The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers

[Flutterby]

Great sighting of the dogs!

[Mel]

Great sightings again, especially with the dogs

But the oxpecker takes the crown in this episode! Looks so loved up with the buff, very funny
A really unique shot that one

[Richprins]

Nice, Pumbaa!

Interesting that dog with the multicoloured tail, quite unusual to have so little white at the tip!

S-36 is a loooong drive all the way!

[Dewi]

Great stuff Pumbaa. You also had luck with the dogs I see.

Also like that oxpecker pic.

[Pumbaa]

and now Dogs
Tusker, Oxpecker and Buff

Although it was already that hot we had some nice sightings

Great pic of the vulture taken from the front

Also the oxpeckers are funny

That vulture was a fantastic photo model

Great sighting of the dogs!

Although same was short we were happy to see again doggies

[Pumbaa]

Great sightings again, especially with the dogs

But the oxpecker takes the crown in this episode! Looks so loved up with the buff, very funny
A really unique shot that one

Timon pressed the button in the right moment - We had a good laugh when watching the shot lateron

Nice, Pumbaa!

Interesting that dog with the multicoloured tail, quite unusual to have so little white at the tip!

S-36 is a loooong drive all the way!

Yes but I wanted to drive that road in the whole length one day and that was then the day

Great stuff Pumbaa. You also had luck with the dogs I see.

Also like that oxpecker pic.

At least the last years the doggies did not let us down

[Pumbaa]

The area around Skukuza was already dry but at least lots of trees and bushes still had leaves and also the just sprouted grass was nothing to what this area was presenting us.





It simply got drier and drier and hotter and hotter the farer we drove North. At Nhlanguleni picnic spot we simply had to take a longer break and took a sit in front of the waterhole which I also noticed for the very first time there – Obviously during previous visits the bushes were thicker and the grass higher....A herd of buffaloes took that waterhole over and same was populated by them with nearly not space left.



A group of impalas waited under a nearby tree in the shade until it was their turn to quench their thirst.



After that very pleasant break we carried on but due to the heat we in fact did not see nothing not even a bird. It was by far too hot and too dry. We paid Ximangwaneni a short visit but as already suspected same was also more than bone dry. So we did not stay and headed forward to the tar road with once again seeing nothing – The vegetation was already totally dry which was already a sad sighting but without any animals or birds everything looked dead.

A nice surprise awaited us when we turned into the tar road as there in a tree a family of ground hornbills close to the road could be seen.



After a while a couple of them flew onto the ground and tried to search in the dry grass for something to feed on.



We stayed as long as they were visible as I expected not to see them often during that drought in the park as in wetter years they always can be seen daily nearly everywhere in the park and as these and the farer away ones we saw earlier that day where the first during that trip and I was proved correct afterwards.



We paid also a visit to Girivana and due to the time of the day and due to the heat we were the only people there so we chose the best spot to observe a herd of elephants who just were frantically busy with playing in the water of the waterhole.



They either splashed around or drank so it was a lot to be seen

[Pumbaa]

and also another really small baby ellie could be seen under moms body. It is always fascinating to me that one day such a small elephant will become as large as mom or even larger.



The little one was thirsty or hungry as well and tried mom’s milk bar. A group of zebras was also about to arrive but due to the presence of the large elephant group



they were very insecure and did not dare to come real close.



Whilst the elephants were in their element and all of them tried to get as wet or even drank as much as possible



one zebra finally plucked up courage and came courageously closer but still eying the elephants suspiciously



and the elephants eyed back to the zebra



and finally all the other followed the first zebra and caused soon a crowd. Both species were still eying each other suspiciously – the elephants on the left side



and the zebras on the right side of the waterhole



with an extreme brave impala in the middle of them but same drank in such a peace of mind that probably only some larger cats could have attracted same attention.



to be continued.....

[Richprins]

Excellent, Pumbaa!

I think the ellies are behaved because babies are there...

Normally they bully the other animals!

Nice hornbill sighting too!

[nan]

fantastic pic of the Impala looking at the Buffs