One of the most essential elements in African cultures is rain! It has profound meaning and significance as a source of food, replenishment, and survival for both people and the animal kingdom. In the bushveld, we look forward to the summer season because we know it brings with it this essential source of life. The Shangaan word “nwalungu” refers to the cumulonimbus cloud formation that creates dark skies and brings on electric thunderstorms. While the rains this year have been later than usual, only arriving in November, when they do come they sure do pour down. Hot days of the summer season culminate in tall clouds which sometimes kiss the realm of the troposphere! Strong prevailing winds pull the clouds over the reserve and what transpires is heavy rain drops that hit very thirsty ground, often with short and intense thunderstorms and lightning which is a powerful experience to witness. The smell of rain is known as Petrichor, the unique, earthy scent is caused by the water from the rain, along with certain compounds like ozone, geosmin and plant oils. It associates with a distinct trace of the scent of a tobacco field.
I always enjoy summer as it brings about life, there is an energy flow in the ecosystem, and I personally like spending time close to water and flowing rivers listening to the sounds, absorbing the resurgence of nature, watching swallows and other birds flying over me particuarly through the golden rays of the brilliant sunsets. It’s special. The smell of the wild lavender and potato bush in the drainage lines really reawakens your soul, as does the muddy smell of the wallow where animals love a mud bath or the strong scent from fresh dung is also unique…it makes you want to have summer for all seasons of the year!
The air is dense and warm on your skin and you feel alive. Our people and wildlife are always reawakened in this season and every soul is rebirthed. Did you know that when birds and mammals take the first seasonal shower it treats their skin and refreshes their bodies. What is interesting is there is an acid in the rain drops that helps the birds and other animals to eliminate unwanted bacteria and fungus from their skin.
Heavy rain also cleanses the bushveld and shapes the landscapes, filling the rivers and dams and creating furrows as dry grounds are often too hard to absorb it. As guides we know when the dung beetles start their nesting and breeding, through their intricate and fascinating process in the soil, that the earth is moist enough for regeneration and growth and we know to expect explosive greenery when the grass and leaves come back from winter with a vengeance. The landscape changes drastically and quickly – within days it can look completely different. Snails and most insects thrive in summer as the weather is warmer, and with water there is food source. The main key factor in insect life is temperature, the warmer weather enables insects to function and sustain flight as well as breed better.
Larger mammals and all herbivores head for greener pastures in summer. The smaller waterholes also retain water and provide a better spot for wallowing as needed by warthogs and other species like buffalos and elephants!
What makes the bushveld particularly captivating in summer is most animals become extremely vocal: birds and frogs engage in special singing competitions to impress their mates, as well as advertise their ownership of territory. Beautiful music for the ears, particualrly when sitting in your boma at night. Most birds will also grow new plumage and look more fascinating and different for the same purpose. This is a particularly good season for bird watching and frogging. Remember many birds return from the north for the summer months and their arrival is a welcome sight. It signifies that we are part of this beautiful and extraordinary world and just how fascinating the seasons and changes are to so many creatures in the ecosystem. Birds in particular that migrate.
Of course, the summer months with rains do activate different flowering plants species. The bush is more colourful and attractive, bringing surplus butterflies and bees attracted to the flowers and foraging for pollen and nectar. Wet grounds also engrave animals’ tracks better than harden in the soil to last until the next rain. Most animals with soft pads on their feet leave their footprints behind, which makes tracking interesting for us. Wet grounds give off a perfect detail on animals tracks better.
On a recent bushwalk in a very tall grass we happened to come across to a flock of Red-billed Oxpecker taking off from what it looked like a big grey rock. We stopped immediately to ascertain their behaviour only to realise a 30 metres away, a huge rhino stood up and turned around. Signalling to our guests to kneel and hold their positions to meet the level of the vegetation we were in, we could admire this creature downwind. A rare sighting and always a thrilling one. The key to tracking and guiding in summer is to always be down wind when you walk, this will enable you to get closer to the animals without disturbance.
Here’s to a good season with good rains and all it brings in the magnificent sightings we encounter.
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