06 November 2009

Messing around on the Border…(Sani Pass, South Africa/Lesotho): October 14, 2009 PART I




The best was saved until last. Our last full day of the tour was a cracker. We spent the day birding up to and beyond the Sani Pass, set within the dramatic Drakensberg Mountains that criss-cross the borders of South Africa and Lesotho. This day was all about top birds in spectacular scenery, and the side attraction of birding in two countries in one day, and alos getting to drink at the highest pub in Africa. All in one very cool day. For this day we commandeered a 4 x 4 as not only is this one of the highest roads in southern Africa, but is also one of the roughest, and we bumped and jerked our way up to the Sani Pass. Along the way we found Buff-streaked Chats, got our first glimpse of Drakensberg Siskin and picked up Drakensberg Prinia too, that prefers the lower elevations in the area to its conspecific cousin the Karoo Prinia. A few Fairy Flycatchers flitted in the sparse scrub en-route and a search for the Gurney’s Sugarbird lest us empty-handed with no flowering protea flowers found at the time probably being the reason for the no show. Never mind we though we’ll check again on the way down from the pass. Raptors were on the wing as we climbed the bumpy dirt road, that included multiple Cape Vultures and finally a lone Lammergeier with its unique body shape. However, best of all came when we were in sight of the Sani Top Chalet, the self-proclaimed “highest Pub in Africa”, at 2874m. Just as we caught sight of the pub a spanking male Drakensberg Rock-jumper (see photo) homed into view hopping very appropriately around on rocks just down from the pub, and just inside South Africa, with Lesotho’s immigration building visible in the background. After three weeks in South Africa with complete overload from new and exciting mammals and birds I proclaimed right there and then this was the “bird of the trip”. Maybe it was all the excitement, although my mind remains firm on this one, it beat the Cape version “all to hell”!


We then proceeded towards the rather run down looking immigration building in order to enter into Lesotho...

2 comments:

john said...

What magnificent photos. It has been a thrill, waiting in anticipation for your next post from South Africa. I cant wait to visit some of these places in a few months. If we see half of what you saw, i will be well satisfied.

Sam Woods said...

As you can see from my posts John I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, my first in SA. Somewhere I hope to get back to someday soon. Thanks for your comments.