Bruce Wedderburn's Trip report with Samson Mulaudzi

Friday 10^th October: Soutpansberg

I had also organised a couple of days birding with Samson Mulaudzi in the Soutpansberg to chase down a few of the local specialities, such as Bat Hawk, and to visit the Miombo woodlands in Venda. Other that the couple of days in the Soutpansberg and the organised tour with Avian Leisure, we followed our own itinerary.

After breakfast at our excellent accommodation at Pheasant Hill in Irene near Pretoria, we drove to Louis Trichardt (Makhado) in the Soutpansberg, arriving about midday. The road from Johannesburg airport to Irene and then further northwards is mostly a toll road and is in excellent condition. 

We had three nights at Mount Azimbo Lodge, about 10km north of Louis Trichardt and had booked their spacious two bedroomed chalet for the visit. Unfortunately there was a double booking so on the second night we had to stay in a small single room and then move back to our chalet the following day. Not the greatest of arrangements but the hosts offered us the second night free.

Met up with Samson Mulaudzi and did a short trip to Hanglip Forest in the afternoon. Some interesting birds seen included Lemon Dove, Tambourine Dove, Yellow-throated Woodland Warbler, Chorister Robin-chat and White-starred Robin.

Saturday 11^th October: Soutpansberg

Met up with Samson in the morning and drove to the Gundani Miombo woodlands, this being a relict patch of Miombo woodland in the remote hills of Venda, and is a habitat found in Zimbabwe and further north. It had been raining in the morning however by the time we arrived the rain had stopped and it was still misty with light drizzle, which cleared later in the morning.

The birding was excellent in the woodland and we quickly located Pink-throated Twinspot and saw about eight for the morning.  Closer to the river we saw about twelve Green Twinspot which was quite amazing. Other nice birds included Retz’s Helmetshrike, Bearded Scrub Robin, Yellow-breasted Apalis, Yellow-fronted Tinkerbird and many Klaas’s Cuckoo. No Blue-spotted Wood Dove or Southern Hyliota were seen and these do occur in the Miombo woodland.

In the afternoon we visited the Thohoyandou Botanic Gardens which we discovered was closed because of the weekend, seems strange to close a botanic gardens on the weekend. Samson did some smooth talking and persuaded the guards to let us in, with a tip which helped too. In the botanic gardens, which are not conventional gardens but a protected tract of woodlands and bush, we heard two Blue-spotted Wood Dove but couldn’t get onto them. Other nice birds included Orange-breasted Bushshrike, Lesser Honeyguide, Red-capped Robin-chat and Red-faced Cisticola.

Overnight at Mount Azimbo Lodge.

Sunday 12^th October: Soutpansberg

I had an early morning start with Samson but had problems opening the security gate at the lodge in the morning, so a bit delayed. Met up with Samson and arrived at the Entabeni Forest just after 7am. Here Samson quickly found two African Broadbill which were doing their display flight, with the white back feathers puffed up, very impressive. In the same area we had good views of Olive Bushshrike, Knysna Turaco and Purple-crested Turaco.

We then drove to an area of open woodland and had lovely views of two Narina Trogon plus Scaly-throated Honeyguide. The next stop was up the hill in a stand of eucalypt trees where Samson located a roosting Bat Hawk, this being a bird that has eluded me for a long time, both in South Africa and Kenya.

At a nearby stream we found Red-backed Mannikin and Holub’s Golden Weaver. At another site with a small dam and overhanging vegetation, we failed to find any White-backed Night-heron which are known to roost there.

We moved onto a private site on the Luvuhu River and whilst we saw some nice birds we failed to find any White-backed Night-heron. Our last site for the day was the Muirhead Dam on a private farm, where we had good views of White-backed Duck, African Pygmy Goose and a Crowned Eagle flying over. itinerary.