50 Rachel Lang GIRLS GONE birding The Intrepid Explorerissue 10 KRUGER’S REMOTE MAKULEKE CONCESSION A BUSHBIRDWATCHING COURSE INTHE RACHEL LANGLAUGHEDANDLEARNTON www.intrepidexplorer.co.za www.intrepidexplorer.co.za are of laughter? matched Thehelpless, stomach-crunching byfits kind school, except that ourfeathered subjectswere farmore fascinating, red-backed shrikes—whether you’ll have developed asix-pack bythe that makes you wonder—in between thinking aboutcomb ducksand contemplative for taking momentssonecessary innew information What of birdwatchers happenswhenthevibrant party you’re with end of theweek. Itwas like kid beingthenaughty Inever was at are asthebirds themselves? justascolourful Whenthequiet, and ourclassroom bushveld. was theboundless African Photographs byLauren deVos T where we are andwhatwe do”, hesays, “is last eightyears. thingabout attractive “The EcoTraining’s campfor the rusticMakuleke Bruce Lawson. notably, guide, kind—most ourlegendary ‘specials’ includingthoseofthehuman each year. of This encompassesavariety andexciting outnew that brings arrivals subtropical species, across-over a convergence zone oftropical and their listof ‘lifers’. region, binocularsinhand, to notch up it’s nowonder flock twitchers to the by animpressive ofhabitattypes, array flowing the softly River fringed Luvuvhu andanequalstretchLimpopo River of ofriverfrontage,34 kilometres withthe (morein thepark than450species). With 90%ofallbird generarecordedsupports area, it 1% oftheKruger’s total surface the 24000-hectare region forms only birdingAfrican destinations. Although ofSouth astheSwarovski described Concession. The area couldarguably be National Park’s remote Makuleke de Kruger Vos took placeinthenorthern Bruce andhiswife, Dee, have lived in Interestingly, thearea alsofallswithin The Intrepid Explorerissue 10 bush-loving friend Laurenbush-loving friend attended with my fellow in theBushcourseI EcoTraining Birding he week-long 51 Rachel Lang When we entered the magical yellow-green fever tree forest, it was difficult to knowwhere to look: the leafy riparian canopy was wild with activity.

how simple it is. We’ve got no electricity only 20 metres away, and meet a big bull floodplains, every so often bunching up [the camp makes use of solar lanterns], no elephant blocking my way. Every day is around Bruce to learn from his cellphone reception, which is absolutely an adventure.” experienced birder’s eye and ear. Being fantastic, and we live in a tent. We take One of the first things Bruce told us to able to identify bird songs is one of the nothing for granted here; I can walk out do was take off our watches. “I want you most helpful and important skills for any of our tent to go to the kitchen, which is to experience living in the moment. Let budding avian admirer. “Ninety-nine me worry about what happens while you percent of the I see are located just concentrate on getting in touch with through their calls,” said Bruce. the wilderness inside you.” A drop of sweat slid down my chin and Special sights Bruce’s dad, Peter, is an ornithologist neck. Although it was only 8 a.m., the sun and stories The Makuleke Concession affords prime access to some spectacular sites of special interest, quite aside from their birdwatching opportunities. Evening drives saw our group perched atop sun-warmed boulders, sipping sundowners, at . Named for the lanner falcon, the gorge is 11km long and forms the boundary between the to the south and the Makuleke Concession to the north. A daytime hike to a lookout over the archaeological site of Thulamela (built by the same early civilisation that built the Great ruins and inhabited the Mapungubwe area) was another major highlight. Legend has it that a former chief used to throw criminals and enemies to their death from the highest points of the gorge. Visits to Crook’s Corner (specifically, the intersection of , Zimbabwe and Mozambique—but more broadly applicable to the Makuleke area’s wild ‘frontier’ history) were rich with both wildlife sightings and history. Bruce is a veritable goldmine of and passed on his interest in birds to was beaming down on us, lighting up interesting facts, interspersing bird his son from a young age “through the tall wisps of cat’s-tail grass and reflecting sightings with fascinating anecdotes. process of osmosis”. off the leaves of Northern lala palms. Standing silently at the plaque Another of the things we were “Work harder, work harder,” urged Cape commemorating the infamous instructed to do was lock up any food, turtle doves from a dry leadwood branch Stephanus “Bvekenya” Barnard— lest some hairy-tailed local would find its as I diligently scribbled down the name another of history’s dubious but way into our rooms—rustic yet spacious of each new species. Mosque swallows undoubtedly interesting characters— en-suite tents. At this, however, Lauren swept the air above us and Natal in the late afternoon heat, with and I were to fail miserably, and pay the francolins started up their rusty engines. the whirring of cicadas as our only consequences! When we entered the magical accompaniment, was a transportive Slowly (as is the essential pace for yellow-green fever tree forest, it was experience. birdwatching), we weaved our way in difficult to know where to look: the leafy one-by-one formation across dry riparian canopy was wild with activity.

52 The Intrepid Explorer issue 10 www.intrepidexplorer.co.za www.intrepidexplorer.co.za OPPOSITE: ABOVE: PREVIOUS SPREAD: assemblage ofgrey-headed parrots, and immersingmyself inthearboreal notebook infavour ofbeingfullypresent away andtucked my everything woodlandtrill—a kingfisher. blue, greeting my interest withafamiliar and, hornbill just then,aflashofbright ofatrumpeter cry was alsothedistinctive “Listen! Alemon-breasted canary.” There I gave up trying to down write I gave uptrying peaceful elephantofmythoughts had clattering andclunking… whatthe!?The Suddenly there was aloudthud followed by prepared to sinkbackinto blissfuloblivion. the canvas. thought,I Withthiswonderful leaveshim rustlingandchewing against elephant was Ithought.imagined back, I took inalarge rustlingsound. Last night’s tent!” Shaken awake from Lauren’s whisper, that night: play arole intheevents thatunfolded fruitthatwould ofdried cursed packet filteredsoft light,eatingbiltong anda stopped to rest underbigfever trees in me andLauren. After afew hours, we caused anoutburstoflaughter from both branchinthepath,which overright adry thatItumbled myself somuch,infact, sallies. inaerial Iwasenjoying partaking ofothersmallpasserines and avariety white-browed scrub-robins bee-eaters, Meve’siridescent starlings, European “Rach! Listen… It’s“Rach! rightoutsideour was none otherthananintrepid, plastic packet told thestory. ‘elephant’ My a fallen water bottleandacrackly, emptied dried peachesflungabout, the crime:Sticky our verandah! “It’s inside!” tusker crashingturned into an angry into take action.” more personto takeaninterest, and we [fieldguides]hopefullyallow one personal inspiration inwilderness, of guiding someoneto somekind catalysts for broader change;in game drive: “We are really only so passionately putitto meonone for As thosewhoparticipate. Bruce interest inthelarger issuesat hand an willhopefullyspark wilderness here with ispoignant: Reconnection anything, EcoTraining’s placement ofthreethe intersection countries. If tasked withregulating at African National Parks field rangers are takenseriously, withSouth environment. Anti-poaching patrols ofhumansandthe intersection area remains areminder ofthe Trail.Ivory Today,infamous the adventure andwealth onthe later, colonial miscreants bent on ancient trade and, networks even human ancestors, to pastoralists, settling landsfor people:from early region habitable, providing fertile Luvhuvhu rivers have longmadethis habitation. The Limpopoand 1.4millionyearsnearly ofhuman older hand axes point to that used thesameland, whileeven as oldtheIron Age communities asrecentmemories asthe1950sand conjure Shards ofpottery history: hint at theregion’s longhuman Daily walks intheveld withBruce , rather thanresettlement. to devote elected the community to concession asitstands today, which a landclaim;theresult isthe submitted community Makuleke forcibly removed. 1996,the In ruleandthecommunity National ParkKruger in1969under area ofthe was cordoned offaspart people,land oftheMakuleke the history.conservation the Historically Africa’s pointa turning inSouth ConcessionThe Makuleke represents community Conservation and Lauren’s headlamplit upthescene of The Intrepid Explorerissue 10

53 Rachel Lang 54 Rachel Lang could talk, I mused, what marvellous Imused, whatmarvellous could talk, bright-green dress. onlythesetrees If withbaobabsin koppies beside rocky roads veld or besideMopani over dirt done from anopenLandRover, bumbling the grass. herd), stirred from catching the insects (buffalo bullsthathave thebreeding left egrets trailedbehindold ‘dagga boys’ a flockof whilecattle red-billed oxpeckers buffalo herd we cameuponhadattracted Bruce said, grinning. Luckily, thelarge an unforgettable experience. and adventurous trip, whichmadeforsuch friends, scattered throughout aninformative shared withgood moments ofhilarity mischievous rodent.was It theselittle CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: The Intrepid Explorerissue 10 Afternoon birdwatchingAfternoon sessionswere onlystop for“We things withfeathers,” don’t even realise you’re learning!” is whenyou’re having somuch fun,you Bruce says, bestway to studybirds “The simultaneously.to laughandlearn As strengthening ofoldones, andfreedom technology, andthe friendships new breakmeaningful from life city and course offered somuchmore: a the . onafallenbranchbeside hunkering delight, aPel’s fishing owl, silently resident tawnies—and to ourgreat eagle, several‘Elvis bird’), ajuvenile martial eagle(the on thesedrives: along-crested people? Makuleke history,rich the ancestralhomeofthe wouldstories tell they aboutthearea’s Although birding wasour focus, the We saw anumberoffantasticraptors www.ecotraining.co.za E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 0137522532 To acourse book orfindoutmore: adventurous spirit! and agoodold-fashioneddoseof an unquenchablesenseofcuriosity your binosandbird books, butpack take sospecial.short, Makuleke In and anthropological) that makesthe (bothecological in theuniquehistory Trail—a aidto immerseyou wonderful suchas Bulpin’stexts TV The Ivory the fieldguides, you willfindhistorical oninyourearly trip. between Hidden Field guides:Peruse thecamp’s library you pairofoptics. have ahigh-quality buy, borrow orbeg, butmakesure item that you important willpack; This themost Binoculars: isperhaps use only. satellite phoneisfor emergency No cellphone signal: The camp’s take precautions. : It’sMalaria area amalaria soplease torches orcameras theday. during dining area where you can charge night. There isagenerator at themain headlamp for around at walking so you willneed astrong torch or No electricity: The campisunfenced, at home.not to beleft A protective sunlotionandhat are 9.3°C andaverage maximum26.3°C). winters (averagedry minimum summers (average andwarm, 40°C) Temperatures atthecamp: Hot phone isagreat help. Birds Africa) onyour ofSouthern Africa, orRoberts VII Multimedia eBirds sound app(Sasol ofSouthern Bird sounds: Downloading abird- bootsfor walkshiking are essential. soproper sturdy takkies, sports normal Shoes: bringing your own larger container. to buy, althoughwe would suggest small bottlesofstillwater are available you’re notusedto itsdifferent taste, and water issafe to drink—but if Water: Helpful tips Thorns willgostraight through There isaborehole at thecamp www.intrepidexplorer.co.za