Southern Drakensberg & Lesotho

Our camp

A great place to stay!

We arrived at our campsite on the farm Khutso late afternoon on 26th May. This is a working farm, but it has a nice secluded campsite & we were the only people here during our four night stay.

The lowest section of the 

Sani Pass Road

Part of a large flock of Olive Pigeons.

Cape Grassbird

Cape Rock Thrush

The next day we visited the lower reaches of Sani Pass, up to the SA Border Post. It proved to be a frustrating morning, as we spotted a Forest Buzzard, but we failed to get a photo! Then we spent a long time looking & eventually finding a Barratt's Warbler. I glimpsed the bird twice, but Delana failed to get on to it & it would have been a new bird for her! The afternoon was spent in camp.

The track is quite narrow.

Looking for those difficult

 highland specials!

Cape Rock Thrush

Cape Bunting

Bokmakerie

The big day dawned. It was the 28th May & the day we drove up the Sani Pass & into Lesotho. The drive is a 4x4 track, with a few switchbacks & sheer drops. We stopped several times along the way.

At the top!

There is a small hotel

& restaurant here.

The sign says it all!

The view from the bar!

Sloggett's Vlei or Ice Rat

Common at this altitude, but very nervous &

 bolts down its burrow when alarmed.

Drakensberg Rockjumper

In habitat!

Male

Highly localised & difficult to find.

Female singing!

Grey Tit

Drakensberg Siskin

Cape Bunting

We spent a couple of hours in Lesotho enjoying the scenery & lunch. Then we headed back down the pass. It proved to be a little more difficult driving downhill.

Knysna Turaco

It was very dark as we were birding here!

Orange Thrush

As we were leaving, this bird came to drink

 in a puddle on the track.

African Crested Flycatcher

We spent a nice evening in camp. The next morning we packed up & drove to the coast. Hopefully a bit of warmth at last!

We spent the morning in camp on 29th May, then drove to the Xumeni Forest. This is a small tract of indigenous forest & was very birdy in the late afternoon. We made a mistake here, as we should have birded the forest in the early morning. However we had an excellent couple of hours here in the dwindling light.

Giant's Castle - central Drakensberg

The view from our chalet.

Our chalet

Braving the elements!

We arrived at Giant's Castle mid-afternoon on 20th May. We quickly settled in to our chalet, complete with stunning views! There is no camping here, so we had to take a chalet. As soon as the sun went down the temperature plummeted! It was a very cold night.

The drive up to the hide.

The view from the hide.

Delana re-arranging bones.

Waiting in the hide.

Ground Woodpecker

We booked the Vulture Hide for our exclusive use on 21st May. So after a great breakfast we picked up the hide keys & a container full of bones! It is a steep 4x4 track up to the hide & on the way we saw 4 Ground Woodpeckers, which performed nicely for us. 

It didn't take long before the bone stealer arrived.

Black-backed Jackal

As soon as the bones were put out he appeared!

Jackal Buzzard

White-necked Raven

They were the first to arrive.

Ever present throughout the day.

Bearded Vulture

The first birds came in about an hour after the bones

were put out.

Adult.

The best views I have ever had!

Taking off with a bone!

Immature

Cape Griffon Vulture

Southern Bald Ibis

Buff-streaked Chat

Male

They came to glean morsels from the bones.

Female

Sickle-winged Chat

An uncommon bird of the high mountains.

We enjoyed five hours in the hide. We didn't see many species, but what we did see was fantastic! We both agreed that it was a great days birding. Those Bearded Vultures were quite something.

The scenery is pretty special.

Eiland

Mountain Reedbuck

Cape Rock Thrush

Buff-streaked Chat

Speckled Pigeon

Olive Thrush

Southern Boubou

Fairy Flycatcher

Greater Double-banded Sunbird

Bar throated Apalis

The next two days were spent birding around the camp & gentle walks into the surrounding hills. It was a low key couple of days, which were very enjoyable. 

Red-necked Spurfowl

We left on the morning of 24th May, but while we were packing up, 2 Red-necked Spurfowl ran across the road in front of us! Luckily we managed some photos as they stood in the only patch of sun in the forest! 

The next two days were spent visiting Greg & Pippa two old friends of Delana's, who proved to be very pleasant company & a good time was had by all.