Browns in Kruger - August 2012 (JHB Clan) *

[Supernova]

Hi All;

Bushcraft has promised to do his September TR once I have done our August TR, so here goes…

Our annual Kruger trip is always in August during the Johannesburg private school holidays. It is a quiet time of the year, away from most of the crowds.

Our booked trip was six nights:

Skukuza - 19th to 22rd August
Talamati - 23th and 24th August

We try to only book two camps so that we could settle in one place and not have to move around waiting for the 14h00 book in time.

Sunday 19th August

We left Johannesburg late and only arrived at Malelane gate at 14h00, at this time the gate is quiet, so in five minutes we were in the park. Being in the heat of the day things were quiet on the H3 up to Afsaal.

We came across this Buffalo herd on the way up to Afsaal.





and somewhere further along a Tank or two were lying deep in the bushes





after this was our first Elephant of the trip.





After this, we saw a small white car parked in the middle of the road, looked strange with something sticking out each side of it, then we realised a python was crossing the road under the car. The occupants of the car had BIG eyes and asked us where the snake was... It had gone by the time we pulled up next to them. It was too fast for us to be able photo.


Afsaal was quiet and we stocked up on cool drinks and were off to Skukuza. All was quiet up to Skukuza and all we saw of interest were some Kudu, they posed for a picture.





We were at Elsie Clarke cottage for the next few nights, we usually stay in the GC4V cottages, as we enjoy the river view and the shade that the trees provide, Elsie Clarke can get a bit hot in the afternoon without any shade.

As we had left late there was only time for a quick evening drive, we took the H4-1 down to the bridge and back. On the first loop next to the river a lion pride had moved in on the bank across the river, we usually see leopard here, but with lions around the leopard would have moved off.







A bit further down towards the bridge we came across this family, there were two females and 4 cubs. (1 female out of photo)





We stopped back at our leopard loop to see if the lions had moved, but they had already retired for the night and a herd of buffalo had moved into the Skukuza side of the loop.





That was the end of a first day; we had taken it easy and still seen 4 for the big 5.


to be continued...

[Supernova]

Monday 20th August

We left camp at 06h30 the next morning, we have made a habit of leaving rather at 06h30 than 06h00, we have always had our best sightings when leaving 30 minutes after the gates open. The planned drive was down to Lower Sabie on the H4-1 and back again.

Just as we turned out of Skukuza, on the way down to the H4-1, this crew came out of the bush. Not sure if this was leftovers from the staff village or if it was an actual kill ?








and one of the smaller Hyenas waited for a picture to be taken before bolting off across the road.





This Hippo was taking a nap on the sand bank away from the river.





The Nkuhlu troop was warming up in the sun.





Between Nkuhlu and Lower Sabie a pride of lions were lying on the river bank. We stopped to take a few photos, when a number of youngsters crossed the road and joined those at the riverbank.











They all then proceeded to come back across the road and disappeared off into the bush.





A few kilometres down the road were two males on the other side of the river, relaxing in the morning sun.





to be continued...

[Supernova]

Monday 20th August (continued)

We had stopped at Nkulhu for tea and coffee, the kids and I had tea, Melly had the 10-day-old filter coffee. A piece of advice to those who have not had the 10-day-old filter coffee – DON’T.

The plan had been for an hour and a half down to Lower Sabie and the same back, so we could be back for a late breakfast at about 09h30, the sightings had been so good that it was 09h00, so we agreed to have breakfast at Lower Sabie

After breakfast at the Lower Sabie deck, which I will not do again, I suggest rather have a plate of chips or a toasted sandwich.

We were off again back up to Skukuza.





And then another pride of lions on the road on the way back to Skukuza, this was a group of females and they walked alongside the road for about 5 kilometres.





First we have a tree hug…





Then a good stretch and a bit of tree shredding.





The females were very alert and walking with intent to get something or somewhere, we followed them as far as we could before the headed back down to the river.





A little further up the road this young male looked finished.. It was one of those days when a hot wind blows all day and there is no escape from the heat.





Even the Ellies were hiding in the shade trying to keep cool





Cailin back at Skukuza cooling off in the heat of the day.





After lunch and we had book download crisis !!

Mel had downloaded the first book on to her iPad and she had completed it…. I was ordered to find a way to get the next two books downloaded. I have a mini SIM that fits the iPad but my signal was pathetic, so the plan was to use my broadband connection (on another network) on the MacBook and turn it into a wireless hotspot and connect with the iPad.

This worked and the crisis was avoided…

For the afternoon drive we took a slow drive around the H1-2 / H12 / H4-1 loop.

These Kudu had found a safe place to eat on an island in the center of the river





The Baboon troop were on their evening stroll along the road. We often take the time out to sit and watch them as they go about their business.







This crocodile had to be one of the fattest I have seen in Kruger.





Our last sighting of the day was this Fish Eagle.





to be continued...

[Supernova]

Tuesday 21st August

(moving along as per RP’s request )

This morning it was back to check if the lions were still next to the river, outside Skukuza, where they had been seen for the last few days. Yes they were there in the exact same spot.





Where to from here, the question was - should we try another route or follow the same H4-1 as we did yesterday? When the sightings on the H4-1 to Lower Sabie are on… It’s back down to Lower Sabie again for the second day.

The first sighting was a vulture, then nothing almost all the way to Lower Sabie….





As we came up to Lubyelubye rocks, I saw something move on top of the rock, I just pointed the camera started shooting.





Seen something down the riverbed.







He got bored and lay down in the shade.



Seen whatever it was down the riverbed again.






The leopard grew tired of all the cars and cameras and moved off down the riverbed. We took the chance that the leopard might be walking along the riverbed and may come back out of the reeds.
So we moved up the road and pulled off on a small dirt loop and waited, this proved to be correct as the leopard did come back out of the reeds.



to be continued..

[Supernova]

This leopard must have been coming to these rocks for years. The below picture was taken on 21st August 2012 and the one below that 26th August 2008, exactly 4 years earlier. Have checked the spots and looks like the same leopard to me ?

21st August 2012



26th August 2008

[Supernova]

Tuesday 21st August (continued)

After the leopard sighting, we didn’t even bother going to Lower Sabie and just headed back to Skukuza.

Cailin was asking me questions in the Kruger Map book, so I stopped on the side of the road to show her where we were. We were looking at the book for about 2 minutes, when we looked up and a lioness was standing in the middle of the road

A pride of lions had walked out of the bush 5 meters in front of us, had we not stopped to look at the book, we would have driven right past.











Next came the cubs, at first they were a little hesitant to come out of the protection of the bush, but with the fear of being left behind, they gained confidence.











One stopped alongside the car to check out what humans looked like.





Another cub got left behind and sat alone on the bank crying for rest of the pride.





An older juvenile male came out the bush behind the lost one and ushered it across the road to join the rest of the family.





After the cubs had crossed the road, we noticed a slow movement next to our car. One of the lionesses was hunting a herd of impala.








She kept very low and moved slowly forward; she was no more than 10 meters from the car.

We u-turned and followed her as she moved forward. As she sprinted we floored it after her, weaving between the other cars that had stopped. There was dust everywhere in the riverbed and impala jumping in all directions across the road, I am still surprised that we never hit another car in the chase.

Unfortunately she missed, and re-joined the rest of the family in the riverbed.





After all the excitement we went up to N’watimhiri Dam, where Cailin and Teagan took a few pictures below.











to be continued…

[Supernova]

Thanks to everyone who has been following and for the support so far, still four more days to go

Tuesday 21st August (continued)

During the break in the middle of the day, I was looking at the Kruger Sightings website and it was listed that three male lions were:

Tuesday, August 21, 2012
3 male lions on Marula loop S83, 600m from eastern entrance. STA on the side of the road

My immediate assumption was that there would be hundreds of cars, but with nothing to lose we went anyway. Just to find that the lions were there as listed and there was only one other car ?

There were two males lying together and a third alone right next to the car, too close to see in the picture below.





One of the males gave us a demonstration on relaxing and rolling around











He also posed for some close up portraits








The third brother was hanging in a bush, it looked like he was the one that had had a heavy night, and he did not move the entire time we were there.





We spent about an hour parked there, watching the lions, they were so close and there were no other cars around..

When we left they were still relaxing, we agreed to go and check Lake Panic, on the way there we photographed these Ellies .





At Lake Panic there were already 12 cars parked in the parking area, so we continued to the Golf Course, where we had a drink and watched the Impala and Warthogs There was still a lot of repairs going on from the flood, but it was great to get out the car and have a drink in these surroundings.





Cailin and Teagan spent the evening completing one of the Kruger artworks from the Skukuza shop.





to be continued…

[Supernova]

Wednesday 22nd August

The Wednesday morning, our idea was to go back to the Marula loop and see if anything may have happen overnight, as we turned left out of Skukuza, just after the 4 way stop. A leopard jumped up at the road verge, it stood still for 2 seconds and miraculously disappeared into thin air ??

When we pulled up to the exact spot (two big trees on the right hand side of the road) we found out how the leopard had done the disappearing trick. There is a drain under the road in that exact spot!

The only evidence that I got on photo was a blank picture of the bush….

A lone hyena crossed the road on the way to the Marula loop





The lions were gone from their previous spot on the loop, all that we found was a sad looking Baboon.





We headed on back down the H4-1 to find any of the cats from the previous day. A lion pride of two males (1 male out of picture) , two females and cubs were lying in the riverbed. One cub thought it a good idea to irritate the Dad; it was a great family interaction to watch.











At N’watimhiri Dam this “friendly” Buffalo came up to the car .







to be continued…

[Supernova]

Wednesday 22nd August (continued)

N’watimhiri Dam had Buffalo, Kudu and Impala drinking.









Just after the turn off to the N’watitimhiri causeway we spotted a hyena running in the bush alongside the car.





The hyena would run on the road for a bit, then alongside in the bush, we kept our distance and followed for about 2 kilometres.





Close to Lower Sabie there had been a Leopard on a kill earlier in the day, kill was in the tree but no leopard to be found.





The heat was back and all were taking cover in the shade.





On the way back to Skukuza, we found the lions from the day before.





The afternoon drive was our last drive in the Skukuza area before we headed north, We took a drive on the H4-1 to Nkhulu and back, to see if we could get a last leopard.







We did get a view of a two lions as they disappeared into the river bed.





Then as the sun was setting we pulled up next to a tree where a troop of Vervet monkeys were making a big noise. There was also a dead Vervet in the road.

The monkeys were watching something move just out of our eyesight, and then we saw the leopards tail moving above the bushes (image capture from video below, clearly visible on the video, not so good in photo ). We waited until the last minute before leaving to get back to camp, but the leopard never resurfaced.





Tomorrow we head North to Talamati.

To be continued…

[Supernova]

Thursday 23rd August

We took the route straight up the H1-3 /H1-3 then turned off to Talamati.

We had a long drive ahead to Talamati, so we slept in and then slowly packed up the car. I got this picture on the dead tree in front of Elsie Clarke cottage before we left.





I have a picture of the kids on the Kudu statue from every year of the last 10 years that we have been going to Kruger, so to keep up the tradition; we stopped for photos on the way out.





Not that much on the way up to the first set of dams.





At Leeupan we arrived just as this herd were leaving.





These Cheetah were well camouflaged in the dry grass. They were just north of Tshokwane and from what we could hear they had been there since early morning









At one of the dams this Male lion was lying on the opposite side of the road to the dam, again well camouflaged in the grass.







We turned off at the Sweni road, headed towards the ZS36. When arriving at Ximangwaneni Dam we were told of lions lying behind a large anthill. We searched but these lions were not found.

The local vultures were having a bath and drying their wings in the afternoon sun.









to be continued…