And then the rain set in or at dusk the bush comes alive

[Alf]

Another great installment

[Richprins]

Marvelous, Pumbaa!

Love the baby hippo and the giant owls!

Interesting hyena setting too!

[Mel]

Beautiful owl

I wonder how old Miss Satara really is. She's been around for some travel tales - even back on the yellow forum.
And I also wonder if there is really only on wild cat in the whole wide camp

[Lisbeth]

She had a kitten some time back, so maybe it is the "kitten"

[Flutterby]

Sleepy hyena and cute kitty cat!

[Pumbaa]

Another great installment

Thanks Alf - More to come soon

Marvelous, Pumbaa!

Love the baby hippo and the giant owls!

Interesting hyena setting too!

The Baby hippos indeed were cute

Beautiful owl

I wonder how old Miss Satara really is. She's been around for some travel tales - even back on the yellow forum.
And I also wonder if there is really only on wild cat in the whole wide camp

I guess there a a couple of Miss Satara's in camp but nevertheless we love such dinner guests

[Pumbaa]

She had a kitten some time back, so maybe it is the "kitten"

I guess it is maybe already the kitten from the kitten

Sleepy hyena and cute kitty cat!

The hyena indeed must have had a hard night

[Pumbaa]

After we then paid already our final visit at N’wanetsi picnic spot we continued along the S41 which gladly was open and there we spotted another black crowned tchagra



posing nicely for us.



Luckily all causeways were passable and from the flooded part where we capitulated yesterday was nothing to be seen any longer on the contrary the road was extreme good to drive. We saw some white backed vultures in a tree



and at one of our favourite spots on that road, the loop which is leading directly to the river prior you have to cross the causeway over the N’wanetsi we stopped and gladly had some more than nice birdies who entertained us a lot there – First we spotted a little bee eater we do already often saw at exactly that spot



and to our delight Mrs. paradise flycatcher sat still enough for a couple of seconds for a picture



then we parked in the loop and chose a spot so that other cars could pass us and we had a nice view into the river which has indeed filled up a bit after the rain as same was the previous day totally empty but today it was not only water to be seen but also a lot of different water birds – a black winged stilt was around



and had some nice poses to show





and also a sandpiper was busy in foraging.



Then Timon told me that he is having a strange looking bird in the viewfinder and in that second I noticed same as well and was more than ecstatic as this was a bird I wanted to see under all circumstances one day and today was the day – a greater painted snipe!





On top this was our lifer No. 7 during that trip and same compensated us extremely about the lack of sightings we had this year in this area.

[Pumbaa]

Luckily same had no intention to leave and allowed us to take a couple of different shots



and we were over the moon with that extreme colourful bird.



After we took enough shots we continued only to stop on the causeway itself which was today full of water again and it even started to rain from time to time



and also the barbels had again a great time with all the water.



Close to where we parked a three banded plover was hanging around



which is also always a fantastic sighting



and on top another giant eagle owl on the ground could also be spotted but after we took some shots same decided to fly away.



The next causeway we then had to cross looked as well lovely with the much water



but Gudzani dam we paid a final visit already looked exactly as the days before and was still nearly empty. The rain also got harder again but on the edge of the dam we noticed a juvenile fish eagle extreme close



its parents could be seen in a tree in the distance where they do normally sit. We stayed quite a while here and continued with our final drive along the S100 on which we met the cutest waterbuck baby ever.



The sky was still grey but happily the rain stopped meanwhile for the rest of the day and we even came across another black shouldered kite



and a burchell’s coucal.





to be continued….

[Lisbeth]

Lots a wonderful bird pics

How lucky you were to see a greater painted snipe!