Imfolozi - Browns June 2014*

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Bushcraft
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Imfolozi - Browns June 2014*

Post by Bushcraft »

I’m ducking and diving at work as I just can’t seem to get enthusiastic about the mundane daily routine, so I have decided to slap a quick trip report together from last weekend O**

The plan was to cruise up on Saturday for 2 nights, but Hawkeyes had a teenage disco thing at a mate’s house on Friday night, which gave me a pelican as it meant a very late night and a late start on Saturday; however after our last Kruger trip I realized that there’s merit in actually relaxing while in a game park rather than charging around for sightings all the time, so we only arrived at Imfolozi after 9:30am.

The idea was to try and get into our unit as early as possible to have a lunch time braai, just take it easy and charge around the next day for sightings, but we could only get our unit at 1pm; therefore decided to cruise to Mpafa hide first to waste some time.

First up was the local entry gate wartie gang

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The rest of the drive to the hide produced boons, zebra, wildebeest, buffalo, etc including rhino and giraffe which the rats and the Cow took pics of. (I never took my camera out until after lunch :o0ps: )

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The rats are always rather nervous at Mpafa as there’s a rather sketchy bush path that one has to walk down and we have had 2 lion, hyena and wild dog just off the path before while walking down, so I was sent on a scouting mission with the Cow’s camera first while the clan stayed in the car.

I arrived to find that the little waterhole in front of the hide was empty, which isn’t cool as there was a croc living there which we have been watching grow for a few years, so I just snapped a pic of the hide local and returned to the car in a huff.

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The Cow can be surprisingly charming sometimes between the thunder faces, so I put pressure on her to attempt an early book in and after a hairy eyeball she agreed, so we returned to camp, but stopped few a few kudu along the way.

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We arrived at Mpila at around 12:20pm and waited in the car while the Cow pulled her sales pitch and soon we were on our way to our unit. I immediately fired up the braai and a few beers were on the menu as starters.

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After lunch I became bored as usual, so conned Albert and Bushpig to walk to the little shop with me for 2 more beers, but soon those were done, so I unpacked my camera and went on patrol with Albert to the tented section, which we prefer, but can hardly ever get in due to the fact that there’s only 2 x 4 bed tents and all the rest are 2 bed tents.

A few boons, feathered locals and nyala popped up on the walk.

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We arrived back at our unit just as our neighbour decided to pay the Cow a visit “You have kids!!”

I wanted to ask “Yes, is that abnormal”, but decided to hold my tongue and let the Cow handle things.

“You do realize that there are no fences!”

I now thought that I better step in as the Cow was developing an attack face

“Yip, not to worry, we have been here many times and the kids understand the scene”

This seemed to be a major relief for the neighbour and I then realized that she was just concerned.

“There were Americans in your unit last night and they didn’t know what was happening until the last minute and then made a massive scene!”

She then proceeded to tell us about the commentary which had boomed across camp the previous night which nearly had me rolling on the floor with laughter. I have experienced this many times at Mpila camp and love watching it go down. We have lost a whole chicken once while I was pouring a dop, but I have never made the mistake again; however I have sat and watch it happen to many others, including a large chap charging through camp after a hyena who was wrapped in around 1kg of his boerewors.

It shouldn’t be a laughing matter though as the hyena could develop into a problem, but there are warning signs all over; however many still seem to get caught by surprise. It would be a sad day for me if they ever fence Mpila as the fact it’s unfenced is half the draw.

Imfolozi should have a braai etiquette placed in each unit. “Never leave your braai unattended and never sit down when hyena start to approach.” As long as one does these 2 things the hyenas keep their distance.

At around 4pm I got itchy feet again, so we decided to cruise 14km up the road to view point 17 for sundowners, but only a few of the normal gang made an appearance including rhino.

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We arrived back in camp rather early, but due to the late night the previous day and a few sundowners in the system I didn’t really care, so just started another fire for entertainment and soon the scallywag gang started to arrive to investigate

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The rats were asleep before 8pm and the Cow and I followed soon thereafter.

To be continued


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Bushcraft
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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

We woke refreshed and hit the road just after 6am.

The sun only starts to rise in KZN at around 6:30am in June and I hadn’t loaded a torch in the car, so we were like lost farts for the first 30 minutes as we couldn’t see anything.

We were half way to Bhejane hide before it was light enough to even bother taking pics and our first stop was for a giraffe.

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A few seconds later a small bird arrived and started buzzing around the giraffe’s pip which seemed to irritate him big time. Not sure what was going on other then the fact it may have been nesting close by

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When we arrived at Bhejane hide we bumped into a couple we had met at a sighting in April in Kruger and it’s the first time we had chatted outside of our vehicles. It became apparent that they didn’t have shoes on either, so we immediately hit it off on this strange topic of conversion. I realized that there are others out there and I’m not alone in the world =O:

As we sat down in the hide I noticed a Turaco out in the open having a drink, so started hand signals over the rats to the Cow, but the penny didn’t drop and the bird was getting restless, therefore in frustration the hand signals became potentially insulting which resulted in an exchange of “mouthed return insults”, so I ploughed through the rats and snatched the Cow’s camera for a quick pic seconds before it flew off.

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Fortunately it’s a hide where manners dictate silence or I would have got a greasing, however I think we would have sat in silence anyway as the Turaco had caused a pelican.

We parked off for around 20 minutes and got pics of a few locals as they came in to drink

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I’m restless by nature and soon got itchy feet to explore the rest of the Ngotsha loop and return to the hide once it was a little warmer and more animals coming in for a drink, so we waved a silent goodbye to our new shoeless mates on continued on with the loop.

A few km past point 22 we found our first lion for the trip, but he was deep in the bush, so we snapped a proof pic and moved on.

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Around 300m further we found a lioness cooling off.

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A few minutes later there was a moment in the grass next to the lioness and a head popped out of what looked like a hole in the ground. This gave a junior who had been sleeping a skrik and he sat up to watch this strange lioness also

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The lions then decided to go back to sleep and hanging around watching this is painful, so we turned and headed back to the hide.

As we walked into the hide our new mates, who were still there, starting frantically pointing

To be continued


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Bushcraft
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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

Our new mates quietly said “a lioness just walked in a few minutes ago”

This got me rather excited as the lioness was still parking off rather close to the water and if she hung around there would definitely be some action, so I started with my usual frantic hand signal orders, but I think that the family are used to me by now and I was ignored again.

She seemed interested in some nyala that came in for a drink minutes later but it ended up a false alarm

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Around 10 minutes later a wartie family arrived and the lioness went straight into hunting mode, which sent my blood pressure through the roof and thank goodness this was a public hide and not our car, because I was forced to control my emotions.

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Seconds later there was movement behind the lioness and buffalo started towards the waterhole, which only increased my blood pressure because I knew that they would chase the lioness if they spotted her.

“#**#@*, the buffalo are going to ruin this!!”

This set the Cow off

“Control yourself!!”

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I’m not sure what happens in these adrenalin situations, but I go brain dead rapidly and forget how to use my camera, so I started pushing buttons all over the place, which only got me more excited

“#$^%, this thing doesn’t work”

Then a small wartie started to walk into the “kill zone” and the buffalo moved in behind the wartie gang, so I frantically switched the camera off and on hoping that it would start up and think for me, which obviously didn’t happen.

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Suddenly the lioness burst from her secret spot at pace which gave me a skrik even though I knew it was going to happen

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The little wartie had a set of Usain Bolt 4x4 legs on though and took off at the same speed in the opposite direction.

The lioness and the buffalo hadn’t seen each other either though, so they both also caught a skrik.

Fortunately for the lioness she had ABS brakes and buffalo are a little slow on acumen, so her u-turn was successful

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The sharpest of the buffalo eventually had a brain wave and charged off after the lioness, which had us all laughing, but she had a good head start on him

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I was disappointed that she wasn’t successful, but also glad for the little wartie

Around 5 minutes later all the animals seemed to have forgotten what had just happened and moved back into their routine around the waterhole

The Cow suddenly got a 6th sense that the one male wartie had got over excited with all this lion action and was now plotting one of his aunties, so I sat focused on this potential affair; however he wasn’t interested in her and eventually bombed her with his tusk as he wanted her mud spot.

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Soon a herd of wildebeest moved in for a drink and the one mentally challenged buffalo got confused and decided to hang out with them while they had a drink.

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Then some bee-eaters pulled in for the Cow

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It was now after 10am and my stomach was squawking for chow, so we decided to duck back towards camp

To be continued


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

The drive back towards camp produced a few ellies along with a junior trying to have a drink. We have been chased by ellies many times in Imfolozi, so I’m of the opinion that they are a little faulty, hence we always keep our distance.

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View point 17 produced a nyala having a drink.

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A “berg” type wind was now blowing and it was already over 32 degrees which was a major surprise for the middle of winter and we were all dressed for a polar bear environment, so we couldn’t wait to get back to camp and change.

After breakfast the Cow settled in with a book on the veranda and I got irritated and bored again, so decided on another patrol around camp with my camera, but the birds had all disappeared due to the howling wind; therefore I was left with little choice but to start on the “bottled chicken” at around lunch time

The Cow then came up with an idea of a family photograph, but I’m not big on having my pic taken so tried a few excuses

“I forgot the tripod at home, my camera has the wrong lens on, the sun is in the wrong spot, etc”, but this didn’t stop the Cow and she setup her camera on a chair outside, but then didn’t know how to set the timer function up, so I was forced to get involved.

All are laughing in the pic below, which isn’t because our family knows how to put on an instant cheesy; it’s because I had to run to get into frame before the camera went off and I hit a few thorns on the way, so looked a little faulty on approach.

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At around 4pm we decided to cruise back to Bhejane hide to see if the lioness had made another appearance, but it was still over 30 degrees and most of the game had ducked for cover, so it was fairly quiet on the drive there with only a few locals and vultures popping up.

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Our new mates were still at the hide and hadn’t left since the morning, which shocked me, but I suppose that one can easily do that when there’s a toilet at the hide and no rats to cause trouble.

They told us that the lioness had returned at around 2pm and was now hiding deep in the bush. We could vaguely make out her shape in the distance, but she looked as if she was asleep; however we decided to stick it out another 20 minutes before time would force all of us to return to camp.

It was starting to cool down, which was nice, but it also meant that the waterhole was fairly quiet; however a giraffe did arrive for a drink

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We all stayed as long as we could, but time forced us to hit the road at around 5:10pm and by 5:30pm it was pitch black, so for the final half an hour of driving we couldn’t see anything besides what was in the road. A few locals and a hyena crossed in front of us, but we didn’t bother trying to take pics with our cameras as all were out of flash range.

I immediately started the braai and the Cow and rats settled in on the veranda to watch.

As soon as the steak went on the hyena clan started to arrive and the one chap didn’t seem bothered by my presence and took a particular interest in Bushpig who was parking off with big eyes on the veranda, so I was eventually forced to chase him off with the braai tongs

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After supper more hyena arrived to lick the braai grid and it still amazes me how they manage this without burning their tongues off

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The rats disappeared to bed at around 8:30pm and gave me strict instructions to wake them if anything other than hyena arrived, but I soon started to doze off and woke twice with a skrik as hyena approached, so thought that I may end up on the menu; therefore ducked to bed

To be continued


[/b]


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

PRWIN wrote:I see they say she is there now around 10h10 :-)
Hundreds, also just looked at that \O


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

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We woke a little later this morning and had to pack to go home, so we only left camp at around 6:30am, but the sun was just coming up still, so it wasn’t a train smash.

I wanted to be home at around 1pm to make the car wash, so we decided to do the Sontuli loop which we hadn’t done yet, stop at view point 17 and then turn to head home.

The morning started out fairly quiet, but there was nobody on the roads, so it was still enjoyable just being out in the bush and feeling alone.

Just past Sontuli picnic site we got a fright as a flash went off and it took us awhile to work out what was happening.

A camera trap was next to the road and it was taking pics of us

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I’m not sure why this is placed on a public road, but we then looked for them during the rest of our time in the park and found a few more, however I won’t say where in case they have something to do with poaching.

Around 5km before the end of Sontuli loop a lioness popped out and lay down, but she was rather nervous and it was a mission taking pics as it was still fairly dark :o0ps: 0:

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A few seconds later a male poked his head out of the bush, but he was extremely nervous and refused to approach the female, so she went into the long grass where he was parking off and mating started.

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The mating was over while we were still trying to line up a better pic and they immediately ducked back into the deep bush. We noticed that the male was collared, which is unusual

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The next 5km to view point 17 produced a hyena and giraffe having breakfast

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As we pulled into the view site we spotted our new mates again and they frantically started waving at us to get out and join them.

To be continued


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014

Post by Bushcraft »

We bailed out the car in seconds and went to stand with our new mates who excitedly explained

“A wild dog has just attacked an impala in the riverbed!”

They were a long way off, but out in the open; however I was rather glad that they were a long way off, because the rats are still sensitive about things like this.

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I was amazed that there were already vultures on the scene and the “white” bird between the approaching dog and the dog on the impala was causing a scene with our new mates, because they couldn’t ID at this distance

More dogs started to arrive and then 2 climbed into the kill

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Another car arrived and the occupants explained that they had seen the rest of the pack for a second as they disappeared over the ridge, so these 3 dogs had separated from them and gone off on their own mission.

The impala was finished off in minutes and then the dogs started to head back across the river towards the ridge, so I immediately gave the Cow a signal that it was time to move; however I only got a blank stare as if I was crazy and she continued chatting to the new arrivals, so I ducked to the car and started it, which got the rats scurrying for seats; however the Cow still didn’t move

“Albert, tell your mother that I know where the dogs are going and if she wants to continue chatting I will pick her up on the way back!!”

Albert charged off with big eyes to deliver the message.

The message wasn’t well received but the Cow came mumbling towards the car with Albert.

A got my ear chewed off for the next km, but I was concentrating on the bush, so didn’t hear most of the greasing.

I slowed in the area where they should appear and seconds later the first dog popped out

“There’s, a dog”

This shut the Cow up

“Where!!”

“There!!”

“Ok, well done”

A second and then the third dog popped out and they lay down

I knew they had to approach us at some stage to join up with the rest of the pack who had gone over the ridge and as we were the only car I fiddled around to get a spot on the route I thought they would take and switched off.

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The 1 dog started to approach us, but impala started to arrive next to us and spotted the dogs, which got them snorting and charging around. This seemed to immediately change the dogs plan and it returned towards the other 2.

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This continued for another 15 minutes, but more cars started to arrive and time was ticking, so we snapped one last pic and headed for the gate

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The tar section to the gate can be rather quiet at times and today was no exception, so the rats lost interest quickly and started stuffing around with some “fisheye” effect thing on one of their cameras. I didn’t know this was going on in the back seat until I dumped the pics and found 30 pics like the below. This was taking a selfie to a new level

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Our only sightings on the tar besides boons, which we didn’t take pics of, were a few kudu and 2 male nyala hanging together in a dry riverbed.

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Thanks for checking out our short travel tale \O


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014*

Post by puppy »

Great report, Bushcraft. Got me all excited as we are heading there right now (29.4.15. 11:30 ) should be there within the hour


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014*

Post by Bushcraft »

Enjoy puppy O\/ O\/

Jezz, you guys get around :-0

Mind the pot holes O-/


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Re: Imfolozi - Browns June 2014*

Post by puppy »

Bushcraft - we are not familiar with this reserve so booked at Hilltop. Will spend tomorrow down south now that we have read your and other TTs. Tried to get a night at Mpila without success. It was a last minute booking. Anyway we have seen rhino, buffalo, zebra, nyala and giraffe not to mention a good few birds. Accommodation in non-self catering chalet is stunning. Yes we are getting around - retired now and our kids live in Kokstad so we have been with them for a few weeks. Next week we are going to The Berg - fly fishing - you know how Earlybird loves to fish. :-)


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