out.
The afternoon light was really nice.
A great late afternoon spot!
In the afternoon we spent time on the plains area of the reserve & ended up once again at the waterhole. It was a pleasant outing, without seeing anything remarkable.
Grey headed Bushshrike
Unfortunately we had to depart on 8th March for the drive back to Pretoria. It had been an excellent stay & although birding was limited it was interesting. Game viewing was interesting as well with a good variety seen. Both of us would like to spend longer here. It is an amazing spot & one has the entire reserve to yourself, which gives a real wild feel to things.
Birds:
Cape Griffon Vulture; Wahlberg's Eagle; Shikra; Crested Guineafowl; Kurrichane Buttonquail;Southern Pied Babbler; Grey headed Bushshrike; Gorgeous Bushshrike; Sulphur breasted Bushshrike; Retz's Helmetshrike; White crested Helmetshrike.
(72 species)
Mammals:
Cape Buffalo; Giraffe; Waterbuck; Gemsbok; Zebra; Kudu; Impala; Steenbok; Common Duiker; Warthog; Baboon; Vervet Monkey & Banded Mongoose.
Both Delana & I enjoyed visited this reserve tremendously. It really is a hidden gem. The lack of visitors gives it a genuine wilderness feel & the backdrop of the mountains is stunning, coupled with the excellent campsites & facilities. We will definitely be back.
Steve and Delana , Blouberg look very nice and will make a point of going there . Liebrecht and Sandra from Nylsvley.
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