We left Mkhuzie on 11th May for the relatively short drive to Ndumo Game Reserve, which is right up close to the Mozambique border. It is a famous location for birders, as it has a good cross section of habitats & it is in an enviable position. This was a new area for me, one I had been wanting to visit for a while now, so I was excited to finally arrive here!
The camp site was very pleasant & yet again
we had it all to ourselves!
We set up camp, then drove to the Red Cliffs Picnic Site in the far west of the park. it was wonderful light in the afternoon & we had a lovely time but without seeing anything special.
but difficult to get good photos
because of the bad light.
On the 12th May & 15th May we drove the short distance to Nyamithi Pan & what a spectacular spot it was! The scenery & birding were superb & we both enjoyed our time here tremendously.
This pan is a haven for water birds.
Great to see so many of them & so close!
African Pied Wagtail
is armed!
Female Pink throated Twinspot
Only this individual gave reasonable views.
The male kept well hidden!
I hadn't seen this species for a long time.
views of a pair.
On 13th May we went on an organized bird walk with the resident bird guide in the near by sand forest. Birds were not plentiful but we saw some range restricted & hard to see species. It turned out to be a terrific mornings birding.
Pel's Fishing Owl!
The next morning saw us walking in the forest along the Pogola River. True forest is being encroached by subsistence farmers & the park authorities seem powerless to act. However we enjoyed an excellent mornings birding, racking up quite a few difficult & hard to see species.
On the afternoon of 14th May we climbed the lookout tower for a view of the reserve. The light wasn't great but it gave you a good idea of the lay of the land. The next day we enjoyed another morning at the pan & then we reluctantly left the reserve on 16th May.
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