Swallows of Ubizane Wildlife Reserve:

With the rainy season well on the way, Ubizane is lucky enough to welcome back the Greater Striped Swallows. Being intra-African migrants, these swallows return to the southern parts of Africa during their breeding season. Over the past few weeks the Greater Striped Swallow has become a regular sighting, with their chatty call and regular swoops under the lodge’s thatched roofs.   

Swallow Nest outside GM's Office 

Swallows are well known for their nest building capabilities, made entirely of mud and wedged in between two supporting structures. The nest building process normally begins at the beginning of the breeding season, September through to May. It is during this period that the monogamous pair (Only having 1 partner) will either repair their nest that was built during the previous breeding season, or build a totally new one.

The Greater Striped Swallow is often mistaken as a ‘tame’ species, due to its close proximity to humans and its fondness of building its nests on buildings. Ubizane’s General Manager Natascha Pienaar, got to experience this ‘tame’ species firsthand one morning when a Greater Striped Swallow politely landed into her hand bag, which was sitting close to her office window.   

 Swallow with Mud on its beak, in Natascha 's hand

This particular Greater Striped Swallow has been working hard on his master piece of a nest, just outside our General Managers Office for quite some time, and he often perches on the open window.

Not long after Natascha fished the Swallow out of her bag, and released him outside; the Swallow was soon back to work on his masterpiece, perfecting it for his new arrivals. 

Giraffe Necking:

Giraffe are not an unfamiliar sight here at Ubizane, as many guests will know they are quite curios creatures, and are often wandering around the lodges parking areas being their normal inquisitive self. However, this week we were treated to an unusual sighting of two male Giraffes necking. It was Wayne, our House Keeping Manager who spotted the two Giraffe near Safari Lodge parking area.

2 Male Giraffe at Safari Lodge, preparing for their dual.

Giraffe engage in “Necking” in order to determine dominance and hierarchy. When watching these graceful animals, one cannot help but think that it looks like a well rehearsed dance. “Movement and counter movement appear rhythmical and synchronized, imparting the supple grace of a sinuous dance.” – Richard Despard Estes (The Behavior Guide to African Mammals)


The two males began their duel outside of Safari 10, at first it seemed a friendly affair with them facing each other, moving back and forth with their legs locked in a stiff position. They even rubbed up against each other’s necks and flanks. One can easily mistake this behavior simply as two Giraffe being friendly. But this is low intensity sparring or “Necking”.


It was not until the Giraffe had reached Safari Lodge Parking Area that things started getting serious, and they entered what is called a higher intensity stage. Having no regard for the beautifully finished flowerbeds that edge the pathways leading to the rooms, the larger darker Giraffe kept pushing the other male; leaning against him and forcing him to go to more open grounds. 

 

As soon as the giraffe were in a more open area next to the parking area they both splayed their legs, as if to brace themselves for the blow. Once again it was the larger darker coloured male that was the first to ‘swing’ and knock the other male on his rump. The sound that comes from Ossicones (name given to the horn like structures on a Giraffe’s head) hitting lean rump muscle is quite amazing, it almost sounds like a slap but has a deep bellowing sound to it.

After the first hit was dished out, and the ‘tit for tat’ game wore off, the two males continued their back and forward sway, with their characteristic out-stretched necks and stiff legs and they made their way down to Safari Lodge’s pool area. Pausing every now and then to asses each other and their surroundings.
It was almost as if these graceful creatures did not want a witnesses to this harsh battle, and the males soon made their way into the bush, at a rather slow and painful ‘dancing’ pace; where they would be able to continue their duel in the privacy of the thick bush.

Their intense dual lead them all the way to the pool area

It was only on our way back up to the parking lot that we noticed how much damage a Giraffe’s dominance spat can cause. Besides the trampled flower beds, we found numerous muddy footprints along the pathways, as well as a broken light and Aloe. Although it meant extra work for our maintenance team, we couldn't help but feel privileged to have witnessed such graceful animals involved in such an intense dual.

Muddy Pathway by pool area

Giraffe footprint 

Broken pathway lamp 

Broken Aloe by Safari Lodge 

When it rains, it pours!

It is has been a rather dry winter here at Ubizane, The parched grasslands scattered with dry tufts of grass and the sun baked roads wait in anticipation for the first rains to quench a seasons thirst and settle the  ever accumulating dust; that seems to creep into every possible space.

On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, the entire Ubizane had mixed emotions towards the arrival of the rain, elated with the thought of no more sporadic veldt fires breaking out and the prospect of the scenery turning green over night but at the same time feeling quite limited, as we had planned a beautiful  boma dinner for our guests that evening. 

Over the last 3 days we fully grasped the meaning of when it rains it pours! The constant rain seemed to have no end (Not that we were terribly upset about it, as the reserve needed it badly) day and night it continued to come down in buckets.

The Ubizane landscape seemed to have reached its capacity, with +/- 150mm of rain fallen in 2 days! The roads around the reserve proved to be every Warthogs dream; with a slippery mud puddle on every bend. The seasonal Mzinene River that snakes through the farm has also begun to flow, for the first time since last rainy season, the small bridge crossing over the river was submerged as the water gushed over it. After a cautious crossing we made our way to the fence where the strength of the flowing water had clearly proved too much for the wire fence; the wire buckling as the water swept past it.  

Partially soaked and with an odd splatter of mud here and there, we made our way back to the Lodge, as we approached the area where we last saw the female ostrich on eggs we found ourselves on the edge of our seat! For according to our calculations, the eager hatchlings should be arriving any day now!

Our excitement soon turned to fret, as we saw the eggs abandoned and partially submerged in a puddle of water, and both mother and father nowhere to be seen! After much consideration and discussion, we decided to remove the eggs and attempt to incubate them ourselves.  So be sure to keep an eye on all our social media pages for details on the 9 Ostrich eggs!