The red-billed queleas had been unleashed

[Lisbeth]

Lots of lovely birds and flutterbys I love the grey hornbill, it is such an elegant bird

[Richprins]

I like the bee-eaters and the Ground Hornbills, Pumbaa!

Looks like they may be nesting there, they need big trees for that.

The spider is a solifugid or roman/sunspider, never seen one in a tree!

Ja, a big buffalo that!

[Flutterby]

How did you even spot that spider?

Lovely pics as usual.

[Pumbaa]

2 in one : Buterfly and Insecte
love the S56, for me one of the best road in the Kruger
Carmine Bee-Eater, Jacobin and nice colored Moth
and...and...

For us too but same is far too often closed during our stays there - Gladly that time same was open

[Pumbaa]

Lots of lovely birds and flutterbys I love the grey hornbill, it is such an elegant bird

Also those smaller insects and stuff in Kruger is always that interesting

[Pumbaa]

I like the bee-eaters and the Ground Hornbills, Pumbaa!

Looks like they may be nesting there, they need big trees for that.

The spider is a solifugid or roman/sunspider, never seen one in a tree!

Ja, a big buffalo that!

Ground hornbill are one of our favourites and indeed often seen in bis trees

[Pumbaa]

How did you even spot that spider?

Lovely pics as usual.

Timon saw something on the ground running around but same was so fast and this was in fact the best shot we got from same - Gladly same are not that often seen

[Pumbaa]

We came across some crocodiles,



another fish eagle



and lots of Egyptian goose but then it was time to turn around again as we wanted to return to camp via the causeway and the high water bridge via the main entrance gate and in order to spend a reasonable amount of time on the causeway where we spotted another handsome nyala bull in the best light.



Same was extreme thirsty but gladly we still had enough time to take a couple of shots



before same disappeared in the distance



whilst the marabou storks were not willing in clearing the causeway



and our very last sighting on our very last full day this year was a red hornbill with kill



and for us it was now time for our final braai which turned out today a bit nostalgic as we already had to leave the park tomorrow and we still could not understand how fast time flies always by.

Sunday, 26. February 2017 – Shingwedzi – Punda Maria Gate

Final roads we drove for this year: H1-7 – S55 – S56 – H1-7 – H 1-8 – S63 – H1-8 – S61 – S60 – H13-2

Our final morning dawned and with more than heavy hearts we packed everything together at least the weather looked promising and the sky was blue – The short stretch from camp until you reach the high water bridge is always a wonderful drive although far too short – Today we noticed a couple of hippos on their private path



who came back from their night’s adventure to spend the day in their spa.

[Pumbaa]

For sure we then stopped on the high water bridge to admire a more than breathtaking sunrise -



those colours were simply amazing!



Besides a lone feeding elephant bull we could not discover anything else until we reached the turn off into the Mphongolo loop but soon we were compensated with a bird we already had the honour in seeing a glimpse from two days ago but today same was willing to pose for an extensive photo shooting – an osprey



and another lifer for us!



No matter we stayed with same and took shot after shot until same flew finally away – the blue sky in the background was another bonus that morning. The obligatory fish eagle sighting was another highlight



a lesser pleasant sighting was then a badly hurt scrub hare. We stopped for a laughing dove



and got entertained by a couple of cinnamon breasted buntings on the ground



had lovely waterbuck sightings,



spotted lots of noisy Egyptian goose



as well as arrow marked babblers.



to be continued.....

[nan]

Osprey
nice to see the path of the Hippos
the Calao has a great apetite