Africa Wild

Sat 28th March 2015

An early start from Centurian. There were just the 4 of us, My SO, Mike, Graham my son and 4yr old Cameron. Graham's wife and daughter were going to the 1 Direction show on Sunday night and would join us on Monday.

Booking in at Croc Bridge was quick and easy.We made our way to Lower Sabie.

Just a short note on the rhino sightings we had. We saw 35 in all with some very young ones. I will start off showing some of these pics. no areas mentioned









A croc to greet us in the Croc river



The Vurhami pride were languishing on the rocks by the dam.



A giraffe pulling a tongue at us.


This baboon was having his breakfast- a monkey orange - but it looked a bit green



We booked in and set up camp before going out for an afternoon drive.

Sunset dam had the usual kingfishers catching their lunch this time





More to follow with lots of pics

The first day continued.

We continued down the road past Nlkulu. General game was present everywhere then we hit a road block.

A nice family herd of ellies crossing the road.




We saw 18 tortoises while in KNP, this was one of them, and he was heading straight for the car. Quick pic then
move on before he got under the car.



We were sitting at the turn off to the Nwatimhiri causeway when a car came from there. They told us there were 2
leopards in a tree near the causeway.
We found the one leopard in a natal mahogany tree with thick foliage. The other one was there but we never saw it.





The rest of the trip back towards Lower Sabie was fairly quiet. Checked the sighting board and saw leopard and lion
sighting down the H10 so off we went.

This leopard was very close to the road, but with lots of grass around. Some hyena had chased it from its impala kill in a very
low tree. She wasn't happy with the hyena and kept snarling at them.







Such tiring work keeping these hyena at bay







A white backed vulture waiting for something from the kill.





There was a lion further down the road lying next to a kill but she was so well hidden in the long grass.

Such a cute little giraffe



What a wonderful start to this visit. The big 5 are certainly not the criteria but to see them twice on the first day
was awesome And 2 leopard at that , normally so difficult to find. Maybe this would be our lucky
time and the ever elusive wild dog would also put in an appearance

Sunday 29th March.

We woke to a cooler cloudy day. The route was down towards Skukuza. The road was littered with baboons
of all sizes.






Even the birds were still sitting quietly waiting to warm up.
European roller



At lake Panic it was extremely quiet. A bushbuck was wondering along the far bank.



The light was difficult so not a great pic of an African Jacana



then a high stepping black crake



with a water thick knee very close to a big croc.



On the way back we came across another ellie road block



followed by this big fellow in the river.



Sunset dam had lots of the usual. First up a white crowned lapwing



Oh dear where do I go now.



And a pretty painted torquoise croc - from all the horrible green algae in the water.



and finally a common sandpiper. Please correct me if I am wrong.



After yesterdays high this was quiet, but nevertheless still a great day.

Cameron just wanted to have a lizard and as much as we told him he wasn't allowed to catch one he wasn't having any of
that. At Skukuza we were watching a big fat lizard when he pounced. None of us thought he would be quick enough.
For a few seconds he was in his element until the lizard regurgitate its food all over his hands. Cammie dropped it in
fright but then the tears started. The only thing that consoled him was an ice cream. After that we never showed him
anything that was close enough to grab. Later on he saw a ranger with a snake catcher. He was off to find out where
the snake was and what snake it was. All of 4 years old!!!

This was taken in a pet shop a short while ago.
That poor python just needed to come home but
Dad, especially, wasn't having any of that.

But I guess it will happen one day.

Monday 30th March

We were going to meet Rene and Tenielle at Croc Bridge. We took a slow drive down the S28.
First up were some buffalo.



Then a juv. gabar goshawk looking around for somebreakfast.





Wattled starlings were flying around, but they didn't settle for very long. Not easy to photograph them (excuses)



A southern ground hornbill was getting his feathers ready for take off.





At CB we walked around the campsite and found a juv. lanner falcon with a bat.Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you Dewi for the ID. It is a juvenile Little Sparrowhawk





We were very early so decided to drive across to Berg 'n Dal. We hadn't gone very far when we joined a line of cars.
Must be lion,but we couldn't see anything. The girl standing up through the roof of the car in front confirmed this.
Then next to us a lioness came out of the bush.





We drove along for quite a while.A big ellie was browsing next to the road, he decided to cross over in front of us.
We couldn't go back very far and things got a bit tight with him giving us the eye.



The windscreen was a bit dirty





We continued in the line of cars catching a glimpse of lion every so often.


Stalk mode for this female, a warthog broke cover and ran up the road with 2 lionesses in pursuit. But the chase wasn't
serious and the lions eventually wondered off into the bush





To be continued....

continued

After the excitement of the lions we had a quiet ride for a while with just some pretty rollers.

lilac-breasted roller


and a european roller


Then these two big ellies were in the road saying very nasty things to each other.

We made sure there was no one behind us this time in fact there was only a tour bus there with us.























White fronted bee eater



and a small family of waterbuck were also on the rivers edge.



We got to Berg 'n Dal and discovered Rene was already through Nelspruit so there was no time to go back to Croc
Bridge. Before leaving for Malelane gate we found this woolands kingfisher sitting nicely for us.



We met on the highway and went back into the Park at Croc Bridge, back up the S28 to Lower Sabie,
Cammie was delighted to have his Mum with him again

These wildebees were relaxing in the sun.



A mud bath had been the order of the day for this big guy



and a dazzle of zebra resting their heads on each other



When we got back to Lower Sabie this is what we could see across the river - Kruger burning Needs to be done
I guess , but how many little creatures perish in the process

Tuesday 31st March

We'd had problems starting the Landy so a trip to Hazyview for a new battery was priority.

Not far down the road was a traffic jam. 2 young lions were lying in the road. We couldn't chance switching
off so as soon as we could we moved through










At the N'watimhiri bridge there were several cars. Eventually we found what they were looking at -
under a thorn tree was a well hidden leopard, then it bolted for cover into the trees
Not a good pic but proof



It had rained during the night and there were still showers around. The rest of the drive to Hazyview was quiet.
We got the car sorted out, then made our way back. The sun tried to come out at times.

We saw a burchell's coucal. It looked like a young one.



followed by this very pretty orange-breasted bush-shrike.



Then a kudu munching away



a very thoughtful baby baboon



An unknown spider



This big ellie had been enjoying a mud bath



a close up of his dirty face.



Back at Sunset dam there were again alot of water birds.
First up a giant kingfisher.



then a three banded plover with green legs



and a common sandpiper also with the thick green algae on his beak and legs.



Another great day in the Park

Just a few more random rhino pics before the next episode starts





I will just hide here then you can't see me

Wednesday 1st April

After all the rain yesterday all the fires appeared to have been extinguished

We decided to go across the low level bridge and on to the Saltjie road.

Just on the Saltjie road and -huge excitement - a honey badger. He was such a busy little guy, digging, moving on,
and digging again until he found something to eat.





The rest of the road was very quiet. There were areas which had been burnt,but the fire was out now.

Then we found this warthog enjoying the green grass on the edge of the road.



He had a passenger - an oxpecker.



A woodlands kingfisher had something which he needed to get rid of.



I looked as if it was snail shells



We stopped at Skukuza for some refreshment. The monkeys were about in force near the restaurants. This one
was showing us his weaponry - nothing to be sneezed at



A hippo was wondering along in the river below the deck



We went on to Lake Panic. At least the sun was shining so there was a bit more activity. This nyala bull was near the
walk way into the hide.



A green backed heron posed beautifully for us.



reflections



and a pied kingfisher.




We heard the nyala bull barking. We speculated as to what he was barking at ...........

to be continued

Continued

Graham gave a loud whisper 'leopard' and there on the far bank was a leopard. He had probably walked right
through the parking area All one could hear were cameras clicking away





When he disappeared into the grass we left and drove down towards the nursery in an effort to see him again but no luck.

On our way back this ellie had an inchy eye



Have a look at the muscles in this kudu's neck. He needs them to hold up that pair of horns



Then a road block while Mr ellie wandered down the road



We stopped at Sunset dam to watch a pied kingfisher with a fish he had caught. Unfortunately he flew
off before he swallowed it.







Back at Lower Sabie. A beautiful starling.



and a small elephant family in the river.



Later in the afternoon we again went to Sunset dam. There were plenty of cars there and we wondered what they were
looking at.
First up a pair of water thick-knees



Then we spotted the 2 young lions on the far side. At first the impala never saw them and were walking closer and closer
until one ram looked straight at the lion before taking off with the lions half heartedly giving chase.







Thirsty business chasing impala, but watch out for the crocodile



A young impala in the late afternoon light.



These young baboons were playing in the bushes next to the car.



and an even younger one casually riding on mum's back



This is what the sky looked like across the river. The fire had flared up again or been restarted. There was a sign up at
Lower Sabie to say this was an intentional fire. It certainly looked very dramatic.



We had dinner at the Mugg and Bean that evening. It was a very nice meal.

Fire at night is always beautiful but I couldn't help feeling sorry for the little creatures

There was a bit of a commotion in the far corner of the restaurant. Graham went to see and there was a small black mamba
curled up in the corner. A ranger had been called to move it. We had to make sure Cameron never went anywhere near
as he would have wanted to pick it up