I've got a feeling of a hot summer in Kruger

[Pumbaa]

Elephant day with great shots

And beautiful scenery

The North is definitely elephant country

[Pumbaa]

It really is a lovely drive, that S50, Pumbaa! (But it is looong!)

Beautiful landscapes, and it is indeed elephant country!

Shingwedzi Has been full of rock monitors for decades, for some reason?

Nevertheless simply love the S50 - Love it to see rock monitors in camp This was already the second one after the one we saw at Biyamiti. This chap was totally relaxed and was very patient whilst Timon took pictures

[Pumbaa]

We paid a short visit to the confluence but at that time of the day not much was around so we turned around and drove back to camp and stopped for a dispute a buffalo as well as an elephant bull dealt with because of one of the remaining puddles in the river



for sure the elephant won and chased the buffalo away from the puddle.



Meanwhile it was also time to check in and to our luck we got again the keys to Bungalow B70 in which we do regularly stay whilst staying here. After we moved in and took our time on the verandah or in the bungalow to cool a bit down due to the heat we only left camp quite late after that long drive.

We left camp now via the back entrance as we wanted to spend a bit time on the causeway as during our last year’s trip same was the whole time flooded and could not be crossed. This year only a large puddle was left in which most of the crocodiles bustled.



We also spotted from there a grey heron,



an elephant,



waterbucks



and a resting crocodile.



During our further drive we came also across a group of ground hornbills



and after a short visit on the highwater bridge over the Shingwedzi we were already on our way back to camp, however, the elephant as well as buffalo who had a dispute earlier that day still were hanging around and whilst Mr. elephant now took over the puddle in which the buffalo stayed earlier



and was now busy with splashing around



the buffalo found a better puddle with more water left so both were finally satisfied.



Mr. elephant was now in his element and played in the mud like mad.

[Pumbaa]

During that short drive along the river there was so much to be seen so the time was ticking down but for sure we had time to stop for a couple of giraffes who were hanging around



on both sides of the road.



Then we noticed a loud racket and had to look twice as a fish eagle was followed by an egyptian goose in flight





whilst the goose was shouting at the fish eagle same now and then looked over its shoulder in flight



whether the troublemaker meanwhile gave up the chase in fact a quite funny encounter.



Lots of carmine bee eaters came across





as well as marabou storks



and also a crested barbet could be seen





until we returned back to camp to lit our braai for the final time already during that trip to process all the remaining food and after such an eventful day we fell directly into the bed after we finished our dinner.

to be continued…………..

[Lisbeth]

The elephant manages to cover himself completely with mud, also behind the ears

The fish eagle/Egyptian goose chase is hilarious

Nice crested barbet

[RogerFraser]

Love the Elephant and BUff interaction and the Ellie having its mudbath .

The Goose V Fisheagle is hilarious

[nan]

the Buffalo is very tiny vs the Ellie

love too the serie of Egyptian Goose and Fish Eagle
superb Carmine Bee-Eater, the Crested Barbet too and of course the Ground Hornbill

[Pumbaa]

The elephant manages to cover himself completely with mud, also behind the ears

The fish eagle/Egyptian goose chase is hilarious

Nice crested barbet

Yes, some elephants can do that - We had such fun watching him

[Pumbaa]

Love the Elephant and BUff interaction and the Ellie having its mudbath .

The Goose V Fisheagle is hilarious

Always great to watch different animal interactions - That was in fact a fantastic one

[Pumbaa]

the Buffalo is very tiny vs the Ellie

love too the serie of Egyptian Goose and Fish Eagle
superb Carmine Bee-Eater, the Crested Barbet too and of course the Ground Hornbill

Totally right it was a large elephant bull so the buffalo looked extreme tiny although same was huge as well