Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

pooky wrote: Mon May 28, 2012 8:54 am Day 5 30th March 2012

Today we decided to go down the H-7 towards Orpen - what a good decision that proved
to be.

First up near Nsemani dam was the herd of buffalo crossing the road agian.

Things were quite for a long while until suddenly ahead there was a tawny creature
crossing the road - hurry up and get closer...

What a beautiful sight and for a while all to ourselves. This pride of lions consisted
of 5 females, 9 cubs and two males. The males must have been brothers because
they were very alike. The cubs appeared to be two or three different sizes.
They weren't in a hurry and lay in the road waiting for the others to come across.
The crossing must have taken nearly 30 minutes. Wonderful \O

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We called in at Maroela and this little squirrel was trying to persuade us to give him some food O/

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

Another 2012 ossendryver report! :-0
ossendryver wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2012 7:40 am
When we got to the junction we looked at the book and realized that Nsemani dam was close by. So we decided to go there quickly and then meet up back with the family on the S100.
This decision payed us back in 2 ways.

So after 7kms we finally got to the waterhole and sat for a few minutes.
Nothing much came down to drink, just the hippos.

My dad said: "You see that tree, we'll drive there and then do a U-turn.

That tree was probably 100m from where we were further a long the road.

We got there and we couldn't believe our eyes!
It couldn't be, but it was!

The Mega Pride!

We counted over 17 lions.

It was the most amazing experience

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We felt so bad as we couldn't call our cousins and tell them to come.
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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

From a 2013 Heksie report:
Heksie wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2013 12:24 pm

Now every time Wendy and I want to discuss something one of us would stop then wave the other one forward. And after having a short chat the one in the back would go past and then lead till another conversation. So I got a bbm from Cheets and stopped Wendy as he just informed us about a wild dog sighting that we missed near Nsemani, 3 dogs crossed the road and he was super excited about this, well we were not even 5km from Maroela so we wouldn’t make it even if we wanted to. So she took lead and just after a turn she stopped and jumped in her car, I started getting excited by her behaviour… and you wouldn’t believe what waited in the road…

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We moved forward as we were the only cars there and upon closer investigation saw that we missed a kill somewhere as they had some blood on them.

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And then they tried to attack this wartie as well, but he chased 5 full grown dogs off. It was the first time that I saw an animal chase a predator away…

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Then after about 15 minutes they moved into the bushes and we were a bit down, we just heard yelping of the dogs and then stayed a bit just watching after them.

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But in no time they returned with more dogs, they were much younger than the dogs we have seen earlier and they dragged some left-over pieces of a baby imp with them. We had to count quick and they were moving around the whole time, we believe that there was about 30 dogs in total in this pack.

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Since the cubs joined in another 2 cars joined our amazing sighting, and then the unthinkable happened… As we followed them and they moved forward they spot some imps on the right and the chase began we stopped and no pics were taken as it happened so fast. They ran into that herd and the imps didn’t know what hit them, I was in front with Wendy behind me and first an imp ran in front of my car and skidded on the tar with two dogs behind him, then as I turned to face Wendy to show her my amazement a imp ran between us and jumped over her bonnet… We were flabbergasted, the dogs was successful but it was somewhere in the bush and we couldn’t see anything so we moved on as we had already awesome pics and it was still a long way to go to Lower Sabie,

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

The same pack by aat in 2013!

aat wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2013 5:01 pm
Before we start the engines. Situation: Evening in Satara and we were having dinner. Elly said “just a few days to go and we haven’t seen Painted Dogs yet, we have been spoiled with lots and lots of great sightings but still missing the Dogs” I told her we have a few days to go so who knows.

Next morning, very very eatly again. 4.00 o’clock and preparing for another early mornign drive. Waiting till gate opens and like other mornings…where to go? First decision, turning right… then close to H7 and S100 what to do? At once I said to Elly…we are going to Orpen, you want Painted Dogs…you get Painted Dogs. She smiled and start laughing… I smiled too !

Just a few miles from Satara and still a bit dark…
Sixth sense was right again and Elly ? Yessss, ohhhhhh Wilddogs !

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Incredible, Painted Dogs (I prefer this name) all over the place.
Used ISO speed 1000 because of the light at that moment

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And Look… who we got here? It’s Picasso ! The dog we have seen during several trips and now presenting his whole family. Thanks my friend.

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Here some members of Picasso’s family. Still sleeping

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In the mean time… we looked at each other with a big smile and I said something like you see, I promised you… lalalalala
The Painted Dog family was waking up , stretching… what a privilige.

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No other cars yet so time enough to follow some individuals like Picasso’s brother Matisse.

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Getting a bit closer and watching how they socialize

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Lovely to see these two together, van Gogh and Rembrandt

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Moving a bit forwards to make a close-up from this one near the road

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Sitting there , surrounded almost by Painted Dogs, what a feeling, lucky and happy.
After making the first series of photos I tried to count them and more or less there were about 30 Painted Dogs. Thinking about the estimated numbers we were looking at about 10% of all Painted Dogs in kruger. Stop thinking and making pictures again.
Thanks to my friend Picasso

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After 30 minutes, it just turned 5:00 sun was rising so better light. One of the dogs came to me saying something I could not understand.

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With the golden light it was even more beautiful. Another 7 of the big pack.

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Just don’t know where to look for making pictures, movements everywhere..

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Hi Rembrandt thanks for posing so well

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and back pending to some family members, looking, sniffeling etc

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Another dog waking up and starting the new day with a good stretch

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Mhhhh are you looking at me ?

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Who left this ?

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Getting the feeling I am in Doggies wonderland another one was coming from behind a little bush

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Funny, stretching in the morning is one of their favorites…

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After waking up the majority of the pack started with action… running and playing.


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In our car we enjoyed this playtime a lot. Thinking about it, we have never seen this kind of action with playing before.

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and

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It really was a show they were presenting…

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My friend Picasso was looking too at the show and he was thinking… It’s OK

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Talking about the whole pack, I think 40% of them were young ones. No little puppies but younsters.

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Imagine… sitting there, looking at them, hearing the sounds of their play, really really wonderful

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You too get the feeling to be in the middle of a wildlife movie ?

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Ohhh… something happening there?

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Painted Dogs, thanks for the great sighting and show !

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What to say about this sighting? Looking back at most other Painted Dogs sightings this one was full of action. Most sightings they were just laying down and packs were smaller. Looking at about 30 Painted Dogs on and near the road , in the middle of them was very very special. Elly and I were sure this was one of the most special sightings we ever had.

Later that night when we were enjoying our dinner Elly said “Aat , we have seen Painted Dogs again” Believe me… I had a very very big smile on my face…

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

Richprins wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2017 4:57 pm This is a very famous pic by Carolyn Dunford, nearer to the Orpen side, I think! \O


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Here is a video of that, I think:


https://youtu.be/k1j3WT7T3TA


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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

Some doggies again in Nov. 2014 by JustN@ture:
JustN@ture wrote: Fri Aug 01, 2014 4:04 pm

Down the road we met a group who were looking for a pack of painted dogs O:V :yes: that they had seen deep in the bush when they were on the dirt road. They continued toward Satara which was the direction they said they though the dogs were heading :O^ :O^ . We continued our route to Orpen with much luck…they came out of the bush about 2km down the road, us being the only car there for the first 20 minutes O\/ O\/ ^Q^ O\/ O\/

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Even had the Branch Manager there with us =O: =O: =O:
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Then it was rest time ;-)
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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

A 2014 pooky night drive from Satara!

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pooky wrote: Mon Oct 13, 2014 9:20 pm

Just when we thought this was going to be one of those quiet rides, someone shouted leopard.We were back on the
tar road. A warthog had obviously smelt the leopard and came out of a drain under the road. They faced each other
for a while before the warthog took off. The leopard lay down not far from the road then got up and came closer before laying down again. But he was determined to check out the drain and came right up to the edge of the road,
gave us a glare then moved off. We spent about 20 minutes with this leopard. What a sight and so close. The highlight of the drive and the trip ^Q^ ^Q^

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

pooky wrote: Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:22 pm

We packed up early and were ready to leave just after gate opening, but when we went to start the car there was
just a click 0*\ - no battery O/ Who left a light on, or a door open :-? After jump starting the car we were on our
way. The road was quiet until about halfway. Then about 5 meters from the road lying in some ash was a lone cheetah. He was beautiful and didn't run off at all. As was the norm the car was switched off, to make for better
photos :-)

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Photos were done and it was time to go. We all figured that the car had gone far enough to put some charge into the
battery - how wrong we were - just a click. :shock: We were on a slight incline but with an off-road trailer in tow it was impossible to roll back and get enough speed up to start the car. There was nothing for it but to unhitch the trailer :shock: My SO got out the car -we were all watching the cheetah. He didn't move just watched us. I also got out
to help with the trailer - but my eyes never left the cheetah :o0ps: The car rolled back passed the trailer and started. ^Q^ Only then did the cheetah run about 20 meters away. By this time 3 other cars had arrived. They just sat and
watched us too, the one car drove passed us and gave us such a black look. Certainly nothing to be proud of but we had
no alternative :o0ps: 0*\ Thankfully it was a cheetah and not a lion. That would have delayed us tremendously :-)

Further on was a traffic jam with a big male lion lying in the road. As we arrived he got up and walked off - not looking our way at all (no switching off the car now!!)


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He gave us one look through the bushes and was off again.

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Lastly in the open area at the Mareola turn off was a very tired jackal.

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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Richprins »

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Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
1h1 hour ago

09:26
1 Male leopard stationary and strolling around in the same area
H7, the rocky area right before reception
Near Orpen
Vis 5/5
Tinged by Patrick - Viva Safaris


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Re: Flavour of the Month - June 2013: H7 (Orpen - Satara)

Post by Dindingwe »

This is a nice road, where I had my first ever sughting of a Honey Badger.

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It is also on the H7 that I saw my first Cheetahs in the Kruger : 2 different on the same day ! Beginning of afternoon, not far from Satara, and later near Orpen :

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