Two minutes past midnight, and the rain is pelting down. Write off theFiery Night Neckjars and the Arse Growl, sorry, Grass Owl.

Raindrops 1 metre across prevented the Weenen Dakkakkers getting out ofthe starting blocks at 3.30 as planned, and it was only at 4.30 that the rain eased off enough for us to start. In this time we heard Black Cuckoo, had Mocking Chat and Familiar Chat through the kitchen window,the Dakkakker (House Sparrow for the uninitiated), and WhitebrowedRobin, and nothing else. I hour gone, three species, down and warningsfrom the Officer-In-Charge about the new, bedonderede Black Rhino in the sanctuary area. Thanks a lot!

A rain-spoilt half hour in the Weenen Nature Reserve, another 4 species,and spirits were low, every goddamned Pied Crow became a raptor, everygoddamned Steppe Buzzard a Wahlbergs or something esle. Then suddenly abreak in the rain, every stop at ten minute intervals yielded 5 or 6 species, and by the end of hour number 2, 42 species. More rain, a quickstop for breakfast, then heads down and looking. 95 species within Weenen, and only 6 hours gone, but no Korhaans, mist at about 100 feetso no raptors or Vultures, the Hyenas had made off with the carcasses at
the vulture feeding site. But five cuckoos, Black, Klaas's, Diederick,Redchested, and Jacobin.Grey Penduline Tit is a lifer for Louis, Vice Captain and guarantor for the Chat-eating Ant, sorry, Anteating Chat.

Within the reserve, a really bedraggled Crested Barbet slumped on theroad pecking halfheartedly at a huge blind-worm which had emerged fromthe earth to avoid being drowned. The Steppe Buzzard nearby was too coldand wet to rob it of its prey.

On to Ladysmith sewerage works, Gabar Goshawk on the power lines, tick!(sorry Marc, no time to study the morphometrics, just a bunch of wettickers)

Malandeni, the great hope, and more rain, driving, misty, cold (8degrees outside, and only 11 in the vehicle). Lots of dead, badlydecayed European Swallows, rain, Brownthroated Martins close enough to touch, rain, Ruff, rain,  Sandpipers, rain Herons, rain, Starlings,
rain. Now up to 142, and time for lunch, then to Malandeni part 2. Inthe rain, the locked gate was a huge disappointment, probably one of theother teams who knew we were coming here.

Now a scratch for more birds. Violent thunderstorms, and mutterings of "let's pack this in."

A drive in lightning and thunder on liquid dirt roads to Winterton, BlueCranes, Crowned Cranes, White Storks, and three wet little Cliff Swallows,  a Longcrested  Black Crow, sorry, Eagle,  and, mercy, at last, a soggy pile of feathers called Laughing Dove. The Boks win!!!!! The Ladies Bar with soft lights and sure looking enticing.

African Marsh Harrier, then Snipe, and a thunderstorm to beat thunderstorms. A close encounter with a ditch even in 4x4 saftey, the liquid mud is now inches thick, and the cloud cover is making it necessary to put on full headlights. It is 18h00 and the chances of the rain stopping are zero.

Back on the road, at last, an Anteating Chat, then home, carefully, and
with mixed feelings.

A cold beer, another cold beer, some coke met gees, and we have 157 species, 6 better than 1996, in 14 hours, and no more chances to do night birding, the rain is coming down in sheets.

Two other teams working out of Weenen reported 114 and 115, Ken Gordon's team from Ladysmith report 204, the NBC team in Bonamamnzi and surrounds scored 202, so all in all, for the KZN effort it was a BBD disaster.