About Nature - Wildlife & Birding Tours

Name: About Nature - Wildlife & Birding Tours
Address: Bridgewater, SA, AU
Telephone: +61468885340

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About Nature - Wildlife & Birding Tours

Tailored and Private Wildlife & Birding Safaris throughout South Africa

Ever dreamed of visiting the Kruger National Park or watching the amazing wildlife of Africa in it's un-spoilt and natural habitat? Please feel free to contact us to find out more about our National Park safaris throughout South Africa.

09/08/2026

Reflections

A Southern White Rhino stands quietly at a waterhole, its reflection staring back from the still water.

This reflection makes me think...

Not much more than 10 years ago, across much of Southern Africa, white rhinos were something we often took for granted. They were regular sightings on game drives - sometimes several in a single morning, and I remember days when we could encounter upward of 30 on a full day’s drive.

Today, while seeing a white rhino is still possible in many protected areas, seeing one at all - and especially one with both horns fully grown and intact - feels far more special than it once did.

Poaching has changed the landscape of conservation, and it has changed the way many of us experience these animals.

What this reflection shows me is not simply a rhino standing in its natural habitat, facing the challenges of an already harsh environment. It is also a reflection of how precious these encounters have become - and perhaps a reminder of how much more I should have cherished those many moments when seeing a rhino was something I could almost take for granted.

So here's hoping that future generations will still have the chance to see the real animal - not just its reflection in old photographs and fading memories.

04/08/2026

The unmistakable Trumpeter Hornbill

Perched high in a dead tree, this solitary Trumpeter Hornbill (Bycanistes bucinator) was keeping watch over the surrounding woodland.

One of the most striking features of this species is the casque, the large helmet-like structure sitting on top of the bill. In Trumpeter Hornbills the casque is relatively smooth and compressed, and it becomes especially prominent in adult males.

Despite its impressive appearance, the casque is surprisingly lightweight, being formed from air-filled bone covered with keratin. Scientists believe it plays several roles, including amplifying their loud trumpeting calls, helping with visual display and recognition, and possibly acting as an indicator of age and condition.

20/07/2026

Head held high, the cheetah's gaze is fixed on something far beyond our view.

It steps forward slowly and deliberately before pausing, ears twitching as it scans the landscape. You can almost imagine a herd of impala somewhere ahead, unaware that every movement is being watched.

As the distance closes, the cheetah gradually lowers its head. Its shoulders sink, its body becoming more streamlined, yet it continues to advance with quiet confidence. There is no rush—just complete focus. Every step, every glance, every flick of an ear is gathering information.

It's a reminder that a hunt doesn't begin with speed. It begins with patience, observation, and an extraordinary awareness of the world around it.

Moments like these are what make an African safari so unforgettable. Are you ready to experience it yourself?
Get in touch to start planning your own private wildlife adventure!

16/07/2026

A Splash of Gold in the Kruger Bush 💛
Not every memorable sighting in Kruger National Park weighs a tonne or has impressive horns.
This stunning Golden-breasted Bunting is one of southern Africa's most colourful little birds. Despite its brilliant yellow underparts, rich chestnut wings and striking black-and-white face, it can be surprisingly easy to overlook as it quietly feeds amongst thorny acacias and woodland edges.
It's the brilliant flash of yellow that first grabs your attention, but it's through a pair of binoculars that you really begin to appreciate this remarkable little bird. Every feather seems intricately patterned, from the crisp black-and-white face to the warm chestnut tones across the back, making it one of those species that's well worth lingering over.
It's these smaller encounters that often become lasting memories. While everyone hopes to see lions, leopards and elephants, taking the time to appreciate birds like this reminds us that Africa's wildlife is about so much more than the Big Five.
On our safaris, we love celebrating all of nature—from iconic mammals to the birds, butterflies, dragonflies and countless other fascinating creatures that make every game drive unique.
Have you ever had a small bird steal the show on safari?

07/06/2026

Sometimes the smallest moments reveal some of nature’s most remarkable adaptations.

This Common Ringtail Possum was hanging upside down while feeding on eucalyptus leaves right outside my balcony, using its prehensile tail almost like a fifth limb. The underside of the tail near the white tip is bare and highly sensitive, allowing it to grip branches securely while the possum reaches for food.

Its choice of meal is just as impressive. Eucalyptus leaves are tough, fibrous and loaded with chemical compounds that would challenge the digestive system of many animals. Ringtail Possums overcome this through an enlarged caecum, where specialised microorganisms help ferment the leaves and unlock the nutrients within.

To make the most of this low-energy food source, Ringtail Possums also practise cecotrophy, re-ingesting specialised nutrient-rich caecal pellets so that digestion can effectively occur a second time. It is a process somewhat similar to the coprophagy seen in several of the African species I often talk about, although cecotrophy is a more specialised adaptation involving specially produced caecal pellets.

Standing on my balcony, it would have been easy to simply enjoy the moment and move on. But the more we learn about the animals around us, the more we discover that even the most familiar species have extraordinary stories to tell.

If this kind of curiosity resonates with you, and you think you’d enjoy conversations like this while experiencing African wildlife in the field, 2027 safari bookings are now open.

22/05/2026

Sometimes a safari is simply about slowing down, looking ahead and becoming more aware.

Much like this young giraffe staying close beside its mother, learning the rhythm of the bush step by step, while slowly beginning to take notice of the things around it.

That’s often what time in Africa becomes for people too. The longer you spend out there, the more you begin to notice - the smaller interactions, changing light, alarm calls in the distance, birds moving through the trees, and the feeling of being completely present in a wild place.

Our 2027 private safaris are now beginning to take shape, designed for travellers wanting something personal, flexible, and properly connected to nature. No groups, no convoy-style travel, just your own private journey through Southern Africa at a pace that allows you to truly experience it.

If Africa has been sitting somewhere in your future plans for a long time, perhaps it’s time to start looking ahead too. Get in touch if you’d like to start planning your own safari experience.

22/01/2026

As the summer rains have settled in across Southern Africa, the bush begins to stir in quiet, subtle ways. One of my favourite signs of this seasonal shift is the reappearance of the Flap-necked Chameleon.
For months they seem to vanish, waiting patiently through the colder, drier periods, conserving energy and staying hidden until conditions are right again. Then, almost as if on cue, they return — moving slowly through the foliage, changing colour with the light, and reminding us just how perfectly tuned to the rhythms of nature they really are.
It’s a gentle, beautiful reminder that everything in the wild runs on its own timetable. No rushing. No forcing. Just waiting for the right moment.
And in much the same way, a new year for tourism in South Africa is here. Fresh seasons, fresh journeys, and countless small, magical encounters waiting to unfold — not just with the iconic species, but with the quiet, intricate lives that so often go un-noticed.
So who's for another year of slowing down, paying attention, and sharing nature in all its rich detail.
Send me an email, and let's explore the wilderness together!

11/12/2025

A beautiful pair of Grey-crowned Cranes roosting high in a tree near Wakkerstroom, South Africa.
It’s always special to see them from this angle - perched above the landscape, framed by those iconic golden crowns.

These cranes are known for their graceful courtship dances, deep resonant calls, and striking plumage. Unlike many other crane species, they regularly roost in trees thanks to their long hind toe, which helps them perch securely.

Moments like this are what make the wetlands and grasslands around Wakkerstroom so incredible - full of life, sound, and surprises.

26/11/2025

One of the most remarkable things about the Damara Dik-dik (Madoqua damarensis) isn’t just how tiny and adorable they are — it’s how brilliantly they’re engineered for survival in some of Africa’s hottest, driest landscapes.

These miniature antelope have an elongated, flexible snout filled with a dense network of blood vessels, allowing dry air to pass over their moist nasal passages and create evaporative cooling. As the cooled blood circulates back to the brain and core, it helps them maintain a lower internal temperature than the environment, conserve precious water, and remain active even during the intense heat when many other animals retreat to the shade.

It’s a beautifully efficient natural cooling system — and just another reason the African bush never stops surprising us.

While exploring the Etosha National Park, look low and along the thickets; these little specialists are masters at staying hidden, but once you spot one, you’ll fall in love!

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10/11/2025

Most of you know how much I love dragonflies!
This close-up of a female Violet Dropwing, photographed in Kruger National Park, South Africa, shows just how incredible they really are.

While we humans rely on two eyes with three colour receptors (red, green, blue), dragonflies have between 11 and 30 different types — and this Violet Dropwing sits on the higher end of that range! That means they see colours, ultraviolet, and patterns of light that are completely invisible to us.

Each of their enormous compound eyes contains around 30,000 tiny lenses, giving them almost 360° vision and the ability to spot movement in nearly every direction — a serious advantage for an aerial hunter.

And if that’s not amazing enough… their visual response time leaves us standing still! Humans process about 60 images per second, while a dragonfly can process 200–300 😲 seeing the world in almost slow motion.

Nature’s design never ceases to amaze me!

Address

Bridgewater, SA

Telephone

+61468885340

Website

http://www.aboutnature.com.au/

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