Africa Wild

Saturday July 10th contd

Continuing down the H4-1 there was a very tall giraffe. It’s amazing how small these giants can make you feel



Past the S21 junction there was a black backed jackal trotting along the road



It was a bittersweet sighting as a few days later we would see this very same jackal with fur missing from the end of its tail dead on the road.

More and more animals were starting to appear as the day warmed up, including some elephant and a hyena





Approaching sunset dam there was a bit of a line-up of cars. It was apparently a leopard that had been walking along from near the entrance of Lower Sabie camp down past the dam and along the side of the road. Everyone seemed sure it was still walking in our direction so it was just a case of waiting until it came into view… but that didn’t happen. Off the road, there was a bit of a dip ahead of us so I figured that it must have given everyone the slip and used the drainage pipes that run under the road… so we moved on from the traffic jam and started scanning the other side of the road. Sure enough a flash of spots popped into view.

It was a very brief sighting as the leopard then moved down towards the Sabie, so my daughter was the only one fast enough to get a pic.

Still it was nice to have a quick glimpse of him.



At sunset dam, the crocs were starting to come out of the water to sunbathe



Heading back to Skukuza we took the S79 and found a saddle-billed stork that appeared to have gone for a swim recently







We also found a nice group of giraffes lining up for a family pic



Close to Skukuza there was a massive troop of baboons making their way down the road. One of them was busy eating a bird of some sort









Shortly after there was a bit of a hold up with a big herd of buffalo crossing the road. Most had already made it over so we just had to wait for the tail-enders





The packing up then began in earnest!

Wet birds always look ridiculous

Nice shot of the raffies

Leopard n°8?

Leopard 8!

Lots of activity on that road for sure!

Naughty baboon...

My favourite is the giraffe family, Peej!

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:58 am Wet birds always look ridiculous

Nice shot of the raffies

Leopard n°8?

Yep... leopard number 8 apparently
That wet SBS did look very funny

Richprins wrote: ↑Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:07 pm Leopard 8!

Lots of activity on that road for sure!

Naughty baboon...

My favourite is the giraffe family, Peej!

Yeah that giraffe pic was quite unique... one of my favourites from the trip

Saturday July 10th contd

Packing up all our camping gear is never normally a fast affair, but we managed to sort ourselves out in a decent time and have lunch before setting off again for Lower Sabie. Our next four nights were going to be in one of their huts - so complete luxury for us

On our way down we saw a nice buffalo bull, lilac breasted roller, and some lions doing what lions do best







Checking in at Lower Sabie was very quick which was great. Sometimes the check-in queues with social distancing involved looked hectic. Late afternoon we took a short drive up a bit of the S128 before popping back round to check out the lions in the riverbed on the H4-1 that we had seen sleeping.

Along the S128 we found a bateleur, slender mongoose that finally didn’t run away, hyena and our first kori bustard of the trip











As we went back towards the H4-1 there was the usual array of things to see on the Sabie low level bridge, but these monitors stood out… one with a nice river backdrop, and the others busy making more monitors





Heading up the H4-1, there was a huge herd of buffalo chilling by the river



The lions were now awake at least, but they didn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon



We had a last stop at sunset dam and enjoyed watching the herons surfing on hippos as part of their evening fishing routine

Gorgeous scenes, Peej!

Ja, those mating monitors are very slow-motion, to put it mildly!

Lions not moving either!

Lucky mongoose shot!

Lovely buffalo scenery

When cats are resting they do it seriously

Beautiful bateleur

Thanks so much PJL,

love the wet saddle bill stork, the baboons, the buffaloes especially the little one and not to forget the monitors

and for sure all your fantastic bird shots

Yet another leopard, even if it was just for a brief glimpse... incredible

Interesting to see how white the stork's feather are at the quill.

Cool photo of the giraffes. All facing the same direction is something you don't get often when it's more than two...

The boon is gross

Wonderful bateleur and mongoose.

Never seen monitors mating. But I find the animal very fascinating. Although I couldn't say why that is.

Richprins wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 8:09 am Gorgeous scenes, Peej!

Ja, those mating monitors are very slow-motion, to put it mildly!

Lions not moving either!

Lucky mongoose shot!

Thanks RP. Those lions had that spot quite regularly

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 12:07 pm Lovely buffalo scenery

When cats are resting they do it seriously

Beautiful bateleur

Yes Lis, the lions take sleeping to the extreme

Pumbaa wrote: ↑Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:16 pm Thanks so much PJL,

love the wet saddle bill stork, the baboons, the buffaloes especially the little one and not to forget the monitors

and for sure all your fantastic bird shots

Thanks Pumbaa - we're nowhere near your birding capabilities but was nice to see them

Mel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:10 am Yet another leopard, even if it was just for a brief glimpse... incredible

Interesting to see how white the stork's feather are at the quill.

Cool photo of the giraffes. All facing the same direction is something you don't get often when it's more than two...

The boon is gross

Wonderful bateleur and mongoose.

Never seen monitors mating. But I find the animal very fascinating. Although I couldn't say why that is.

The giraffe were cool Mel... very lucky shot
I'm not sure that the SBS feathers are white - might be the skin underneath