We decided to stay near Punda yesterday and in the morning to only head out at 6am and then do the Mahonie loop (as we had enjoyed it the previous evening). Game was in short supply – well at least the predators. We did see a reasonable amount of buck (nyala, kudu, impala etc) and the usual elephant & buffalo. It didn’t take long though for some lifers to be added for M & O. As finished the loop in under 2 hours, we felt a quick trip up Thulamila Hill would be a good thing to do before we headed back to camp. That turned out to be a good call as at the top we saw a white breasted cuckooshrike which was a lifer for all of us and a rarity for the KNP as well. Having never seen either a white or black cuckooshrike, in less than 24 hours I had seen both. Lifer for the trip for me and number 586.
For H though it was the big 500. While we have been birding for some time, H only started properly listing her birds at start of 2023. That is a pretty impressive tally for just over 2 years and 1 month. As a couple we now officially in the 1000 club which requires a minimum of 500 from each person.
We spent the rest of the day in camp. Miss I helped make flapjacks for breakfast with grandpa. Swim in the pool, visit to bird hide to download emails (place with best cellphone signal in the camp), lunch in the restaurant for H & I and then out for an evening game drive to Klopperfontein Dam. Unfortunately the evening drive was singularly unsuccessful. It was much hotter yesterday again (around 37 degrees at 4pm) and so everything was less active (including us).
Braai for dinner as usual. I felt like I perspired off 500g last night while making and doing the braai. Eventually I poured some cold water down my back and then put a wet towel around my neck and that definitely helped. The braai was pork strips, port steaks and barbecue chicken (mis-sold as thighs when it was actually breasts). Meat accompanied by butternut squash and corn on cob both done in the coals as well.
P, H (for reaching 500 lifers!), M, O & I
(PS: Marginally better signal now so hopefully now that I am caught up I will be able to post again tonight)