Browns in Kruger October 2018

[Bushcraft]

Thanks Alf, Lisbeth, leachy, Mel and RP for popping in for this episode.

There’s a leopard pic break after the next episode for around 2 episodes (unless Penny or Bobby post pics as they were with us).

It was a good leopard trip with 21, but we have done better. I’m a planner, I think RT has seen the pre-trip maps, it’s not all luck.

RP & Lisbeth , I don’t remove time or date stamps .i.e. EXIF data or some other fancy terminology , so you can check if you want.

[Bushcraft]

1st Lower Sabie to Talamati continued

We sat waiting for the “spots in the grass” to move and eventually got distracted as other cars arrived, conversions started, etc, so we were caught half asleep when the spots suddenly stood up and started walking. I got into a mild panic with the car ignition, but soon we were following along and the leopard decided to flop down again under a tree and he was close to the road which was very cool.

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After about 10 minutes the crowd had grown to about 8 cars which was too much for the leopard and he cruised off deeper into the bush, but he had a fresh kill stashed in a tree he so we knew he would return at some stage, however it was too far from Talamati for us to consider returning. I think he may be the same chap we found the previous morning.

The S126 only produced the usual gang and the road was very corrugated so we didn’t stop much.

We stopped at Muzandzeni picnic site for a break and snacks and then continued on to Talamati without any major sightings.

We arrived at Talamati just before 2pm, but were permitted to book in.

After unpacking we had a brief family chat and once again decided we had done enough driving for the day, so the plan was to relax in camp, visit the hide throughout the afternoon and to start an early braai.

I tend to suffer with a mild hypoactive nature, so after 20 minutes of “relaxing” I was bored so I got into a few beers and then Albert, Bushpig and I went on a walk around the camp fence while Hawkeyes and the Cow parked off.

There’s always animals hanging around Talamati camp because of the waterhole and today we found some waterbuck, numerous bushbuck and the boon locals who are a problem, but out of the blue 2 hornbills decided to have a massive scrap which ended abruptly as the fence cracked next to them and they scattered in different directions, but the junior rats thought it was hilarious. The hide produced the odd ellie and 4 zebra who came in to drink while 4 stood guard.

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[Bushcraft]

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We arrived back at the unit to find Hawkeyes taking arty farty pics of her feet and the Cow was showering, so I quickly poured another refill while the “policeman” was in the shower and started a large wood fire.

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Soon we were all parking off on the veranda chatting when 2 squirrels arrived and they seemed a little too familiar with people so we initially tried to ignore them, but then they got together and the one seemed to be “whispering” in the other ones ear and seconds later the one bailed onto the couch next to the Cow which gave her a mild skrik.

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[Bushcraft]

At around 4:30pm, after chowing, we all cruised to the hide and found only 1 person sitting there with a monster camera, so we got chatting and he informed us that a leopard had cruised past the previous evening at around 7pm, so I asked him if I could see the pics and he got a little faulty.

“It was dark!”

I couldn’t resist mentioning that we had photographed a couple leopards from the hide with my old 550d over the years because the spotlight on the waterhole makes it easier but that just made the situation more uncomfortable as his pelican grew, however the Cow was now giving me that hairy eyeball which appears before a greasing so my grin disappeared. I don’t drink much anymore, so I blame the beers from braai earlier.

Fortunately some ellies arrived and started some very strange antics which distracted everyone.

The 1 ellie kept reversing into the ellie behind it and then the ellie in the rear did a strange thing with its trunk and it’s certainly something none of us had ever seen before, but the trunk disappeared for around 2 minutes and as this is a family forum I won’t comment further. Ellie experts, please advise as to what was going on here.

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After the “examination” the ellie who had been at the rear started splashing around in the waterhole and then parked off on the bank checking us out. I think the Talamati ellies have found a giggle twig bush or something.

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The elephant herds just kept on coming and it was getting a little too much because no other animals were getting a chance. Albert did however get some really awesome video of an entire herd walking past the camp entrance and along the fence line to the water which allows us to relive the moment at times.

A giraffe eventually squeezed in for a drink and later a jackal charged around also but with ellies still streaming in at around 8:30pm, we decided to call it a night; however we did find a few lesser bush babies hopping around while walking back. They are frustratingly fast and after a proof pic of one’s butt I gave up.

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[Bushcraft]

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We did some quick organising before crashing because we were moving to Skukuza the next day as bush camps are a little out of our price range so we can only afford 1 night at a time, but they definitely give one a different and better Kruger feeling in my opinion.

To be continued

[Lisbeth]

The two squirrels are very cute

The elephant sitting on the border of the waterhole is hilarious

[Mel]

Those ellies … naughty and faulty but great entertainment!

Very cute squirrels but definitely too tame

And you can take at least proof pix even with a bazooka lens… if you know what to do with your camera

[Richprins]

That first leopard pic is very good, with the harsh light in the background, BC!

Ah, Talamati...best waterhole to sit at in Kruger sometimes!

No idea what the two bull ellies are up to!

Nice shoe pic ...no shower pic?

Well done on your 20 mins of relaxing...it is good for you!

What an excellent sitting ellie!

[Flutterby]

As everyone else has said, your leopard sightings were unbelievable!!

Great ellie action at the waterhole!

[Bushcraft]

The two squirrels are very cute

The elephant sitting on the border of the waterhole is hilarious

I thought you would enjoy the squirrels Too tame though