And then the Fish Eagle started to call.....*

[Pumbaa]

Meanwhile we already turned into the private road leading to Bateleur camp and here we had to stop again for a large herd of buffaloes which was blocking the road out of which one of the cutest buffalo calf ever showed up



Finally after a long day on the road we arrived at Bateleur camp and had been welcomed by the camp Manageress heartily. Our home for our last two nights was Bungalow No. 6 for which I had requested and in which we already stayed twice. After everything had been placed away and we also successfully removed a bat hanging in the curtain in our room, Timon was strolling along the fence to the bird hide where just a beautiful and impressive waterbuck male arrived to have a drink



and after same had walked off into the bush the resident crocodile showed up from a large puddle close to the water hole.



Meanwhile I had filled up the bird bath in front of our verandah to attract some birds also one reason I wanted to stay in that bungalow again but it took quite a while until it got around between the birds that the pool had re-opened but we saw and heard a lot of woodland kingfishers, a noisy arrow-marked babbler,



and a shy kurrichane thrush



but the yellow eyed canary meanwhile dared to come closer peeping through the thick leaves



whereas the masked weaver meanwhile opened the bar and started to drink.



Finally the yellow eyed canary followed the masked weaver and quenched its thirst joined by a glossy starling.





Meanwhile we had made ourselves comfortable on one of the largest verandahs we ever had and had a great time in watching all the birdies come and go. A beautiful blue waxbill arrived



and also a huge grey headed bush shrike compared to the wax bill even was in the mode to pose a bit for Timon’s camera.



to be continued...

[Pumbaa]

As you might have supposed I will not get this one finished until we will leave for Kruger tomorrow Still a bit left but this will be done when we will be back and until I will start with the new report See you again on 01.03.16



From far we heard thunder and it looked as if a thunderstorm was on its way so we also lit the braai in order to be finished until it started to rain and it got also darker and darker but the birds did not bother and flew in one after the other also the shy kurrichane thrush paid a visit



as well as the grey headed sparrows





and we just had finished our braai when it started to rain heavily with thunder and lightning but we still sat a long time on our verandah to cool a bit down and it was in fact one of those hotter days in the park. On top we experienced once again a power failure this already happened when we just arrived in the camp but they got it fixed until the thunderstorm started and the power was also down for the rest of the night but we did not bother as we fell once again in bed dead tired and with a cool breeze now blowing through the wide opened windows whilst the thunderstorm got quieter and quieter we soon were in dreamland.

Saturday, 28. February 2015 – Bateleur

Explored roads: S52 – H-106- S50 – S135 – S55 – S101 – S52

Our last full day dawned and there was still no electricity available normally no problem as we had candles and torches with us but I had to forget about my morning coffee. Although it meanwhile stopped raining it was still overcast and grey so whilst strolling along the S52 it was still extreme dark but a couple of double banded sandgrouse were running excitedly around.



Then we also saw the obligatory impalas and some juvenile bee eaters



but the rest of the road was extreme quiet and that was a bit disappointing. We do always stop at the causeway across the Shingwedzi which we already saw completely flooded with not access and even dryer than it was this year as still here and there large puddles of water could be found and today a saddle billed stork already had arrived



as well as a large buffalo herd



out of which most of the members were drinking from the puddle and chased the saddle billed stork away who was about to catch some breakfast.



In the distance we also could spot some hamerkops and whilst carrying on another martial eagle on a tree came across.



Then we had to stop for another road block as another large herd of buffaloes was about to cross the street with lots of little ones also around protected by mom.

[Pumbaa]

Needless to say that we once again stopped to let them cross the street but as always they permanently stopped to check us out.





They always looked curiously into our direction and we once again had a great time in capturing same as they looked always so differently



Some even were wearing a fancy ear decoration.



and whilst most of them meanwhile had reunited on one side of the road



others followed but we waited until all of them had crossed the street and disappeared into the bush. We had to stop for this impala especially for the comfortable looking hitchhiker



and some giraffes busy in feeding could also be observed.



Close to Shingwedzi on the tar road leading to the camp we stopped for something on the road which materialized into a rock python who obviously only had recently some breakfast.



Same was slithering slowly across the street and gladly all other cars paid attention and did not overrun same.



This was the third sighting of a rock python in Kruger for us and all were fantastic especially as all pythons had nearly the same size as this one – These guys are in fact quite long. A bit scary was the driver of another car who just came from Shingwedzi stopped and got out of his car to have a closer look onto the snake – I could only look at him with my opened mouth and babbled something like python when he replied: “Ahhhh, this is a python” – Obviously he did not know that there are in fact also other snakes to be found in Kruger which are on top venomous.



After only a short break in camp we left again via the back gate where we came across a nyala family and gladly also a male was willing to pose. Unfortunately you can see in the background the fence of the camp but it is always great when we can observe and photograph these beautiful antelopes.



to be continued.....

[Pumbaa]

The road is now following the Shingwedzi riverbed and normally extreme thick but with awesome views into the riverbed. We spotted a group of white backed vultures in the sand where some remains of whatever was still left.



We got to see even more nyala also with these beautiful trumpet creepers which we could admire along that road quite often.





Two waterbuck youngsters who were resting on the riverbed obviously waited until the adults might be back at least they were extreme cute.



Some loops later a yellow billed stork was about to walk to a huge puddle and started to fish and meanwhile it also started to rain again which happened quite often that day short and heavy showers alternated with sunny and dry sections. This is how we know Kruger at that time of the year and at least in that part of the park it still looked lush and green.



Close to the puddle with the yellow billed stork an elephant bull dug his own waterhole and was permanently splashing water out of his trunk into the direction of the stork.





He was not willing to use the water out of the puddle and was only using his own spring. The stork did not bother and carried on with its foraging



joined by another green shank who used the shore of the puddle to do the same.

[Pumbaa]

We stopped at Kaniedood hide out of which we originally thought that same is closed due to some flood damages but gladly same was open so we took a short break from driving overlooking the area and we were successful in finding a great white egret close to a large crocodile.



Farer in the distance we could also locate more crocodiles very well hidden and a couple of cattle egrets and although here lot of water was available the other birds kept away at least at the time we spent in the hide. We carried on until the destroyed Kaniedood dam itself and here we came across resting waterbucks,



a lone buffalo and another beautiful saddle billed stork



plus a number of hamerkops.



We then turned around and drove the same way back we just came from and met some waterbuck youngsters – cannot remember having ever seen that much waterbuck youngsters as during this trip



and could identify a fish eagle in the distance overlooking the riverbed.



A group of hadedah ibises were feeding



to be continued...

[Pumbaa]

Very good, Pumbaa, again! So nice to see the rain!

Bully elephant!

like the egret and croc pic!

It often is raining on our last full day in the park

[Pumbaa]

and we even spotted two beautiful nyala males taking a rest in the thick vegetation along that road. Unfortunately they all stayed a bit hidden and were not in the mood to move.





Shortly before we returned to Shingwedzi we had the opportunity in observing a white headed vulture in flight



and finally the daily ice cream break was well earned. Meanwhile it started once again to rain and we left the camp again via the back gate to stop a bit longer at the causeway which we finally could drive again after same was closed a couple of years due to flood damages. A baboon lady looked a bit miserable in the rain





whilst she was chewing on something although her cheeks were still tightly filled with something for later - I find this behaviour extreme practical!



More member of the clan were spread all over the place and they were in fact not happy about the rain shower, however, the black winged stilt we also spotted on that causeway did not bother as the legs were anyway already wet but I was now finally satisfied with our sightings of this bird as that was in fact the closest we got to see same during that trip.





We stayed quite a while here and could also spot a grey heron and a couple of egyptian goose a bit farer away and the water from above must have not been enough for this blacksmith plover as same needed and extensive bath in the huge puddle.



Those stays on such causeways will be missed by us when back at home as there normally always something is coming around – Sigh! We drove via the S135 back to the tar road and on that road a group of vervet monkeys could be seen especially I fell in love with this motherly love shot

[Pumbaa]

both were still not happy with the water which still came from above but another little one did not bother and was curiously looking around.



Also the beautiful woodland kingfisher who landed on a wet branch close by had no problems with the rain. Nearer to the end of each trip we had to capture nearly each woodland as you never know whether this might be the last one during that trip...



A short stop on the high water bridge over the Shingwedzi is also always a must but here in fact nothing was around and same we drove slowly back via the tar road and came across a large group of ground hornbills as nearly always in a tree.





It was obvious by their expressions that the rain was definitely not very welcome.



At Joao we then met one remarkable tusker who was in fact happy about the rain and he was in fact a bit high-spirited and he even climbed the short hill where you also can drive up with your car.



Gladly he was busy with himself and the rain and mud so he did not notice us any further and we could stay with him





to take some shots.



The rain now got less and the grey hornbill had already spread its wings to dry the feathers



and the white backed vultures sitting in a group on a dead tree did the same.



to be continued...

[Pumbaa]

WAY TOO many great photos here to list them all Hadeda ibis, female baboon that looks like the statue (?) "The Thinker", Stilt, Vervet mommy....and on and on. Will have to peruse them all again when I get more free time... I just might need to nominate them somewhere

Maybe the female baboon was in a thinking pose

[Pumbaa]

Along the gravel road to Red Rocks we met a large number of giraffes





with lots of little ones between them – It in fact took some time until they cleared the road as first they have to look intensively nearly mesmerising us until they decided they could take a step further



and then another one. It was in fact funny how many giraffes finally emerged from behind the thick acacia bushes.



Whilst we were standing at Red Rocks



the sun popped up more and more from behind the clouds and the dark clouds got less and within seconds the comfortable 20 degrees felt like 35 degrees when standing in the sun so I was not that unhappy that from time to time a cloud was hiding the sun and so the temperature dropped again within minutes. Here a lot of bird activity was again visible and we got to see a pied kingfisher, white fronted bee eaters, carmine bee eaters as well as a village indigo bird all still a bit far away but that feathered one had to be captured as this was another lifer.



At the causeway meanwhile also a wooly necked stork joined the saddle billed stork from early morning and same caught one enormous fish after the other and had problems in swallowing such huge fishes and he even had to wait a bit until the fish had slipped down his gorge at least you could look how the fish made its way into the stomach of the stork.



We stayed there quite a while and as on top not much traffic was around we were not disturbed in clearing the causeway and so we strolled further along the S52 until we spotted a strange looking kingfisher and it took me quite a while



whilst Timon already started to take a couple of shots to identify our colourful friend and gladly same was a grey headed kingfisher – another lifer for us!