In and around Mata Mata

Having arrived reasonably early in Mata Mata, we took the opportunity to relax, have a swim and stretch our legs a bit. Having now spent the best part of 24hrs in the car over the last three days! We unfortunately had only managed to book a single night here too, so we would be back on the road in the morning, but fortuately not so far this time, about 60km back on the road we travelled to a camp called Urikaruus.

Anyway, once again I'm getting ahead of myself!
Mata Mata ...

A pleasant camp, still quite large with a number of chalets and a camping area. This camp is fenced off from the park, has a small swimming pool, petrol station, small shop and reception.

Yep, thats me and Claire Marie (in front of me) and Gayle (on the edge of the photo). As you can see the pool was not sparkling blue and clean, but it WAS wet, and cool. A big relief after the hot days we'd spent in the car and on the road.

After our swim we were relaxing on the veranda of our chalet, when I spotted a Crimson-breasted Gonolek (formerly Crimson-breasted Shrike) Laniarius atrococcineus, it is an African bird occurring in a broad swathe from southern Angola to the Free State in South Africa. This shrike is extremely nimble and restless, its penetrating whistles being heard far more often than the bird is seen, its bright colour notwithstanding. The sexes have the same colouration and are indistinguishable from each other. A yellow-breasted form is occasionally seen, and was at first thought to be a separate species. (credit wikipedia).

As it says in wikipedia, this bird does not pose for you, it is always on the move. It is however, beautiful! I'm on a mission to try and get a really good picture of it still. Here is my best one from this trip.

Then of course we were visited by the local residents .... the Cape Ground Squirrel (Xerus inauris) is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia.
The name Cape Ground Squirrel is somewhat misleading as it actually has a much wider area of habitation. This common name may have been arrived at to distinguish it from a tree squirrel (the Eastern Grey Squirrel) found around Cape Town, which was imported from Europe by Cecil John Rhodes. (credit wikipedia)

Then there are the other little regulars, these cute little birds are so aptly named, Familiar Chats! You'll see them all over the country, and they'll aways be around hopping all over flicking their wings.
 

The Familiar Chat, Cercomela familiaris, is a small passerine bird of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is a common resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara in rocky and mountainous habitat and around human habitation. (credit wikipedia)
 
As it started to get dark we settled down the the serious buiness of cooking supper!

 
That's all for now.
 
all the best
Ivan
http://www.andersen.co.za/