Rangers Report

September 2011

The Rangers Report, our Ranger, Wesley, gives us some wonderful updates as to what everything is up to:- This past months sightings on both walks and drives have been fun filled and extremely interesting. With the recent release of the lion into the Zululand Rhino Reserve all the lodges guides have been racing to get the "BIG 5 in one Drive" and it is with great excitement that Leopard Mountain can boast that Ivor, our Trails Manager, managed to do it first. The drive started with watching the Lions lazing around in the shade of some trees near one of the dams. After leaving the lion, Ivor found one of the Elephant bulls feeding on some Acacia Tree roots next to the main road through the reserve. After sunset drinks break two White Rhino were found grazing happily in a Knobthorn Tree thicket. While moving through an area of very dense bush looking for Chameleons, a Leopard was seen sitting on a game path. The leopard sat for a while illuminated by the spotlight of the Game Viewer before moving off into some thick bush next to the path. About 2km from the lodge every bodies eyes were peeled staring hard into the darkness looking for the last of the 5, the Buffalo, and as the vehicle rounded a corner 3 Buffalo Bulls stepped into the road, they fed for a while on the grass next to the vehicle and then disappeared into the Bushveld. For the first time in more than 50 years all of the BIG 5 had been seen in one day at Leopard Mountain Game Lodge. The elephant breeding herd has been spending a large amount of their time around the lodge and in the Msunduze riverbed just below the lodge. There is a few of the sycamore fig trees just starting to flower at the moment and this seems to be one of the larger attractions for the elephants in and on the banks of the river. Having the elephants in the riverbed also gives us an opportunity to view them from a completely different perspective, from above, looking down upon them. One of the Elephant Bulls' has also been milling about in the same area; we believe he is following the breeding herd with the possibility of one of the females heightened oestrus levels being the main attraction. Elephant cows generally come into oestrus cycle once every sixteen weeks, for two to three weeks at a time. This is prime time for bulls to mix with the herds of cows and calves, especially if the bull is in musth as this is when mating takes place and ensures a more successful impregnation rate. The musth cycle is when a bull elephants' testosterone levels are at extremely heightened levels. Indication of a bull in musth can be identified by the secretion of flued from the temporal gland, a gland between the eye and ear cavity, leaving wet stains on the facial area of the elephant. A musth bulls back legs are also constantly wet. Predator sightings With the lions being introduced recently, things have been getting really exciting. The coalition of three brothers seems to be spending the majority of their time about three to four kilometres from Leopard Mountain Lodge. The area they are currently using for relaxing during the warmer hours of the day and hunting by evening or early morning, boasts a large number of river crossings through the Manyoni river. The three brothers have been hunting with a fairly good success rate, even bringing two blue wildebeest (brindled gnu) down in the space of only a few days. A few fantastic leopard sightings have also been shared amongst the Leopard Mountain guides this month, one of which was spent with a very relaxed female believed to be resident in the area. While following the nervous barking of Kudu and Nyala Ivor, one of the trails rangers, came upon a male leopard crossing the Msunduzi River bed at about 7:00 on one of the morning Walking Safaris, they watched the leopard for a few minutes before it disappeared into a low part of the river to drink water, while it was out of sight the trail changed position and waited for the leopard to reappear. After a short while it came out of the dip, crossed the river again and disappeared into the thickets. A male and female leopard have also been heard calling to each other in the river bed below the lodge. Tracks and signs are also ever present in the riverbeds and the sound of baboon troops alarm calling in panic is good proof of leopard activity. Birds The abundance of bird life and all of their colours starting to brighten now, is proof of the summer months creeping ever closer. Eagle sightings have been very abundant with sightings of African Crowned Eagle, Marshal Eagle, Tawny Eagle, Wahlbergs Eagle and Bateleur Eagle making a presence on the spring stage. Nesting sites for both African Crowned Eagle and Wahlbergs Eagle have been found and monitored, making for some amazing learning about birds of prey, their hunting and behavioural patterns. A great sighting of the small, yet not to be underestimated Pin Tailed Whydah was also added to the bag. This little male Pin Tailed Whydah was just starting to develop its long tail and bright red bill and was not having any of the Fork-Tailed Drongos share its space. A juvenile African Jacana has also made residence at one of the waterholes nearby and can be closely observed for long periods of time, walking along the bank of the waterhole, doing its rounds in search of insects, aquatic larvae, small crabs, snails and seeds.

July 2011

The Rangers Report, our Ranger, Werner, gives us some wonderful updates as to what everything is up to:- The winter is finally here and it has been a long wait for us here at the Lodge as the temperatures were not exactly that of winter until the last week. The mornings have become nice and fresh and sometimes very cold, but as soon as the sun comes over our beautiful African horizon the jackets come off and you well and truly reminded that you are on the Zululand Rhino Reserve in the Northern section of Kwazulu Natal. Rain as per usual have not been falling on the reserve, unlike in the rest of the country, so the veld and the animals will be feeling it this winter. This evident when looking at our bulk grazers as they seem to congregate in larger numbers as food is becoming scares, these bulk grazers will also start to expand there territories and home ranges to allow for the change in veld, which in return makes game viewing a little bit easier as the animals are on the move thus making it easier for us to spot them. Everything in nature small or big is connected and with the Herbivores expanding their areas of feeding so will the Carnivores, which is great news for us as I am sure the that Leopard, Cheetah and soon to be introduced Lions will make for more frequent and memorable sightings. Over the last couple of weeks our game drives have been full of excitement and some great sightings, the most memorable for me was when the 3 interactive Elephants, Rambo, Rachel and little Jabulani, made an unexpected visit to us while on drive. What made this such an amazing sighting was that the Elephants came up to the vehicle with little Jabulani leading the way. I was in the front tracker seat so needless to say I was extremely nervous. Jabulani was acting all tough by flapping his ears and lifting his little trunk but mom quickly put him back in his place, she then came up to the vehicle gave everyone a quick sniff and walked off with Jabulani in hot pursuit. And then came the big boy, Rambo, and when I say big I really mean it, Rambo weights about 4 and half tons with a shoulder height of over 4 meters and is the second Largest bull in this area, he came walking up nice and casual, like he owns the place and then proceeded to put his trunk around me, just to make sure I wasn't hiding any food. And then like Rachel, he gave the rest a snuff and walked off, what an experience and for one of our guests, this was his first time in Africa which means his first time ever seeing an Elephant, I can only imagine the stories he will be telling his friends when he returns home. The two male cheetahs as always have been very prominent popping up all over the Reserve and we are starting to get an idea of where their territory is, but their territory should change drastically when the lions are released which should make for some interesting sightings. The nights seem to be a lot more quiet as the mating season for the Impala is coming to a close which amazingly means that most of the females that came into season over this period will be pregnant and they will be giving birth in about a 196 days. We have been very privileged with some of our bird sightings over the last few weeks and as it is easier to spot the animals it is the same for the birds as most of our trees have lost their leaves thus making birding some what easier. Here is a list of some of the birds we have been able to view: The Gorgeous Bush Shrike, Orange-breasted Bush Shrike, Green Pigeon, Brown-hooded Kingfisher.

June 2011

News from the rangers…. Thinning bush and prevalent mating behavior among many animals means that many of the more elusive species suddenly become much more evident. The scarce and protected kudu lily has been in flower over the last month and has added some amazing color to an ever-browner but equally beautiful area of pristine bushveld. Here are just some of the highlights from our activities over the last month. The Rangers Report, our head Ranger, Johann, gives us some wonderful updates as to what everything is up to:- The past month has once again been a breakthrough one on various different fronts. The shift in the bush is palpable, as grazing becomes more concentrated and water scarcer. Birding also undergoes a radical change as the amount and variety of species changes seemingly overnight.
All the resident big game of the ZRR have been providing us with some amazing sightings as usual. We've been interacting with elephants on a regular basis and huge herds of buffalo abound in the good grazing of the south. Huge herds of giraffe are on display and there are also tons of young around. Several cheetah sightings have been giving us some amazing close-up entertainment and large groups of black-backed jackal have also been seen more frequently of late. It has, however, been a month in which the smaller things have been the more intriguing ones. Sunset is very early so we have been driving quite a bit during the evenings.
This means that we have been seeing nocturnal genet, porcupine and bushbabies (galagos) on a much more regular basis. The thinning bush and prevalent mating behavior has also made red duiker very easy to see and we have also had a few more good sightings of the elusive Suni. The lack of recent good rain means that our hide is becoming busier by the day and besides the regular visitors, species such as red duiker, common reedbuck, buffalo and giraffe are now visiting there more often.
Birding has undergone a huge shift over just a few weeks. Some of our special residents have suddenly become much more vocal, such as: Rudd's apalis, eastern nicator, gorgeous bush-shrike and yellow-throated longclaw. Raptor birding is always good in the drier months and every day you can see brown snake-eagle, bateleur, tawny eagle, martial eagle, African crowned eagle and many vultures patrolling the skies. There has been a huge influx of Marabou stork and African goshawk is often seen calling high overhead in it's display flight. There has also been a sudden increase in sunbird numbers with white-bellied, scarlet-chested and Marico sunbirds being very common and vocal at the moment. One of the really exciting developments was having a African broadbill display metres away from us while we were having some coffee amidst the Sycamore figs in the uMsunduze riverbed.

April 2011

News from the rangers….

The Rangers Report, our head Ranger, Johann, gives us some wonderful updates as to what everything is up to:- It is once again that time when we get the opportunity to share some of the amazing things we have been able to see here in this beautiful part of Africa over the last few weeks. As the drier seasons steadily approach, beasts large and small start occurring in higher concentrations in more predictable areas. This means that locating the animals becomes slightly easier. Game drives have been packed with amazing encounters and the hide, one of our premier attractions, is again hosting huge numbers of animals all the time. Unfortunately time and space is limited, but here is an overview of what's happening on the Zululand Rhino reserve and Leopard Mountain.
Some of the previously burnt areas are still attracting all the bulk grazers you could possibly wish for. Watching herds of 80 buffalo cavorting in the mud and milling around the car are commonplace lately, but no less exciting. The elephants continue to move mainly in the south of the reserve, giving us the opportunity to really have some awesome encounters with these beasts. We watched them bathe themselves in the uMsunduze river around our car and were also escorted away by a herd of females with several juveniles on one morning drive. Giraffes are fairly nomadic and are at this time also loving the south.
	This is evidenced by the fact that we regularly see 30-40 on a single drive! This also generally includes a lot of really cute youngsters as it seems that there has been a big peak in giraffe births over the last month. As we eagerly await the arrival of the lions to be released here, there have been great sightings of many of our other resident predators. Leopards were seen at various points on the two district roads bisecting the reserve and their tracks are all over the riverine areas. Very good sightings of cheetah were also regulars. On our last morning drive we found one male atop a termite mound being very closely guarded by a local black-backed jackal and his partner. The giraffe in attendance didn't seem too keen either.
	We have seen the most black-backed jackal this month of any other previous month and it is encouraging to see this species which is not so common in our area. Reserve staff reported some good hyena sightings and their whooping calls are an awesome addition to all the other amazing night sounds of the bush.
Birding, as always, has been excellent. This is just a short overview of the more regularly seen and heard species as well as some of the more elusive and localised species that we've seen: Pink-throated twinspot; African firefinch; African green-pigeon(of which we fond various nests during the month) terrestrial brownbul; yellow-throated longclaw; African pygmy, striped and grey-headed kingfishers; little-, white-fronted and European bee-eaters; European-, lilac-breasted and broad-billed rollers. African harrier-hawk, tawny eagle, marabou stork, secretarybird, brown snake-eagle, eastern nicator; purple-banded sunbird; Rudd's and yellow-breasted apalis; crested guineafowl; little sparrowhawk; wattled starling; green-winged pytillia; long-tailed paradise-whydah; dusky indigobird; golden-breasted bunting; common scimitarbill. Just from the deck you can watch white-backed and lappet-faced vultures, tawny eagle and African crowned eagle soar at eye level and the rocky, wooded slopes are very good for mocking cliff-chat, lazy cisticola, black-headed oriole, southern black tit and white-crested helmet-shrike. Bird-baths around the rooms will yield species such as Jameson's firefinch, purple-crested turaco, yellow-fronted canary and red-winged starlings. The nesting lesser striped swallows are also hard at work rearing their newly-hatched chicks.

March 2011

News from the rangers….

The Rangers Report, our head Ranger, Johann, gives us some wonderful updates as to what everything is up to:- We've continued to have good bouts of rain throughout the month and the Msunduze has recently flooded in a big way, going well over the banks at certain points. Despite the abundance of water and the density of the vegetation making for what are traditionally poor game viewing conditions, we continue to prove that it is still possible to have amazing sightings on a regular basis. And it is not only the large game that has been entertaining us but also the huge variety of intriguing smaller things that make up the beautiful whole we call the bushveld. Here are just some of the highlights worth sharing……
	There hasn't been a comprehensive birding report for a while and since twitching has been so good of late, I thought this a good place to start. Many of your large raptors and scavenging birds are very sensitive breeders and therefore very good indicators of environmental conditions. It is therefore very encouraging to see that Martial, Tawny, Wahlberg's, African crowned and brown snake-eagles all breed in good numbers in the reserve. Add to this nesting Bateleur, Lappet-faced and white-backed vultures, African hawk-eagle and peregrine falcon, and you have an awesome destination to view raptors. The smaller raptors such as African goshawk, little sparrowhawk and steppe buzzard have all also been readily seen. At the moment the reserve is also one of, if not the most reliable place to see a few localized specials.
	Pink-throated twinspot is very common and vocal. Rudd's and yellow-breasted apalis are common and easily located. Crested guineafowl commonly occur in large flocks of up to sixty. Striped and bushveld pipits can be seen in their respective habitats as can red-faced and lazy cisticolas. Yellow-throated longclaw is also displaying actively. The night-time birding has also been really good. Spotted eagle-owls are seen by the dozen, African scops-owl can be heard every night all around the reserve; bronze-winged coursers and spotted thick-knees line the roads at night to feast on the abundant insect life. Between the common barn owl the keen observer might also be able to spot some grass owl in some areas. African wood-owl can also be heard every night in the riverine areas.
	The hide has again become a focal point for the animals in the area and despite the recent downpours it is attracting a lot of animals, big and small. Slender mongoose and large water monitors are often seen making th eir way down to the water. Very often, however, they soon attract the attention of the resident drongo's and a battle ensues. There have been a lot of giraffes in the hide vicinity and these guys have also been entertaining us endlessly with their cautious drinking habits. Numerous buffalo are drinking there on a regular basis but are not always comfortable with human presence. The elephants are still spending most of their time in the south and have recently treated us to some wonderful sightings.
	Just a few days ago we watched them make their way down to the river and proceed to bathe themselves vigorously mere metres from the vehicle. The young ones were having a ball and the huge bull present was thoroughly quenching his thirst. Sightings of cheetah over the month have been very good and black-backed jackal is also regularly seen. A few night drives and the earlier onset of sunset has given us the opportunity to have good sightings of porcupine, thick-tailed bushbaby, aardvark and large-spotted genet. Leopards have been elusive but the frequency with which we find tracks in wetter periods attests to a good number of leopards in the area. Spotted hyena is becoming more and more vocal and their distinctive calls add a lot of imagination to the dark hours under the African sky.

January 2011

News from the rangers….

The past month has been another memorable one for many reasons. Good conditions in the area means that animals are flourishing and many unexpected sightings of various kinds are had on a regular basis. Colors are still abundant with fruiting Grevia, Sour plum and various fig species and flowering acacia's also all around. Birding has been especially good and has delivered some really interesting sightings, surely due in part to the continued good rainfall the area has been enjoying. These are just some of the highlights of a few intriguing past weeks.
Elephant The opening of even more space for the elephants recently has meant that the past few weeks have been unprecedented for us in the frequency of elephant sightings. For about three weeks the breeding herd as well as a large bull was encountered almost every single day. Activity seems to have been centered around previously unutilized areas of the Msunduze , with large Sycamore figs being the target of many of these giants. Large open plains with succulent grass and ample water have seen the elephants really enjoy staying around the south. There are various sub-adult females and several infants and it is really wonderful to have the opportunity to view these largest of land mammals so up close and personal!	Predator & Scavenger Sightings With our guides continuously exploring new routes and possibilities, there have been a myriad of exciting new discoveries. Many jackal sightings were recorded. Several dens have also been discovered and we have seen pairs with very young pups on numerous occasions. Sightings of spotted hyena were also up on usual. A two male cheetah coalition was also active in the eastern plains and were found once on a common reedbuck kill being seriously harassed by a very unhappy large solitary buffalo. Leopard sightings continue the trend. I had a good, if brief, sighting of a gorgeous sub-adult possibly searching for warthog prey as it emerged from a drainage pipe beneath the road as we were about to cross it. This could possibly be one of the youngsters that has split from its mother a while ago already.
Buffalo Although underestimated by many, you can't help but be enthralled by these beasts when you drive your vehicle into the middle of a herd of 25 tons of muscle and hooves. It is not unheard of to encounter up to three herds in a single drive and almost every drive has the possibility of delivering good sightings of the most underappreciated member of the "Big 5". The abundance of grass means it has also been a good calving period for the buffalo and there are many young around.
Other sightings of note The calving season is in full swing which means there are hundreds of little infants gracing the reserve. Large nursery herds of impala with pint-sized young as well as even smaller warthog young are present all around. A lot of zebra young are also to be found in the more recently burnt short-grass areas. We eagerly await the arrival of the young blue wildebeest.

December 2010

News from the rangers….

Elephants have dispersed a bit more but there have been good sightings of the solitary bulls which are also a bit more confiding than the breeding herd. The nocturnal animals have also been showing themselves quite a bit. One sighting of the very elusive Aardvark, large-spotted genet, porcupine, thick-tailed bush-baby and many African rock pythons are now active in the dark hours. It is also great to see the high activity of Leopard tortoise as well as the smaller and threatened Bell's and natal hinged tortoises. The transformation from the grey-brown hues of winter to the lush green of Zululand summer is complete. Despite the ever-thickening vegetation and dispersal of animals due to abundance of water, we continue to be impressed by the amount of interesting sightings that we are having.

Cheetah
Our favorite coalition of two males has once again been very active in the area. They were seen numerous times, sometimes patrolling the area not far from the lodge. The female which was resident on LM for a short period seems to have moved much further north but the female with two cubs still resides in the southern areas not too far from LM. She remains very reluctant to showcase her young too much, but there have been several good sightings reported.

Buffalo
Arguably the most underrated of the "Big 5", these large and impressive beasts surely deserve to be included in any game drive report. This past month has also seen a huge influx of buffalo numbers to Leopard Mountain. At times there have been up to three sizeable buffalo herds on LM at a given time. Large herds of up to sixty are attracted to new succulent shoots, high rolling hills and plentiful water that LM provides. Previously unseen herds have moved into the hide and fever tree areas.

Notably, there has been a lot of Spotted hyena activity. Large tracks are found on a daily basis in

November 2010

News from the rangers….

It is with great pleasure that I again have the opportunity to share all the awesome events and happenings of our little paradise with you. The first good rain has thoroughly quenched the land and there is abundance of life in any shape and form you can imagine. As the complexion of Leopard Mountain rapidly changes into lush, fluorescent greens, we are continuously astounded by what the bush here has to offer us. Here are just some of our highlights for the last month.

Other sightings of note

October 2010

News from the rangers….

As the temperature steadily rises, the game viewing seems to be getting hotter too!! With ever-expanding routes, the past month has been without a doubt the most incredible to date. The veld is brown and everybody is eagerly holding their breaths for the first rains to quench the thirst. This also generally makes for better good viewing, as the last 4 weeks have shown. Prepare to be amazed at the diversity of life that we have been privileged to view over the past month.

Black Rhino
The reserve's flagship species (and arguably the most elusive and endangered of all the African mammals) has not been disappointing in the past months. Officially, there were 13 sightings over the past month and more than 30 recorded sightings for the past 3 months. These kinds of numbers speak for themselves, as you would probably not find any other place which can offer guests such great opportunities of viewing these rare beasts in a huge part of unspoilt wilderness where they naturally occur. What is also worth mentioning is that many of these sightings were very close quarters and lasted for quite some time. Black rhino middens litter around almost every corner. It is awesome to know that there is such a haven for these truly great animals and that we can share it with so many other people.

White Rhino
Although it is more common (not as critically endangered as black rhino) and less skulking than its black cousin, these large animals are certainly not to be forgotten. As usual, sightings of white rhino are almost too numerous and frequent to recount. Many of them gather at our hide of late as it is becoming a critical water point for more and more animals. It is also great to note the large number of very young and sub-adult calves. A few new individuals which have not previously been identified have also been seen around.

Cheetah

August 2010

News from the rangers….

The beauty of the flowering Aloe Marlothii is starting to add a bit of color to the grey and brown hues of winter and there is a discernible shift in the environment as food and water become more scarce. Game viewing at this time of year is known to be very good as the bare trees and short grass make for very good sightings. Activity around waterholes also increases drastically and these are now very good places to see large amounts of game congregate.

Black and white rhino

We might have thought in the past that encounters with white rhino could not be any better, but once again we have been proved wrong. Various groups of rhino’s are regularly seen and on the same game drive you could also run into one of the the solitary bulls. Just recently black rhino sightings have been very good too. Buffalo sightings for the past week were also very good with several large herds being sighted across the south.

Cheetah

Our cheetah population has had a brilliant boost with the arrival of two beautiful new cubs which are also residing in the south at the moment. This appears to be the same female who had spent a lot of time on Leopard Mountain at one stage. Two male cheetahs also gave our guests a very pleasant surprise when they went marching through the area where guests were busy with our local elephant interaction. This was as good as it could get, with the cats coming to within a few metres of the awe-struck onlookers. Sightings were reported on a regular basis and there were many kills made in the southern section alone.

Hyena

There has been some dispute as to how much hyena activity there is in the reserve, but the last couple of weeks have put most of that to rest. Sightings have been well reported and their distinctive calls have been heard regularly throughout the night, often very close to the lodge. They also seem to relish hanging out in the Msunduze river valley and it is here that you can find their tracks littering the soft sand. Some of the smaller solitary tracks undoubtedly belong to brown hyena, which are known to occur at fair densities even if they are very difficult to spot. Black –backed jackal continue to be seen very often and it appears that they are also becoming more accustomed to interaction with vehicles. We are also seeing them more regularly than ever in the daylight hours.

Elephant

Elephants have been more elusive of late, but some really good encounters were still had. The breeding herd’s activity is concentrated mostly in the southern areas where we are due to the prominence of the Msunduze river and the good water and food supplies to be found there. Probably the best elephant encounter for the month was one which could literally be termed a very close encounter. A fairly large one-tusk bull found his way up to and straight through the lodge to surprise some very unexpecting guests with the view of a lifetime. He cantered past the chalets and we were able to follow this very relaxed animal for quite a while.

Other good sightings

It has been a good month to see porcupine and many pairs and individuals were encountered on our later game drives. Red duiker and mountain reedbuck have also been more prominent of late and there are always some chacma baboons around watering holes. Various species of mongoose have also been seen, mostly slender and sometimes banded and the nocturnal white-tailed mongoose.

4th July 2010

Top Cheetah Sighting

‘Cheetahs are a fantastic sight indeed. With the destruction of much of their suitable habitat and severe persecution by farmers they have become endangered, even critically so at some time. It is no wonder that sightings of these rare creatures are sometimes very hard to come by and very sought-after by nature enthusiasts and casual game viewers alike. This is what makes a sighting like the one had on Leopard Mountain such a special experience….

With the sun already setting on an idyllic scene between the rugged Lebombo mountains, the ranger took a scenic route through the meandering Msunduze riverbed. Here you are already welcomed by giant Sycamore figs hosting crowned eagles and lush riverine vegetation providing shelter for many interesting creatures. In the fading light the ranger stopped for a short drinks break and to give the guests an opportunity to soak up the beautiful scenery. Imagine their total amazement when two cheetah brothers suddenly emerged from the surrounding bush. Even more amazing was the fact that they subsequently took up residence on the rock next to the guests and proceeded to make themselves very comfortable. After spending 10 minutes entertaining the guests with their territorial displays and marking, they followed the river again on their due course.’

   4 June 2010

   The Hide

   The Leopard Mountain hide continues   to be a huge attraction for guests looking for a variety of different experiences and encounters. Although many people are more familiar with game drives, the hide is in many respects a more intimate and relaxing experience. Here you have the opportunity to be close to the animals without them being aware of your presence. You can watch all the creatures being completely natural- warthogs wallowing to their hearts content; plenty of thirsty plains game utilise the hide, such as kudu, nyala, blue wildebeest, zebra and Impala and it is also a favourite meeting place for some of the less seen antelopes such as common reedbuck and mountain reedbuck, red duiker and occasionally also suni. On good days you can also have up to a dozen giraffes coming for a drink. There are still various white rhino’s that are seen at the hide, amongst them a group of two cows and a calf, as well as two large bulls. There is also occasional black rhino activity at the hide, although this seems to be mostly nocturnal. Although the cats do not need to drink much water, both cheetah and leopard  are occasionally  lured to the hide by the abundance of prey items using the waterhole.

For those also interested in our feathered friends, the hide has much to offer. There are of course many seed-eaters to see, such as: golden-breasted bunting, yellow-throated petronia, southern grey-headed sparrow, blue- and grey waxbills and African and Jameson’s firefinches. The nesting logs are currently being used by black-bellied starlings and some crested barbets and there are also nesting dark-backed- and spectacled weavers and a pair of brown-hooded kingfishers nesting in the banks along the hide. Here you also have a good chance of spotting greater- and lesser honeyguides. Keeping an eye on the Sycamore figs and large Acacia robusta surrounding the hide gives you the opportunity to see African green-pigeon, gorgeous bush-shrike,  green wood-hoopoe and common scimitarbill, yellow-breasted apalis, olive sunbird, eastern nicator and dozens more. More towards the ground you can see terrestrial brownbul, bearded scrub-robin, green-winged pytillia and the elusive pink-throated twinspot.

Game Drives

25 April 2010

There hasn’t been an update for a while so there are many good things to share and interesting sightings to report.

After a quieter period the birding has again been phenomenal. The bushveld species are always well represented and these include white-crested helmet-shrike, green wood-hoopoe and common scimtarbill, bearded-, cardinal- and golden-tailed woodpecker and some of the less widespread species such as greater- and lesser honeyguides, long-billed crombec, yellow-breasted Apalis and grey tit-flycatcher. We are seeing many more grey-headed kingfisher than ever before to add to the striped, brown-hooded and pygmy kingfishers which also occur in good numbers. Many of the local specials are seen mostly in the riverine forests and thicket. These include dark-backed weaver, Rudd’s Apalis, pink-throated twinspot, African green-pigeon, bearded scrub-robin and terrestrial brownbul to name only a few.As the winter draws closer the sunbired activity also starts to increase dramatically. The reserve hosts no fewer than 7 species of sunbird and apart from the more common species there are also plenty of collared-,marico-,purple-banded and olive sunbirds. Other memorable sightings for the past 2 weeks are: lappet-faced vulture; martial eagle; tawny eagle; striped pipit; small buttonquail; eastern nicator.

On the big game front there are also many interesting developments. Rhino’s remain a regular fixture on game drives across our routes and numerous sightings are often recorded in single game drives. Black rhino’s remain elusive and only one positive sighting was recorded for the last 10 days, this one of a very wary mother and calf. We have been seeing buffalo’s more regularly than previously and it seems they are enjoying the south at the moment. Big herds of up to 65 are sometimes encountered. Elephants also seem to be staying more in the south as winter approaches and they seek out the soft vegetation and water in the Msunduze river. The drier time of the year also forces them to destroy more trees in search of nourishment and the signs of their passing are always evident. A very large male leopard was seen on night patrol a few nights ago, and we believe this is the same male we are now seeing with more frequency. Probably the most exciting development is the movement of two male cheetahs into and across the Leopard Mountain area. Even though they were not always seen they spent a lot of time not far from the lodge area and made many kills which where subsequently discovered. Although they are not on LM at the moment they are surely still in the south and it will not be long before we come across them again. One female cheetah also continues to frequent the LM area. There have been other interesting sightings too, such as: many red duiker and even several  bushbuck; numerous black-backed jackal; white-tailed mongoose; large-spotted genet.

Regards

Johann - Head Ranger

9 April 2010

Here are just some of the interesting sightings for the last while.

Two new rhino’s have been seen of late, one territorial white rhino bull and another solitary bull, this time the elusive black rhino, created quite a stir at our hide on one occasion. We have also had our first glimpse of the two black rhino that were the last to be released recently in the Mooihoek area. They stick to the very dense Acacia Luderitzia thickets but sometimes you can get a good view of these endangered beasts. As usual there has been an abundance of white rhino sightings. Numerous elephants seem to still be in the south where we are and some more good sightings of solitary bulls were had at the hide. The cats have been elusive of late but again there are many signs of their presence in the form of kills and markings and on occasion tracks. There have however been very good sightings of some smaller underappreciated predators such as black-backed jackal, large-spotted genet, white-tailed mongoose and one awesome serval encounter on the district road.

The hide is again providing birding enthusiasts with hours of great viewing and an opportunity to see quite a few of our local specials and endemics. The large Sycamore figs surrounding the hide regularly host colorful frugivores such as purple-crested turaco, African green-pigeon, crowned hornbill and black-bellied starling. This forest also means that you can regularly see pink-throated twinspot, African- and Jameson’s firefinches, African pygmy kingfisher as well as striped and grey-headed kingfishers. On good days you will even stumble across some scaly-throated- and lesser  honeyguides, grey waxbill, grey-tit flycatcher and yellow-breasted as well as Rudd’s Apalis.

Interesting birds seen on drives include a melanistic gabar goshawk, lizard buzzard, African hawk-eagle, sabota lark, striped pipit and lots of yellow-throated longclaw. We remain a haven for vultures and many sightings of large flocks of white backed- and lappet-faced vultures were recorded.

Regards

Johann - Head Ranger

25 March 2010

It has been quite a while since our last update so there is much to report on. The reserve is a haven for white rhino’s and there are not many places that can give you the same amount and quality of encounters with these magnificent animals as the ZRR. Again, it has not been uncommon of late to give guests staying 2 nights wonderful sightings of 4-8 different individuals. A newly discovered black rhino bull remains unidentified and there are numerous mother and calf pairings and other solitary bulls across our game drive routes. Their decimated population is also flourishing amidst the lush Zululand bush which has seen a particularly good year after more recent rain.

Elephant activity across the southern section has been very high too and even when not seeing them the tell-tale signs of their passing is always evident. Another graceful beast that abounds on our routes is the splendid giraffes. Single game drives often tally 12-30 giraffes and they really are a joy to behold and a welcome addition to any drive. The reserve’s buffalo population is also doing very well and large herds are also a regular sighting as are various solitary bulls or smaller herds. The two male cheetahs of the south were found yesterday patrolling the boma area. It was another great sighting- two brothers literally 3 meters from the vehicle as they seemed to be preparing for a hunt and then decided to rather settle in for the night after a serious grooming session.

There were some very interesting other sightings recorded of late. We continue to see black-backed jackals on a regular basis, which is very encouraging as their population in KZN has dwindled over the past decade. A sighting of a suni in the riverine bush around the Msunduze also created quite a stir as one hasn’t been positively identified in quite a while. The earlier sunset of the ensuing winter months means that we are seeing more of the very elusive and amazing nocturnal creatures. This includes regularly seeing porcupine and large-spotted genet and, less frequently, aardvark and bushbabies. Another special animal that is not well known but really great to see is the very large white-tailed mongoose. This, the largest mongoose in southern Africa by quite some distance, is often confused with a honey badger! On the last night drive that we did we found a group of three of these elusive animals which were quite close and almost willing to stick around! Special encounters like these can sometimes be the highlights of a game drive even when you do see a lot of the “large” game.

As always there were some keen twitchers visiting us of late and we have once again been able to provide them with endless hours of quality birding. Just keeping your binoculars trained on your personal birdbath will start giving you species such as purple-crested turaco, African and Jameson’s firefinches, white-throated robin-chat, golden-breasted bunting and sometimes even some lesser honeyguide and pink-throated twinspot. Out on drives you can look out for lots of raptors such as brown snake-eagle, martial eagle, tawny eagle, lappet-faced vulture and plenty of medium-sized raptors too, including African goshawk, lizard buzzard, steppe buzzard and I had a very good sighting of a melanistic gabar goshawk on one drive. Birding at the hide is always a good experience and some of the many species to be found here include dark-backed weaver, dusky indigobird, long-tailed paradise-whydah and scores of other amazing birds.

Regards

Johann - Head Ranger

9 March 2010

And it has been an especially good few days for us here in this part of paradise. The amount of life in various forms is just amazing and there seems to always be something new and interesting to see. There continue to be many buffalo’s along our routes and sightings of giraffe are as good as you could find anywhere else. The density of white rhino still amazes us all. The amount of rhino’s seen by guests is a testament to this. Over the last week we have had guests staying for 3-4 nights and have been able to show them different rhino’s on at least 3/3 or 4/5 game drives. This means that some guests had encounters with at least 7 different rhino’s in a 3 night stay!!! This is excellent now matter how you look at it. Elephant sightings have been really excellent too. There have been several sightings of bulls across the area and two sightings of the breeding herd during the last few days alone!!!

Amazing encounters with some of our big cats have probably been the highlight for most people. Two very relaxed cheetah brothers are again frequenting the boma area of the southern section and have given us endless viewing pleasure as they purr( yes purr like a cat), scent-mark the trees by urine-spraying and sharpen claws mere meters from the vehicle. This experience is hard to beat!!! There was also a solitary female cheetah which roamed the LM area for some time, coming very close to the lodge!!! Two brilliant sightings of leopards over the last two days show that the activity is good and you just never know what to expect. The first sighting was on a morning drive when we found a huge tom leopard stalking a sub-adult Nyala. The second sighting was also of a solitary cat, this time a female roaming the Msunduze riverbed just before sunset on a late-afternoon drive. They were able to spend quite a bit of time with this female and it was really an incredible sight!

The Hide

3 March 2010

We’ve had lots more rain and the Msunduze  flowed strongly. The battle of the white rhino bulls for Leopard Mountain continues in all earnest, with the younger, dominant bull now becoming another permanent fixture at LM. A great place to watch these two amazing creatures is at our hide where they both spend a lot of time lately. Many giraffes also visit the hide at the moment and it’s great to see these underappreciated beasts so close.

Today we had at least a dozen giraffes at the hide drinking 15 metres from us!! This morning’s drive got us very close to a “crash” of three white rhino’s and the evening drive was a great one with about twenty giraffes and a new mother and calf  white rhino pair, the mother’s horn being an exceptional one at close to a metre long. Another great visitor was the large elephant bull which we tracked on the morning drive and then found drinking at the hide later the afternoon. It was again sighted in the area throughout the next 2 days. Buffalo sightings have been particularly good and we regularly get right into the heart of herds of 30-60 buffalo. The hippo’s are still occupying their favourite pools and the calf seems to be very happy!

Two quality sighting of black rhino were recorded  and there are still continuously good sightings of white rhino’s, apart from our two feuding bulls. Luck with cheetahs has been a little down lately but we found a fresh Nyala kill that was almost surely from the two females roaming that area. Other good mammal sightings include: white-tailed and slender mongoose, porcupine, mountain reedbuck, and plenty of red duiker.

Birding has still been of very high quality and variety. The hide today alone delivered numerous good sightings of local specials such as Eastern nicator, grey tit-flycatcher, yellow-breasted apalis, African green-pigeon and some African paradise-flycatcher. There are a bigger variety of waders at the hide of late such as a resident hamerkop, yellow-billed storks and the occasional African black ducks. Interesting birds often seen on the trip to the hide are long-tailed paradise-whydah, plenty of European roller and bee-eaters, dusky indigobird, Jacobin’s cuckoo. Our raptor population is excellent and we regularly see the migrant steppe buzzard and Wahlberg’s eagle’s, brown snake-eagle, martial eagle and crowned eagle. A great sighting was that of 5 lappet-faced vultures on the LM vulture restaurant.

Undoubtedly the best sighting though must go to Heinrich who had a confirmed sighting of a Shelley’s francolin on one of his drives. Other memorable twitching moments: pink-throated twinspots; black cuckooshrike; there is a large variety of flycatchers including Pale, spotted and Ashy flycatchers. Yellow-throated longclaws are also specials which occur in abundance, as are sabota lark, resident striped pipit, gorgeous bush-shrike and orange-breasted bush-shrike.

Keep well

Regards

Johann - Head Ranger

14 February

We have had another few interesting days lately and here is just some of the more unusual news and special sightings.

The LM hide continues to be a great place to view a large variety of animals at very close quarters. Apart from the two white rhino bulls that are currently competing for the waterhole and the magnificent giraffes that are now continuously using it as a drinking spot, there are always other animals around such as waterbuck, zebra’s, blue wildebeest, nyala and the scarcer red and grey duikers as well as the occasional reedbuck. Large water monitors and various species of tortoise come regularly to make use of the hide waterhole.

On the game drive side there have been numerous drives that have delivered several great white rhino sightings and we often see 4-7 of these great beasts on a single drive!!! The giraffes are everywhere around  and give you many hours of pleasure as they seem to want to join you in the vehicle! Another interesting sighting was of another black-backed jackal in broad daylight and we had a porcupine come into the boma last night!!! The hippo pools always delight and even more so at the moment as there is an extremely small new addition to the family.

There have also been interesting bird sightings such as gorgeous bush-shrike, eastern nicator, African pygmy kingfisher, African crowned eagle, brown snake eagle, striped pipit, yellow-throated longclaw and millions of other wonderful species. The most special recent sighting for me was of a group of four African openbills that are currently also staying around the hippo pool area.

Regards

31 January 2010

My last update was not too long ago but there have been so many good things happening that I thought a quick update would be fitting.

Our resident white rhino bull still comes right past the lodge now and we see him very frequently on Leopard Mountain game drives. Yesterday’s afternoon drives alone delivered no fewer than 5 rhino sightings, one of them being an ever-elusive black rhino which they were unable to sex. Giraffes remain plentiful, especially of late when we have been seeing large herds of 12-18 giraffes on a regular basis. Continuing the trend of the last mail, there have been many more and better quality sightings of various black-backed jackal. We saw them on a few consecutive drives and were able to get very close to this usually wary animal. To see them closely is really special.

Heinrich had another good sighting of two male cheetahs a few afternoons ago and also discovered yesterday that the hippo’s have a very young addition to their family.

Birding was excellent, as usual. Martial eagle, tawny eagle and Secretarybird are some of the larger specials that have been seen of late. European bee-eaters and –rollers add a lot of color whilst Zitting cisticola, Sabota lark and striped pipits are some the lesser colorful but equally special regular sightings. Eastern nicator, olive sunbird, red-capped robin-chat , African green-pigeon and gorgeous bush-shrike frequent the riverine forest and in the grassy savanna there is abundance of white-crested helmet-shrike, dusky indigobird, many tchagra’s and black-headed orioles. Some of the local special sighted recently include: pink-throated twinspot, purple-banded sunbird, Rudd’s Apalis and orange-breasted bush-shrike.

Until next time….

Regards

26 January 2010

There have been many awesome sightings across the reserve of late and there is lots to report on. The reserve has been staying true to it’s name and has been delivering great sightings of both white and black rhino in good numbers. There is good abundance of white rhino and just yesterday again we saw a new mother and calf pair, the calf being only about 3-6 months of age. Black rhino sightings were also up a bit, with quite a few individuals roaming around our game drive routes. A very welcome sight was that of two male cheetahs which were a mere 5 metres from the car and completely at ease. These two males had been eluding us for a while and it was good to see them in such good condition.

We have had numerous sightings of pairs and solitary black-backed jackals all around the reserve lately, and considering their status it is awesome to see that the reserve seems to be a haven for these awesome but underappreciated animals. The hippo’s are in good spirits and a trip to their waterholes always provides some good entertainment. They gave guests an unexpected surprise when they discovered a baby hippo that was only about 4 weeks old. There is always an abundance of smaller “game” all around which is also very special. These include bushbuck, red and grey duiker, common reedbuck and slender mongoose, all of which occur in very good numbers on LM. If you are into the even “smaller” animals you will never be disappointed- special sightings include: good numbers of all our local tortoises-natal hinged, bell’s hinged and leopard tortoise are found regularly on LM. Large-spotted genet is also a common resident which is seen after sunset.

On the birding front there are once again many good things to report. The hide remains one of our best birding attractions, often hosting species such as grey waxbill, lesser honeyguide, dusky indigobird, long-tailed paradise-whydah, African goshawk, pink-throated twinspot and various, firefinches, waxbills and tons more. There are plenty of raptors such as tawny eagle, Wahlberg’s eagle, brown snake-eagle and lizard buzzard as well as the common steppe buzzards and bateleurs.

Until next time….

Regards

17 January 2010

There is once again lots of wonderful news to report on and plenty of special sightings to discuss.

Birding continues to be special on the ZRR and particularly on Leopard Mountain. Our hide still attracts a lot of specials for the area. The smaller species that are attracted to the forest margins include pink-throated twinspot, grey waxbill, red-backed mannikin, dark-backed weaver, eastern nicator, dusky indigobird, long-tailed paradise-whydah, African goshawk and African harrier-hawk. There are plenty of flycatchers, commonly the spotted, pale and occasionally also ashy flycatcher. Common scimitarbill and lately green wood-hoopoe are very common. European-, lilac-breasted- and less frequently broad-billed rollers can be found in the vicinity. The common cardinal woodpecker is joined by the bearded and golden-tailed woodpecker in their respective habitats. Firefinches are abundant.Jameson’s and African are all around and in the riverine areas you can find the red-billed firefinch. With some time you can find plenty of terrestrial brownbul and with even more searching you can find the yellow-bellied greenbul. Among our eight local sunbirds we have lately seen olive-,purple-banded- and collared sunbird apart from the more common species. The grassy habitats accommodate plenty of black-bellied bustard, sabota lark and yellow-throated longclaw.

The hide is becoming more and more popular among our guests and is now frequented on a daily basis by a large herd of buffalo, plenty of giraffe and a large resident white rhino bull. It is an amazing opportunity to view these stunning beasts at very close range without them being affected by your presence. The hide is also a very popular spot for many other amazing critters. We have seen many leopard tortoise, nile monitor and the scarce natal hinged tortoise at the hide. It is a hive of activity as you are surrounded by all kinds of animals, even the less common ones such as reedbuck, red duiker and suni.Unfortunately the marabou storks at the hide have decided to leave us for the time being, but we await their return. The cheetahs have been more evasive lately but Heinrich had one good Leopard sighting. We have been lucky to find the hippo’s outside the water lately in overcast conditions. Black rhino have also been more scarce of late but are never far away. Their white cousins still give us many splendid hours of viewing.

Kind regards

27 December 2009

Once again I feel it has been way too long since I have updated you guys on the magnificent game drives we have been having of late.

I will start off this report with some birding news as our birding has been excellent as usual and there have been many twitchers visiting us recently who have really had a great time with us. The migrants are still arriving and European rollers and red-backed shrikes have now joined the party together with the cuckoo’s, European bee-eaters, violet-backed starlings, and spotted flycatchers. Other regularly seen flycatchers are the African dusky- and pale flycatchers, not to mention the grey-tit- and African paradise-flycatchers which also occur in good numbers.

It is the time of year when many birds change into their breeding plumage and become strikingly apparent. Pin-tailed- and long tailed paradise whydah are commonly seen examples of this metamorphosis. Other good sightings of breeding plumaged males include: village indigobird, lesser masked weaver and red-billed queleas. There is an abundance of pink-throated twinspot all across the reserve at the moment and they remain a special sighitng. The good rains have also provided us with some more special visitors, namely some black coucals. Our hide is being frequented at the moment by black-bellied starling, African pygmy-kingfisher, African and Jameson’s firefinches, dark-backed weaver, grey waxbill and many more amzing species. There is even a gang of marabou storks currently calling our hide their home! Black-bellied bustards are in the peak of their breeding and we come across these awesome birds often as they stand conspicuously and give their characteristic display call. Sabota and rufous-naped larks as well as rattling and fan-tailed cisticola’s make up a variety of the so-called ‘LBJ’s”. In the same habitats you can also find good numbers of yellow-throated longclaw and striped pipit on the more rocky hillsides. Some time in the riverine forest could deliver specials such as African emerald cuckoo, eastern olive sunbird, red-capped robin-chat and the awesome Narina trogon. The list is endless.

On the mammal front the sightings and encounters have also been good. Cheetahs are now a regular addition to our drives and provide us with many hours of close and intimate encounters with these amazing cats. Other cats that were spotted were a couple of serval and Heinrich also had a good quality sighting of a leopard on Leopard Mountain.This was the first leopard spotted in the area for a while so hopefully sightings will again become more frequent. We’ve done few night drives lately and have found quite a few special nocturnal species such as porcupine, lesser bushbaby, large-spotted genet, white-tailed mongoose and the nocturnal birds such as spotted eagle-owl, the scarce grass owl and spotted thick-knees. We have had some amazing encounters with huge buffalo herds and white rhinos are quite abundant across our traversing routes. There was an occasion where we saw at least twelve white rhino in a single drive!! The black rhino’s remain more elusive but the huge bull named “thatha abafazi” and various cows and calfs still give us enough great sightings. The smaller animals also occur in abundance and scarcer animals such as common reedbuck and red duiker abound in their respective habitats. We also have the hippo pools which are always worth a visit and on overcast days we are sometimes fortunate enough to find the hippo’s grazing outside the water.

Hope you all keep well

Regards

Johann - Head Ranger

3 December 2009

It hasn’t been long since the last update, yet so many great things are still happening continuously on our  ever-expanding game drives.

Time has revealed truly how many rhino’s there are on the reserve. These majestic beasts seem to thrive in the reserve and they add  wonderful hours of viewing to so many of our game drives. Naturally most of these rhino sightings are of white rhino but we are also regularly blessed with the pleasure of having great black rhino sightings. Two of the recently released cheetah males provided us with some more excitement as they played in a marula tree and had a half-hearted attempt at a hunt on a young Impala ewe.Elephant activity has also been very high in recent times and sightings of both bulls and the breeding herd have been much more frequent.  Add to this many sightings of buffalo and hordes of giraffe and you always have many of the larger mammals roaming the reserve.

To me it is still the variety and abundance of the rarer animal species that inrigues me and many of our guests. We boast with such a variety of antelopes which includes suni, common and mountain reedbuck, red duiker and the hugest population of Nyala you could imagine! Add to this more special species such as Bell’s and natal hinged tortoises, rarely seen Black-backed jackal, white-tailed and slender mongooses and many more and you truly have a game-viewing experience of the highest quality.

We have also had a few serious twitchers of late and were once again able to impress them with our diversity and abundance of birdlife. We are seeing many flycatchers-spotted-, african dusky-, ashy and pale(mousecoloured) flycatchers are all around to be seen. We also had brilliant quality sightings of yellow-bellied eremomela, common scimitarbill, green-winged pytilia, dark-backed weaver, black cuckooshrike,long-tailed paradise-whydah and white-browed robin-chat all in one drive. The LBJ’s remain just as interesting and there were also sabota lark and plenty of yellow-throated petronia’s around. Red-billed firefinch, african green-pigeon and purple-banded sunbird were active around the riverine forest as were the terrestrial brownbuls.There are too many others to mention in such a small space but you can see that we really do offer a great birding experience.

Until the next time……

Regards

Johann

16 October 2009

If you had told me recently that game drives on the reserve could get any better, I would have taken it with some slight cynicism. But it has gotten better, much better!!!

The game viewing is really great, and even on the occasions that we don’t see the “big” animals, there are always tons and tons of all varieties of animals.  Yesterday we again found a very lazy nile monitor and a fairly large leopard tortoise, as well as a large rock python on last nights game drive. Last night also came up trumps with a beautiful sighting of what appeared to be a small-spotted genet.

We have been seeing white rhino with increasing frequency lately and have had brilliant close sightings of numerous mothers with calfs as well as the large bull that visits leopard mountain. There have been a few days where we have seen rhino on both morning and evening drives, and the quality of the sightings are incredible. Even a cow with a calf of under 12 months wandered unperturbed to within about 15m of the vehicle!!!The awesome buffalo’s are also revealing themselves more and more, and I would say we see buffalo on about 80% of our drives recently, including two big herds on the same drive two nights ago.

Birding remains excellent, especially in the raptor department. Awesome sightings of African harrier-hawk, African hawk-eagle, martial eagle and brown snake-eagle are a daily occurrence. There are also a lot of medium-sized raptors including African goshawk, lizard buzzard and black-shouldered kite. Most of the seasonal migrants have also returned, such as black- and red-chested cuckoos and European bee-eaters. Other special sightings are:striped pipit, little bee-eater, stierling’s wren-warbler, mocking cliff-chat and many more.

Last, but most certainly not least, is the incredible sighting that Rudolph, myself and two guests had last night.We were slowing down to approach an immature Nyala bull. At first we were baffled that it kept staring in the opposite direction of the vehicle.We were soon to find out why!!Over the crest of the hill, a mere 30m from the car, emerged a pack of six wild dogs!!!!We were so stunned I don’t think we knew what to do.It was beautiful!There have been quite a few sightings of vagrant wild dogs lately. Mostly escapees from HIP it would seem.Even though they aren’t resident it was still awesome to see them.You just never know what to expect.

Hope all is well.

Kind regards

Johann - Head Ranger