nan wrote: ↑Sun Apr 16, 2023 9:32 pm
wow again a super episode
is the Tortoise a special one... I think so, could be a Homopus areolatus Parrot-beaked Tortoise.....
and I think of the Red-billed Oxpecker and all the others
interesting to be nose to nose with a Hippo
ready for more
Thanks for the ID on the Tortoise
Lisbeth wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 10:49 am
That was a close encounter with the hippo
Great pic of the "go away" bird, the "beauty" and the green-back
You were a bit limited in your movements, but it was a new experience
it was interesting to see how much you can see only on the tar
Richprins wrote: ↑Mon Apr 17, 2023 6:07 pm
Sorry only clocking in now, Rog!
Wow this is interesting, and all the challenges must have got your adrenaline up like crazy!
A bit scary to see so much water indeed, and I know the nervousness of being next to a rising river...
But leopard on the first afternoon, in the rain!
And of course all the general stuff, big and small.
I'm sure you had a eventually once all was sorted!
very scary to see the hippo so close and was a great start
Pumbaa wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 4:03 pm
Love all your birds, Roger,
We decided to drive up to see the H1-2 Bridge as we would do the route the following day .
The vultures were still hanging about in the tree
We came across a Giant Kingfisher on the bridge watching the water
It swooped down and caught a fish landing on the rocks :
We were taking picks and it suddenly flew off as another crane came down to try steal its fish .
We carried on and found a few cars stopped looking far away with binoculars . We asked and they said there's a Leopard in the tree far away . We sat and looked far away and found nothing .We looked and looked and eventually after a long time searching we found it -Max zoom
How anyone had seen it was amazing .
We then came across a different type of Ratel hiding behind some bushes in fact we saw it many more times as we only had the main road and it didn't move so seems to have broken down :
This big Ellie was having a good scratch on a tree
The river was full but not as full as the previous day
We saw there was allot of damage at Delaport Water hole and only a single lane of road left in one place .We stopped in at Skukuza for the bathroom and then carried on .
The Low level River bridge towards the Airport was closed off
I remember also that closed Sabie causeway sometimes with even less water and after the rain same was again more flooded - You had luck with the leopard and love your ellie
If you can only see the leopard with max. zoom isn't great fun IMO
Lots of water at the Low-level bridge
Nice elephant pic
Giant Kingfisher
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
I remember also that closed Sabie causeway sometimes with even less water and after the rain same was again more flooded - You had luck with the leopard and love your ellie
Pumba enjoy sitting with the Ellies when they are calm and undisturbed by our presence .
We carried on down the H4-1 as it was the only road open .We soon came across a mini traffic jam .The cause wasnt difficult to find
We had joined the queue and gone past drove down turned arround to go back .Some OSV's had pulled up next to the Lioness and of course took their time to move then we saw one of the Guides next to the Lioness blatantly open their door and slam it closed of course the Lioness took fright and instead of just rolling over which was probably their goal she got up and walked down right past us .
We had left space around our bus and she took the gap in the traffic to head into the bushes
Closer and from the side you could see she was not in good health
We found a pretty butterfly and managed to get a quick pic .
We found some Woodies flying around the one bridge
We carried on towards Nkhulu we found a dirt track open to the right that runs parallel to the tar and some OSV's on the first corner we drove down and found more Lions deep in the grass too deep for any decent pics
We drove down the dirt road happy to have found an open road and got to the end only to find a no entry sign planted in the middle of the road we later herd reports that some OSVS had removed some of the signs to give thier clients views of Lions
We found another loop dirt road open to the left along the full Sabie river and decided to take a drive on the dirt only to find a very full river about 5 meters wide running half way down not sure why that was open either we did a U turn as did the vehicle on the opposite side of the stream.
We stopped in at Nkhulu for coffee and noticed the new tents being constructed . After leaving we could not go any further down as the road was closed towards Lower Sabie so we went to drive over the H1-2 bridge there was an OSV stopped on the bridge as we approached to turn onto the bridge one of the traffic control vehicles pulled in front of us drove up next to the OSV and started a heated argument with them . The OSV was stopped but not blocking the traffic in fact the officer caused more disruption pulled up next to them . They then forced the OSV off the bridge an got out ticket book in hand Still cant understand what they had done wrong but we decide not to hang about we did a U turn on the other side as we had seen the route for the next day trip to Orpen and headed back towards camp.
The lioness does not look very well Why did they have to disturb her?
Pretty butterfly
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Thanks for the ID on the Tortoise 
and the green-back 
it was interesting to see how much you can see only on the tar 
eventually once all was sorted!
Pumba
![[O]](./images/smilies/camera.gif "Photo"){kind=small}
of course the Lioness took fright and instead of just rolling over which was probably their goal she got up and walked down right past us .
we later herd reports that some OSVS had removed some of the signs to give thier clients views of Lions 