Tranquility at Ngwenya

21 August 2021 - Ngwenya Lodge; Day 2

After a good nights sleep, it is great waking up to a Lowveld dawn chorus. Today was a chill day after the long travel day yesterday and also the Kruger is much busier on the weekends.

So, I enjoyed a morning walk within the Lodge grounds under dark overcast skies - which is not for photography. Although I hadn't been here in over 2-years, it was all still familiar. In a quieter part of the property, a Sombre Greenbul briefly popped out into the open

Sombre Greenbul (Andropadus importunus)

A little later, a Mourning Dove dropped in. This species has slowly expanded southward in the Park

African Mourning Dove (Streptopelia decipiens)

I heard a commotion behind me, to discover a stand-up fight between two Natal Spurfowl. They seemed oblivious to me and went at it for over 30-minutes. The light was really dim, so I had to push the ISO to capture the action.

There was posturing, kicking (they have pretty decent spurs) and pulling of neck feathers in between bouts of one chasing the other. There was a victor in the end.

Natal Spurfowl (Pternistis natalensis)

Along the road I also found a male African Paradise Flycatcher

African Paradise Flycatcher (Terpsiphone viridis)

and a flock of the amusing White-crested Helmetshrikes

White-crested Helmetshrike (Prionops plumatus)

Around the Reception area, the Impala Lilies were coming into flower. I wish I could have these in my garden, but the winter frost would be their demise

Impala Lily (Adenium multiflorum)

It is not quite yet Spring, so not many invertebrates around, but I found this intriguing Dark Elfin and I butterfly I have not seen before

Dark Elfin (Sarangesa s. seineri)

and a fairly secretive female Eastern Pointed Caper White

Eastern Pointed Caper White (Belenois g. abyssinica)

I then headed back for a late breakfast on our patio where we have a view over the Crocodile River. Here there was some interaction between a young Hippo and a Nile Croc

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) and Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)

A little further down, a stately Saddle-billed Stork foraged in the river

Saddle-billed Stork (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis)

We had our traditional Portuguese lunch at the Tamborina Restaurant in Komatiepoort which was great, as always. A little siesta was called for once we got back to our Unit.

I had another walk late in the afternoon, exploring other parts of the property. These two Speckled Mousebird's were 'hanging' around on the boundary fence getting some sun.