Location:  Pafuri Camp, Makuleke Concession, Kruger National Park
Date:  27 July 2009
Observers: Chris Roche & Simon Stobbs
Photographs:  Sue Snyman

Pafuri is justifiably regarded as something of a birding mecca. There are a number of species that reach the southernmost extent of their range here and the overlap of landscape and vegetation types in the area is such that the diversity and number of species is astounding. Summer is of course the peak time to visit for birds ... all the migrants are present and breeding is in full swing with colourful, vocal birds everywhere trying to stake their claim to territorial patches and prime breeding females. Winter brings its own delights however and is the best time of year to see specific species and some behavioural idiosyncrasies.

Pel's Fishing-Owl is best seen in the winter dry season for example and a fledgling near camp has been providing great viewing for those prepared to walk a short distance through the riverine forest. Our attempt on a recent visit saw us encountering two young adult lions that had just crossed the river ahead of a loudly roaring adult male early one morning. We didn't find the owl!

This is also the time of year when various riverine plant species burst into flower: Flame Creeper, Woolly Caper Bush and Anisotes are all sporting fragrant and showing sprays at the moment. This is ideal for the sunbirds and Marico (pictured left), White-bellied and Collared Sunbirds are currently abundant with Scarlet-chested more elusive. Their frenzied activity maybe even inspired a Crowned Lapwing to believe it is summer already: we found it incubating eggs on the road verge near camp allowing a very close approach (see image at left).

Perhaps our highlight however was a sighting of a Yellow-bellied Greenbul gleaning both nyala and impala in the riverine areas. This behaviour is more reminiscent of oxpeckers of course, but is something that in recent years has been noted with increasing regularity in a number of areas where this species occurs and it has been recorded gleaning nyala, impala, klipspringer, grey duiker and red duiker. As has been noted as typical, the greenbul (there were two birds present) perched in low bushes adjacent to the foraging impala and nyala and hawked disturbed insects, but also used the mammals as mobile perches and as a forage site with the birds gleaning the shoulders and ears in particular in search of ectoparasites (see the image at left).