The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Richprins]

Wow!

And 5 or so in SA, as nana says?

[Lisbeth]

There are 6

[Pumbaa]

Catching up again Pumbaa

You guys always seem to have amazing luck with wild dogs Great pics of them also

Yes, we are always happy when finding them and please believe me we even saw more during that trip

[Pumbaa]

I love the barbets, both the crested and the black-collared ones Great pics of all the birds

Whenever in camp Timon is on the bird hunt

There are quite a lot

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The International Ornithological Congress (IOC) recognizes these 42 species of cormorants and shags which are distributed among seven genera. One species, spectacled cormorant (formerly called Pallas's cormorant), is extinct.

Are shags the same as cormorants?
Identifying Cormorants and Shags - Arran Birding
Cormorants are altogether bigger. Cormorants have a bigger, more triangular head, a flatter forehead and more massive bill, giving an angular almost wedge shaped look to the head. There is a white gular (throat) patch and the green eye is set within bare skin. Shags are significantly smaller, shorter and more slender.

This list is presented according to the IOC taxonomic sequence and can also be sorted alphabetically by common name and binomial.

Pygmy cormorant
Reed cormorant
Crowned cormorant
Little cormorant
Little pied cormorant
Red-legged cormorant
Brandt's cormorant
Red-faced cormorant
Pelagic cormorant
Spectacled cormorant
Bank cormorant
Socotra cormorant
Pitt shag
Spotted shag
Black-faced cormorant
Australian pied cormorant
Little black cormorant
Indian cormorant
Cape cormorant
Japanese cormorant
White-breasted cormorant
Great cormorant
European shag
Flightless cormorant
Neotropic cormorant
Double-crested cormorant
Rock shag
Guanay cormorant
Bounty shag
New Zealand king shag
Chatham Islands shag
Otago shag
Foveaux shag
Auckland shag
Campbell shag
Imperial shag
South Georgia shag
Crozet shag
Antarctic shag
Kerguelen shag
Heard Island shag
Macquarie shag

There are 6

Thanks so much for that detailed list

[Pumbaa]

Nice stuff, Pumbaa!

Never knew there were two cormorant types!

The jackal looks hot!

Sorry about the bats, they seem to be a problem there...


And Timon had a barbet day!

Yes, he definitely had but inside camp they are far easier to photograph than outside

Wow!

And 5 or so in SA, as nana says?

[Pumbaa]

Never knew there were two cormorant types!

even more... min. 5

Thanks Nan, we were happy in getting two of them in one shot

[Pumbaa]

Despite that incredible sunrise that morning





which got better and better it was an extreme quiet drive



at least we saw a couple of white backed vultures in the morning light.



Via the H4-2 we turned into the S130 and shortly before our beloved pond now on the right hand side of the road we noticed already two hyenas walking in front of us and both hold each a foot of a buffalo in its mouth





who finally joint their clan which was lying or standing around that pond and both proudly presented their prize which none of them ever laid down.



It was such a perfect light as same was shining right onto the pond which was definitely a bonus all in all I counted thirteen hyenas but it could have been more as some were also lying under bushes or even behind us.



As the hyenas had no intention of leaving that lovely place we choose a spot and once again we started to fire away



and we once again had that sighting all to ourselves and enjoyed such close encounter with the hyenas extensively.



Obviously this had been their sleeping place for the night as most of them were still lying either on one of the rocks in the middle of the pond



or nearly inside the water

[Pumbaa]

and quite often the prey the two hyenas were still holding had constantly to be presented to the others.







but none of them allowed one of the other hyenas to come too close to their prize.





It was such a wonderful morning with the upgoing sun from the back and the hyenas in front so in between taking lots of shots we found time in simply watching them by sipping our coffees definitely a waterhole break one always is dreaming of.



Most of the hyenas returned into their sleeping mode after they got used to us and the ballyhoo the two hyenas with the feet in the mouth made



and in between we also could do a bit of bird watching.



Some of the hyenas were thirsty,



others still slept on



whilst others now even got a bit more interested in the prey





This was only the begin of our very best waterhole sighting we ever had and in total same will be split into three parts and this is still the first part which is not yet over.

to be continued................................

[Lisbeth]

It was a great sighting and lots of awesome photos

[Pumbaa]

It was a great sighting and lots of awesome photos

Correct but luckily same was not yet over