editorial
‘If you could be anywhere in Africa right now, where would that be?’ This was the question once put to me by an editor doing a round-up of opinions among those of us who are supposed to know a thing or two about nature. I think I was expected to have nominated somewhere really exotic like the Congo Basin or Socotra Island, or at the very least the Okavango Delta. So when I said ‘birdwatching under a fruiting fig tree in the Kruger National Park’ the sense of disappointment was palpable in the silence that followed.

Don’t get me wrong – given half a chance I would be off to any of Africa’s faraway places in a flash, but I meant what I said. I love Kruger. I love the relative ease with which I can get there; the fact that within reason I can go anywhere I want in my own vehicle is a huge plus; and the accommodation options are good. Add to this that it happens to be one of the greatest national parks in the world, chock-a-block with big game, a bird list as long as your arm and a complete absence of that most unpleasant of all creatures, the tsetse fly, and it doesn’t get much better. Leon Marais would seem to agree and his ‘River ramble’ (page 52) from Skukuza down to Lower Sabie made me realise that it has been far too long since I was in those parts.'

travel with us
Explore Mozambique. Travel with us to Niassa Reserve and Gorongosa National Park.

features

Gardening for birds

In the first of our new series, we discover the importance of ‘good planning before planting’ in your soon-to-be-flourishing bird garden.

Colour coding - Plumage variation within species

Understanding why only a small proportion of the world’s birds occur in more than one colour form has long fascinated scientists – and they are still searching for a unifying theory to explain the phenomenon.

River ramble - Skukuza to Lower Sabie

Despite Skukuza being virtually a mini-village within the Kruger National Park, the riverine habitats in and around the area have a wealth of good species to offer birders.

Birding Angola - Breaking new ground

In the decade since the civil war in Angola came to an end, the face of the country has changed unrecognisably. The focus is on economic growth, and environment issues have, understandably, taken a back seat. But this may be changing and, although there is still a long way to go before all the country’s 940 bird species are adequately protected, at least the importance of doing so is now being recognised.