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Getaway to Punda Maria and Pafuri Gate

GETAWAY TO KRUGER PARK FROM PUNDA MARIA AND PAFURI GATE

Central Soutpansberg is close to Kruger National Park especially Punda Maria and Pafuri.Enough habitat types within a short distance of each other.Birders can stop to do some birding on their way to Kruger Park and in the Central Soutpansberg sites like Hanglip Forest,Roodewal Forest,Muirhead Dams,Entabeni Forest and Thohoyandou Botanical Garden.Birders can be rewarded with birds like African Finfoot,White Backed Night-Heron,Blue Spotted Wood-Dove,African Broadbill,Mottled Spinetail,Bat Hawk,Scaly Throated Honeyguide,Narina Trogon,Pink Throated Twinspot,African Wood Owl.etc
Birders can stop for whole day before leaving to Punda and explore one of the sites in the Soutpansberg or Venda.
We can plan a day outing to Pafuri Picnic site or Punda Maria which can be a full day outing around the park.


Birding Trips and Tours

BIRDING TOURS AND EXCURSIONS

I specialise on birding trips throughout Soutpansberg and Venda areas in the Limpopo Province.Soutpansberg Mountain is a wonderful place with lots of endemic birds and beautiful scenery lots of fauna and animals.
While staying in Louis Trichardt a specialised birding trip can be organised to Hanglip Forest,Ben Lavin Nature Reserve,Sewarage Dams,Roodewal Nature Reserve,Albasini Picnic Site,Entabeni Forest,Luvuvhu River and Thohoyandou Botanical Garden

BIRDING TOURS

Morning birding walk.

A morning birding walk can be arranged from where you will be staying for about 2 and half hours.Birds you will likely to see include special birds Gorgeous Bushshrike,Crested Guineafowl,Olive Bushshrike,Red Faced Cisticola,Cape Grassbird and the resident African Wood Owl.

Half Day Birding Tour

Time is about 5-6 hours in the escarpment of Soutpansberg mountains.I can lead you to Roodewal Nature Reserve which is best done early morning,and then to Muirhead Dams.Roodewal Nature Reserve the only place to see the African Broadbill in the Central Soutpansberg.other birds common are Eastern Nicator,Narina Trogon,Scaly Throated Honeyguide,Green Twinspot and the resident African Crowned Eagle.

Full Day Birding Tour

Time 8-9 hours of birding under toe canopy of Afro-Montane Forest.Entabeni Forets and Hanglip Forest is an ideal sites for full day.Entabeni Forest birds that are common are Bat Hawk,Orange Ground Thrush,Yellow Streaked Greenbul.Other places we can visit for the day include Thohoyandou Botanical Garden and birds easily located is Blue Spotted Wood-Dove.This is the only reliable place to get the Blue Spotted Wood-Dove in South Africa.Other resident birds are Pink Throated Twinspot,Green Twinspot,Gorgeous Bushshrike,Red-Capped Robin-Chat and Eastern Nicator.

Weekend Birding Tour.

We can organise a birding weekend tour to various camp sites around Venda.Gundani Camp site,the only patch of Miombo woodland in South Africa.Two tent that can accomodate 4 people and a camping site is available for extra people.Birds that we are likely to see are White Breasted Cuckooshrike,Pink Throated Twinspot,Southern Hyliota,Narina Trogon,Scaly Throated Honeyguide.While staying at Gundani camp we can also visit Sagole Big tree a 25 minutes drive from the camp.Birds to see there include Mottled Spinetail that roosts in the cave inside the biggest Baobab tree in South Africa.

A day or weekend birding at Punda Maria or Pafuri Picnic Site.I can accompany you for a day visit to either Punda Maria or Pafuri Picnic Sites to look for birds like Pel's Fishing Owl,Black-Throated Wattle-Eye,Arnot's Chat,Southern Hyliota,Grey-Headed Parrot,Senegal Coucal,Tropical Boubou etc

ABOUT SAMSON AND THE GUIDING

My photo
Louis Trichardt & Thohoyandou, Central Soutpansberg Venda Limpopo RSA, South Africa
Limpopo Specialist Birdguide.Trained and accredited in general guiding and bird identification through the SASOL/Birdlife South Africa.An expert in leading any birding focussed excursions through-out Soutpansberg,Venda and Northern Kruger.Tours arranged to fit in with your needs and plans-anything from 3 hours or half day to a full day even weekend birding tour. Cell:083 662 9960 Fax:086 217 0006

RECENT SIGHTINGS AND TOP BIRDS SEEN IN THE CENTRAL SOUTPANSBERG & VENDA


TOP BIRDS SEEN SOUTPANSBERG AND VENDA

1.Blue Spotted Wood-Dove
2.African Broadbill
3.Pink Throated Twinspot
4.African Finfoot
5.Whte Backed Night Heron
6.Orange Ground Thrush
7.Bat Hawk
8.White Starred Robin
9.Scaly Throated Honeyguide
10.Green Twinspot
11Half Collared Kingfisher
12.Eastern Nicator
13..Crested Guineafowl
14African Crowned Eagle
15.Allen's Gallinule
16.Lesser Jacana
17.African Pygmy Goose
18Yellow Throated Woodland Warbler
19.Red faced Cisticola
20.Yellow Streaked Greenbul


CONTACT DETAILS AND AVAILABILITY

My Contact details

Cell No:083 662 9960
Fax:086 217 0006
Email:mulaudzims@gmail.com
Email:samson@birdingsoutpansberg-venda.co.za

Availability.

Booking is very essential either by calling 083 662 9960 or send an email to mulaudzims@gmail.com OR samson@birdingsoutpansberg-venda.co.za

Friday, November 27, 2009

Soutpansberg, Venda and Northern Kruger Trip Report

Hi all.

On Thursday 26 November 2009 I was out with a dedicated birder Mike O'
Donoghue from Kzn.
I joined him at Tshakhuma Fruit Market and wasted no time as his main
target species were not easy to find Blue Spotted Wood Dove,Grey
Headed Parrots,Mottled Spinetail and Orange Winged Pytilia.
Just on the way from Tshakhuma to Levubu Post Office we stopped and
about 6 Grey Headed Parrot flew over us and went towards Entabeni
Forest.
Our next stop was Muirhead Dams the only reliable place in South
Africa to find Blue-Spotted Wood- Dove.
We went to the same patch of riverine forest we spotted the Dove last
week and we heard the Dove calling on the edge of the forest and the
Macadamia trees and after some time searching while driving we saw a
Dove walking on the road.After some busy Id the bird the spots were
blue and Mike saw a pinkish bill but the Dove did not allowed us some
close view and unfortunately it flew away.
Other birds include African Rail
African Pygmy Goose(a pair)
Tambourine Dove
At around 09:30 we drove to Sagole Big Tree recorded as the largest
Baobab tree in the world and the best place to see the Mottled
Spinetail.
Just within some time we spotted about 6 six Mottled Spinetail
circling around the Baobab tree.
Mike also had a nice close view of a pair of Orange Winged Pytilia
Woodland Kingfisher
Grey-Headed Kingfisher.
At around 13:30 we headed to Kruger Nation Park at Pafuri Picnic Site
and Crooks Corner and we had a wonderful sightings amongst others
include a pair of Saddle-Billed Stork
Bateleur
White Crowned Lapwing
Meves's Starling
Greater Painted Snipe
Mosque Swallow
Lilac Breasted Roller
Black Bellied Bustard
Red Billed Firefinch
Retz's Helmet Shrike
Magpie Shrike
African Fish Eagle
White Backed Vulture
Martial Eagle.
Regards,

--
Samson Mulaudzi
Cell:083 662 9960
Tel:015 556 3406
Based Birdguide Shiluvari Lodge,Albasini Dam
Accredited Bird Guide
BLSA and THETA
Soutpansberg Region,
Venda,Entabeni,Hanglip,Roodewal Forests
Available to guide birders through VENDA 4X4 TRAILS
Registered SABAP & BIRP Observer No:2187
My Blog: www.samsonbirding.blogspot.com
Happy Birding

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1 comment:

Trip Reports said...

Greetings Samson, Just wanted to wish you a very Merry Xmas and Good Year for 2010. I am back in Australia now but still vividly remember finally getting the Gorgeous Bush-shrike at Shiluvari. So I thank you once again for all your efforts. It was a pleasure to bird with you. Marie Tarrant, Brisbane, Australia

November 30, 2009 at 3:08 AM

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