12-Day photography KZN & Magoebaskloof

Day 1 15/11/2025 – From Johannesburg to the Drakensbergen

Just after 5:00 a.m., I shake Jaap and Lex’s hands as they walk out of the airport. After a year of carefully planning every detail to find as many endemic, scarce, elusive and colourful birds as possible and capture them on camera, the fun can finally begin. There had been a few stressful hours before that, though. When I arrived at my accommodation yesterday, I received a message from Jaap telling me that KLM had cancelled their flight. I quickly opened my laptop and started rearranging the entire itinerary, but luckily it turned out not to be necessary. A replacement flight with Emirates had been arranged, and with just under an hour’s delay compared to our original schedule, we were finally back on the road, 1.5 years after our previous trip.

Our first destination was Marievale Bird Sanctuary, a small wetland surrounded by open grasslands just outside Johannesburg. Our main targets here were Serval and the tiny, elusive Red-chested Flufftail. The best hours for Serval had already passed, but we weren’t going to let that discourage us. With plenty of optimism, we drove into the reserve and quickly started adding species to the list: Southern Red Bishop, African Stonechat, African Wattled Lapwing and Black-winged Kite, to name just a few. As we reached the back of the reserve and drove past a small, densely vegetated pool, a Flufftail suddenly called from somewhere in the vegetation. Fortunately, we were able to pull the car safely onto the verge, and the usual game of cat and mouse with this incredibly secretive bird began.For more than half an hour, we waited patiently, keeping as low and quiet as possible along the edge of the pool. Meanwhile, Lex had shifted his attention to a few waders further away. When I had to close the car doors to let an approaching vehicle pass, I decided to take the opportunity to rearrange some of the luggage. That’s when I suddenly heard Jaap quietly swearing. Jackpot! Flufftails rarely venture out into the open, and when they do, it is usually only for a few seconds. Jaap had managed to get his second chance. Once he had captured the moment, Lex and I joined him, and somehow everything had worked out after all.

With a long drive still ahead of us towards our accommodation in Himeville, at the foot of the Sani Pass, we climbed back into the car after our Flufftail encounter. As we drove, Jaap went through his photos one more time. Suddenly, he started swearing considerably louder than before. His earlier euphoria disappeared almost instantly when it seemed that all of his Flufftail photos had somehow vanished from his camera. Luckily, a very cheerful message arrived about a month after the trip: the photos had miraculously resurfaced.

Day 2 16/11/2025 – Sani Pass in the mist

Just before we reached our accommodation yesterday, the rain started. And it simply refused to stop. The morning began beneath a thick blanket of mist, with temperatures barely creeping above freezing. Not exactly the weather you hope for when you are heading up the Sani Pass. As we prepared to leave, a almost foghorn-like call suddenly came from the bushes at the edge of the garden. A Buff-spotted Flufftail! Stuart, our guide, suggested that we try for it later in the afternoon and head up the pass first. If the weather deteriorated further, at least we would have had the chance to explore the Sani Pass.

And it turned out to be the right decision. Despite the mist and almost freezing temperatures, the birds were surprisingly cooperative. Along the road towards the foot of the pass, we had already picked up species such as Malachite Sunbird, Buff-streaked Chat and Yellow Bishop. As we climbed higher, however, the conditions quickly deteriorated. The mist became increasingly dense, and at times visibility was down to less than 50 metres. Fortunately, the weather above the pass was much better. The sun still refused to make an appearance and it remained bitterly cold, but visibility was good and the birds were active. Our first real reward came in the form of a stunning male Sentinel Rock Thrush, which gave us excellent views. A little further along, a small group of Drakensberg Siskins were busy foraging on the ground, seemingly oblivious to the cold. One by one, the mountain specialists started falling into place: Mountain Pipit, Large-billed Lark, Sickle-winged Chat and Mountain Wheatear all joined our growing list. Just before lunch, we had another fantastic encounter. We stumbled across a Ground Woodpecker nest site, and for Jaap and Lex this was like handing children the keys to a sweet shop. The cameras immediately came out and the woodpeckers were photographed from every possible angle. Yet despite our rapidly growing list, one important bird was conspicuously absent. African Rock Pipit, Bearded Vulture, Cape Bunting and Cape Rock Thrush were all added to the tally, but the main target of the Sani Pass remained nowhere to be found: the endemic Drakensberg Rockjumper.

As the day progressed, the tension slowly began to build. We had covered most of the best areas and were almost ready to start our descent. And then it happened. From somewhere across the valley came the unmistakable call of a Rockjumper. Everyone was instantly on high alert. Fortunately, it did not take long before we located the bird in our scopes. The Rockjumper remained some distance away and a decent photograph was out of the question, but that hardly mattered. Target number one for the Sani Pass was safely in the bag!

On our way down, we made one final stop at a stretch of dense vegetation near the foot of the pass. Once again, the Sani Pass delivered. Within minutes we had found a small group of Bush Blackcaps, followed by Dark-capped Yellow Warbler, Cape Grassbird and Swee Waxbill. Then it was time for the Buff-spotted Flufftail in the garden. Stuart prepared the scene and we quietly took our positions. Less than ten minutes later, something moved through the vegetation. But not the one we were expecting. Instead of the male, a female emerged from the vegetation. For Stuart, this was actually the first time in all his years of guiding here that the female had appeared. In the end, we had to settle for the female, but nobody was complaining. With a great selection of mountain specialists under our belts and two of our main targets safely ticked off, we said goodbye to Stuart. There was only one mission left: get back to our cottage as quickly as possible and turn the fireplace up to full blast.

Bush Blackcap	Buff-spotted Flufftail

Day 3 17/11/2025 – From the Drakensberg to Dlinza Forest

As we opened the curtains in the early morning, we where finally greeted by the first clear views of the rugged Drakensberg landscape that had surrounded us for the past two nights. After an unforgettable day on the Sani Pass, there was still one final target left for us in the area: the Gurney’s Sugarbird. Together with the Rockjumpers, the Sugarbirds form one of South Africa’s two endemic bird families. We spent around an hour searching the slopes and Proteas around the foot of the Sani Pass, carefully checking every promising patch of habitat. But the Sugarbird remained stubbornly out of sight. Time for Plan B. Friends of Stuart have several feeders hanging in their garden, which act like magnets for a variety of sunbirds and fortunately for us, sugarbirds. We did not have to wait Gurney's Sugarbird

long before the first birds started arriving. Within minutes,

the cameras were back in action as colourful sunbirds moved between the feeders and the Gurney’s Sugarbird finally made an appearance. It was the perfect way to finish our time in the Drakensberg. As we continued our journey east, we kept our eyes peeled along the roadside. In the fields we spotted a family group of Wattled Cranes foraging in the distance, accompanied by several Grey Crowned Cranes. It was a fitting farewell to the open highland landscapes before moving into a completely different habitat.

But we still had one important mission to complete before reaching our accommodation on the edge of Dlinza Forest in Eshowe. Our next stop was a Buddhist retreat near Ixopo, home to one of the last remaining breeding sites of Blue Swallows in South Africa. With only around twenty breeding pairs remaining in the country, this species is facing an increasingly uncertain future. Its grassland breeding habitat is disappearing rapidly, making every remaining breeding site incredibly important. Fortunately, it did not take long before we started seeing Blue Swallows flying across the property. One after another, giving us repeated views of these beautifully delicate birds. There was just one problem: they were keeping their distance. The dream photographs we had hoped for would have to wait, but simply seeing these critically important birds at one of their last remaining breeding sites was reward enough. With another important target safely added to the list, we continued east towards Eshowe and the ancient Dlinza Forest — where an entirely new world of forest birds awaited us.

Day 4 18/11/2025 – Emerald Dreams – Into the Forests of KwaZulu-Natal

Today was gonna be a long day, the wish list was perhaps even longer, especially for Lex, who had one particular species firmly at the top of his list. Ever since the beginning of our first trip, the African Emerald Cuckoo had been mentioned many times. Would today finally be the day we found one? We had no time to waste, so Sakhamuzi, our local guide jumped into the car and, before we knew it, we were on our first birding location. The morning got off to a flying start, with Black Coucal, Red headed Quelea, African Pygmy Goose, White-backed Duck and Palm-nut Vulture following one another in rapid succession. Sakhamuzi glanced thoughtfully at his watch. Time to move on. There was no time to waste if we wanted to make the most of our packed itinerary.

Our next destination was Ngoye Forest, the only place in the whole of southern Africa where Green Barbet occurs. Even before entering the forest, we added Striped Pipit and Rufous-naped Lark to the list. Near the ranger accommodation stood a tree containing an active Green Barbet nest. Our strategy was simple: find a comfortable spot and wait. While we were waiting, a group of juvenile Green Twinspots kept us entertained. Almost as if the birds knew we had a busy schedule, it did not take long before two Green Barbets appeared high in the canopy, giving us several minutes of excellent views. And then it was time to move on again.

As soon as we left the main road and turned onto a narrow track leading deeper into another section of indigenous forest, we heard it. The unmistakable call of an African Emerald Cuckoo. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Lex was already striding off towards the sound. The bird was not going to make things quite that easy. It took some time before we finally managed to locate it, but when we did, the reward was well worth the wait. Jaap and Lex both managed to capture some fantastic photographs. Finally, the African Emerald Cuckoo was in the bag. Fortunately, Lex is not the kind of birder who rests on his laurels for long. Once a major target has been ticked off, he simply opens the field guide and starts looking for the next two species to add to the list. And this time, the reason for exploring this particular stretch of forest was a small and often overlooked species: the African Broadbill. Once we reached a suitable spot, we barely had to wait before finding a displaying bird. Another target secured.

But the day was not over yet. With clouds beginning to build around us, we hurried back towards Dlinza Forest for one final walk before darkness set in. We had barely taken a few steps when we were welcomed by one of Africa's smallest antelope species, the Blue Duiker. And once again, it felt as though we had a little guardian angel following us around. Almost immediately, we heard the song of our final target for the day: Spotted Ground Thrush. After a short search, we located the bird perched on its song post. It did not stay there for long, however, soon dropping down into the leaf litter to forage for a small snack before nightfall. With another incredibly successful day behind us, we said goodbye to Sakhamuzi with big smiles on our faces.

Palm-nut Vulture	Green Barbet
African Broadbill	Spotted Ground Thrush

Day 5 19/11/2025 - From Dlinza to the Coast

Before setting off, we made one final short visit to Dlinza Forest. From the forest's canopy tower, you get a beautiful view across the reserve, and this was where we hoped to finally connect with the Eastern Bronze-naped Pigeon. Early in the morning, these pigeons often use exposed, sometimes dead branches sticking out above the dense canopy to dry off and warm themselves in the first rays of sunlight. It did not take long before we spotted a pair. They kept their distance, but the views were good enough to finally add them to our list. From the bird hide next to the parking spot we picked up several Lemon Doves and a curious Tambourine Doves before it was time to continue our journey.

Near Mtunzini, we decided to leave the highway and explore another patch of indigenous forest along the coast. Our first reward was a Half-collared Kingfisher, sitting quietly on a small branch above the water, apparently enjoying a peaceful mid-day snooze. The forest itself, however, was remarkably quiet. The heat of the day was already setting in, and activity had slowed to a crawl. A Natal Red Duiker and a Woolly-necked Stork around the campsite were about as exciting as it got. After a short visit to the beach it was therefore high time to continue towards St Lucia. Once we reached our accommodation, there was only one sensible thing to do: cool off in the swimming pool with a cold beer. Above us, Purple-crested Turacos and Trumpeter Hornbills moved noisily through the treetops, providing the perfect soundtrack to a well-earned break. But not for too long. We still had an afternoon outing planned with a local guide.

The coastal forest just south of St Lucia is one of those places where you can never really afford to stop looking. Almost immediately, the forest started producing one great species after another. Narina Trogon, Rudd’s Apalis, Woodward’s Batis, Purple-banded Sunbird, Livingstone's Turaco and Brown Scrub-Robin were just a few of the highlights during our short walk. Photographically the afternoon was a little less rewarding. The birds were there, but they were not exactly lining up for the cameras. You can't have everything and after another successful day, nobody was complaining.

Half-collared Kingfisher	Southern Brown-throated Weaver

Day 6 20/11/2025 – Luck, Forests & Hippos – Exploring iSimangaliso

Today we had the entire day to explore the Eastern Shores section of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, just north of St Lucia. With a long list of targets and plenty of time ahead of us, we set off early and made our first stop at a quiet wetland. We were immediately greeted by a lovely surprise. A Rufous-bellied Heron was standing peacefully along the water's edge, apparently just waking up and getting ready for the day. Across the road, a small pool produced another nice surprise. While we were photographing a pair of White-backed Ducks, a Lesser Moorhen suddenly emerged from a tiny clump of grass. Not a bad way to start the morning!

One of our main targets for this area was the Rosy-throated Longclaw. In South Africa, this species is restricted to a narrow strip of suitable grassland and is generally easiest to find during the early morning hours. As the morning progressed, hope of finding one was slowly beginning to fade. Then we made a U-turn for a couple of African Pygmy Geese sitting in a roadside pool. And that's when luck took over. A longclaw suddenly shot across the road right in front of the vehicle and dropped onto a small mound of soil beside the road. It performed a few quick stretches, before launching itself high into the air and disappearing westwards. Sometimes it isn't about knowledge or experience. Sometimes, you simply need to be in the right place at exactly the right moment.

On the way towards Cape Vidal, we managed to pick up two more targets. Several Green Malkohas moved through the vegetation, while a Southern Banded Snake Eagle posed nicely on an old pole sticking above the canopy. Another unexpected highlight came in the form of a Crowned Eagle flying low overhead. Cape Vidal itself was surprisingly quiet, so we spent some time enjoying the wildlife around the campsite instead. A group of Banded Mongooses busily searched the ground for food, while two Samango Monkeys provided plenty of entertainment as they attempted to raid someone's cooler box. After cooling down with an ice cream, we slowly made our way back towards St Lucia.

But the day wasn't over yet. There were still a few species in the patch of forest we had visited the previous afternoon that we had unfinished business with. So, towards the end of the afternoon, we headed back into the forest with two species firmly in our sights: Livingstone's Turaco and Narina Trogon. A Red-necked Robin-Chat provided a welcome distraction, but we had a mission. Then, from somewhere deep within the forest, came the unmistakable, booming call of a Livingstone's Turaco. Three cameras immediately swung towards the canopy. The bird remained frustratingly hidden amongst the leaves, but eventually gave us enough opportunities to capture some photographs. Time to focus on the Narina Trogon. And once again, it did not take long. A beautiful male appeared, perched on a dead, broken branch with a soft green background behind him. With the light fading, we decided it was time to find a nice restaurant for dinner. We deliberately chose a table close to the road, hoping for a glimpse of St Lucia's most famous nocturnal visitors: hippos. As we enjoyed our first beer, three hippos walk by in single file towards a lush patch of green grass on the other side of the village.

Rosy-throated Longclaw	African Pygmy Goose
Narina Trogon	Livingstone Turaco

Day 7 21/11/2025 – A Mission in the Bush

For a change, our main target this morning was not a bird, but a mammal. The Western Shores section of iSimangaliso Wetland Park is occasionally home to a very unusual leopard, a “strawberry leopard”. This is an extremely rare colour variation in which the normally spotted coat takes on a distinctive pinkish-red hue. Needless to say, finding one would be an extraordinary bonus to our trip. We had barely started driving through the park when Lex had already found himself another target species: Dideric Cuckoo. It seemed that even when we weren't looking for birds, the wish list somehow kept growing. As we approached the area where the strawberry leopard had most recently been seen, however, we encountered a rather significant obstacle. A group of large bull elephants had decided that the middle of the road was the perfect place to spend their morning. We could see the section of forest where the leopard's territory lay just ahead, but the elephants were not interested in moving anywhere. There was nothing else to do but change plans and turn our attention back to the birds.

We followed a beautiful gravel road where open grassland was repeatedly broken up by small patches of forest. It was exactly the kind of habitat where you never quite know what might appear next. When a stunning male Violet-backed Starling suddenly appeared, Lex immediately knew what had to happen. That bird had to be photographed before the end of the trip. Further along, we enjoyed watching a pair of Broad-billed Rollers and Lemon-breasted Canaries, both busy working on their nests. Before leaving the reserve we managed to add a few more excellent species to the list, including Black-chested Snake Eagle, Martial Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, African Cuckoo-Hawk and Rufous-winged Cisticola.

After a quick check-in at our next lodge, we finally had some time to explore the reserve on foot. And that turned out to be a very good decision. At least four Gorgeous Bushshrikes were singing around our rooms. They were loud, they were colorful AND they were incredibly good at hiding. It quickly became clear that getting one in the open would be easier said than done. Every time we thought we were close, the bird seemed to disappear into the dense vegetation. But this one was going to be photographed. It became a mission of endurance. After countless attempts, Jaap came up with the words that perfectly summed up the situation: “If you really want something, you have to bite into it.” The longer the search continued, the greater the satisfaction would be when we finally succeeded.

Broad-billed Roller	Long-crested Eagle
Lemon-breasted Canary	Gorgeous Bushshrike

Day 8 22/11/2025 – Unfinished Business – The Pel’s Fishing Owl

We still had some unfinished business from our previous trip. Back then, a Pel’s Fishing Owl had been high on the wish list, but television recordings had prevented us from accessing the area where the owl was being seen. Needless to say, everyone was wide awake long before the alarm went off this morning. Our target was scanning somewhere in a stretch of old forest along a small stream. Armed with his thermal scope, Jaap carefully scanned every tree as we slowly worked our way through the forest. All around us, Trumpeter Hornbills and Green Pigeons were making sure our presence was anything but discreet. As we reached the far end of the forest without a sign of the owl, things started to look rather bleak. Slowly, we turned around and began retracing our steps. And that was when it happened. Jaap and I suddenly caught sight of a large, rusty-brown shape taking flight. It shot past us and disappeared between the trees. Lex, who had been walking behind us, carefully looked through the branches. A moment later, he slowly turned around and gave us a trembling thumbs-up. We quickly took a few photographs before leaving the bird in peace. Only once we were safely back at the vehicle did the tension finally break. followed by a huge roar of relief. Mission accomplished!

From there, we continued towards Mkhuze Game Reserve, where we would spend the remainder of the day. By the time we arrived, temperatures had already climbed considerably and wildlife activity was at a low point. Still, we decided to give it a try. As we were about to head to a hide, Ethan Kistler, who was guiding another group, came walking out. He casually mentioned that he had just found a Collared Flycatcher accompanied by both a Willow Warbler and a Spotted Flycatcher. A Collared Flycatcher in South Africa is a serious rarity. After ticking off this unexpected bonus, we stopped at reception to stock up on some cold drinks before slowly making our way back towards the gate.

And then the bush suddenly exploded into life. A spectacular feeding frenzy was taking place around us. Flying ants were emerging in huge numbers, attracting birds from every direction. Scarlet-chested Sunbirds, Sombre Greenbuls, Dark-capped Bulbuls, White-crested Helmetshrikes AND Violet-backed Starlings were all joining the feast. We soon discovered that the brightly coloured males were considerably shyer than the females, making the latter much easier photographic subjects. What started as a quick roadside stop turned into something completely different. Without even realising it, we spent more than two hours simply watching the spectacle unfold around us. After such a successful mission we decided to reward ourselves on the way back to the lodge with a delicious seafood dinner and a few well-earned cold beers.

Pel's Fishing Owl	Violet-backed Starling

Day 9 23/11/2025 – From the forest to the grasslands

Before setting off on what would be a long drive, we took one final morning trail through the lodge's reserve, hoping to catching up with the notoriously sneaky Pink-throated Twinspot. We had heard plenty of them and even managed several sightings, but the male remained frustratingly elusive. And, as it turned out, he was going to remain that way. No matter how hard we Purple-crested Turaco

tried, only the female was willing to cooperate.

Eventually, we decided we had to call it a day. After enjoying some good views and taking a few satisfying photographs of a Purple-crested Turaco and Eastern Nicator, we slowly made our way back to the lodge, packed up our gear and set off towards Wakkerstroom.

It was going to be a long drive, but of course there was still time for a few roadside stops. Red chested Cuckoo and African Harrier-Hawk were among the highlights along the way. As we approached Dirkiesdorp, the landscape began to change dramatically. Just outside the small village are some traditionally good fields for White-bellied Korhaan, one of the species we were hoping to find in this part of the country. Unfortunately, the fields had recently been burned. We searched carefully, but unfortunately there was not a single sign of a korhaan.

By the time we finally reached our accommodation near Wakkerstroom, we were more than ready to stretch our legs. Fortunately, there was a surprise waiting for us. A small group of Southern Bald Ibises had chosen two dead trees standing in a dam as their overnight roost. As the afternoon light began to fade, the birds gathered on the bare branches, providing a fitting welcome to the Highveld.

Day 10 24/11/2025 – Rain, Roads & Rewards

During the night, several heavy showers had moved through the area, and when we looked outside in the morning, it certainly didn't look as though the rain was finished with us yet. Dark clouds were rolling over the mountains, merging into one large, angry-looking mass. Rather than taking our chances in the highlands, we decided to leave the mountains behind and try our luck on a gravel road towards Amersfoort. That decision didn't exactly work out as planned. Before long, we found ourselves right in the middle of the approaching weather front. Heavy rain was followed by hail and thunderstorms, and for quite some time there was absolutely no sign of the weather improving.

The gravel road gradually transformed into a slippery, muddy mess. Then, on one of the many inclines, I suddenly lost traction. The vehicle started sliding, straight towards a large ditch beside the road. For a few tense seconds there wasn't much we could do. Somehow, almost miraculously, we came to a stop with less than ten centimetres separating us from the edge of the ditch. The 4x4 system then did exactly what it was supposed to do, allowing us to regain traction and safely continue our journey. The rain, however, showed no signs of letting up, so birding was temporarily put on hold.

As we drove out of Ermelo, Jaap and Lex couldn't resist stopping for a quick selfie beside the large town sign. They also live in Ermelo back in the Netherlands, so naturally a photo was required. By this point, the rain had finally stopped and things were beginning to look promising again. We had planned a short stop at a wetland where Lesser Jacanas could be found, but naturally, just as we approached the area, another dark weather front began forming directly over our destination. With less than a kilometer to go, the heavens opened once again. We waited for around half an hour, hoping the shower would pass, but eventually decided to continue. And then, just as we reached the highway, we spotted it. A tiny patch of blue sky. It was enough to convince us to turn around. Back at the wetland, the rain quickly cleared and the conditions improved. And this time, the gamble paid off. We were soon watching a pair of Lesser Jacanas moving delicately across the floating vegetation, and they kept us entertained for more than half an hour.

After all the rain, hail, mud and near-miss, it was exactly the kind of reward we needed. From there, we continued the long drive through the mountains towards Paradise River Lodge. Fortunately, the weather around the lodge was considerably kinder to us. We finally had some time to slow down, rest our legs and do a little relaxed birding around the property.

Lesser Jacana	Lesser Jacana

Day 11 25/11/2025 – Second Chances in the Mist

How they knew, we have no idea, but it almost seemed as if fate had decided that Jaap and Lex were simply not meant to visit the Blyde River Canyon. Once again, the canyon was closed due to television recordings, meaning that it was impossible to visit. Fortunately, we had a very good Plan B. Earlier that year, I had been lucky enough to find two Blue Swallows along the Panorama Route. After around fifteen years without confirmed breeding in the area, two pairs had eventually returned to breed here. Since the birds at Ixopo had kept their distance, we quickly changed our plans and headed towards the swallows. Fortunately, it did not take long before we got the birds in our scopes. They gave us several good views, although once again the dream photographs remained out of reach.

Before our Blue Swallow mission, we made a stop at God's Window. Here we enjoyed an excellent sighting of an Orange Ground Thrush, as well as several Barratt's Warblers. Both were welcome additions after our previous trip, when our attempt to bird the Magoebaskloof had been completely washed out by the weather. It seemed that we were slowly settling some old scores. Magoebaskloof was our next destination, but with the weather forecast looking increasingly ominous, we decided to make one more stop in Graskop and try for another target: White-starred Robin. Fortunately, this one was much more cooperative. We quickly located the bird and enjoyed some excellent views before continuing north.

Our final stop before reaching Magoebaskloof was a plantation on the outskirts of Tzaneen, where we were hoping to find one of the area's local Bat Hawks. The bird's usual roosting spot was disappointingly empty, but once again, luck was on our side. Not long after arriving, a Bat Hawk appeared overhead and came gliding across the sky before landing high in a eucalyptus tree. The low cloud made photography difficult, but nobody was complaining. After all, simply getting a Bat Hawk in the scope is a pretty good consolation prize.

As we continued towards our accommodation, it became increasingly obvious that the weather forecast had been spot on. A constant drizzle had settled over Magoebaskloof, covering the forest in mist and making it clear that tomorrow's birding would be another battle against the elements. For now, there was only one sensible thing left to do. Get inside, light the fireplace and hope that tomorrow would bring us a little more cooperation from the weather.

Barratt's Warbler	Bat Hawk

Day 12 26/11/2025 – One Last Push

The final day had arrived. With the flight not leaving until later in the day, we had the entire morning to spend around the accommodation, with one final mission in mind: getting a better photograph of the Orange Ground Thrush. It did not take long before we located a bird, but as usual, the thrush proved to be an expert at disappearing into the vegetation. After following it for some time, Orange Ground Thrush

however, we started to notice a pattern. It

seemed likely that the bird had young, as it was constantly searching for food before disappearing into a deep gully, only to reappear moments later in a completely unexpected location. We eventually positioned ourselves on a steep, slippery and very muddy slope, trying to keep our balance while remaining hidden. It was hardly the most comfortable photographic spot we had ever used, but after a long game of patience, we finally came out on top.

One last target remained: Knysna Turaco. We had been hearing them calling from across the valley throughout the morning, but getting a look at one was proving much more difficult. After a short search on the opposite side of the valley, two birds suddenly appeared directly above us. Now came the next challenge: finding a clear view through the maze of branches. With a bit of manoeuvring, plenty of patience and a lot of careful scanning, we finally managed to get a clean enough view of one of the birds. Target number two for the morning was safely in the bag. And with that, our final morning in Magoebaskloof came to an end.

Before leaving, we made one last visit to the viewing hide in the lodge's garden, where we managed to take our final photographs of the trip, Red-backed Mannikin and African Firefinch. Then it was time. The luggage was packed into the vehicle for the final time, the doors closed and we set off towards the airport.

Before the trip, we knew that with such a tight itinerary, there would inevitably be species we would miss. You simply cannot find everything on a journey like this, especially when the main focus is photographing specific target species. But the final numbers told a pretty impressive story, 326 species. But ultimately, the number of species was only part of the story. We had chased birds through rain, mist, heat and mud. We had waited patiently for shy forest species, celebrated unexpected rarities and even nearly ended up in a ditch. We had shared countless laughs, created plenty of unforgettable moments and, most importantly, made memories that will last far longer than any photograph.