Africa Wild

Richprins wrote:So different to see the raindrops in pics, Pumbaa!

Such a nice selection again, it must be great going through the pics when you get home!

My favourite is the nyala bull with eyes closed!

What were tits called in the good old days again?

For sure it is great - It always bring back some incredible moments

Mel wrote:It was definitely wet And with that, the dwarf mongoose reminded me of our hedgehogs

You are totally right - Gladly it was that wet during the drought

Flutterby wrote:Everything was so wet!!

Please believe me this year it was far wetter but during that time we even prayed for more rain

harrys wrote:Beautiful photos off all the wet animals I don't think they worried to be wet

For sure they do not - They were busy in feeding from the new sprout green

The drive was in fact rather a successful one and also a woodland kingfisher,



another juvenile fish eagle,



a great white egret,



a carmine bee eater





and even more nyalas crossed our paths along the Mphongololo loop and we already were on our way back to camp via the tar road when we noticed a movement – a lone hyaena was feeding on something undefinable.





Besides the rain that day it also started to get very windy and also very cold and that is again reminding me of home – our summer in Northern Europe when once the rain set in – exactly the same temperature. Back in camp we enjoyed a break on our verandah and also the weather was good to us and the rain stopped so that also our final braai that evening could take place.

Timon walked a bit around and could capture a woodpecker not far from our bungalow in a tree.





For our final afternoon drive during that holiday we decided to drive again the S50 a bit and left camp via the rear exit and noticed another carmine bee eater

and came across a sighting of African spoonbills and a yellow billed stork sharing and dead tree.





As it was already late we had to turn around and came across more nyalas already close to camp and busy in feeding.



It is always amazing when these beautiful antelopes could be admired in such a great number.



Gladly we still had a bit time left to pay the causeway another visit and drive via the tar road the little detour back to camp. Despite that there was only few water left we saw another open billed stork and another african jacana.



We sighed when we stopped on the high water bridge as now finally we realized that our last hours in the park had begun and drove in a very quiet mood back to camp at least the group of baboons which came across out of which some members had chosen a strange tree stump to sit on whilst others drank from the puddles the rain had left on the road cheered our mood a bit up

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and also our final braai was lovely and yummy and gladly it in fact kept dry for the rest of the evening and after we lit our fire (we were the first ones) the others followed as well and had a fantastic last evening and with no bat in our room and the cool temperature we slept again very well that night.

Sunday, 28. February 2016 – Shingwedzi – Punda Maria Gate

Our final roads during that trip: H1-7 – S55 – S56 – S58 – H13-1 – S99

Our final morning dawned and we had no chance in packing our things together after a vitalizing hot coffee and said good bye to our last camp. It was still extreme dark and again a very rainy morning but the park needed the rain so desperately so we still prayed for more rain.

Gladly when we turned into our favourite drive the Mphongololo in that area it got brighter and allowed us to photograph a wooly necked stork,



another nyala,



and a masked weaver female was feeding on some yummy seeds



but unfortunately lost one.



to be continued.....for the very last time

I love the storks on the tree

Really lovely when it's so wet

You sound depressed on that last day, Pumbaa!

Still, great pics...I like the moustached hyena!

Everything wet, I must say!

Lovely pics. Nice bird sightings and the hyena too.