SANParks.org Forums

Must say, this one looks to be full of potential. Saw a huge Ele bull drinking water there in Feb 2005. Birding was great. doesn't look like there will always be water, but still a possible humdinger to visit.

Wanted to go and look last time I was in the park, but didn't get to it. Will make an effort next time.

I was there at the beginning of June this year and it was totally dry.

I stumbled on this hide by accident without knowing it existed about 3 years ago. When I tried to re-visit it in March this year, I couldn't find it! My map shows it where the S25 meets the S119 - is the map wrong or did I just somehow miss the turnoff? Don't remember any signs referring to it either.

Found it disappointing - been there in Dec 2004 and April 2005, on both occasions spent ages there, saw no game and a few birds.
I feel the money could have been better spent in another place near a waterhole.

We also visited in Nov 2004 and again this year and found it very dry with just a few birds.
Also had difficulty finding it the first time as the map shows it on the corner and it's actually quite a way down the road.
Tend to agree with foxy.

We normally try and visit every year and I must say it is generally fairly disappointing but nice to be able to stretch ones legs and have something to drink. It was bone dry this June and apart from a few birds nothing moved.
It is located on the mpambane Loop which is a 6 km road off the S25 and joins into the S114.

Found the same "directions" on this website but did not see it or a sign at the spot. We wanted to visit every birdhide from North to South during our last trip and this was the only one we did not see.

Quite a few of you say, "some birds", like what, anything interesting?

I was there once and it didn't really warrant a return trip.

A hide on the S100 would be nice.

I saw crested francolin, natal francolin, 3 banded plover, some other waders(could not id), missed carmine bee-eaters by a few mintes when they came to have a drink. Also saw fork-tailed drongos, 3-streaked tjagra, many doves. Yellow-billed hornbills and starlings also stopped by briefly. There were some good quantity of water around.

A huge bull ele quenched his first and almost surprised some people in the parking area. I was there at the heat of the day around 13:00 in early march. Temp was around 39 deg. So not much activity was going to happen. As long as there is water around it would be a birdhide with great potential. It is nice and quiet and a great place to get away from the Park's heat. Only stayed 20 - 30 mins though. Will try and stop by in September again.

Birds : doves, starlings, hornbills - as there was no water, these were even scarce.
Just nice to stretch legs and a toilet would have been handy!

• Sclerocarya birrea
• Picture was taken late in the afternoon
• Picture was taken in April
• At the time there was no leopard in the tree

My guess would be on the S119 - Mpambane loop

I think you could be right, JB, and if so this guy was lying under that very tree

Any idea which pride he belongs to Stephen, he was with another male in Nov 2005, but they were both in the riverbed with a female earlier in the week

This is a very impressive example of the Marula Tree (Sclerocarya birrea). It probably had quite a bit of luck on its side not being damaged by elephant and that helped it to survive to grow to such a prominent tree.

Yes it is indeed on the S119 (Mlambane Loop), close to the Gradenia hide.

Freda - the lion, which are regularly seen in the vicinity, are probably males that associate themselves with the Mlambane Pride. The picture that I have of one of the males taken about the same time is from the opposite side – can not properly ID it from that.