Shipandani Overnight Hide S 142 (Close to Mopani)

[Polentswa]

The More common Green Backed Heron found at Shipandane which is the best place in Kruger for seeing the ultra rare White Backed Night Heron

[nan]

nice

[Flutterby]

Lovely colours!

[Richprins]

A pic by Peter Betts at the hide:

[Richprins]

The causeway just before the hide, by Pumbaa 2013:


https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... 1&start=70

As it was still enough time left we wanted to pay a short visit at the hide itself but first we had to cross a very muddy and washed out part of the road which was indeed a bit bumpy. The hide itself was located lovely but the vegetation far too thick and the water simply too high to trace something worth only this little chap dared to come close enough for a picture but nevertheless the silence at the hide was amazing,



however, we definitely did not stay that long as the causeway itself attracted us back like a magnet and now the sun stood in the right position and we as well with our car and the only thing we had to do was to wait and press the button – the grey heron was at the look out for some dinner





and one of our reptile friend had it easier same only had to open its mouth and finished!



And this was not the only one hanging around at this brimful feeding trough at least it was funny to watch seeing the crocodile putting its head on the causeway.



A couple of cars arrived and after a short time of watching around they crossed the causeway and either visited the hide or drove further and each car chased the crocodiles as well as our feathered friends away but gladly for us after it quiet down again all of them returned to their favourite positions



and we had a great time in switching our views from grey heron, to hammerkop and black crake in the background and crocodile in the foreground and it was difficult to decide where to look first we were simply lucky that we still had a lot of time to simply sit there and enjoy.



Finally the grey heron was successful and caught a huge fish



and same was extreme excited about it and walked proudly with its catch out of the water to the other side of the causeway and throw the fish on the ground and examined same carefully even the hammerkop who caught one smaller fish after another already came closer and checked the fish out but obviously found the size simply too large.



We ourselves only asked the question to each other whether the grey heron would swallow the fish or would same be too large?



Obviously the question was unnecessary as the heron gave already the answer -



funny to watch for us but for sure not for the fish was the fact that we still could see the silhouette of same in the neck of the grey heron!



With such a fisher’s luck also the crocodile started to smile!



Also the hammerkop returned to its favourite hunting area and we saw same permanently gulping and the time we looked at same it must already have caught twenty or thirty fishes.



Unfortunately the water dikkops and a green backed heron were too far away and too good camouflaged to take decent pictures and we also spotted a group of waterbucks coming slowly but permanently closer.



I love the rough stony area but also the riverine vegetation at exactly that spot as only a couple of meters further down you once again will be surrounded by deep and thick mopane bushes. Now it was also time for us to leave and we said good-bye to our now satisfied and full grey heron and finally had luck in taking at least one shot of the green backed heron who finally dared to come closer.



Pity was that the goliath heron stayed the whole time during our stay a bit far away but we already decided to return tomorrow again to that awesome spot and try to get some close ups of same or even other birds.

[Richprins]

From a 2013 aat visit:

It was late afternoon when we arrived near the “hide” close to Mopani when suddenly something came from the side of the road … crossing the road in front of me and walked away to the hill , opposite of the “hide”. Cheetah ? no… Leopard ? yessss
Stop…camera and action …

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It’s a female Leopard. What a day… earlier that day we saw Cheetah and how the two Cheetah friends or brothers were re-united and now a Leopard. The Leopard did not stop but continued climbing the hill.

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Was she going out for hunting ? They never tell you anything so it’s guessing. Following her all the way and hoping for a few nice shots

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Come on my dear….please stop for a few seconds…. But no chance… climbing higher and higher

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Last shot before she was hiding behind rocks and bush

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https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... 1&start=10

[Richprins]

Aat's leopards there even appeared in Rapport newspaper!

It’s Christmas time all around the world so I thought “nice opportunity to write a kind of Christmas story”
We were in Mopani and it’s late afternoon. Like always when we are in Mopani it’s hot. Before going to camp we went to the hide close to Mopani and there was this “ 6th sense in me” telling me “wait en look”.

Standing there I was thinking of a sighting we had a few years ago, same place, where we were looking at a leopard with a cub. Some of you know the location. The hide near the water and behind the hide a kind of hill with black rocks.

Back in time…. to December 2nd 2012: where we saw this Leopard with cub

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and

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This sighting was in my mind, memory, but back to reality, back to November 19th 2014.
I just don’t know how to express it, but this little voice in me was tellling me something. I was looking at the black rocks, between the small bush and trees on the hill. Nothing !
Then…. After about 30 minutes “the Miracle”
I will try to show you what we experienced step by step

Still looking at the rocks suddenly we saw something moving….

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Leopard !
Just realizing it was a leopard when we heard another sound (warning) and then we saw this Klipspringer also taking notice of the leopard.

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Klipspringer run away and back to the rocks to see if the leopard was still visible
And yesssss… even much better showing herself

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Incredible … almost two years later and same leopard at same location
(with writing this tale I checked if it really is the same leopard and yes she is the same one we have seen two years ago, by checking the spots pattern)

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Still wondering about this she was looking around for a while… did she hear something, was there anything ?
The leopard was laying down for a few minutes and out of nothing, we did not see it happen, but suddenly her cup was there… ohhh my…

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In a nutshell the story of 2012 was there again… 2 years later and mother had a cub again
What a small cub… we were waiting…till the little one started to move a bit.

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Cub laying down and drinking….

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Almost an half hour watching mom and child and 45 minutes before closing time
No other cars (only possible in Mopani I think, in the south it would be a car-mess)

Cub still drinking and mother caring and washing her baby

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10 minutes later…. And cub showed her/his face. How cute…
All the time I was thinking about 2 years ago… wondering how this was possible…

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It was getting darker… sun faded away behind this hill and our eyes focussed on mom and cub. What a privilege to withness this. Have we seen leopard mother and small cub often? Nooo…. So many thoughts and happy feelings… seeing this makes you really happy, for sure

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Then suddenly mother decided to stand up

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Time for her to find some dinner…

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Like the sun was fading away, time was fading away (closing time camp) the leopards were fading away…

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and last shot before mother disappeared after hiding her cub

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Back in Mopani camp, looking at each other and just quiet about this miracle. Thinking how much luck we had to see same mother with two times a cub at same location.

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=5183

[Richprins]

[Richprins]

2009 pics by nan:

18.10.2009



Giant Kingfisher



next one
already known... but I love them

[Richprins]

Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
23h23 hours ago

10:15 am
51-100 Buffalo drinS142, at Shipandani Hide
5/5
Near Mopani
Tinged by Bushbabies
(Photo)