Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

All kinds of information on members' favourite routes in Kruger
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75838
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by Richprins »

Excellent!!! O/\ O\/ ^Q^

Also nyala:

Image



Image


;-)


S-56 is one of the most scenic roads in Kruger, IMO, and also relatively quiet, even during peak season!


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
mposthumus
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:51 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Pretora
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by mposthumus »

Image

a day later
Image

Same tree . . . different bird
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill
Image

Crested Barbet
Image

Some bird -O-
Image


User avatar
mposthumus
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:51 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Pretora
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by mposthumus »

Thank you nan, Flutts, RP & Amoli O0. I have to agree with you RP [O]. I travel the road more than once when visiting Shingwedzi \O
nan wrote:it was a Buffalo, before the scavengers ?
the bird could be a Boubou, Southern Boubou :-?
^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^
nan definitly an ellie :-)

this is what it looked like in May 2012
Image

approximately 5 month later - I still wonder about the cause of death :-?
Image

PS: Southern Boubou ^Q^ thanks \O

More later . . . . if its ok with you guys :O^


User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by Dewi »

Amazing sightings and photos all. O/\ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^

I love this stretch of road and have spent a fair amount of time sitting at the various little loops along the river here.

Saw my first and only Puffadder at the bottom end of this road.

Image

Image

The same goes for Brubru. Only ever seen this once.

Image

It's a wonderful road to travel on and is usually very quiet traffic-wise. We were held up by a breeding herd of 50 odd ellies one day as they all moved up from the riverbed and crossed the road in front of us. The matriarch came quietly to stand next to our bakkie while the others crossed over in front of us. I think she was making sure that we were no threat to the little ones.

Some of the stragglers still in the riverbed.

Image

We often saw Kori Bustard along the roads here, unusually, in thick bush rather than out on the open grasslands.

Image

Kudu are also common on this stretch. I love the inquisitivness these were showing and the beautiful winter leaves in the background.

Image

Giraffe can be almost completely hidden in the thick vegetation here.

Image

But allow you to sit quietly nearby to watch them feeding.

Image

Impala are also very confiding and glow in the early morning light.

Image

Image


Dewi

What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
User avatar
mposthumus
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:51 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Pretora
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by mposthumus »

Last ones then off to Babalala ;-)

Image

Image

Image

At first we thought the ellie was dead . . . . until he pooped and soon after stood up =O:
Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Magpie Shrike ? :O^
Image

0*\
Image

Image

Image

Image

European Bee-eater
Image


User avatar
mposthumus
Posts: 976
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:51 pm
Country: South Africa
Location: Pretora
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by mposthumus »

Babalala 0/*

Image

Image

Image

Image

During our last visit, the bone was no more :-?
Image

Image

A Stick gogga against the wall of the Ladies ablution O**
Image

Image

Caretaker at Babalala for many years ^Q^ I remember her way back from when I was a little girl ^0^
Image


User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by Dewi »

Lovely pics of Babalala MP. \O

We always made a point of stopping here as there is usually something interesting to see in this area.

The S56 has always produced some good raptor sightings for us. A pair of Verreaux's Eagle-owls breed just South of the turn off to the main tar road and one of the birds sat out in the open on an overhanging branch.

Image

Image

Tawny Eagles soar overhead in search of easy pickings.

Image

And Fish-eagles call as they wander around on their morning tour of their patch.

Image

This stretch has also produced good sightings of Storks for us. A juvenile Yellow-billed Stork yawns in the warm sunshine.

Image

Before stretching it's wings prior to a preening session.

Image

A Black Stork struts along the riverbed in search of reptiles of insects to feed on.

Image

While three Wooly-necked Storks pass warily by a drowsy Croc, all watched over by the local Hippo.

Image

We had an amazing encounter with a Flap-necked Chameleon on this road as it crossed over ever so slowly.

Image

And watched us suspiciously with those swivelling eyes.

Image

It's also a good place to see Squirrels as they go about their daily buisness. This one was taking a break from the heat by staying in the shade.

Image


Dewi

What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
User avatar
Dewi
Posts: 9147
Joined: Fri May 25, 2012 7:38 pm
Location: United Kingdom
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by Dewi »

At the Sothern end of this road we chanced upon a grumpy old Buffalo bull who stared us down dolefully. These lone bulls seem to look right through you.

Image

Further along we saw some cows, who seemed more at peace than the lone bull.

Image

A small breeding herd of ellies were browsing whilst making their way down to the river.

Image

And it's always nice to catch up with some Nyala along this stretch.

Image

Image

Waterbuck are always worth stopping to observe. A group of cows were resting in the shade with their young.

Image

Image

I love their long shaggy coats.

Image

And a lone bull posed for a while in the nice light.

Image

This has always been a good road to see Sharpe's Grysbok in my experience.

Image

And Kudu are very common.

Image

Image


Dewi

What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on? (H D Thoreau)
User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by nan »

April 2011

A lone Giraffe
Image

ready to climb down, just beside me ;-)
Image

*EDIT* Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper and Three-banded Plover
Image

even a Tortoise and Greenshank *EDIT*
Image

and bee-Eater and Dove
Image

again Hamerkop and the Monitor
Image

still Monitor and (Water birds) Wader... sorry don't note the names :o0ps: *EDIT* Greenshank and Wood Sandpiper
Image

thank you Dewi O0 to put names on my... laziness :o0ps:
Last edited by nan on Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
User avatar
nan
Posts: 26304
Joined: Thu May 31, 2012 9:41 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Central Europe
Contact:

Re: Flavour of the Month - Feb 2013: S56-Shingwedzi/Babalala

Post by nan »

right in the middle of the road... glad not a lot of people drive through these road
only two cars and they ask me "what are watching for"... a Lizard, 0- ... as you like but :evil: beware don't drive on the hole, there is not a lot of place to cross
and I waited almost one hour, and I was rewarded O/\ it comes

Image

Image

Image

Image


Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
Post Reply

Return to “Favourite Routes in Kruger”