Alex’s anecdotes new for 2024
And so another season is up and running and it seems the 5 months since October have just disappeared. Thanks to the incredible dedication of Molly, our amazing team of volunteers and Estate staff over the winter the reserve is looking and feeling amazing. No buffalo yet but Rocket and Slice are waiting in the wings to make their grand appearance when all has dried out a bit more. But the other cast of characters are making themselves known and providing our guests over the first week with amazing sightings.
It’s tricky to pick any out for special mention but Mtoto, our drop dead gorgeous Eastern Mountain Bongo, is looking remarkable. Dave The Great Bustard is showing himself in all his breeding display glory and making sure the buggies know who is ‘boss’ ! Although yesterday he may have met his match as Hattie one of our male Eurasian Cranes chased him vigorously away from our guests. Obviously Hattie wanted the prime photo spot!
The White Lipped or Thorold ‘s Deer Stag is incredibly impressive with his full antler set and let us hope our two girls are as impressed with him as we are. The Pere David deer herd are all looking very fluffy, the males with their antlers covered in velvet and all 5 in the herd losing their thick downy winter undercoat.
Our bird life is so entertaining and so colourful with the Javan Peacock displaying his remarkable tail to the females, Silver Pheasant males trilling and displaying and the Cranes calling and dancing to each other. Meanwhile our ‘weird’ trio of Eland, Nilgai and Mouflon ram wander around the reserve like an advert for small, medium and large tee shirts!!!!
There is never a dull moment and I hope we see many of you over the coming months. Watatunga is a very unique and special reserve and all of us involved with the Reserve are waiting to share it’s magic with you in 2024. See you soon!
Written by tour guide Alex Douglas. Photos by Andy White.