In Search of Some Good "Spots"

[Ratel]

Some more shots for the Warthog appreciation crew:

And my favourite; where he is pretending to be an amputee in order to collect a disability pension!

DSC07696_sml.jpg (129.7 KiB) Viewed 287 times

He looks in the photos like he is the boss, but in actual fact was very nervous. In the end he left without drinking. Everybody seemed to know the Leopard was around that day.

[Richprins]

Ja! Not surprised, as something chomped his back leg off, Ratel!

[steamtrainfan]

Nice photos Ratel.

Love the three legged warthog.

[steamtrainfan]

Ja! Not surprised, as something chomped his back leg off, Ratel!

[Flutterby]

Lovely pics Ratel!

[PRWIN]

caught up lovely Photo,s

[Pumbaa]

The warthog is looking a bit lost between all the impalas

Very well captured, Ratel

[Ratel]

The warthog is looking a bit lost between all the impalas

Yes Pumbaa, and the Impalas were so nervous. Snorting and jumping at the sight of their own shadows! I think it greatly contributed to the poor Warthog deciding to bail rather than venture to the water for a drink.

[Ratel]

Thanks again RP, STF, FB, PRWIN and Pumbaa for following along with our adventure.

Friday 25th August continued

As the day was getting on we decided to pull the pin on waiting for the Delaporte Leopard and instead start making our way back to LS. For a change of scenery I took us south, turning onto the S114 then the S21. I expected this to be a pretty quiet route traffic-wise, so any sightings we had would be relatively peaceful. Also, we had heard of Lion and Cheetah sightings on the route that morning so there was a chance a kitty-cat might pop its head up.

Not far along the S21 a micro-car full of young people were very kind in pointing out an African Rock Python retreating to a large termite mound.

23-IMG_8073_sml.jpg (189.15 KiB) Viewed 274 times

We passed a couple of Elephant herds close to the road but no brilliant photo opportunities presented themselves immediately so we continued on. Another car flagged us down to give us directions to the Lion, which was still visible from the road. We followed their instructions and soon found 2 cars stopped so figured this must be the Lion sighting.

24-DSC07736_sml.jpg (169.9 KiB) Viewed 274 times

It was opposite a really prominent koppie and the Landrover was clearly in the only good spot for viewing, parked facing towards us. The car's occupants were an elderly couple, and the guy in the driver's seat was twisting his body to an unnatural position in order to get his camera trained on the Lion, all the while sucking on a pipe. I parked beside him momentarily so Lyca could locate the animal, then reversed back to clear the traffic lane and pulled up right in front of him. And I mean right in front! I signalled our intention to take his spot when he was finished by putting the nose of the car about 30cm from his!! Subtlety is over-rated. The driver glanced at me, then went back to what he was doing. I told Lyca that he couldn't hold that position very long and pretty soon he would have to leave and go and see a chiropractor, but persist he did.

We decided pretty quickly to give up the wait since it was obvious there was not going to be much action from the Lion anyway, and another car had since arrived and was playing BC's forward-reverse game trying to get a view from somewhere else. Before leaving I parked next to the Landrover again so that Lyca could take the above proof pic across their bonnet. It was fortunate we didn't have a tiny car or our view would have been totally obscured. It looked like a very nice male Lion!

Next up was a most welcome roadblock. What a stunner!

25-DSC07754_sml.jpg (199.96 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Then a 'boon clan having some sort of domestic dispute.

26-IMG_8077_sml.jpg (164.21 KiB) Viewed 274 times

27-IMG_8083_sml.jpg (207.01 KiB) Viewed 274 times

I must confess that we never figured out exactly what was going on, but there was plenty of tension when we arrived which soon erupted into chaos as the whole troop bolted across the road. Its fun to watch the lookouts bail out of the trees to join the action! As suddenly as it began the excitement died down and peace was restored on the opposite side of the road. We were now looking into the sun however so we decided to press on.

At a small river crossing some distant Dwarf Mongoose were busy doing life. We hadn't seen this species much this trip so it was necessary to spend a few minutes observing them.

28-DSC07760_sml.jpg (144.94 KiB) Viewed 274 times

29-DSC07761_sml.jpg (169.98 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Finally, at an unnamed(?) pan on the south side of the road a Terrapin was in a most unusual predicament!

(waking up...) "Aaahh, that was a great sleep. I wonder how long I was out for? I just slipped onto that rock to have a quick nap...
(looks around...)"Whoa, where did all the water go???"

30-IMG_8095_sml.jpg (120.35 KiB) Viewed 274 times

Before we knew it we were turning right onto the H4-1.

[Flutterby]

You had some nice sightings on the S21.

The giraffe has brown socks on!

Love the terrapin!