Wednesday 9th July 2014

As I walked down the path from camp to the Landy I mentally checked that I had everything that I needed. Back home this would have been: wallet, keys and phone, but today it was rifle, ammunition and binoculars.

Today was the last couple assessments of this trails guide course. Viljoen, or as I know him, Village, took us to Mpimbi for what was a really enjoyable and knowledgable walk. This was topped off with both a well handled elephant and buffalo encounter.

The morning started well, we spent ten minutes or so sat in silence looking out over a pan, now named Viljoen Pan by Alan. There was lots going on, two pied kingfishers were perched on a fever tree that had fallen across the water. They had their eyes fixed on the water below, this was either to check out their punk rocker hair style in the reflection or to scan for insects or fish below the surface. It appeared to be the latter as every now and again they would take off, hover and then plunge into the water.

Whilst these two stole the show there was plenty else to cram into the ten minutes – a hammerkop, African harrier hawk, two giant kingfishers, a couple of crocs, water monitor, three banded plover, African darter and some herons, namely grey and green-backed.