The Golden Pipit

On our last morning drive at Rhino River Lodge, we left camp rather bleery eyed at 5.30am. We hadn't got far out of camp when Neil spotted a bright yellow bird fly down into the grass. I checked it with my binoculars and blurted out "Golden Pipit! " One look at the Robert's app confirmed it. Then I noticed the tag " rare vagrant." Kyle, our ranger confirmed the sighting. Hanli began trying to get some photos of it as it hopped around in the thick green grass. We all kept our eye on it while Kyle called Manyoni's bird expert on the radio. He rushed down and sure enough we had spotted the very rare Golden Pipit. 

He reported it to various expert groups and cell phones started pinging as news rapidly spread. 

Hanlie's photos were instantly uploaded on various sites and social media groups. Her pictures have gone viral amongst bird nerds all over the country! This was the 26th sighting of a Golden Pipit in Southern Africa and the 9th in KZN.

The first sighting was in 1906 and the most recent in Northern Kruger Park about a month ago. (We had been up in the Punda Maria area and had seen carloads of birders hunting for it around there.) We were stunned and amazed and Kyle was really excited to be credited with the find. By the time we got back to camp and had breakfast, Rhino River Lodge was being inundated with calls from birders all over the country wanting to come and hopefully see the bird! A once in a lifetime experience but in an odd way it felt just like seeing any other beautiful species for the first time. These are Hanlie's photos.

Rhino River Lodge: Manyoni Game Reserve: KZN

Saturday 28 November to Monday 30 November

Lockdown Day 247 to 249

Manyoni is a private Big 5 Game Reserve near the town of Mkuze in Northern Kwa-Zulu-Natal. There are a number of lodges and we stayed at Rhino River in the self-catering 2-bedroom "Homestead" with Hanlie and Andrew. It's a great house with a private pool and we really loved the way all the windows and doors open up, bringing the outdoors inside. 

We did morning and evening game drives every day with ranger Kyle. It's a beautiful reserve and we were treated to amazing sightings up close and personal on every drive. We saw rhino every day and also has great sightings of elephant, lion, buffalo and cheetah. The photos speak for themselves.

We will be back and hopefully with some of our international friends very soon. 

www.rhinoriverlodge.co.za

info@rhinoriverlodge.co.za

+27 83 781 4924

De Loft Guesthouse - Piet Retief ( mKhondo)

Friday 27 November

Lockdown Day 246

We met Hanlie and Andrew in Piet Retief. It's a good overnight stop en route to Northern KZN, Swaziland or Southern Mozambique. We stayed at the quirky De Loft Guesthouse.  

We ate dinner at a great restaurant called Munch, which is just over the road. 

De Loft 017 826 0315

Munch 017 826 0916

Mjejane Bush Lodge

Monday 23 November to Thursday 26 November

Lockdown Day 242 to 245

Mjejane is a relatively new Bush Reserve development in the South of the Kruger Park. There are private homes, the Mjejane River Lodge hotel and the Mjejane Bush Lodge timeshare where we stayed.

It's well located for the Kruger Park and the units are modern and well appointed. Henry and Michelle joined us. 

On Tuesday the afternoon temperatures reached the mid-forties. We watched a lioness on a kill from the car for nearly two hours so sunset drinks in the pool at the hotel were most welcome.

On Wednesday it rained and turned cool so we chilled at home and played some cards.

On Thursday we had a great day trip into Kruger.

We have spent a lot of time and been all over Kruger Park lately. We have stayed in every camp. We have gained a lot of local knowledge. And now after eight months we will be leaving. What a privilege to have lived through lockdown in one of the most amazing places on earth.