Funny how we never normally expect to see things just outside camp... I wonder how much gets missed
Nice lions in the late light as well
Browns in Kruger April 2017
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PJL
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
Very good leopard spot
Funny how we never normally expect to see things just outside camp... I wonder how much gets missed
Nice lions in the late light as well
Funny how we never normally expect to see things just outside camp... I wonder how much gets missed
Nice lions in the late light as well
Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
I thought you would appreciate a few boon picsRichprins wrote:Jeez, hamster!
Lovely baboon pics all over the place!
Leopard outside camp.... so they even wait for you there now?
Very nice lion pic that 2nd last one, IMO.
The kids must toughen up!
My favourite is the hornbill!
Too much to comment on, really...
A luck leopard, but the Cow did well to spot it Bushpig and Albert love your comments for obvious reasonsLisbeth wrote:Bushpig is getting prettier by the year and Albert has fabulous legs
and another leopard
Yes, another leopard That was a luck leopard PumbaaPumbaa wrote:At least your leopard luck is still on, Bushcraft
Cute pearlie and baboon youngster and good to see Miss Satara again
I thought we weren't going to find 1 for the day 
There are a few Miss Satara's around at the moment, we spotted at least 2 different ones Ja, the Cow did well with that leopardFlutterby wrote:As RP said, you hardly even have to leave camp to find leopards now!Well done to the Cow on spotting it!
Another nice lion sighting...very jealous of all these sightings around Satara...we had some very boring drives around there!
Dustbin juice!!
Satara wasn't easy We battled on our afternoon drive the next day to find anything, but I wasn't really interested as we had just finished our meet I was amazed to find that leopard just outside camp, but last year twice we found a leopard around 1km from that spot, so it's a localPJL wrote:Very good leopard spot
Funny how we never normally expect to see things just outside camp... I wonder how much gets missed
Nice lions in the late light as well
Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
10th Satara
The weather was rather suspect this morning with the odd rain shower popping up, but I hoped it would clear up before our forum meet which was happening over lunch. I still wasn’t sure exactly what time all would start to arrive or if a fire was still needed, so we decided that we needed to be back in camp at around 10:30am just in case, hence decided to drive up the H1-4, down the S127 to Timbavati picnic site and then head down the S39 before returning to Satara via the H7.
Just up the H1-4 we came across the local hyena clan lying around, but there were a couple cars already with them, hence we took a quick pic of 1 and moved on.
Next up were some teenage/young adult ellies having a scrap next to the road which got the Cow going, but I slowly cruised past them without incident.
A few km later the rats spotted a movement in the grass, so I stopped and it was a lion pride on morning patrol. We were all battling for pics in the terrible light so I was frantically trying to change camera settings, but then I got lost, so gave up and just took the pics in auto mode. The one junior lion was trying to catch the odd quelea which was amusing and I thought I had captured pics of it, but when dumping them to the PC a few days later I found a blurred mess.
The lions continued on their same path and after 10 minutes they turned and started to move deeper in, so we decided to move on.
A little further the quelea gang increased big time and it almost looked like a swarm of locusts. I personally have never seen so many.
While we were trying to photograph the birds and fiddle with camera settings another bakkie came past us, but then hit the brakes right in front of the birds and proceeded at 5km/h. The birds kept landing in the road, but if one just drove they took off again, however this couple were nervous, hence after 15 minutes of 5km/h and the continued stopping every 5m, I was losing it and the Cow was now spending her time trying to control me.
Fortunately the S127 turnoff appeared which gave us a chance to duck off from behind the neurotic couple.
The S127 didn’t produce much besides the odd usual suspect and when we arrived at Timbavati we found another nervous crowd that wouldn’t get out their car as there was nobody else around. We all jumped out and went to the loo which seemed to give the occupants of the other vehicle some courage and they tentatively got out. I was feeling naughty, hence I was tempted to sound a fake alarm just to see how they reacted, but when the Cow also commented on their neurosis I decided against it.
Around 5km down the S39 I spotted a movement in the road in front of us
“What’s that in the road?”
Silence…….
My eyes were seeing the animal, but the brain wasn’t making the connection and I was about to say “AWC?” when the Cow screamed “LEOPARD CUB” which caused me to stand on the brakes and pull off to the side of the road.
The cub then checked us and took off across the road, but fortunately hit the brakes before the grass and cameras went flying around.
“QUIET! Sit still!”
I slowly poked my camera out the window and snapped some pics.
The cub reacted straight away and it looked like it was going to bolt, but fortunately its butt got itchy which distracted it and the cub sat down again to attack the itch, but soon it looked like he/she was going to duck into the grass again, so I decided to move slowly forward, but then my camera wouldn’t be an option.
“I can’t drive and take pics, so all get ready when I move”
I slowly started to move forward and the cub initially didn’t react, so I started to stop, but seconds later it jumped up and ducked into the grass. Fortunately Hawkeyes and The Cow managed a few pics each with their point and shoot cameras which saved the day.
I slowly moved forward to the spot where the cub had disappeared, but we couldn’t see anything, however seconds later Bushpig started chirping “Ah cute!”
“What are you going on about?”
She looked at me confused and then said “The cub on the branch”
The Cow and I hadn’t seen it, but the cub had climbed up a tree next to us and was sitting on the lowest branch and Bushpig had assumed, as it was so obvious, that the rest of us had seen it.
“#$^*!! Take pics”
But unfortunately the movement of raising the cameras gave the cub another skrik and it bailed out the tree. I frantically drove backwards and forwards for 10 minutes, but we never picked the cub up again.
The next few km of the S39 produced the normal gang, but rows of traffic started to come past us from the opposite direction and I assume it was the Tamboti/Orpen crowd arriving, so I increased our speed to 40km/h as the road seemed never ending.
The H7 didn’t produce much, but it was nice to see Nsemani Dam so full and plenty of the park town prawn spider cross things where cruising around on the road and the one seemed to be plotting us which gave me the creeps.
“If that thing jumps in the car, I’m bailing out the car screaming like a girl!”
Back in camp we did a small clean up, I got the fire prepared so I just had to light it if needed and then we sat and waited for arrivals.
The rats went to the shop and came roaring back to inform us that they had met RP (and I only later found out that he had given them each something. Thanks RP, you made their trip)
Penga and Mma were the first to arrive and it was cool to catch up as I think that we hadn’t seen each other for around 4 years. They hadn’t aged and looked younger, which made me only want to live my dream more.
Slowly other wildies arrived but no Mel and RP seemed flustered about something.
Eventually we started discussing German punctuality, so we assumed there must be a problem; however minutes later Mel and SO arrived.
Mel tuned RP and I for not answering our phones and I pulled my phone out to deny it, but I had a message from Mel. Sorry Mel, not sure what RP’s excuse was.
RP offered a round of “tea”, but I think only Mel grabbed initially, however after some nagging from RP, Mel’s SO also grabbed a “cup”.
RT had remembered the skottel with the unique “Italian pan” (which I’m going to buy), so RP wasted no time instructing the rats and Cow to get busy with the Prego additions and I got shafted with the cooking.
I had no idea what I was doing as this thing didn’t have coals and there was so much Prego sauce I felt like I was making a stew, so I was quietly asking RT “Are they ready?” after each load.
Eventually the cooking was done and all had a chow, except for Mel who didn’t fancy the spicy Prego thing which got the Cow going about me cooking something else. Fortunately Mel wasn’t hungry, so I was off the hook.
Time disappeared and all had to duck, so a quick pic was required.
RP had conned Mel at some stage to get in a car with him for a drive to Nsemani and we were going to link up later. RT and family got saddled with the Prego infused Italian skottel and Penga, Mma, the Cow and I chatted for around another half an hour before they also had to duck.
After a clean-up and another trip to the shop, we only had enough time for a short evening drive, therefore we decided to head down to Nsemani, so we could spy on RP and Mel and then to do the little S12/S40 loop.
We couldn’t find RP and Mel at Nsemani much to my disappointment and the S12 didn’t produce much, therefore I had lost interest by halfway down the S40, so when the Cow started pointing frantically at my dashboard I didn’t pay much attention as she’s always doing “aerobics” in the front when I’m driving as she doesn’t think I can drive very well, but the pointing escalated, however there were still no words coming out, but I knew this was more serious, therefore decided to look around and that’s when Albert wailed “SNAKE!” and within a second I shouted “COBRA” and hit the brakes.
As I was slowing I realised that this was a Mozambique spitting cobra with his hood out and a mongoose having a scrap, but as we stopped and before we could get pics, the cobra shot one direction and the mongoose the other which gave me a massive pelican as it’s a sighting you don’t see every day.
Albert got a big skrik for the snake as it was a large fully grown cobra, so she started jabbering and then Hawkeyes starting moaning that her window now wouldn’t go up.
I couldn’t help saying “We better move on before the snake decides our car is a warm spot to hang out”, which only increased Albert’s urgently and then Hawkeyes continued
“DAD, I need my window closed now!”
My brain went tilt as this was the 3rd Kruger trip in a row and I had paid twice already for it to be repaired, so by the time we reached camp I had a massive pelican and I was going to attack the window, swear the mechanic, etc.
RP arrived around 30 seconds after we got out the car…………………………………. and after “treading lightly” for around 15 minutes he started indicating spoonbill faces to me, which makes me want to laugh now as we were trying to hide our mood, but it didn’t take him long to pick up on it.
I wobbled off for one last attack on the window and it suddenly shot up, but then wouldn’t go down, so I gave up, locked the car and returned to the braai to find RP interrogating the rats.
I tried to join in but each time I tried to tell a story RP chastised me “Did I ask you? Let the rats tell the story” Suitably disciplined I stood quietly turning the steak and eating biscuits which slowly improved my mood.
RP had swallowed a few “teas” by this stage so he loudly stated to all that he was planning a con to catch me with something, but noticed our mood, so decided it was safer not to which got us all laughing.
Eventually it was time for the Cow’s potato salad which sets RP off and the steak/chicken flattie mixed grill.
After chow RP decided Leachy had to join in on speaker phone so after a 3 way conversion Leachy and our clan were going to link up at Skukuza Golf Club on Friday the 14th, the day before we left the park and RP gave Leachy his “day summary of events”
Around 10:30pm the Cow indicated that she was going to bed, which woke RP up as he hadn’t gone for her butt yet so he went in for a hug goodnight and attacked, but then felt his lingering time in that area hadn’t been sufficient and proudly announced
“I’m going for a double take.”
Around 11pm I told RP that I was stuffed, so after talking him out of “a last final tea” he picked up his cooler box and started off across the middle of the thorn infested grass circle in the dark without a torch. I started to flap as I thought he may be having a “tea overdose” so I roared after him with my headlamp torch.
“Where’s your torch? You could stand on anything in these grass circles, one can get lost easily in this camp”
“I know exactly where I’m going and I don’t need a torch, goodnight”
I stood and watched him disappear in the darkness and then around half an hour later the Cow and I cracked up laughing as I stated “I wonder if RP is still cruising around camp?”
To be continued
The weather was rather suspect this morning with the odd rain shower popping up, but I hoped it would clear up before our forum meet which was happening over lunch. I still wasn’t sure exactly what time all would start to arrive or if a fire was still needed, so we decided that we needed to be back in camp at around 10:30am just in case, hence decided to drive up the H1-4, down the S127 to Timbavati picnic site and then head down the S39 before returning to Satara via the H7.
Just up the H1-4 we came across the local hyena clan lying around, but there were a couple cars already with them, hence we took a quick pic of 1 and moved on.
Next up were some teenage/young adult ellies having a scrap next to the road which got the Cow going, but I slowly cruised past them without incident.
A few km later the rats spotted a movement in the grass, so I stopped and it was a lion pride on morning patrol. We were all battling for pics in the terrible light so I was frantically trying to change camera settings, but then I got lost, so gave up and just took the pics in auto mode. The one junior lion was trying to catch the odd quelea which was amusing and I thought I had captured pics of it, but when dumping them to the PC a few days later I found a blurred mess.
The lions continued on their same path and after 10 minutes they turned and started to move deeper in, so we decided to move on.
A little further the quelea gang increased big time and it almost looked like a swarm of locusts. I personally have never seen so many.
While we were trying to photograph the birds and fiddle with camera settings another bakkie came past us, but then hit the brakes right in front of the birds and proceeded at 5km/h. The birds kept landing in the road, but if one just drove they took off again, however this couple were nervous, hence after 15 minutes of 5km/h and the continued stopping every 5m, I was losing it and the Cow was now spending her time trying to control me.
Fortunately the S127 turnoff appeared which gave us a chance to duck off from behind the neurotic couple.
The S127 didn’t produce much besides the odd usual suspect and when we arrived at Timbavati we found another nervous crowd that wouldn’t get out their car as there was nobody else around. We all jumped out and went to the loo which seemed to give the occupants of the other vehicle some courage and they tentatively got out. I was feeling naughty, hence I was tempted to sound a fake alarm just to see how they reacted, but when the Cow also commented on their neurosis I decided against it.
Around 5km down the S39 I spotted a movement in the road in front of us
“What’s that in the road?”
Silence…….
My eyes were seeing the animal, but the brain wasn’t making the connection and I was about to say “AWC?” when the Cow screamed “LEOPARD CUB” which caused me to stand on the brakes and pull off to the side of the road.
The cub then checked us and took off across the road, but fortunately hit the brakes before the grass and cameras went flying around.
“QUIET! Sit still!”
I slowly poked my camera out the window and snapped some pics.
The cub reacted straight away and it looked like it was going to bolt, but fortunately its butt got itchy which distracted it and the cub sat down again to attack the itch, but soon it looked like he/she was going to duck into the grass again, so I decided to move slowly forward, but then my camera wouldn’t be an option.
“I can’t drive and take pics, so all get ready when I move”
I slowly started to move forward and the cub initially didn’t react, so I started to stop, but seconds later it jumped up and ducked into the grass. Fortunately Hawkeyes and The Cow managed a few pics each with their point and shoot cameras which saved the day.
I slowly moved forward to the spot where the cub had disappeared, but we couldn’t see anything, however seconds later Bushpig started chirping “Ah cute!”
“What are you going on about?”
She looked at me confused and then said “The cub on the branch”
The Cow and I hadn’t seen it, but the cub had climbed up a tree next to us and was sitting on the lowest branch and Bushpig had assumed, as it was so obvious, that the rest of us had seen it.
“#$^*!! Take pics”
But unfortunately the movement of raising the cameras gave the cub another skrik and it bailed out the tree. I frantically drove backwards and forwards for 10 minutes, but we never picked the cub up again.
The next few km of the S39 produced the normal gang, but rows of traffic started to come past us from the opposite direction and I assume it was the Tamboti/Orpen crowd arriving, so I increased our speed to 40km/h as the road seemed never ending.
The H7 didn’t produce much, but it was nice to see Nsemani Dam so full and plenty of the park town prawn spider cross things where cruising around on the road and the one seemed to be plotting us which gave me the creeps.
“If that thing jumps in the car, I’m bailing out the car screaming like a girl!”
Back in camp we did a small clean up, I got the fire prepared so I just had to light it if needed and then we sat and waited for arrivals.
The rats went to the shop and came roaring back to inform us that they had met RP (and I only later found out that he had given them each something. Thanks RP, you made their trip)
Penga and Mma were the first to arrive and it was cool to catch up as I think that we hadn’t seen each other for around 4 years. They hadn’t aged and looked younger, which made me only want to live my dream more.
Slowly other wildies arrived but no Mel and RP seemed flustered about something.
Eventually we started discussing German punctuality, so we assumed there must be a problem; however minutes later Mel and SO arrived.
Mel tuned RP and I for not answering our phones and I pulled my phone out to deny it, but I had a message from Mel. Sorry Mel, not sure what RP’s excuse was.
RP offered a round of “tea”, but I think only Mel grabbed initially, however after some nagging from RP, Mel’s SO also grabbed a “cup”.
RT had remembered the skottel with the unique “Italian pan” (which I’m going to buy), so RP wasted no time instructing the rats and Cow to get busy with the Prego additions and I got shafted with the cooking.
I had no idea what I was doing as this thing didn’t have coals and there was so much Prego sauce I felt like I was making a stew, so I was quietly asking RT “Are they ready?” after each load.
Eventually the cooking was done and all had a chow, except for Mel who didn’t fancy the spicy Prego thing which got the Cow going about me cooking something else. Fortunately Mel wasn’t hungry, so I was off the hook.
Time disappeared and all had to duck, so a quick pic was required.
RP had conned Mel at some stage to get in a car with him for a drive to Nsemani and we were going to link up later. RT and family got saddled with the Prego infused Italian skottel and Penga, Mma, the Cow and I chatted for around another half an hour before they also had to duck.
After a clean-up and another trip to the shop, we only had enough time for a short evening drive, therefore we decided to head down to Nsemani, so we could spy on RP and Mel and then to do the little S12/S40 loop.
We couldn’t find RP and Mel at Nsemani much to my disappointment and the S12 didn’t produce much, therefore I had lost interest by halfway down the S40, so when the Cow started pointing frantically at my dashboard I didn’t pay much attention as she’s always doing “aerobics” in the front when I’m driving as she doesn’t think I can drive very well, but the pointing escalated, however there were still no words coming out, but I knew this was more serious, therefore decided to look around and that’s when Albert wailed “SNAKE!” and within a second I shouted “COBRA” and hit the brakes.
As I was slowing I realised that this was a Mozambique spitting cobra with his hood out and a mongoose having a scrap, but as we stopped and before we could get pics, the cobra shot one direction and the mongoose the other which gave me a massive pelican as it’s a sighting you don’t see every day.
Albert got a big skrik for the snake as it was a large fully grown cobra, so she started jabbering and then Hawkeyes starting moaning that her window now wouldn’t go up.
I couldn’t help saying “We better move on before the snake decides our car is a warm spot to hang out”, which only increased Albert’s urgently and then Hawkeyes continued
“DAD, I need my window closed now!”
My brain went tilt as this was the 3rd Kruger trip in a row and I had paid twice already for it to be repaired, so by the time we reached camp I had a massive pelican and I was going to attack the window, swear the mechanic, etc.
RP arrived around 30 seconds after we got out the car…………………………………. and after “treading lightly” for around 15 minutes he started indicating spoonbill faces to me, which makes me want to laugh now as we were trying to hide our mood, but it didn’t take him long to pick up on it.
I wobbled off for one last attack on the window and it suddenly shot up, but then wouldn’t go down, so I gave up, locked the car and returned to the braai to find RP interrogating the rats.
I tried to join in but each time I tried to tell a story RP chastised me “Did I ask you? Let the rats tell the story” Suitably disciplined I stood quietly turning the steak and eating biscuits which slowly improved my mood.
RP had swallowed a few “teas” by this stage so he loudly stated to all that he was planning a con to catch me with something, but noticed our mood, so decided it was safer not to which got us all laughing.
Eventually it was time for the Cow’s potato salad which sets RP off and the steak/chicken flattie mixed grill.
After chow RP decided Leachy had to join in on speaker phone so after a 3 way conversion Leachy and our clan were going to link up at Skukuza Golf Club on Friday the 14th, the day before we left the park and RP gave Leachy his “day summary of events”
Around 10:30pm the Cow indicated that she was going to bed, which woke RP up as he hadn’t gone for her butt yet so he went in for a hug goodnight and attacked, but then felt his lingering time in that area hadn’t been sufficient and proudly announced
“I’m going for a double take.”
Around 11pm I told RP that I was stuffed, so after talking him out of “a last final tea” he picked up his cooler box and started off across the middle of the thorn infested grass circle in the dark without a torch. I started to flap as I thought he may be having a “tea overdose” so I roared after him with my headlamp torch.
“Where’s your torch? You could stand on anything in these grass circles, one can get lost easily in this camp”
“I know exactly where I’m going and I don’t need a torch, goodnight”
I stood and watched him disappear in the darkness and then around half an hour later the Cow and I cracked up laughing as I stated “I wonder if RP is still cruising around camp?”
To be continued
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Penga Ndlovu
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
Great TR Bushcraft.
Still the old catmagnet I see.
I love the small spotted one.
Maybe Mma does but certainly not me.
2 Weeks ago they asked me for my pensioners card at the local Game
Shit!!!
I am still 13 years way from that
Still the old catmagnet I see.
I love the small spotted one.
Not hardly looking younger.Bushcraft wrote:
Penga and Mma were the first to arrive and it was cool to catch up as I think that we hadn’t seen each other for around 4 years. They hadn’t aged and looked younger, which made me only want to live my dream more.
Maybe Mma does but certainly not me.
2 Weeks ago they asked me for my pensioners card at the local Game
Shit!!!
I am still 13 years way from that
"Longing for the bush is a luxury many have.
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
Living in the bush is a luxury that only a few have"
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PJL
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
Nice to have the local hyenas show up, and also a nice lion sighting 
The quelea were incredible to see... the numbers were mind-boggling
And I'm seriously about your little leopard. We searched that section of the S39 a few times as our camp neighbours had seen the mother with 2 cubs in that same area... but unfortunately for us we never found them
The quelea were incredible to see... the numbers were mind-boggling
And I'm seriously
about your little leopard. We searched that section of the S39 a few times as our camp neighbours had seen the mother with 2 cubs in that same area... but unfortunately for us we never found them 
Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
That Leopard cubs sighting and shots would have already made my trip, Bushcraft, 
what luck you had in spotting same - Still high on my wish list to see one day
what luck you had in spotting same - Still high on my wish list to see one day
PuMbAa
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Lisbeth
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
The kitty is absolutely adorable
All those queleas are impressive
Nice quiet meet
All those queleas are impressive
Nice quiet meet
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nan
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
must be very impressive to see so many birds taking off and landing
cute, cute, so cute baby Leopard
seems there was a lot of teas
cute, cute, so cute baby Leopard
seems there was a lot of teas
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
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Flutterby
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
Oh my word...what an amazing sighting of the cub!! Seriously jealous! 
The flocks of queleas were quite spectacular this year!
Looks like you had a great meet. I am also giggling at the image of RP wandering around the Satara circles with his cooler box!
Seriously jealous! The flocks of queleas were quite spectacular this year!
Looks like you had a great meet.
I am also giggling at the image of RP wandering around the Satara circles with his cooler box! -
harrys
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Re: Browns in Kruger April 2017
Just awesome that Leopard cub, that IS no 1 on my wish list
Great sightings all round and some really wonderful photos
Great sightings all round and some really wonderful photos
KNP: May be one day again??