Part 1: Birding – An Extreme Sport?

After some narrow escapes and experiences over the past few years, it occurred to me: even though, to outsiders, birders might appear to be mostly doddering, even slightly deranged pensioners, we birders are actually participating in an Extreme Sport which brings us into contact with any number of challenges, and even dangers.

Ask me. I know the quest for reaching specific birding or bird photography goals may quickly turn birding into an extreme sport. Because, the further away from civilisation, the better the birding but also the more serious the exposure to dangers, from pepper ticks to bull elephants. Over the past few years when out birding, I have had close encounters with at least five deadly snake species, three leopards with no protecting fences or car windows between us, various hippos and even crocodiles. You may add to that some extreme temperatures on either side of the spectrum, and yes, believe me, even quicksand. And mud.

My first encounter with dangerous game happened at the crack of dawn, just after first light, in dense Magoebaskloof forest. I stumbled upon a bush pig (a type of wild boar), a nocturnal or diurnal species. Even though they won’t win any beauty contests, I must be even uglier, as it took just one look at me and bolted. I encountered a second one some years later in riverine forest on a friend’s farm, again at dawn, as it was coming to drink. Again, it fled instead of trying to attack. I myself was scared enough to decide to return and rather bird meekly around our chalet, only to find a leopard spoor imprinted on top of my own sneaker tracks, made minutes before down the sandy road!

I only wish that spoor could have remained the only contact with a leopard when on foot. Not so. All birders are eager to catch the dawn chorus, so I was out birding, on my own, rather early in the ‘safety’ of Nossob camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. My husband, not being a birder, likes to sleep in. I was convinced that lying still in the -7° freezing cold of our dome tent, on the ground on an inflatable mattress, would result in hypothermia and certain death so got up and moving as soon as it got light.

Leopard - Photographed by Tyron Dall

There is a section in Nossob, near the alternative exit gate, where a modest botanical garden with walking trails is set out on a smallish hill. I headed there. I scanned the sandy soil between shoulder-high bushes for larks, any larks, desperate to find Gray’s Lark. After half an hour of this, I saw my husband and our car approaching through the camp to pick me up on the way to a game drive. I hopped in, and then hopped out again after a few metres to open the gate… only to hop back in, smartly. A leopard had emerged from the botanical garden and was crossing the road right in front of the car. The same botanical garden where I had been birding all this time!!!

When we reported to park officials/rangers that there was a leopard INSIDE the camp, they were not too fazed. This leopard had a habit of jumping over the camp’s fence and would by and by jump back out.

If that was not enough, a leopard crossed the road, a mere 15 m. in front of us, when we were birding on foot near St. Lucia some time ago. You must agree: to encounter leopards close by, TWICE, when out birding, does seem fairly excessive.

Talking of St. Lucia… Hippos are known to be the most dangerous mammals on the African continent, not leopard or lion. Walking the Igwalagwala trail in St. Lucia brings you in close contact with the most secretive forest birds, but you might walk past freshly steaming heaps of hippo dung on a path, as happened during our recent holiday there. You just have to keep a sharp eye out, and listen, consoling yourself that these hippos are nocturnal feeders, mostly, and are conditioned to humans.

But I must admit to being petrified when a hippo sniffed and grunted around our small tent when we were trying to sleep next to the Kwando river in the Caprivi. The next day, we saw that it was pitched perilously close to an exit point for hippos from the river.

I found out that aggressive male baboons fear single ladies, despite what is commonly believed. I just picked up a large stone and mimed throwing it when an arrogant male baboon came too close for comfort when I was searching for Cape Rockjumpers at Rooi Els.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Ivonne takes us through even more thrilling encounters, including close calls with dangerous snakes, crocodiles, and quicksand!

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