Monday 21st July 2014

The morning got off to a good start with honey badger tracks in the sand at Makwadzi. We headed to the old western boundary for another session of birding. Rather than a full on morning with eyes glued to the binoculars we took it nice and easy exploring a new area on foot. It was a place that I’ve always wanted to walk so Alan suggested we go for it. I led the walk but with Alan and Horst carrying the rifles.

Walking up front with no rifle felt so liberating. The walk itself lived up to my expectations. I followed the drainage line from Matafila down past Tshikuyu Spring. Whilst we didn’t come across any dangerous game it wasn’t hard to imagine the place teaming with elephants and buffalo amongst the cathedral style leadwood, apple leaf and umbrella thorn as well as leopards padding in the soft sand of the dry river bed.

After a long but enjoyable morning of walking and lectures there was no time for fitness, instead it was back out on a drive in search of the Pel’s fishing owl. This time we tried our luck at Mpimbi but drew a blank but on our way home we did score a leopard, a sleek and slender individual crossing Middle Road in front of us at Palm Vlei, definitely a dainty female.