The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers

[Pumbaa]

glad you found something in the S100
Antelopes, beautifull birds and even a Lion

Despite the drought the S100 was this year one of the best roads we took even birdingwise

[Pumbaa]

Nice to know there are still lions on the S100. Love those evenings at Satara!

Those evenings in Satara are for sure one of the best in Kruger

[Pumbaa]

Waterbucks were not missing

A very handsome lion

45° is really too much Luckily they have invented the air condition

At least for us North Europeans these temperatures are too much

[Pumbaa]

Sunday, 21. February, 2016 - Satara

Driven roads: H1-4 – S100 – S41 – S90 – H1-4 – H1-3 – H6 – S41 – S100 – H7 – S12 – S40 – H7

Gladly it cooled down extremely overnight and also the air condition finally worked again in the early morning – Normally we do not have same switched on whilst sleeping but that night was simply too hot so same had to do some overtime that night but it was heaven that it was that bearable during our whole 4 nights we stayed at Satara – On each day it was overcast, very windy with a couple of raindrops here and there and I cannot remember that I ever saw the sun during the rest of our stay at Satara but for us it was quite okay that way and for the sightings we had there as well.....

As a tradition we always drive the S100 as first road on our first full day in that area and so we did today especially having in mind to maybe meet the lions from yesterday evening again and we had luck at nearly the same spot as the evening before we stopped again for a single male lion who was lying in the grass.



Although there was still not much action we enjoyed his company whilst taking shot after shot and sipping at our coffee. It got slowly lighter and brighter



but it was still extreme windy and his mane was blowing around by the wind from one side to the other.



“I see you!”



His ears were moving into each direction and finally also his head as soon a traffic yam had build up but most of the cars did not stay that long



and as he supposed to be still extreme sleepy we also finally left him but it was in fact a more than good omen to spot once again lions or better to say one lion during our ver first morning in that area on the S100.....



and although we looked around carefully during the whole sighting we did not see any other lions.

Not far from that sighting Timon stopped again for another lifer – a scimitar bill – also a bird we already wanted to met a couple of times but today finally our wish came true....



That bird was in fact extreme difficult to capture as same was always in action but finally we got some usable shots and although that area of the park was nearly bone dry with nearly no leaves on the bushes and grass on the ground that road turned finally into the best birding road during the entire trip.

Suddenly from nearly everywhere the birds appeared and within seconds we spotted an orange breasted bush shrike,

[Pumbaa]

and a couple of black tits and although that area was that dry there were surprisingly still ponds with water left in the N’wanetsi where we noticed a pair of saddle-billed storks,







a grey heron and lots of turtles and for sure impalas who arrived to quench their thirst although must say that there was in fact not much left to eat.





We then finally could capture the missed black tit from earlier



and had fun and luck in following a whole group of wood hoopoes who suddenly raided that area one of them was lucky in catching a scorpion and Timon pressed the button right in time to capture that kill – At least this was my second ever scorpion I saw in my life....



For us it is always a pleasure to watch these colourful birds how they try to catch insects or whatever with their bills from the bark of the trees.





to be continued.....

[nan]

wow nice serie of Birds... Orange Breasted Bush Shrike, Scimitar Bill, Stork and Heron

[stefan9]

Lovely male lion pics.

[Lisbeth]

Lovely bird shots

Down here we have tiny scorpions, but I have not seen them very often

A very "big horned" impala

[Flutterby]

Nice to see the lion again. Love the scimtarbill!

[Richprins]

Catching up, Pumbaa!

Never seen a scimitar bill, what a pretty bird!

Those impala look very skinny...it must really be bad when they look like that...