It is a while since we sent you a report on the park. I am sure that you are reading the accounts of what happens at Quest, which is directed by Will Randle, which are published in the headmaster’s newsletters, so this is really just about Pumula Camp and some aspects of the park itself. Quite a lot has happened since the last report I wrote, so it seemed as if an update was necessary. I have some photos to include from Rosy and me which will illustrate what I have to say.
At the beginning of the first term this year, Birdlife Zimbabwe, Matabeleland branch, held a meeting here at Falcon. They started off with tea at our home, and a talk by Reg Querl on the Peregrine Falcon and the Black Sparrow-Hawk; he had both birds with him. As always, his talk was fascinating and there is always something new to learn. After this, the birders, including young and enthusiastic students from Dambari, a nearby environmental research centre, had an excellent morning of birding round the College and at Quiet Waters. We finished up with lunch at the new dining area at Pumula Camp – a perfect venue and a good place to end what had been a most enjoyable day.
Part of the dining area’s roof construction had been done by 2014 Questers under supervision, and it was finished off by Gordon with his workers. The thatcher, Farai Mtambo, who lives across the Mulungwane Hills, has been involved in all the thatching done at Quiet Waters, first as an assistant thatcher with early structures like the Study Centre, and then as the main thatcher.
A project undertaken by Quest boys last year was the completion of a bridge over one of the inlets into Mbonisa Weir, giving access to the Homann Hide, which had been started by the two Quest intakes of 2013. Because of the big task, it was completed by the Quiet Waters’ team.
Renovations, which included a new roof, were done to Homann Hide, which had fallen into disrepair. It was an important project since the hide had been built many years ago, with funds donated by the Homann family, in memory of Ian Homann, who was tragically killed in a car accident while he was a pupil at the College. I wonder if any of you remember the occasion of the opening of the hide? As Lionel Reynolds was saying the prayer of dedication, a flock of White-faced Duck swept over us and landed with a flurry on the waters in front of us. It was like a blessing.
We now have access to this beautiful bird hide across the new bridge, and it is a favourite place for a cup of coffee and a spot of birding. It is really good, of course, while the weir still has water in it! You can also see lots of birds on the weir wall, as Rosy’s photo of the egrets shows.
Water bird counts are done for Birdlife Zimbabwe every January and July and so sitting in the hide is a really pleasant and quite productive experience. Some of the dead vegetation caused by the increased level of water in the weir has been cleared, so that one can look some way up the weir as well, and one is able to have fairly close-up encounters with the resident Fish Eagles. Perhaps we will again see an otter there?
Completed last year was a new chalet, named Isigangatcha, because of the many Lannea discolor trees around it. The structure had started life as an open rondavel to be used by visiting school groups as a sort of classroom, but it was seldom used and so Gordon thought that turning it into a chalet, given the pressure of demand for accommodation at Pumula, would make good sense. The project took a while, but at last it was finished in time for the 60th Old Boys’ celebrations, and it has proved to be very popular. The chalet has a separate shower, loo, washing up area and its own boiler close by but not seen in this photo.
In addition, signs around the park have been up-graded. This has been rather a long and tiresome exercise at times, given the vandalism which has sometimes plagued the project. However we hope that the new format should be vandal – proof, and that they will be long-lasting!
The builder who has been involved in all this construction, is a man called Lovemore Sithole, whose home is in the beautiful communal area near Lumene Falls, in the eastern Matopos. He is a remarkable man since not only is he a hard-working and efficiient builder, but he has a passion for indigenous trees, and green fingers to boot. He helps Gordon a great deal with his familiarity with the Ndebele names for trees, and his extensive knowledge of the various uses for many trees and shrubs. He has grown numerous trees from seeds, and seedlings which pop up, and while many are used around Pumula, he also takes many home to improve his and his neighbours’ environments.
So much has happened that I have not even got to tell you about the animals! The giraffe have flourished, as have the impala, and there are two large groups of Banded mongoose in the park. A huge warthog male with enormous tusks has been seen regularly with his family, while the laconic baboons are regularly observed, together with their monkey relatives. The resident leopard has been seen quite often – never by Gordon who feels quite hard done by after 30 years! – and spoor of male, female and cub/s are often seen along sandveld roads. Klipsringer had not been seen for ages until this last week; we had feared they had been devoured by python or leopard or both. The eccentric wildebeest seem to be a bit more relaxed and we have had the pleasure of them visiting the pan we built in front of our house. Just before I completed this report, the alpha male wildebeest was found dead on one of the roads. Very sad, but a combination of age and a cold snap seemed to have caused his demise. Kudu are a rarity which is very depressing, which is why I include a photo of one. Bushbuck are observed every now and then and maybe we will see them more often as the bush dries up. There are some very large black mambas which are glimpsed every now and then, mostly in the sandveld areas near the picnic sites, but also near Fish Eagle Retreat, and some of the meetings have been rather too close for comfort!
I mentioned in the staff notes in the magazine the wonderful display of blossom we had from the trees at Quiet Waters and in the College grounds last year. It is a sight we are treated to every few years, and I am not sure if it is related to the rains or not, but they were magnificent, and because they appeared at different times, we were treated to the spectatcle for a couple of months.
As a result of the blossoms, the trees followed with an abundance of pods and the Mukwa were particularly magnificent in this respect, as you can see from Rosy’s photo here
Gordon and I were very sad not to be here when Mike Ross visited Falcon in August last year, and his untimely death early this year was a terrible shock. He had contributed the funds for the building of what has become Pumula’s best chalet, Umnondo, and at least he got to see the completed chalet when he was here with his family. He is much missed.
Do keep in touch and know that you are always welcome visitors. Remember that Falcon Old Boys (and Girls) can hire the chalets at Quiet Waters at very reasonable rates. These are currently (2015)
- Umnondo: (en suite) US$35
- Chelicuti and Isigangatsha : (Chelicuti en suite; Isigangatsha ablutions almost en suite!) US$30
- Other 3 chalets (separate ablutions): $25
These charges are per unit per night.
All have 4 beds but can have extra mattress/es at a push. Umnondo Chalet is shown below left and Chelicuti on the right.
Heather Macdonald
