Page 28 - Kyalami Issue 4 2022

Kyalami Estates Corporate Brand Bible Design 26
3.0 Folder (Inner)
TRAVEL

woodlands in the Panda area where patches of coastal scrub-thicket. to take us around the estuary and
Etienne pointed out other specials Although we searched for a few at dawn we set off across the calm
such as Olive-headed Weaver, hours, the Green Tinkerbird eluded estuary water to explore the first
Mashona Hyliota, Pale Batis, and us on this occasion. Nevertheless, sand bar. Bird sightings included
Racquet-tailed Roller. we sighted Livingstone’s Flycatcher, numerous terns including Lesser
Neergard’s Sunbird and Blue- crested, Damara, Swift, and Common
En route to our next stop at throated Sunbird. Baobab trees are Tern, Lesser and Greater Sand
Morrungulo Lodge, some 170km common in this part of Mozambique Plovers, and Common Ringed Plover.
north of Inharrime, we stopped at the and around the baobabs Etienne On a second sand bar, Etienne sighted
Inhambane estuary where, amongst identified both Bohm’s Spinetail and two Mozambique specials i.e. a
a number of Whimbrels, Etienne Mottled Spinetail and highlighted the flock of Crab Plovers and a number
identified a single Steppe Whimbrel. differences between the two species. of Saunder’s Tern, the latter having
This is the rarest of the five sub- been discovered only very recently in
species of Whimbrel, which was The Sanctuary on the San Sebastian Mozambique. At low tide, the estuary
thought to be extinct before being Peninsula is the southernmost part becomes very shallow in places,
rediscovered in 1997. The Steppe of the Bazaruto archipelago and revealing many more sandbars and
Whimbrel can be identified by its stretches over some 30 000 hectares we decided to moor the boat in front
white underwings and axillaries. of conserved land and ocean. It of one of the upmarket developments
is a birding hotspot, as the huge on the eastern side of the estuary.
Morrungulo Lodge is situated on a estuary incorporates many sand Snorkeling in the relatively clear
palm-fringed beach which gives it a bars that attract numerous rare water around the pier at this spot
tropical ambiance. Mosquito nets migratory sea birds and waders. revealed Angel fish, Lionfish and
over the beds added to the exotic To reach The Sanctuary area, one Tilapia, among others.
atmosphere and were essential to drives along a 90km sand road from
keep the many mosquitos at bay. the EN1 main road. Proof of booked Our second day on the boat in the
The next morning, again at first light, accommodation at Jacana Camp is estuary took us to yet more sand
we set off for the woodlands west essential in order to be admitted to bars where we observed African
of Unguane. Our target bird was the the reserve. Oystercatcher, as well as many more
Green Tinkerbird, which is extremely terns and another look at the very
rare and found in only a few small Etienne had booked a motorboat special Saunder’s Tern. We decided

Racquet-tailed Roller

26 Kyalami Estates • CONNECT • Issue 4 • 2022