Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden (WSNBG) is another gem within the city confines of greater Johannesburg. Situated against a mountain with Witpoortjie waterfall, riverine Forrest, National Botanical Garden, grassland and with two resident breeding Verreaux eagles WSNBG is a national treasure. In the middle of a large city two mountain cliff dwellers continue with their life as before. Long may they live!
Photo opportunities abound and bird-life is very healthy and diverse.
Dullstroom is small Mpumalanga tourist town better known as the trout capital of South Africa. It also has a prolific bird life and is close to the famous Verlorenvalei Ramsar site. The greater Dullstroom district provides excellent birding opportunities of mostly grassland birds as well as wonderful landscape and small town travel photos. The Bird of Prey center is also well worth a visit. I share some of my own treasures the last few years.
Marievale is waterbirding gem near Nigel on the east rand of Gautneg. It is situated on the blesbokspruit and is jome to an extra-ordinary number of birds. It also has great grassland birds and some raptors. It is site worth visiting for sights sometimes eye popping. I have visited the site annually since 2016 and have recoded some great sights as set out below. A gem of vale only an hour away.
At the end of 2019 the Germiston steam train group “reefsteamers” sadly had to close their doors. Although I was not a member I attended a number of their very special events with great photo opportunities.
Two of the events were held at their depot in Germiston in 2016 and 2019 respectively. They also arranged an annual trip by steam train to Magaliesburg. The first trip in 2016 also had an arranged fly pass over the train by an old bi-plane. The 2018 trip had more old planes and a string of vintage cars. These all provided wonderful photo opportunities as can be seen below.
It is sad that this project had to close down, but it clearly was expensive to maintain the big black steamy beasts and the helpful and skilled staff were getting older and already advanced on pension!
Enjoy some of the great memories with me:
Pilanesberg is 50 year old 55 000 Ha game reserve about 2 hours from Johannesburg. It a big five reserve with a diverse and large bird-life. It is near to the famous Sun City resort and now have many other up market and budget accommodation nearby or inside the reserve. The reserve has an unique character situated inside a large extinct volcano. I recently visited again and suddenly realized I have not done so enough as this park hides so much! Let the pictures tell the story!
Rietvlei is a gem in Gauteng so much so near!
Less than an hour away near Pretoria this grass and vleiland have some wonderful mammal and birdlife from cheetah to Raptor and provides some fantastic photo opportunities on our doorstep. I discovered this wonderful gem during the lock-down and have been back a number of times, always returning with great dividend.
I was due to travel down to Riversdale (where I attended and finished my school years in 1969 at Hoerskool Langenhoven) in November 2019. We had our 50 year anniversary planned there 16-18 November.
So I decided to explore a bit of the Southern Cape and especially its bird life. I duly booked us at Franskraal, Arniston and Malgas with a view to explore the various reserves in the area. from the previous Sunday.
Unfortunately the early part of the week a “black south easter” brought welcome rain but also less bird photo opportunities. Nevertheless we were able to snap some new “lifers” and explored a beautiful part of South Africa. We visited Stoney Point, Franskraal, Agulhas, Bredasdorp, De Hoop reserve and Malgas and was able to enjoy the fantastic landscape as well as bird life. I share some of these below.
In February and early March I attend a raptor course with Joe Grosel at Letaba and we decide to explore the north in summer. We left Letaba after learning so much about my favourite birds to stay one night at Bateleur camp after three nights at Letaba and another three nights at Punda Maria. This was a prescient visit as it was just before lock down in March 2020 and after some very good rains with most of the big rivers in flood.
We saw less big game except , no cats, but many birds of course the majestic baobab in the green season.
I attach a few of our sightings below:
So in October 2019 we visited Lower Sabie again for three days followed by three days at Satara. This was a return after 28 years to one of the best camps in the park. Viewing options are many and the setting next to the Sabie river is sublime.
The camp itself is now very busy and much more modern than in 1991. We were fortunate to watch both the 2019 semi-finals for the Japan World Cup, especially South Africa making it and not having to play the All Blacks again. Viewing was good even though the park was hot and dry!
In August 2018 Sue and I visited the Masai Mara reserve for the second time. This time we were promised a”proper” crossing given that in 2015 we really did not witness an iconic crossing. We went with a different tour operator and we had three things in our favour.
Firstly, we did stay in the famous Triangle area and did not have to do a daily two to three hour trip to and from the Mara river where the crossings take place. Secondly, we went two weeks earlier than three years previously and finally we stayed right on the banks of the Mara river which allowed us quick access to all the famous crossings sites.
Sadly we again witnessed no crossings. The wildebeest were there, the predators were there and the crocodiles waited in the Mara. The Tanzanians however had burnt the veld on their side which caused nice green grass growing on their side and this sadly put a temporary pause on the migration.
Regardless we had a great time, saw many predators and killings but no kills as in 2015 when we actually saw both a lion and cheetah kill. We saw some nice birds and lots of lion again as well as some quality time with the legendary Scar.
Unforgettable was the tent on the banks of the Mara and the early morning outdoor shower I had before the coffee and rusk as we prepared for another epic day behind the lens! I attach some of the fruits below.
Auditrails 