When small Streams turn into Rivers

User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

Lisbeth wrote: Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:18 pm What a great, awesome and varied bird show ^Q^ ^Q^

0()
At least when nothing else is around the birds never let us down \O


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

ExFmem wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:35 am O\/ O/\ to the resident Bird Whisperer [Luv] That bat tree is too cool O:V .
They are hanging regularly in these trees - This year we found them again there \O


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

We only left camp extreme late for our final afternoon drive in that area and came across a Wahlberg eagle,

Image

a tree full of vultures,

Image

and again masses of Carmine bee eaters

Image

Image

who caught one bee after the other.

Image

As also during the previous afternoon drives today Girivana was also our destination but as nothing was around we stayed not long but returned slowly back to camp but were again fascinated by the masses of impalas and waterbucks we met at the end of the S40.

Image

The afternoon sun was still shining so everything could be captured in the best light

Image

Image

unfortunately the waterbucks were surrounded by masses of flies

Image

and we stayed quite a while with them.

Image

Image

On our way back to camp we again stopped for Mr. zorro,

Image

an elephant bull in the best evening light

Image

as well as another European roller before we spent the rest on our evening on our verandah until it got too dark.

Image

Tuesday, 21. February 2024 Satara – Olifants

Explored roads: H1-4 – S90 – S89 – H1-4 – S91 – S92 – H8 – S44 – S93 – H8 – S44 – S93

Normally we always drive from Satara to Olifants via the S39 but as same was still closed and we already drove on so many tar roads during that trip due to missing alternatives we decided to drive via the S90 to Olifants although the grass along that road was extreme high. So after we packed everything together and the obligatory first morning coffee on our verandah we left with gate opening time and stopped right on the tar road as today the sunrise was simply breathtaking

Image

especially after all the rain and clouds we so far experienced.

Image

Image


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

The rest of our drive until we turned into the S90 was uneventful and also the first kilometers on that road revealed nothing until we noticed a strange looking raptor on a tree stump

Image

we so far detected that raptor only twice during our many visits to Kruger and were extreme happy to find another montagu’s harrier

Image

although funny was our very first sighting of this raptor was exactly on the S90 a couple of year’s ago. A second car neared as well but luckily the driver was also in the mood for taking pictures of the montagu’s harrier instead of hurrying to the next sighting as meanwhile also a second one landed right in the middle of the road in front of our car.

Image

We always tried to near cautiously but whenever we came too near the raptor took off only to land again farer away in the middle of the road and that procedure repeated a couple of times

Image

before one disappeared but luckily the other one of the Montagu’s landed on a dead bush close to the road and with the brilliant morning sun we and the passenger in the other car who as well followed us cautiously once again had the possibility of taking a ton of pictures

Image

Image

as same simply posed so nicely

Image

Image

but after half an hour we spent together with the two Montagu’s same finally could no longer be seen after taking off and as already experienced the previous days and expected the grass along this road was far too high in discovering something on the ground away from the road. Luckily for us that birds normally can fly so we again discovered a couple of feathered friends on fallen trees.

Image

Image

The yellow billed hornbill in a bush was not easy to capture

Image

and then we noticed a kori bustard also in the middle of the road but same was not willing to stay and decided to take off indeed a not that often happening sighting

Image

but I suppose for the kori the grass was also too high and same decided to look out for another landing place with shorter grass.

Image

We stopped for one of the numberless burchell’s we found this year

Image

as well as for another “lighter” Mr. zorro

Image

and finally also one of the many white winged widowbirds along that road

Image

was more than willing to pose.

Image

to be continued………………….


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Richprins
Committee Member
Posts: 75412
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Location: NELSPRUIT
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Richprins »

Catching up, Pumbaa! :o0ps:

Indeed a festival of birds! ^Q^

The one with the millipede and bee-eater together is quite unique! :shock:

Satara has a dreadful history of maintaining the grass in camp, it looks terrible in that flooded brai pic. :evil:

I love the dung-beetle shots! [O]

The montagu's has quite a lunatic expression! lol

And how rare to see a kori flying, it is the biggest flying bird in Africa, I think? \O

0()


Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
User avatar
Lisbeth
Site Admin
Posts: 66528
Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
Country: Switzerland
Location: Lugano
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Lisbeth »

You saw lots of carmine bee-eaters :shock:

Nice waterbucks \O

The Montagu’s harriers were a nice surprise. I have never seen one...as far as I know ;-) Actually it is special, because you don't see it very often lol

The colours of the last European Roller are very fancy; it must be the early sun O:V The rollers are such pretty birds \O

0()


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

Richprins wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2024 5:37 pm Catching up, Pumbaa! :o0ps:

Indeed a festival of birds! ^Q^

The one with the millipede and bee-eater together is quite unique! :shock:

Satara has a dreadful history of maintaining the grass in camp, it looks terrible in that flooded brai pic. :evil:

I love the dung-beetle shots! [O]

The montagu's has quite a lunatic expression! lol

And how rare to see a kori flying, it is the biggest flying bird in Africa, I think? \O

0()
Isn't it the biggest flying bird on earth? Totally right about Satara's camp maintenance when searching for birds or when walking to the fence to sit on a bench you always have to watch your steps not to fall :O^


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

Lisbeth wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2024 6:24 pm You saw lots of carmine bee-eaters :shock:

Nice waterbucks \O

The Montagu’s harriers were a nice surprise. I have never seen one...as far as I know ;-) Actually it is special, because you don't see it very often lol

The colours of the last European Roller are very fancy; it must be the early sun O:V The rollers are such pretty birds \O

0()
It is indeed a very special sighting whenever Montagu's do come across and on top when they are willing to pose that way \O


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

Although we only found birds on the S90 it was never boring and the time simply flew by and suddenly we already stood at Bangu waterhole where we soon discovered something red in the distance and that red thing revealed as a red bishop

Image

Image

and same was busy in impressing the non-existent female at least we did not see any whilst photographing our beloved “red one”.

Image

Whilst standing there and scanning the area we heard lions roaring not far and after driving on a monotonous looking S90 this area looked completely different and I soon fell in love with Bangu and made already a mental note to visit that waterhole far often during future visits. We carried on but were held us by a large group of white storks who were spread all over that area and a couple even could be discovered high on trees but these were too far away so we focused on the ones close to the road.

Image

Image

Then it was again Carmine bee eater time and it simply was so brilliant that so many of them landed on smaller branches close to where we stood

Image

Image

it was indeed such a come and go and we enjoyed spending our time with them.

Image

Image

In the distance weavers were busy in refurbishing their nests and more white storks could be noticed in the high grass when we were suddenly were stopped by a couple who told us something about three male lions who were lying on the road but now went farer away under bushes. We parked our car and suddenly one of the lions stood up from under the bush and scanned the area

Image

Image

and although also here the grass was high and the bush was not close to the road the lion was relatively good visible

Image

and after returning into sleeping mode they often sat up and looked around.

Image

Image


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
User avatar
Pumbaa
Posts: 8028
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:53 pm
Contact:

Re: When small Streams turn into Rivers

Post by Pumbaa »

After a while a third car arrived and everyone was happy about that lovely sighting. These must have been the lions we heard roaring whilst still standing at Bangu as the sighting of the lions was not that far away.

Image

After a while whilst nothing happened one lion after the other stood up and walked straight farer away from the road at least they stopped from time to time to look after one of their buddies

Image

meanwhile also we noted that it already got extreme hot in the sun and I guess they were looking for a cooler place somewhere in the shade to spent the rest of the day. At least we were more than happy about that lions as this was indeed a more than nice change to all the birds we saw earlier.

Image

After the lions were completely out of sight we continued and stopped for a not that shy steenbok lady

Image

and although we knew that we could not cross the Balule causeway we simply had to take a look and luckily the road was open at least until the bridge.

Image

We turned around and were in fact not that unhappy to drive via the S89 as on that small stretch until the tar road there is always something to be seen and so it was today as masses of zebra

Image

as well as wildebeest herds were grazing in the midday heat and a couple of giraffes were around as well.

Image

Image

At least it took a while until lots of them were photographed.

Image

At the previous Ngotso weir we do always stop and today we found there a beautiful dragonfly and after the obligatory stop on the highwater bridge across the Olifants where unfortunately nothing could be seen as the river was still far too high

Image

we carried on via the S91/S92 but meanwhile it simply got too hot and we did not see anything even no birds. After only a very small break at Olifants and as it was still far too early to check in we decided to drive the small loop on the S44/S93 as we noticed with joy that at least these roads were not closed and although we did not stop longer at the look out points there and not much was around we at least were happy to drive these gravel roads and at a smaller pond shortly behind the lookout point we noticed a smaller crocodile

Image

and soon all the terrapins in that pond swam to our car and we had problems in not run over any of them so we hurried soon away.

Image

to be continued…………………


PuMbAa

Please visit our website: www.photomaniacs.de
Post Reply

Return to “Travel Tales of Kruger National Park”