I've got a feeling of a hot summer in Kruger

[Pumbaa]

Lovely birds

We were nearly in heaven with all our feathered visitors

[Pumbaa]

Nice, Pumbaa!

I like the barbets and dustbather!

Must be lovely having a cold one on the stoep and waiting for the birdies to come by!

Totally right sometimes in fact you do not need to drive in the park around

[Pumbaa]

For sure lots of natal francolins were always running around in the camp and are paying a visit from verandah to verandah



and today they even quenched their thirst



and so did also a kurrichane thrush



and either another or even the same red collared barbet.



The grey lourie indeed looked as if same was hatching eggs whilst taking a sand bath



It was so much around and we had such a great time in watching and photographing and at least there was an advantage about the hot weather as the bird bath was attracting a lot of different birds





that we indeed missed a bit during the last rainy and wet trips.



Lots of sparrows were also around and one took a more than extensive bath



and to our joy Mrs. Paradise flycatcher also appeared again on the scene



and even stayed a bit longer for a couple of shots before she again disappeared.



Timon and I were walking a bit around in the vicinity of our bungalow with the eyes up to the trees to search for more birds but then we heard something rustling followed by fast running and then we luckily even discovered a huge monitor who escaped under our car



same was totally camouflaged as the leaves which were lying on the ground were exactly showing the pattern on the body of the monitor.

[Pumbaa]

Indeed all three of us got a little fright but the monitor stayed quite a while with us until same finally wandered somewhere else.



Finally also a bulbul arrived at our bird bath until it was time for a short afternoon drive



but due to the still prevailing heat we did not expect to see that much and concentrated more or less our attention at the causeways along the S25 and at least one afternoon drive from that camp should be ticked before we will move to Lower Sabie tomorrow. Along the private road we then discovered a lone elephant



and a green shank at one of the many causeways we crossed.



At the spot we already photographed early morning and were still a bit water was left we now noticed a water monitor



on hunting mode who was on the search for fish.



We were introduced in its hunting tactic by using its tail to transport all fishes into one corner of the remaining puddle and then it was easy to catch fish after fish. Unfortunately a sand dam was blocking a bit the view but nevertheless it is always so interesting to learn something new which we had never seen before.



Finally we turned around and could captured one of the many red faced mousebirds we saw flying around



before we returned back to camp, lit the braai and had a nice evening on our verandah. To our joy the red collared barbet returned again into the small hole in the tree close to our verandah and peeped from time to time out of same and as yesterday same stayed there the whole night.

Monday, 14 February 2022 Biyamiti – Lower Sabie

Explored roads: S139 – S23 – S114 – S21 – H4-1 – S79 – H4-1 – H4-2 – H10 – S29 – S128 – H10 – H4-2

Again it was moving day and with heavy hearts we enjoyed our final coffee on our verandah whilst it dawned and were feeling sad already because we will miss our beloved birds and anything else we captured in this camp whilst sitting on our verandah but as always felt excited as you never know what the other camps might have in store for you so we soon packed everything together and turned right to do a final drive along our beloved S139.

Today it was overcast and it even started to drizzle so as the bush was so overgrown and lush and green we in fact did not expect to see that much along that road but as always enjoyed each meter of same and also enjoyed the stops from all view points for a final time. We stopped for a brown snake eagle,



another birdie



and a couple of cute swallows



posing nicely on branches.



to be continued………….

[Lisbeth]

What a ball at the bird bath

Monitor one and two

[nan]

super to have a Monitor when walking must be impressive
and nice array of birds

the little one before the Swallow could be a juv Lesser Grey Shrikes ? and I love Shrikes

[Pumbaa]

What a ball at the bird bath

Monitor one and two

Yes we had such a luck in that camp a little compensation for the car battery

[Pumbaa]

super to have a Monitor when walking must be impressive
and nice array of birds

the little one before the Swallow could be a juv Lesser Grey Shrikes ? and I love Shrikes

That was an impressive monitor and luckily same stayed a while

[Pumbaa]

Then it started to rain a bit harder but luckily it was only a short shower although the waterbucks we met



did not bother about the water from above



and we as North European enjoyed that it was not that hot already that morning and compared to the previous days far cooler. Unfortunately we in fact did not see more along that road and soon we already reached Biyamiti weir were that morning lot of water dikkops posed in a row



as it was not much traffic we were the only car on the road for a long time which we for sure enjoyed very much.



For a final time we then turned into the S23 and also here enjoyed the views along the riverbed and soon we discovered two green pigeons together with a crested barbet on a dead tree





and further down a group of very active ververt monkeys – It seemed as if they also enjoyed the cooler morning.



For sure cute were the dwarf mongoose we then met



same had still wet fur but were already enjoying the upcoming sun on an obviously warm boulder





soon two of them entertained us and we had more than great fun in watching

[Pumbaa]

and photographing same. We in fact stayed quite a while with them and only carried on when they completely disappeared out of side.





At least along that loop we saw a bit more than compared to the S139 and we detected a Wahlberg eagle,



another brown eagle,



more Wahlbergs



as well as woodland kingfishers and vultures.



A stop at Renosterkoppies is always a must for us but same was today completely quiet so we turned into the S21 also a must for us at least when same is open.

It was still overcast and we hoped that the clouds might stay a bit longer after the extreme heat the previous days and with an overcast sky it was far colder and more endurable at least we will have air condition again at Lower Sabie so by night it will in fact far more comfortable for us. Lots of impalas could be seen and today still in the open not under bushes already.



We stopped for yellow billed hornbills,



grey hornbills and a lark



as well as another pintailed whydah who we saw at least in the South quite often this year



and another lark – Sorry but I always struggle with the correct ID with this birdies.



to be continued…………..