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After work we drove uneventfully to Malelane where we were able to start atlasing our first pentad for the trip in the failing light. A White-browed robin-chat was calling in the grounds of the place we were staying at (Paradise Creek) and along with another 15 birds or so, gave us a good start to the pentad. On Saturday morning we were up just after 4am, hoping to get to Malelane gate before the mad rush. After a quick cup of coffee and tea we left our accommodation and arrived at Malelane gate ten minutes later – we were the second car in line and in the next half hour, it grew to about twenty cars. As it grew lighter, the dawn chorus started and we heard White-faced duck, Water thick-knee, Natal spurfowl, African fish eagle, Emerald-spotted wood dove and Egyptian goose. The moment the gate opened at 6am, we crossed the Crocodile and checked in at the gate. A number of birds were already out and about and most of the usual Kruger birds were ticked in the first hour. Four kilometers after Malelane gate we turned east onto the S114, turned again onto the S25 and then the S119 to go past Gardenia hide. This was spectacularly disappointing though since it was virtually bone-dry and we couldn’t even hear any birds from here. We headed north and stopped just on the other side of Biyamiti weir for lunch before making a quick stop at Afsaal picnic spot for some biltong and drinks. South of Afsaal we came across a pair of pipits that posed beautifully for photos. Critical evaluation of the pics ensued and we decided it was Bushveld pipits but thought we’d just post them onto Facebook later to get a confirmation. Unfortunately the Steilberg road was closed so we headed west on the Matjulu loop instead and spent some time at the Matjulu water hole. There was nothing exciting here but we did get excellent views of Grey-headed bush-shrike as we started making our way to Berg-en-Dal camp. After checking in we scoured the densely populated campsite and the only spot we could find for our small hiking camp, was in-between two caravans. Annoyingly, both caravans each used two of the four available power points. Sure that this was not allowed, I duely unplugged one of the cables and connected our own extension. We only had a few minutes to quickly set up the tent and air mattresses before having to go back to reception for the start of our sunset drive. There were a lot of people and four separate vehicles left for the sunset drive – ours was unfortunately the biggest and we were a group of 14 on the back of a small truck. However, this turned out to be one of the more memorable sunset/night drives we had. We picked up the obligatory elephant, buffalo and rhino groups but with dusk creeping up steadily we stopped quickly for a stork standing on top of a small tree. On first glance it looked like a Saddle-billed stork but the light was bad and only when I put my binoculars on it, I realized it was a Black stork! Unfortunately it flew off the moment we IDd it and we couldn’t get any pictures. But Nicola had finally managed to see this major bogey bird! We stopped along the S118 to look at a pride of lions in the Mlambane river bed and while the truck was switched off, we could hear African scops owl and Fiery-necked nightjars calling. We turned south onto the S114 for the second half of the drive. Things were just starting to get a bit boring when all of a sudden there was a bit of a commotion left of the truck and our guide screeched to a halt. It was an aardvark! Absolutely amazed to have seen this shy nocturnal mammal, everybody exclaimed and oohed and ahed. Our guide explained that he’d only seen one two years before for the first time and he’s been doing this for nine years! Hugely pleased with the drive, we headed back and got to camp at 19:30. Back at our tent, the two neighbouring caravans’ occupants were back but at least they have left our power plug where it was. Neither of us were terribly hungry so we quickly heated up a can of beans and viennas before heading for bed. Not having camped in more than a year, I managed to forget blankets or sleeping bags at home – fortunately it was not cold and we were able to get a few hours’ sleep before it got chilly in the early morning.
Before dawn we were up, packed the tent in the dark and stood in the queue for about ten minutes before the camp gate opened. We immediately drove north to the Matjulu water hole in the hope of finding some sandgrouse. However, after an hour waiting patiently, we had little more than the usual birds. We left around 07:30 and headed east on the Matjulu loop, north on the H3 and back down on the S114. Highlights were Gabar and Dark-chanting goshawks, Lappet-faced vulture, Martial eagle, Stierling’s wren-warbler and when we crossed the Crocodile river again on the way out, a single Saddle-billed stork. The drive back home was uneventful and I finished the trip with five new birds for the year.Nicola finally picked up a Black stork and the aardvark was a mammal lifer for both of us.
