Flutts and the Brat drag SO to Kruger*

[Flutterby]

At the end of February, the Brat had a long weekend for half-term and was determined to get SO to go to Kruger. After lots of discussion we finally made a booking for two nights at Skuks. SO wanted luxury, but the best we could get was the normal bungalow with shower, loo and utensils...luxury for us after the huts at Lower Sabie , but not for SO!

Anyway, we also got him to agree to leave at midnight so that we could make the most of our very short trip! SO had had two very late nights in a row so I offered to do the driving during the night, and to my surprise he agreed! However, by Nelspruit the backseat driving was driving me mad, so I pulled over and told him to drive! We had decided to enter at Croc Bridge, and stopped at a petrol station nearby to fill up and empty out! I was shocked to see so many people sleeping in the alley to the loos...on the floor, on mattresses and on stretches! A lady approached SO and made him an offer he couldn't understand...turned out she wanted to change our rands to meticals! We got to the gate at 5am...first in the queue!



They were very organised and handed out the forms to us before the gates opened (unlike Phabeni), so we were ready for action once the gate opened. When we got to the entrance I jumped out the car ready to dash to the office but the gate guards called us and told us to come straight through (again, different to Phabeni)! Anyway, we were soon through the gate, although SO was very amused that we were asked if we had any pets with us!

Although SO is not mad about the bush, he is a very good spotter, so he implemented a spotting game to keep himself interested over the next two days! We headed up the H4-2 where SO was the first to spot...impala! The Brat was next with wildebeest, then I got onto the points board with zebra and giraffe. We hadn't even done 2kms when SO stopped the car and calmly announced "lion"! A pretty good spot, I think you'll agree! It was very overcast and drizzling so not easy to get any good pics.



It was a single female, but she was very alert and kept looking around, so we were convinced that there were more lions about. We had now caused quite a traffic jam, and SO was very chuffed with himself and was ahead in the points department! It wasn't too long before another lioness appeared...



...followed by a handsome male!



A European Roller also wanted its pic taken.



Another lioness appeared and a young male.







We could see a smaller traffic jam further on where 5 rhinos were grazing on the side of the road. They came closer and closer to us, until they were between us and the lions.



There was now the usual traffic drama with idiots all over the place! We could see the rhinos wanted to cross the road, and everytime SO managed to make a gap for them, someone would force their car into it!!

[Flutterby]

The rhinos realised they could not cross the road, so turned towards the lions. The lionesses and young male were wary and moved out of the way...



...but the big male stayed hidden behind a bush even when the rhinos walked right past...keeping his eye on them all the time!



Peek-a-boo!



The rhinos eventually left the lions in peace and the lions settled down to snooze, so after almost 2 hours we moved on, much to SO's relief! While watching all of this, the Brat and I also spotted a hyena lurking in the distance.

Female Red-backed Shrike



Our first ellies.



These Southern Carmine bee-eaters were a lovely splash of colour, but the dull sky didn't make for lovely pics!





The Woodland Kingfishers were out in full force, and their calls could be heard constantly!





A Rattling Cisticola?



The European Bee-eaters were also in plentiful supply!

[Flutterby]

The Brat is super busy at school at the moment, so he's asked me to post some of his pics so he doesn't get left behind!

Greetings!

















We saw plenty of tortoises on the roads.



This was SO's next brilliant spot! This Side-striped Jackal was deep in the bush, and it took me quite while to find it!

[Flutterby]

SO's points' tally was climbing, especially with the SSJ. This was another really good spot!



The Brat really wanted to see doggies and cheetah and teased SO with extra points if he found either! He also said that if SO could find a brown hyena or a pangolin he could have a million points!! SO loves a challenge!

The rest of the H4-2 was quiet, although there were spiders everywhere...SO's favourite!



We had decided to stop at Lower Sabie and try the Mugg and Bean for the first time. This lizard was sitting on a log near reception, but I only had my big lens on and had to stand about 100 metres away (while being bumped by everyone) to get it in the frame!



There were a couple of buffs in the river, but otherwise it was quiet.





The Brat and I had toasted sandwiches and SO had Eggs Benedict...the food was lovely and the service was great!





A Laughing Dove joined us for brekkie!



After breakfast SO handed the keys to me and said he was going to relax on the back seat…it wasn’t long before he was fast asleep. The H4-1 was very quiet, but there was lots of butterflies to brighten the drive!



Yellow-billed Kite



Giant Plated Lizard

[Flutterby]

Some vervets playing on the side of the road woke SO up!

© Bush Brat



A Shongololo



We eventually arrived at Skuks, and were allocated Bungalow 132. We were glad to see that they have finally moved the fridges inside , although it was totally covered in scratches, I presume from having been turned around so often. I was also surprised to see the sprinklers going...haven't seen that in years!





After a well-earned rest, we headed out again at about 3.30. I had received a message from Gump to say that wild dogs had been seen on the S112, so our afternoon route was decided...down the H1-1, onto the S112 and back on the S22 and S114.

A male Red-backed Shrike



We stopped at Granokop to show SO the view...



... and got a pic of the Brat to compare with one taken there in 2010!!

Then


Now

[Flutterby]

The H1-1 and H3 were quiet (it was still very hot), except for 1 ellie in the road which SO steered well clear of...the Brat was very happy!

We turned onto the S112 hoping to find doggies, but we had no idea where they were or if there would still be cars around so we had our eyes peeled. Then SO and I shouted at the same time! He had seen something move, and I saw unmistakable colours.



They were't very easy to see as they were sleeping but every now and then one would lift its head or get up and then flop down again - we counted 6 of them. We were alone with them for most of the time and we tried to stop a couple of cars to tell them what we'd seen, but most people weren't interested!



© Bush Brat

We stayed with them as long as we could, hoping they would wake up, but the clock was ticking and we had to get going to make it back to camp. We turned onto the S22 and were discussing who was going to get the points for spotting the dogs, as SO and I saw them at the same time, when SO stopped and reversed, pointed out his window and said "look".

A PANGOLIN!!!



The Brat and I were besides ourselves with excitement - our first ever pangolin sighting! SO had seen it right on the edge of the road and it scuttled into the bushes and then stayed dead still!

© Bush Brat

We waited to see if it would move, but it was like a statue, and we had to move on, but what a fantastic sighting!! SO was now really proud of himself and claimed his million points! He kindly let me have the points for the wild dogs!

On the S114, I spotted another lifer...a Senegal Lapwing!



We made it back to camp with 1 minute to spare!

[Flutterby]

When we got back to camp SO grabbed the Peaceful Sleep and sprayed himself liberally...mozzies do love him! Then it was time to get the fire started and relax.



While SO was busy with the braai, the Brat called me inside and pointed to something on one of the beds...bat droppings! I quickly cleaned them up and told him not to say a word to SO otherwise he would have slept in the car! The Brat was also not happy, and then I told him that on most of our previous trips with Mommo I normally cleaned up the bat droppings before he had seen them! He was not very impressed, but I told him if he told SO, our trip would probably be cut short! Thanfully, outside, there were about 6 geckos catching all the insects around the light. Our dinner was ostrich fillet and boerie rolls!



During our meal, SO asked what animals we might see in the camp at night, and the Brat told him we'd only ever seen bushbabies in Skukuza. About 10 minutes later SO saw something moving in the shadows and grabbed the torch...a genet!



After our meal we took a walk down to the deck to see if we could find some hyenas walking along the fence, but it was very quiet - apart from the insect chorus, which had SO imagining all types of killer creepy crawlies! As we walked through the car park SO spotted more movement - this time it was a bushbaby.



It was very tame and let us walk almost right up to it before heading for safety!



It was now about 9.30 and we were completely exhausted, so it was time for bed. We had a good night's sleep with no bat adventures!

[Flutterby]

We were up bright and early the next morning, with surprisingly few complaints from SO at the early start, although he was shocked when we got to the gate and there was a queue to get out! He also couldn't understand how everyone could be so cheerful at that time of the day!

Our first stop was Lake Panic where there was only one other guest in the hide.



Apart from a Green-backed Heron it was very quiet.



SO dislikes birdwatching even more than the Brat , so we didn't stay too long. We headed back towards Skukuza, and saw some cars stopped on the little detour road at the N'waswitshaka bridge. Everyone was looking towards the bridge, and on the other side we spotted this!



The leopard sat with its head in the reeds for quite a long time before looking our way...not sure what it was doing.



There was now the normal traffic chaos, with the jeep jockeys being the worst offenders as usual! The leopard decided it had had enough.

© Bush Brat

© Bush Brat

It disappeared into the reeds, so all the jeep jockeys and a few other cars decided it was ok to ignore the no-entry signs and all piled onto the bridge (which was under construction) to see if they could still see the leopard...which they couldn't! Anyway, we had enjoyed the sighting and carried on towards Lower Sabie.

Tawny-flanked Prinia?



Another lifer...Levaillant's Cuckoo I spotted lots of other cuckoos on this trip, but everytime we stopped they would fly off before I could ID them or get a pic!



We saw surprisingly few ellies.



A giant snail racing across the road.

[Flutterby]

We had decided to head back to Lower Sabie, up the H10, then cut across and get onto the S30.

We met up with some boons on the H4-1. The nails are in quite good condition!

© Bush Brat

The family that grooms together stays together.


A bit further on we came across this....

© Bush Brat

He settled in the shade of a tree next to the road, and was eyeing some nearby impala, and would occasionally glance our way.



© Bush Brat



At one point he decided to take a closer look at the impala....

© Bush Brat

© Bush Brat

...but then decided it was way too much effort and the shade was much more appealing!

© Bush Brat

© Bush Brat

[Flutterby]

We eventually left the lion behind and carried on towards LS.

A surfer at Sunset Dam



Wood Sandpiper? He was bobbing up and down all the time.



Three-banded Plover



Southern Carmine Bee-eater on the H10.



The H10 was very quiet, as was the S30. On the H12 high-level bridge we came across a bit of a traffic jam and found two hippos having quite a fight. The one hippo was quite a lot bigger than the other and would not leave it alone. The smaller one would move away and the bigger one would chase it and start the fight all over again accompanied by lots of splashing and grunting!















We eventually left them to it, with no resolution in sight!