Africa Wild

ExFmem wrote: ↑Fri May 31, 2024 12:59 am OH MY! Where to even start with naming favorite shots - SO many to choose from. You've out-done even yourself, and that's a TALL order. Gotta love the capture/timing of the roller and cricket. Kudos

As always, thank you for bringing a smile to so many of us

Thanks so much, ExFmem, always such a pleasure

Richprins wrote: ↑Sun Jun 02, 2024 5:42 pm What great croc shots, Pumbaa!

And never seen that cinnamon bunting!

Ja, the S52 is lovely, it is just so long!

Definitely right but simply love that road although same in fact can be extreme quiet - At least the last year's we had always luck on that road

At one spot we even noticed a few African hoopoes and luckily at least one of them was willing to pose





and at that spot we also captured a red billed hornbill.



We enjoyed all the views into the riverbed whenever driving the many loops and in one we found again our beloved white fronted bee eaters who had to be photographed.





Far too soon we already stood on the causeway close to the crossing with the road leading to Tshanga lookout and there we detected a couple of hamerkops,



a couple of crocodiles, however, by far not that many as at the Shingwedzi causeway,



finally even one of the hamerkops was successful in catching a smaller fish.



A water monitor crossed the causeway in front of our car and we were unable to take a decent shot but after a while I detected same now in the river bed



and more waterbirds were also present at least a small compensation after such a quiet drive so far.





Whenever in that area also a stop at the Tshanga lookout is a must and after we stretched our legs there a bit we carried on and even found more carmine bee eaters

one even with a bee.





Simply love that shot of the impalas between the beautiful flowers



and more white fronted bee eaters also came across.



Whilst carrying on we also stopped here and there for more white fronted as well as Carmine bee eaters and finally also for one of the many crowned lapwings we noticed along that road



and again we stopped for more white fronted bee eaters they seemed to be nearly everywhere on that road but this one just caught a creepy crawler



and I do not know how but again Timon pressed the button in the right second



as always this happened quite a while until finally that juicy thing had been eaten up completely.



The rest was unfortunately quiet but at the Red Rocks causeway in a tree in the shade we spotted a brown hooded kingfisher



same was quite hidden but we were happy in finding same as same posed so nicely.



to be continued…………………

So many different and lovely birds shown in great photos

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Mon Jun 03, 2024 5:53 pm So many different and lovely birds shown in great photos

When there is nothing else around there are always our beloved feathered friends

As always a stop at Red Rocks whenever the road is open is a must and so we stopped at the lookout point a bit longer as from there the view is brilliant and today we soon spotted one of the fish eagles on the Red Rocks



whilst it’s mate was sitting in a tree nearby. We do spot that couple often sitting in that tree or at least one of them is always present.



As it was still extreme early and it was a more or less extreme quiet drive we decided to also see if the S56 might be open and as already expected the first loop of that road was closed as so often but we did not give up and luckily we noticed that from the second loop that road was open so we turned into the Mphongolo drive and enjoyed a couple of nice views into the nearly empty riverbed and noticed as often zebras and wildebeests nearly spread all over the riverbed.





Also here we stopped for a couple of double banded sandgrouse



and whilst she stayed hidden he was more than willing to pose for a couple of shots.



We again met a marabu stork congress along that drive



and then came across two impressive buffalo bulls in the riverbed





same so far did not decide whether to stay tuned or whether spending the rest of the day in a buffalo spa but nevertheless the view onto them was a lovely one.



Both looked quite well fed



and we stayed with them quite a while

before we carried on and noticed not far a waterbuck mom with her gorgeous youngster on the other side of the road.





For sure lots of egyptian goose could be seen whenever there was water left in the Mphongolo and at one spot we even noted also yellow billed stork.



Overall also along our beloved S56 it was an extreme quiet drive and over the day it got more and more stormy and only when we returned home we noticed that this was the day where a cyclone called “Freddie” was about to hit Kruger – At least these were luckily only the extensions of the Cyclone but I was sure that the animals where aware of the weather and that was the reason why it was so quiet that day. At least the waterbucks did not let us down as we found another mom with her youngster in the riverbed



and on the other side of the road we noted a beautiful younger male.



For sure we always do stop at our favourite view point and same had to be captured



and after a closer view we even noticed a sunbathing crocodile at the shore.



Soon we were already at the Babalala picnic spot where we stopped for a short body break and now we drove all the way back to Shingwedzi via the tar road where from time to time a couple of nice views into smaller streams could be captured.



Today even the S53, only a short loop was open, as most of the time we so far spent in the North same was closed and even the Nkulumbeni had a couple of smaller puddles left and in one of them we stopped for an impressive waterbuck male in the front puddle and in the second one a buffalo enjoyed the midday heat in his own



at least a strange couple, however, it was such a nice sighting



as both were extreme close.



As often also the rest of our drive back to camp was quiet but at least we detected a pair of ostriches in the dense vegetation



and at the Shingwedzi causeway today a nicely posing grey heron could be photographed quite close.



to be continued……………..

Lovely shot of the rocks with the fish eagle

The old Dagga Boys

There always seems to be Waterbucks with young ones around there

and mostly no traffic at all

Pumbaa wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 12:01 pm

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 11:02 am I am perfectly happy with birds

The helmeted guineafowl must be one of the most ridiculous looking birds in the world and from the front with the legs crossed....

Do you put on the alarm every morning? even when it's raining

Lovely view on the river

Could the raptor be a common buzzard

Yes, we do but when it is raining torrtentially we again turn to the other side

I would also go for buzzard here and totally right with the guineafowl

I am not so sure that is a buzzard..the eye is too yellow for a buzzard... for me that points to snake-eagle . Possibly a Brown Snake Eagle ????
I am slowly making my way through this trip report ..slowly because I have the map in front of me . I have just booked 23 night stay in Kruger for Sept/Oct so I need to get in the swing of things. Love the bird photos of course and getting very excited about the birding in Kruger. :)