Ingredients for a great excursion: a sunny day, a nearby natural location, a simple packed lunch, a favourite beverage, a camera, and congenial human company (the last is optional).
And so off we went – three of us made an impromptu excursion to nearby Tala Private Game Reserve for a day in nature albeit by car. Described as “a wildlife conservancy hidden in the hills of a quiet farming community” Tala’s network of untarred roads enables day visitors to drive through a mix of acacia thornveld and open grassland and visit a gorgeous dam that attracts many water birds.
A view of the dam with farmlands in the distance. In addition to attracting many water birds, the dam is also home to several hippos
We spent time sitting on a small wooden jetty at an old boat house enjoying the morning sunshine, watching the passing waterbirds and spotting antelope on the other side of the dam.
An energetic swimmer, this Red-knobbed Coot swam by several times glancing at us as it passed on its way to feed on patches of submerged water weeds
In the distance above the opposite bank, a group of Blue Wildebeest trailed through the winter grass below a line of acacia trees
Aloes in flower and succulent euphorbias can be seen among the acacias and other trees in this densely vegetated section of the reserve. The flowering aloes are spectacular during the winter months
A male Village Weaver feeding from the flowers of an Aloe ferox
A Long-crested Eagle, its crest tousled in the breeze, showing off its white leggings. These eagles mostly hunt from perches, often perching conspicuously on tall poles or trees even near to main roads
A princely Kudu bull interrupting its browsing to stare back at us as we stare at him from our car
The only giraffe we saw on this day, as it sauntered among the trees in search of palatable leaves
On our way to the picnic site for some lunch we saw this young Waterbuck munching on grass near the side of the road. No adults were evident, but we assumed that they could not be far away
Several Weavers perched above us in a tree and watched us eat our lunch, including this one in eclipse plumage, most likely a Village Weaver
After a leisurely lunch we drove alongside the dam as the sunlight warmed to a mellow richness, and we saw this Common Moorhen looking for food among the reeds close to the shore
A White-breasted Cormorant turning its back to the afternoon sun as it dries its wings, probably after oiling and preening its feathers
The distinctive profile of an African Darter, as it also perches atop a wooden post near the shoreline. These birds often submerge while fishing with just the neck and head protruding above the surface of the water
White-breasted Cormorants on a nest on a dead tree near the water. They often nest communally
A pair of juvenile White-breasted Cormorants perching below their nest in the nesting tree that accommodates several nests
As we drove away we passed a small group of Impala grazing alongside the shoreline. This young ram is burnished to a rich colour by the late afternoon sun
An Impala seemingly enjoying munching on some leaves among the beautiful tall grasses that made getting a clear photo somewhat tricky
And in closing, a pair of Little Grebes, also known as Dabchicks, illuminated by the golden sunlight as the sun starts to set
After such a good day out, we have resolved to make the effort to indulge in more outings. All too often we get so caught up in the humdrum that it takes a bit of mobilising to step outside of the usual routines. But when we do, we wonder why it took us so long. So I encourage you to venture forth if and when you can and put a jaunt in your step!
July 21, 2018 at 12:52 am
Great post, Carol. You have access to so many amazing animals. Your photos are terrific and I esp. like the last composition– frame worthy!
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July 20, 2018 at 7:15 pm
Simply lovely and quite exotic for me! Loved every picture you included. I know exactly what you mean about those pesky grasses getting in the way of a good shot, or overcoming the inertia to go out exploring and enjoying. Thanks for introducing me to all these wonderful creatures and plants.
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July 20, 2018 at 12:43 pm
As I read your words and gaze at your photos, I find myself thinking of the first sitings with European eyes of these creatures. How amazing it must have been to semi-recognise something … and eagle for example but this one sporting white gators and a jaunty feathered bonnet or a coot but this one with bright red nobs on it’s head and others like the majestic kudu with it’s magnificent twisted horns or the giraffe with its unfeasibly long legs and neck entirely alien. When you take us around your place, that is how I feel – overwhelmed, my mind ticking on similarities and strangeness and I just love it! Long may you ride, Carol 😊
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July 20, 2018 at 5:44 am
What a wonderful day! Yes, I agree, Carol, sometimes we need a little kick to go out of our routine and it’s usually worth it! 😉
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July 20, 2018 at 5:10 am
As Wallace and Grommet would say, a grand day out. You do get the best bird photos. I’m jealous.
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July 20, 2018 at 3:32 pm
Thanks again Graham. Indeed a grand day out. Re the bird photos, I try to only photograph “co-operative” birds or one’s that are close by (takes patience) and keep within the limits of the camera’s capabilities, but still can’t help pushing my luck. Digital photography gives one the freedom to take lots of chances that we could never do with film!
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July 22, 2018 at 8:11 pm
There are “co-operative” birds? Actually I can’t complain. Just yesterday I came across a co-operative gray francolin. Usually they run away, but this one hung around clucking softly, trying to locate its partner I think. I still tend to over-push my camera though.
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July 26, 2018 at 8:32 pm
It is so nice when they are preoccupied with other things and so put up with one’s presence. I suppose over-pushing the camera helps us learn, and sometimes we get lucky/surprising results 🙂
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July 20, 2018 at 4:45 am
Beautiful photographs of a lovely place!
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July 20, 2018 at 3:23 pm
Thank you Anne. It is a lovely place and the large dam adds an extra dimension.
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July 20, 2018 at 2:04 am
Looks like such a nice place, Carol, thanks to your wonderful photos. We sometimes make it to the Midlands – how do we get to Tala?
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July 20, 2018 at 3:22 pm
It is small, with a view of cabbage fields and sugarcane beyond the fence line, but it protects beautiful vegetation with many lovely animals and birds and is worth visiting if you are in the area. It is less than 40 km south of Pietermaritzburg on the Umbumbulu road near Camperdown. There is a link to Tala’s website in the second paragraph of the post.
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July 19, 2018 at 11:34 pm
A real treat to see this beautiful wildlife, wonderfully photographed!
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July 20, 2018 at 3:17 pm
Thanks Belinda – I have enjoyed sharing beyond the usual confines of our garden.
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July 19, 2018 at 11:29 pm
Such a treat for me to see the beautiful birds and wildlife of your country.
And no matter where one lives, there is much to see…IF we just get moving!
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July 20, 2018 at 3:16 pm
Thanks Sandy – and there can be a surprising amount of life to see even in one’s own neighbourhood – though on a smaller scale – if we slow down to look!
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July 20, 2018 at 3:25 pm
That is so true.
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July 19, 2018 at 10:06 pm
What a special day. Your moorhens helped me feel at home, but your coots definitely upstage the English version.
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July 20, 2018 at 3:08 pm
It was a lovely day. I have just looked at photos of the Eurasian (or Common) Coot and I see what you mean.
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