Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)*

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Mel
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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

Post by Mel »

For the afternoon drive we opted going south to Lijersdraai. When we left, I told Franco that we would go out to find us some raptors.
Well, we did indeed. :shock: :-0

At Kannaguass there were two Bateleurs - an adult and a chick. But the chick flew off when we arrived.

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However, it came back when it felt safe with our presence:

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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

Post by Mel »

Back at the camp - we hadn't even parked the car, when we saw them again 0-

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They had basically hogged the camp for 4 days in a row and therefore most other critters had stayed away.
But I reckon, having some lions around is better than having nothing around. -O-

This night they stayed until about 10 pm. Daddy took a last drink...

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... and left first at around 9.30, the ladies followed a few minutes later and the cubs were left behind.
We thought there was a food organising mission going, hence the youngsters had to stay in order not to disturb the operation.
But eventually they followed their family. Or at least they marched off into the same direction.

This had now really been the last time that we saw them. For once, no lions would prevent us from leaving the next morning. =O:


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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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16/10/2013 Grootkolk to Kieliekrankie

It was moving day and surprisingly we managed to leave already at 7.20 am O** But only after I had taken a photo of
the chick that had come to for our farewell.

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Looking at the ears, this sandbok must have been in a bad mood. :-0

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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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We were travelling at about 40 km/h when Spots hit the breaks hard for this.

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A mole snake! O:V Hadn't been blessed with snake sightings so far.
But once the spell is broken, they start emerging everywhere, it seems. :twisted:

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When we approached the Cape cobra, we hadn't actually seen it yet. What we had noticed was a car
with the passenger door open. Only then we saw that they were standing next to a snake like that! :shock: 0-


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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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We turned into the Lijers loop and it appeared dead empty. But just when we were about to
leave again, I notice a movement in the shallow waters of the non-artificial waterhole:

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I think, it's a ruff.

Either way, finding water birds in KTP is always a great bonus and I was extremely happy with this sighting. O/\

But turning out of the loop it would get equally exciting:

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White-backed mousebirds O\/ Another first in the Kgalagadi for me. ^Q^


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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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North of Kwang we found the collared lioness again who was extremely tired that morning
and not in the mood to pose for a better photo. :O^

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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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And then we bumped into this:

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Nowhere to go and nothing to be seen. Although I guessed it must be lions and tossing and turning
in the car I managed to get a glimpse of what looked like a male right in the parking space at the
waterhole.

There were 11 cars in total - those you can't see where parked on the parking loop. 0*\

Eventually the car right in front of us reversed to turn around and move up north.
We then saw that there was a mating pair.

As much as I hated the commotion, we still couldn't go anywhere. There had been a car parked in front
of the one that left and it basically blocked the road as there were another two next to it. 0-

Hence, I told Spots we would wait for one round of mating before pushing our way through the road
block. Not long to wait before they got up and going.

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Kindly enough, they decided to do their thing facing us newcomers to the sighting. =O:

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Tbc with much more to come that day. X#X


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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

Post by Mel »

Thank you all O0

Let's continue with the day...

We decided to take the northern dune road to maybe catch some stuff between Kamqua and Auchterlonie and were rewarded with a pretty close martial chick.

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The juvenile was still glued to the nest close to Gemsbokplein but as the light wasn't good anymore, I gave another shot a pass and we made our way to Kieliekrankie. We arrived about 2.30 pm and Willem told us we would be staying in unit 3. Oh no 0*\ With a mischievous smile he handed me the key to
number 1 though. O\/ Both of my favourite units in one trip - first we had stayed in 4, now in 1. \O


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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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Around 5 pm we told Willem we would go out again as we need our cheetah fix after all those lions. :twisted:
Off we went on the Cheetah Highway (Auchterlonie to Houmoed) and didn't have to go far as Elena and family had moved from Monro where we had last seen them close to Kamfersboom.

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Re: Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)

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When we arrived there were 3 cars but it didn't take long for the Twee visitors to arrive and soon there was great commotion again. 0-
As the cheetahs started to settle down in less photo-favourable spots anyway...

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...and didn't look all to comfortable with all the tins on wheels...

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...we left them and all those around us to enjoy the silence and beauty at Auchterlonie.


God put me on earth to accomplish a certain amount of things. Right now I'm so far behind that I'll never die.
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