Summertime Birdwatching at Limpopo-Lipadi

Read her story here:
“Summertime at Limpopo-Lipadi is simply magnificent for birdwatching. We sat in the Hippo Hide with binoculars and long lenses, watching the birds go about their business. Excitement spiked when a Spectacled Weaver landed nearby, attempting to strip palm leaves for nesting—a first-time sighting for us on the reserve.
It was a scorching day, with humidity rising. Across the river, a small tree overhung the water, its shaded branches forming a perfect perch. Four Pied Kingfishers sat alert, eyes fixed on the shallows. Then—plunge! One hit the water, emerging victorious with a small fish in its beak. Later, two landed on the beach, looking graceless on land but relishing a warm sand bath, wings outstretched, before taking flight again.
On our afternoon drive toward the Southern Plains, we spotted a flock of European Bee-eaters in a dead tree. As we watched, they soared down—not to drink, but to dive fully into the water, resurfacing moments later, their jewel-colored feathers shimmering as they dried.

At the pan, the water’s edge filled with Blue Waxbills, Cape Glossy Starlings, Masked Weavers, and Red-billed Queleas, their colours scattered like sequins. Dragonflies flitted above as the birds splashed and quarreled.
Then, the Pied Kingfishers returned. One, perched high, spotted its prey and struck—this time snatching a dragonfly. But before it could enjoy its meal, another kingfisher came hurtling down, aiming to steal the prize. The aerial battle that followed was breathtaking—one bird even flipped upside down just above the water, bouncing off the surface with each wingbeat. They twisted and lunged, locked in a dazzling mid-air duel. And as they disappeared into the sky, we realized—we had completely lost track of what became of the dragonfly.”