Africa Wild

My name's BluTuna and I'm a Krugerholic.

The time has come to dust off the cameras and sally forth for another fix. As with our last trip, I will be reporting live each day - internet access permitting.

This trip will be for three wonderful weeks which is our longest ever :)

Our itinerary :-
April 21, Pretoriuskop (hut)
22-25, Lower Sabie (camping)
26, Olifants (hut)
27-29, Punda Maria (camping)
30-May 3, Shingwedzi (camping)
4-7 Balule (camping)
8-10 Skukuza (camping)
11 Lower Sabie (hut)

A bit of a strange trip, we usually enter the park at Numbi Gate, stay the first night at Pretoruskop then head north, staying in a hut at Olifants or Letaba for one night then starting camping at Shingwedzi and gradually heading southwards. This time, camping at Lower Sabie was fully booked for the last week of our stay so we had to switch things around a bit.

This trip also sees a first for us, we have never stayed overnight at Skukuza before (in nearly 25 years of regular visits) but I must get to the hide at Lake Panic and try some photography there.

We are looking forward to meeting any other Mites who happen to cross our path - it looks like we might have quite a party when we are at Shingwedzi - there are at least 3 other Mites booked there at the same time. Yellow and Green ribbons will be displayed on the BluTuna (a navy blue Fortuner).

Just a short wishlist of things we've never seen :-
Pangolin
Aardvark
Bush Pig
Pennant Winged Night Jar
Rackettailed Roller
Any one of these would leave me with a big smile on my face for weeks and photos would be a bonus :)

Camera gear :- Nikon D5100 & D5000 with Nikkor 18-55, 55-200 and Sigma 150-500.

For those with masochistic tendencies and more time than sense, these are my previous trip Reports :-

More Days in Paradise (TR October-November 2011)

Prowling the KNP - A Photo-Journal

First stop, tomorrow at Pretoriuskop!

Day 0 21 April 2012. Home -> Pretoriuskop.

Here we are at Pretoriuskop. We entered the park at Malelane Gate at around 14:00 and had only 4 hours to get to camp going the long way around as r=the Voortrekker Road is still closed. The grass is very high but we had some good sightings; Buffs in Mlambane river bed.



A Crash of seven unmentionable ones in thick bush and some Eles including a fairly big tusker - again in thick bush.

After a quick coffee at Afsaal, we came upon a small traffic jam but nothing was in sight. "Lions just in front of that bush" there we were told - still nothing. Then a pair of them stood up and.......






GET A ROOM :)^

And just as the sun was setting, a Dagga-Boy grazing on the short grass next to the road.

Day 1, 22 April. Pretoriuskop -> Lower Sabie.

Sitting in the campsite at LS I'm listening to the wonderful night sounds. We had a Lion roaring earlier, the Hippos are grunting and howling and I just heard the "sawing a plank" sound of a Leopard :)

We took a short drive to Shitlave (how do you pronounce that???) and saw a few distant waterbuck before returning to Pretoruskop for breakfast.

On the way towards Skukuza we stopped at a small traffic jam and were informed we had just missed a Serval :( We hung around for a while and didn't have any luck. Then a few hundred metres further....

PAINTED ONES!

I only had time for a few pictures as they ran past us then disappeared into the bush. Fantastic, one of my favourites and one we haven't had a good sighting of for a few years.






At Skukuza, I couldn't resist shooting this flower in the pond outside reception.



On the road again, a Lioness who didn't look in very good nick.


Along with a cub, who looked badly imaciated.



After setting up camp we went for a short drive to Ntandanyathi hide on the S28. On the way we encountered some Eles right next to the road and I was having a great time taking some pics until some jerk pulled in between me and my subject.


At the hide, some Hippos were showing each other what big mouths they have.





That was it for our first full day.

Day 2, 23 April. Lower Sabie.

Today has been overcast with a few spots of rain. The light has been pretty flat so photography was not high on the agenda. The animals seem to have taken a holiday today so there wasn't much subject matter anyway.

This morning we to Croc Bridge for one of their excellent breakfasts. On the H4-2, we saw our first YR and we stopped and introduced ourselves - it was Gitane. Hi, nice to meet you.

We took the S130 - Gomondwane loop - as far as the S137 so we could check for Leopards in the Leopard Tree

This tree is about 50 metres south of the S130-S137 junction - we've seen two Leopards in it, about 15 years apart.


Sadly, no leopard in it this time - I hope we don't have to wait for another 15 years.

We cut across on the S137 to the S28 and visited the Ntandanyathi hide. We saw almost nothing except another YR, this time it was MikeGoss2011. Good to meet you Mike!

At the hide, even the Hippos from yesterday were on holiday so we set off down the S28. Our first real sighting of the day was a Secretary Bird.


A bit later, a lone Elephant.

And at Croc Bridge, some White-Crowned Shrikes.


Back to Lower Sabie for a snooze.


And a couple of visitors to our camp site.
Speckled Mouse-Bird

and Mrs. Chinspot Batis.


This afternoon we went up to Mlondozi Dam picnic spot and again saw very little except a group of Guineafowl which contained lots of chicks.


At Mlondozi, we spied Mrs. Mocking Chat who had made a nest in the ladies toilet.


We then headed back to the H10 and turned north where we had the sighting of the day, a BBJ on the hunt.



By this time the light was fading fast so we decided it was time to get back to camp.

Day 3 Morning Drive, 24 April. Lower Sabie.

It rained here all night and was still raining at 05:00 when the alarm went off - and was immediately set on snooze. The rain was petering out by 06:30 when we finally got going.

A quick visit to Sunset Dam while we decided where we were going revealed a Giant Kingfisher sitting on the overflow pipe.


We decided to head south again and go to Komatipoort for some supplies so we took the S82 Mativuhlungu Loop instead of going on the H4-2.

We don't often see much on this road but today we came across a fairly big herd of Eles which contained several Tinyphants, some of which could have walked under Mom without touching.


And this slightly bigger Indignaphant who was most put out by our presence.


After that wonderful encounter, we went on our way and were stopped by another tourist who told us to turn left at the H4-2. Thank you Mr Lexus SUV, without your kindness we would have missed these. We got there just in time to see them run off into the bush.

Day 3 Afternoon Drive, 24 April. Lower Sabie.

After our siesta we set out for our afternoon drive. I'm convinced that most of the animals have taken a holiday or have moved away from this area as the viewing was sparse yet again.

A short stop at Sunset Dam revealed some more Hippo action.



A troop of Baboons was on he far end of the causeway including this mother with a brand new infant.


A bit further along we found this brand new Tinyphant who was still a bit wobbly on his pins and was confused as to which end of Mom the good stuff came from.


But he found the right place eventually.



So tiny he's still covered in hair.


All of the herbivores are looking in prime condition, this must be the fattest Warthog I've ever seen.


And at Ntandanyathi hide, the last picture before what little light there was disappeared completely.

Day 4, 25 April. Lower Sabie.

The sun came out for a while this morning then retreated back to its hidey-hole this afternoon.

We went south again along the S130 down to see Daniel at the Hippo Pools. The light was beautiful but the subject matter was sparse. I did manage to get the following :-

A couple of Yellowbilled Hornbills.



King of the birds, a Marshal Eagle.


Wildebeest.


And another well fed Warthog.


After breakfast at Croc Bridge (without doubt the best and most reasonably priced in the Park) we headed up the S28 and saw quite a lot more animals than on our way south.

Buffalo.


Mom & baby Zebra.


Crowned Plover.


At the entrance to the Ntandanyathi hide was Dick Terrapin or a close relative.


And the Hippos that were absent yesterday were now back in residence.


Then I remembered the what was reported to be at the hide........

WARNING : The following images may cause persons of a sensitive nature to run away screaming. Sensitive viewers are advised to look at them with their eyes shut.







Yes, as reported, it is a Boomslang but it wasn't in the roof, it was on the floor right where people put their feet when looking out of the hide. I reported the snake at LS reception and they said they would send someone to remove it.
What a photo opportunity!

We did go out for an afternoon drive up to Nkuhlu but we saw very little and nothing worth getting the camera out for.

Tomorrow we go to Olifants for one night in a hut, so it's up early to pack up camp.

Day 5, 26 April. Lower Sabie -> Olifants.

We finally got on the road at just after 09:00 after spending about 2 hours packing up. We have a new tent extension as seen in the camp picture I posted a few days ago and we still havent got the knack of folding it up. Getting it into its bag is a bit like stuffing a sausage back into its skin.

We took a look at Sunset Dam and found a big herd of Buffs


and some Hippos out of the water.


Then we carried on our way and after about 10Kms, I suddenly realised we were heading for Sukuza and not Olifants

After turning round, we encountered some more Buffs



and a little further, even more Buffs.


We went back to LS and had breakfast, seeing as the next nearest place on our route was Satara.

A Tree Agama was on the railing of the restaurant deck.


The birdbath near the car park is aways good for some bird shots.
A Black-Eyed Bul-Bul


and a Greater Blue-Eared Starling


A Goliath Heron at the LS Causeway.


Near the restaurant at Satara, well concealed an a bush was a Scops Owlet.


We got to Olifants in the middle of the afternoon and decided to spend some time at the lookout rather than go for a drive.

The flood damage is obvious in the river bed.



Some Dragonflies came close enough to photograph.




The last shot for the day - an LBJ, any ideas what this is?

Day 6, 27 April. Olifants -> Punda Maria.

A very slow day today, even though it was warm and sunny - despite a pretty chilly start - we spent most of the day travelling and setting up camp.

So it's a very short posting this evening.

This is the new view from the N'wamanzi lookout.



One of two Tsessebee near Bowkerskop waterhole.


A tender Ele somewhere north of Mopani.


And one we haven't seen for many years, somewhere between Shingwedzi and Punda Maria - a very distant and fuzzy Roan Antelope!

Day 7, 28 April. Punda Maria.

It's been really hot here today, well into the 30s and not a cloud in the sky.

We set off early for Klopperfontein Dam but before we even left the camp I saw some movement on the ground.

It was the smallest frog I've ever seen - SO's finger nail in picture for size comparison. We think it's a Common Caco.


Along the road we spotted Secret Squirrel


and pals


Then on the horizon, an ear? Maybe Kudu?


No! Eland! The first we've seen in at least 15 years.



We sat looking at them for a while and another car came past - Eland, we explained excitedly! Hruumph! Was our reply and after about 10 seconds they drove off. Peasants!

At Klopperforntein Dam, A Grey Heron was practicing ballet


and some Zebras came down to drink




And some other birds -
Fork Tailed Drongo.


Namaqua Dove


and Woollynecked Stork.


Another Zebra.


This afternoon we took the Mahoney Loop and saw
Nyala


Another one we haven't seen for years - Crowned Hornbill.


Just while I was trying to photograph a Kudu cow, there was a very loud CRACK. Poachers? Then it went again - CRACK - Like someone chopping a tree. CRACK again! Then I saw movement in the bush, two big male Kudus fighting. The crashing horns sounding like gunshots.

The bush was so dense that I didn't get any pics of the contest :( But I did get one of the victor.