Our camp, David and I are on the right.
A female Paradise Fly Catcher on her nest right beside my tent.
The beautiful hoopoe.
The male Paradise Fly Catcher takes his turn.
This is how they made hot water for the showers.
This guy has built a different style from the others.
These are snares that the rangers have removed from the park that were placed by poachers.
Our new swimming pool.
Wednesday, November 29th.
It was an interesting night as every
time I woke up I could hear the lion roaring, began to think it was a
recording. Then even before the sun came up the birds were in full
voice. I got up with the sun and wandered around the camp watching
and photographing birds. I saw the scarlet sunbird, Bennett's
woodpecker and a pair of paradise fly catchers in a very small nest
just outside the back of my tent. The male and female kept changing
nest duty. The male has a really long tail, about five times its body
length.
When everyone else woke up, we packed
up camp, had breakfast and headed off. Today was another long travel
day. The first road we were on was really bad and full of potholes
which slowed us down. I sat with Joan, Ken's wife, and we talked a
lot about teaching (she is a retired BC teacher) and travel. We drove
through Swaziland, past the farms and villages. There was not too
much to see for a while until we crossed the border again back into
South Africa. From there we drove up a very high mountain and had an
amazing view at a lookout of the valley below and the man made
reservoir that they use for irrigating the farms. The water level is
down a couple of metres though as the country is having a prolonged
drought.
We stopped in the town of Kosi Bay at a
Spar grocery store for lunch supplies and so Jay could buy food for
the next two nights. It was incredibly busy. From there we drove over
a dirt road to the Utshwayela Lodge and Camp where we will stay for
the next two nights. It takes its name from the fish kraal, which are
barriers created with sticks to trap fish that come into the bay with
the tide. The camp is situated at the entrance to the Isimangaliso
Wetland Park and the Kosi Bay Mouth and Estuary, a world heritage
site. The area has been protected so that the Tonga people can live
here in the manner and with the traditions they have had for hundreds
of years. Kosi Bay is a system of lakes, channels and an estuary,
ranging from fresh to saline water.
First we set up the tents and then
people headed to the pool area. I didn't go in as the water was cold
and quite cloudy. We lounged around the pool for the rest of the
afternoon. Dinner was a curry vegetable soup and some pasta. After
that we a couple of drinks and headed off to the tents.
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