So, decisions made I was risking loosing some time in what was supposedly the best birding region in the park. We set off fairly early and to be honest it wasn't a problem waking up.
In Shingwedzi it wasn't the wildlife that woke you, it was the sound of diesel engines chugging past our bedroom window. It started at around 4.30am when presumably the night drive went out. At around 5.20 the first cars were heading to the gate ready for the off at 5.30. I wasn't be joining them today, instead I would have a wander around the camp to check out the birds there.
I drew a blank!
We got on our way not long after 7.00am but it's a long way to Pafuri, about a two hour drive.
We passed by Boyela waterhole on the way and had a quick look. Nothing today but there must have been some very close views recently.
This recently departed Buffalo was right on the edge of the tar road!
Between there and Pafuri there had been little evidence of anything being alive out there. The scenery does change quite significantly as you progress towards Pafuri Gate, the flat expanses on either side suddenly become a bit more rugged, more hills, a bit more greenery.
Turning left just before the border post with Mozambique you take a tar road to Crooks Corner so called because of it's history as a gathering point for smugglers, thieves and poachers who could escape across the river to a choice of two different countries should the law come looking for them.
It was definitely a different scene altogether. The trees were tall and lush, too big to be accessed or damaged by elephant
Not that far away the scenery was devastated by elephants.
and we had witnessed this damage as it happened in many places in the park but the north was particularly affected.
With the Elephant having few enemies their survival rate is very high and they are obviously breeding at a great rate too. We saw countless youngsters.
The clamp down on poaching and the ban on ivory in most countries has in itself created a new problem.
How to control Elephant numbers. Any suggestion of culling brings about howls of protest but if they are allowed to continuing destroying the habitat of lots of other species there will be a knock on effect.
No doubt a solution will be found, perhaps a compromise. Time will tell.
Meantime, I'm back in Pafuri and feeling a tad frustrated!
There is bird song everywhere but in the dense foliage it's hard to see anything and of course you can't get out of the car, well only at the picnic site.
The picnic site was surprisingly busy with a dozen or more cars and a couple of OSV's parked there too. Sadly it's another site that doesn't offer food and drink so for us it was onward to Punda Maria for brunch.
At least I'd managed some shots of one new bird but that was it.
Trumpeter Hornbill was a nice capture though!
I also got my best photo opportunities for White-fronted Bee-eater so that was another plus.
but otherwise it was very disappointing.
We drove on to Punda Maria. I had heard and read great reports about the waterhole in camp there and that was one thing I was going to miss out on, I never did get to see it either, nor did I see what would have been our safari tent accommodation.
We did see the alternative chalet accommodation and it wasn't particularly impressive from the outside. It looked like a row of workers cottages which apparently they once were. It had originally been built as a camp for the anti poaching team 100 years ago.
They had a nice little restaurant and the shop typical of most camps.
We tried their toasties to see how they compared with Shingwedzi and fair do's, although the presentation wasn't as elegant they tasted equally good!
There was no reason to stay around the camp, we took the gravel road to get there, the S60 and had seen nothing. The temperature was now over 40c degrees. It was hot, dusty and uncomfortable.
Even the Buffalo were lying down in what little shade was available.
Beyond them, Elephant digging for water in a dry river bed.
We headed south taking the rear causeway entrance to Shingwedzi.
A Marabou Stork was stood within only a few metres of the car and yet the heat haze made a sharp photograph impossible.
I decided to stay put for the rest of the day, it was too hot to be bothered. Claire still hadn't used her sunbed and never would do now. It was too hot to be under the sun! They have a swimming pool in the camp but somehow they didn't appeal to us. We never did understand why, it just seemed inappropriate in the middle of a rest camp!
Even the Braii had it's drawback, well next doors did. I was using charcoal which doesn't smoke much, our next door neighbours were using wood and the acrid smoke coming from it drifted straight in to our dining area. I could see other chalets suffering all around the camp. Everyone seems to braii and the majority are using wood. It was another reason not to be too fond of Shingwedzi!
TBC
In Shingwedzi it wasn't the wildlife that woke you, it was the sound of diesel engines chugging past our bedroom window. It started at around 4.30am when presumably the night drive went out. At around 5.20 the first cars were heading to the gate ready for the off at 5.30. I wasn't be joining them today, instead I would have a wander around the camp to check out the birds there.
I drew a blank!
We got on our way not long after 7.00am but it's a long way to Pafuri, about a two hour drive.
We passed by Boyela waterhole on the way and had a quick look. Nothing today but there must have been some very close views recently.
This recently departed Buffalo was right on the edge of the tar road!
Between there and Pafuri there had been little evidence of anything being alive out there. The scenery does change quite significantly as you progress towards Pafuri Gate, the flat expanses on either side suddenly become a bit more rugged, more hills, a bit more greenery.
Turning left just before the border post with Mozambique you take a tar road to Crooks Corner so called because of it's history as a gathering point for smugglers, thieves and poachers who could escape across the river to a choice of two different countries should the law come looking for them.
It was definitely a different scene altogether. The trees were tall and lush, too big to be accessed or damaged by elephant
Not that far away the scenery was devastated by elephants.
and we had witnessed this damage as it happened in many places in the park but the north was particularly affected.
With the Elephant having few enemies their survival rate is very high and they are obviously breeding at a great rate too. We saw countless youngsters.
The clamp down on poaching and the ban on ivory in most countries has in itself created a new problem.
How to control Elephant numbers. Any suggestion of culling brings about howls of protest but if they are allowed to continuing destroying the habitat of lots of other species there will be a knock on effect.
No doubt a solution will be found, perhaps a compromise. Time will tell.
Meantime, I'm back in Pafuri and feeling a tad frustrated!
There is bird song everywhere but in the dense foliage it's hard to see anything and of course you can't get out of the car, well only at the picnic site.
The picnic site was surprisingly busy with a dozen or more cars and a couple of OSV's parked there too. Sadly it's another site that doesn't offer food and drink so for us it was onward to Punda Maria for brunch.
At least I'd managed some shots of one new bird but that was it.
Trumpeter Hornbill was a nice capture though!
I also got my best photo opportunities for White-fronted Bee-eater so that was another plus.
but otherwise it was very disappointing.
We drove on to Punda Maria. I had heard and read great reports about the waterhole in camp there and that was one thing I was going to miss out on, I never did get to see it either, nor did I see what would have been our safari tent accommodation.
We did see the alternative chalet accommodation and it wasn't particularly impressive from the outside. It looked like a row of workers cottages which apparently they once were. It had originally been built as a camp for the anti poaching team 100 years ago.
They had a nice little restaurant and the shop typical of most camps.
We tried their toasties to see how they compared with Shingwedzi and fair do's, although the presentation wasn't as elegant they tasted equally good!
There was no reason to stay around the camp, we took the gravel road to get there, the S60 and had seen nothing. The temperature was now over 40c degrees. It was hot, dusty and uncomfortable.
Even the Buffalo were lying down in what little shade was available.
Beyond them, Elephant digging for water in a dry river bed.
We headed south taking the rear causeway entrance to Shingwedzi.
A Marabou Stork was stood within only a few metres of the car and yet the heat haze made a sharp photograph impossible.
I decided to stay put for the rest of the day, it was too hot to be bothered. Claire still hadn't used her sunbed and never would do now. It was too hot to be under the sun! They have a swimming pool in the camp but somehow they didn't appeal to us. We never did understand why, it just seemed inappropriate in the middle of a rest camp!
Even the Braii had it's drawback, well next doors did. I was using charcoal which doesn't smoke much, our next door neighbours were using wood and the acrid smoke coming from it drifted straight in to our dining area. I could see other chalets suffering all around the camp. Everyone seems to braii and the majority are using wood. It was another reason not to be too fond of Shingwedzi!
TBC
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