Mkhuzi Game Reserve November 2012

Psalm 104:24 says it all for me:

How many are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You made them all: the earth is full of Your creatures. 

Broad-Billed Roller during breeding display

Doug and I had not been to Mkhuzi Game Reserve since the early nineties, but that changed on 2^nd November when Doug went to varsity, I decided to head north.  My Gold Rhino Card allowed me to receive 40% discount on accommodation, and I did not have to pay any daily park levies.  If you plan to visit KZN parks during the year, the Gold Rhino card is a must.  There are a variety of accommodation options at Mkhuzi, Chalet, camping and Bush camp.  I did not visit the Bush camp so cannot report on those, the Camp site is near the Western Emshopi entrance, small clean ablution facility, pool and lots of birds.  The two bed Chalet that I stayed in had a kitchen and bathroom en suite, all new and re vamped.  

I knew the general direction in which to travel, north from the airport, the road was very easy going until the Imfolozi Game Reserve off ramp, and then I encountered mega traffic build up due to a road construction ry/go and the fact that it was month end, Friday afternoon.  I found the road to Mkhuzi Reserve off the N2 clearly marked about 10km south of Mkhuzi town, from there on it was guess which road to take in a mass of small dirt roads.  Eventually 11km later I found a tiny sign to Mkhuzi Western Emshopi gate entrance, this took me through a small settlement area and onto the tar road near the gate, all the river crossings were flooded but easy to navigate.

Beautiful Heifer belonging to someone in the community
The access road to the western gate of the park is dirt, rough and many flooded river crossings.  There is a new access road into the Eastern gate; many folk from Zululand use this entrance, also dirt and through a very large settlement area. 

Flooded farmlands at the Eastern gate

More floods

From the bridge over the Mkhuzi River

The roads in the park were all in very good condition, there had been lots of rain so a few of the dirt roads had large puddles, but generally I felt the narrow park roads were good.  A tip for roads in Mkhuzi, DON’T drive off the road to allow oncoming traffic to pass, rather let the other vehicle move off the road, the thorn trees in this area have the meanest thorns, which caused a puncture in my 700km new tyre!! Madala at the Reserve workshop very kindly helped patch my tyre.

Mkuzi is a great birding destination; I spent five days drifting around this lovely small reserve, absorbing God’s diverse creation. There are lovely drives through different habitats which are inhabited by some wonderful animals and birds; I have never seen such large groups of Kudu, Rhino and Crested Guineafowl anywhere in KZN.    

The broad leaf woodlands were alive with Robin’s, Wren Warblers, Batis, Cuckoo and Kingfishers.  The Savannah areas were interesting with Hornbill, Barbet, Scimitarbill and Flappet Lark was an interesting bird to watch whilst displaying.  Other interesting areas were Thornveld, open water and marshy areas revealed their precious animals and birds to me each day. 

Funky hair do

  

Mother and Child

Lesser-Striped Swallow

Poop roller, dung beetle

 
For me, sitting at one picnic site and hide for six hours with my coffee, camera, pen and paper and creation coming through the area was a treat.  Highlights of this day were Pink-Throated Twinspot,
 African Cuckoo, Emerald Cuckoo, African Crowned Eagle and Tambourine Dove.  

 

These Crested Guineafowl were catching the early morning rays of sun, they were very busy cleaning up after a night in the bush!!









A lowlight of my stay were a troop of baboon that tried to get at the pineapples which I had bought at the ry/go on the way up to Mkhuzi.  These critters tried to get into the chalet by ripping apart the thatched roof. I have no clue how the Park maintenance people are going to repair the damaged roof.  

I enjoyed this trip, the water levels at Nsumo Pan were the highest for many years, but sadly the Fig Tree forest walk was flooded and closed to the public.  Water, water everywhere!!!