Africa Wild

Day 7, Thursday 8th Oct., Lower Sabie

We arrived at Sunset Dam to find the usual suspects – lots of hippos and birdies. We sat there for quite a while enjoying the quietness.

Wiretailed Swallow




Aerial Acrobatics


Grey Heron


Yellowbilled Stork


Showing who’s boss!


Preening


We decided to take the H4-2 down to Croc bridge and come back on the S28 (where everyone seems to find leopards :roll: )...we saw absolutely nothing!!!! We got back to camp and stopped at the shop quickly. The Brat went to the sightings board and got talking to some English tourists who had been in the park for 2 weeks and still hadn’t seen lions!!! :? So we hadn’t had it that bad! :oops: The Brat wanted another swim so we walked down to the pool via Leachy’s hut and had a short chat. He told us about an injured hippo at the low level bridge and a buff kill on the Mlondozi Road (neither of which we found when we went that way later)...but at least Leachy had pics to prove he wasn’t lying!!

A Bush Brat and a Bush Buck :lol:

Day 7, Thursday 8th Oct., Lower Sabie

For our afternoon drive we decided to try the S29 Mlondozi Road then come back down the H10. On the S29 we saw a rhino and then some pointed ears in the grass. The Brat got very excited ‘cos he thought it was a caracal but then realised it was a jackal, but we weren’t sure if it was a side-striped or black-backed? :?



He was very busy and kept running on and off the road. We followed him for quite a while until he disappeared. The H10 had lots of game again – warthogs, another huge herd of buffs, zebra and wildebeest.







We met up with Leachy again and he told us there was a reedbuck further on which we soon found. What a beautiful antelope, and our second of the trip! :P





Just after leaving the reedbuck the Brat spotted something in the grass, and we spent some time reversing and going forward and reversing....he got another glimpse of it before it disappeared and confirmed that it was an AWC but sadly my dad and I didn't see it.

Hornbills out for an afternoon stroll.



We made our way to Sunset Dam for our last sunset in Kruger and found a White-crowned Lapwing – a first for us!! 8)







And so it was time to head back to camp for our last night in paradise. :( Leachy met us as we parked and joined us for a drink while my dad lit the fire. He was great company and we had a good gossip about all our cyber friends!!! After he left we started braaing, then feasted on ribs and chicken, and toasted the end of another magical trip in Kruger. 0:0

Day 8, Sunday 9th Oct., Lower Sabie

We left Lower Sabie as the gates opened and headed towards Kruger Gate. We were now desperate to see a leopard and took every loop along the river and the N’watimhiri causeway where a leopard had been seen the previous day...but luck just wasn’t on our side.

We saw the same hyenas that we had seen on the previous 2 days and then 3 lions which I am sure were the same ones we had seen on the kill near Skukuza. They were deep in the bush and not too easy to see so we moved off quickly.

These were the only worthwhile models this morning.



Censored for sensitive viewers. :lol:





Such a tough life in Africa!!



Then we were out the gate and on our way home...but at least we had the rugby to listen to - SA vs Australia in the world cup quarter-final. :) We all know how that worked out so the least said, the better!!! :roll:

Oh well...another trip done and dusted!! We’d seen a lot of lions, but not as many sightings as we normally have, and no spots this time!! But we did have a lot of firsts, both animals and birds, and new places visited, so all-in-all a very successful and enjoyable trip!! :P Our next trip is already booked....it’s only 11 months away!! :? :lol: