Africa Wild

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 11:02 am I am perfectly happy with birds

The helmeted guineafowl must be one of the most ridiculous looking birds in the world and from the front with the legs crossed....

Do you put on the alarm every morning? even when it's raining

Lovely view on the river

Could the raptor be a common buzzard

Yes, we do but when it is raining torrtentially we again turn to the other side

I would also go for buzzard here and totally right with the guineafowl

Birdingwise it was in fact an extreme fruitful morning with many different species as now a couple of greater striped swallows rested on a branch



and so were easy to capture as normally these birds are always flying eagerly around searching for insects.



Our first elephant during that trip could be seen a bit farer away half on a smaller mountain and soon we stopped for a group of wood hoopoes,





a crested barbet



and for two woodland kingfishers



and now once again with raindrops.



A beautiful steppe buzzard posed nicely





and another one a bit farer away. During that short drive to Berg en Dal camp we already spotted so many different birds already who we normally only discover during an entire trip.





As already feared the S110 leading to Matjulu was closed still at that stage we did not know anything about the flood and its road closures so after a short break in camp where we soon noticed a red collared barbet close to where we parked



as well as these pods



whilst the vervets were busy in digging and tearing apart a couple of trash bags someone had carelessly thrown on the ground to pick same up later, however, when I returned from the toilet a staff member already picked up the trash which meanwhile was scattered all over the ground by the vervets.

So we had no other choice than to drive via the tar road back to the H3 and on our drive along the S110 again a lot different raptors came across such as a Wahlberg,



a brown snake eagle,



okay no raptor but black eyed bulbuls





and now already on the H3 a couple of amur falcons were also willing to pose.





As always lots of yellow billed hornbills were flying around and now we stopped on the bridge across the Matjulu whilst once again it drizzled a bit heavier. The river was in fact quite full as same it often carrying only few water



and here we realized for the first time that the road closures of the sand roads might last longer as often a stream had to be crossed on those roads and if same look already like that in fact impossible. Somehow suddenly the rain stopped and we looked down into the riverbed where we noticed a couple of great white egrets who were busy in catching something for breakfast and one of them soon caught a fish



They had chosen a shallow place



and soon were successful in catching another fish



whilst a large crocodile tried to get a bit warmer.



We stayed on the bridge quite a while and enjoyed the views into the riverbed, the river, the egrets



and onto the crocodile



but after a while carried on and luckily it looked as if the rain might have stopped for the day as it got brighter and also this bateleur now started to dry its feathers.



Meanwhile we already noticed that also all the other sand roads which we do normally drive when staying in Berg end Dal were also closed so we had no other choice than to stay on the tar road which we imagined in fact differently but had to accept it. Meanwhile it got a bit quiet but we stopped for another brown snake eagle



who simply had to be captured as same posed like a star.



to be continued……….

A morning with lots of WET birds

The title seems to foresee a very trip. It's just water after all

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Fri May 26, 2023 7:08 pm A morning with lots of WET birds

The title seems to foresee a very trip. It's just water after all

One day it was nearly dry and sunny and then the next day it rained torrentially - At least after one week the rain got less but for sure the rivers were still high and flooded a lots of roads

The river close to Afsaal picnic spot was also quite high



and whilst taking a rest at the picnic spot we had to cross small runlets who were flowing all over the place. For sure the picnic spot was quite full as all the OSV’s and also all other cars had no other choice than to drive the main tar roads. At least we enjoyed the break there with a fresh brewed coffee from the coffeehouse and whilst enjoying same we could watch and capture a yellow fronted canary who was busy in picking up seeds from one of the bushes there.





We continued and soon were stuck in a traffic jam and only could see shadowy lions in the thick vegetation and although we stayed quite a while they did not move much so this is only a proof picture and as nothing happened we moved forward.



We came across white backed vultures



and a lot had occupied a tree obviously also to escape the wet vegetation on the ground.



As already said the feathered friends were plentiful on that wet morning and now a grey shrike showed up



and on the prominent koppie along that road we noticed a klipspringer,



stopped for another Wahlberg eagle,



captured a white backed vulture in flight and were again fascinated by their enormous wingspan



and also met a European roller.

At Kwaggaspan a lone Saddle billed stork flounced around on the search for something to eat and here we turned around as we were nearly at Skukuza.



A colourful lilac breasted roller was willing to pose



we also noticed European bee eaters but for our liking to far away for decent shots but now at the koppie we even saw 2 klipspringers



on our journey there one of them was obviously still sleeping somewhere hidden.



Now an impressive elephant bull showed up and came closer and closer



whilst feeding but luckily he was totally relaxed



but had a floppy ear.



After another short break at Afsaal we carried on and in the open area there where we did not see anything in the morning now masses of zebras as well as wildebeests were hanging around.



Meanwhile it cleared up and also the sun was shining but the zebras were still extreme dirty



after all the rain and muddy places all around.



to be continued…………………..

Beautiful rollers and also the vulture tree is very attractive

Klipspringers

With all the sand roads being closed the main roads must have been rather busy

Finally catching up, Pumbaa!

What an adventure this is, unfolding every day!

Birdies galore and so different when they are wet.

It is weird having so few road options, one must say, and I can imagine how busy Afsaal was.

Lisbeth wrote: ↑Fri Jun 02, 2023 10:04 am Beautiful rollers and also the vulture tree is very attractive

Klipspringers

With all the sand roads being closed the main roads must have been rather busy

Yes, they were but nevertheless we found always a quiet spot