The weather has been showing a change?as is expected in spring. The mornings still have a chill to them and winter pyjamas are still popular. However, within an hour or two, the layers of protection against the chill are readily peeled off and by lunch, the ice-cold drinks are in demand. There was a brief storm in the last week of the month and we received a much welcomed 5mm of rain to settle the dust, even if just briefly. 

The water levels have dropped steadily and our guests arriving at the Jao airstrip are now being driven in to Kwetsani and no longer coming through on the channels by boat. For now, we are still able to boat in to Hunda Island but how long that is still going to be possible we shall have to wait and see.

If there is a species of the month for Kwetsani, it would be the African lion! 

The Jao Pride male has created quite a stir in camp. He was seen on the floodplains in front of the lodge with the two females and the two cubs. They made a hearty meal of a red lechwe and then slept off the meal for two days in true lion style. The females headed back to Jao but the male announced his presence the whole night through. He eventually walked the perimeter of Kwetsani during the early morning, announcing his presence frequently, much to the delight and disdain of the guests and staff. By disdain we mean only that getting to work in the morning may delay you somewhat when you have to share the path with a lion! He was quite considerate in his timing as the guests grabbed their muffins to go and they had the pleasure of watching him reclaim his territory in a frenzy of scent marking. It seems there may have been another male lion that had moved through, creating a sense of urgency for our resident male.  

General game viewing has been fantastic too, as the water recedes, new growth blooms in its wake - attracting a myriad of herbivore species. Elephant have been as active as ever, constantly landscaping the environment.

In true spring style, there is an air of love and industry and we've heard some new bird calls as some migrant birds make their way back while others are busily going about their business wooing a mate and building nests if their wooing has been successful. We have a green wood-hoopoe nest from our 'loo with a view' and being one of the most vocal and noisiest birds, overlooking the nest is impossible. The green wood-hoopoe is a cooperative breeder and you will find the whole family supporting the feeding of the chicks. They mostly breed in a cavity in a tree and as many as eight have been recorded in one cavity! We also saw the mating of two Retz's helmet-shrikes above the Kwetsani office. 

Lastly, our resident Verreaux's eagle-owl is still a regular around camp and allows us some splendid sightings and photo opportunities for the guests. He sat alongside the walkway by Room 3, oblivious to the rapid fire shutter of the cameras. Later that same week, he observed the staff ending off their evening shift.

This month has been full of the most diverse and interesting guests! The Monday night traditional theme has seen more of our guests opting to also sing a song for the entertainment of the staff. We've heard Elvis and The Beatles tunes recited, but by far the most popular was a Jingle Bells tune with a dedicated message to Kwetsani. One of our guests requested spoons to facilitate his specialized 'spoon dance' and did a jig around the camp fire using tablespoons as clarinets, much to the amusement of the staff! We had an author who spent 15 years in Nepal as a travel doctor and wrote a book inspired by his time there. Our 'Jingle Bells' group comprised six veterinarians from the USA. The guide is still recovering from the calibre of questions that they asked! It is not only the magic of the Delta that motivates the staff to choose this line of work but the variety of magical people that stay at our lodges!

Managers: William and Angie Whiteman.

Guides: MT Malebogo, Florence Kagiso and Ronald Gaopalewe.