It dawned bright and beautiful after the cool weather of yesterday. We packed a picnic breakfast, had a quick cup of coffee and were on the road to Pafuri by 5:30 am. We are now in the Northern sandveld area of the park. The sandveld has sandy, well-drained soils supporting a range of vegetation with no particular dominant species. Characteristic trees of the sandveld include pod mahogany, nyala, southern lala-palm , fever tree. mopane and, of course, the baobab. It is a wonderful area for birding.
First to greet us this morningWe have not seen many kori bustardsMrs Red-backed Shrike always surprises usSouthern Masked Weaver were busy making nestsMrs Weaver is looking for her mate – I need more softness to line the nest, she tells her husband.Mrs Nyala checks us outMr Nyala is not interestedLots of vee-eaters greeted us = this is a white-frontedPafuri Picnic Site We spotted a white-crowned lapwing at PafuriA Fish Eagle watched over usPafuri Picnic Site This Baobab is home to nesting mosque swallows, red-billed buffalo weavers, red-headed weavers, purple rollers and red-billed buffalo weaver nestRed-headed weaverPurple RollerRed-billed buffalo weaverBaobab Tree FlowerRow of Baobab treesWe saw elephants today but they were hiding among the trees.Our cousins made us laughLappet-faced vultures were hanging in the treesWe saw a few tawny eaglesThe Woodland’s Kingfishers called constantly – At last they are here for the summer
The weather today started out sunny with clear skies and the temperature reached 33 degrees C. However, later in the afternoon storm clods built up and wind started to blow. We thought we might have a storm but it blew over. It was cool this evening. I cooked chicken curry in my electric Ramosca pot. No creatures came to the waterhole. We shall see what the morrow brings.
Adventuring into Retirement 
I would love to visit South Africa one day…maybe it will happen!
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South Africa would love to have you 😃
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Loved the Weaver peeping out 🙂
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I thought it was cute too!
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You appear to have enjoyed good birding at any rate!
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Birding is always fun, Anne. This part of the park is particularly good for it.
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Pafuri has such a magical atmosphere!
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It has indeed. It’s raining at Punda today so hopefully up there too. They need rain.
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I wish I was there to experience those beautiful Lowveld showers – the sights and smells. Sigh.
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