Central & North KNP with Pooky & Family *

[pooky]

We had an early start from our sons house in Gauteng.
Orpen gate loomed at about 7.45am and there to 'greet' us were
striking rangers toy-toying. We were quickly shown through.

Then the guessing started - what would we see first - and it
wasn't impala but a giraffe. :D
Cameras were still packed away so no photos yet.

We booked in and set up camp very quickly at Satara.
There were six in our party, my SO, our daughter, son-in-law and 2 g/sons.

This agama (I think) was watching proceedings.



A drive down the S100 was next on the list. Lots of ellies along the river with this
little fellow close to the road.


A late lunchtime drink for this young zebra.


Young wildebeast.


and a squirrel peering at us from his vantage point.


There were quite a lot of birds around
with this european roller posing beautifully for us.

[pooky]

Day 2 27th March

We managed to get every one up for an early start. Nsemani Dam
was our first stop and we were rewarded with a very big herd of buffalo
having an early morning drink






We then went down the S100 again but this time it was fairly quiet. Shane our 5year old
grandson had been told to have patience with Granny and Grandpa because they were also looking for birds.
Well he told us of every bird that he saw and if we didn't see it it was soooooo biiiiig and every colour imaginable.
He did however spot the greyhooded kingfisher for us - a little bit far away and we let him down by not taking a very good pic. Then a bit further there was a 2nd one.





There was a lovely family group of waterbuck, a nice big male and 2 little ones.








Back at camp for lunch and a Cape glossy starling visited the dustbin lid with water in it.

[pooky]

Day 3 28th March 2012

Matt and Shane were desperate to see lions ( they had never been to KNP before)
so we again got an early start and down to Nsemani dam - success - a mating pair of lions.
Great excitement. We were watching quietly with about 4 other cars when a little red car came
passed us all not knowing what we were watching until the lions jumped up right in front of them
The lions moved away a little so we all turned around to get a better view. We parked about a car and half
behind the red car - plenty of space we thought - we had our back to their back. Next thing they come reversing
back straight into us. Well We were in a Discovery so no damage there but he hit our tow bar and dented his car Ei






Shall I shant I? -O


We then went up to Letaba to show the kids the elephant museum. Stopped on the Olifants bridge.
What a sad sight. All those beautiful big sycamore figs are gone. The tree in the middle of the river
is gone. Most of the reeds are gone. The river looks quite boring compared to how it used to be.
The bridge is also a disaster - quite dangerous I would think because there are pipes stickly out at all
angles.





The debris up each bridge support is unbelievable.






Even the big trees that were visible from the look out at Olifants are gone. I wonder how old some of
those trees were.


Matt and Shane with the big ellie in Letaba camp.



I can never resist these beautiful Lilac breasted rollers.

[pooky]

A few more pics from Day 3

The giant Kingfisher came and sat so close to us on the Olifants Bridge
all the while shouting the odds.






Balule bridge - I wonder when, if ever this will be repaired. There was no sign of any repairs being done
at any of the flood damaged areas. There was a 17K detour around the wash away on the tar round
near the Olifants bridge.



This chamelion was trying desperately to get off the dirt road and maybe avoid some dust.




On the way back to Satara this Kori bustard was peering over his shoulder at us.


and a red crested Korhaan looking through the grass.


Not sure if this is a rock or water monitor, but he was also in a hurry to hide away.

[pooky]

Day 4 29th March 2012

We headed down to Timbavati picnic site. The road was very quite
from Nsemani dam. The boys enjoyed the bushbuck at Timbavati
which walked around close enough for them to get a good view.





As we left Timbaviti for Ratel pan hide we saw this eagle. I am not sure at all what it
is but my guess is an african hawk eagle - please correct me if I am wrong.



Next were some european bee eaters posing nicely.





On the way back towards the tar road an old 'dagga boy' crossed the road in front of us.
He had been having a lovely mud bath somewhere.



A little further on this lone buffalo cow was on a mission. We could see the herd in the distance
and our guess, judging by her size, was that she was looking for somewhere quiet to have her calf.



Back at Satara we had been told of an hyena den on the tar road to N'wenezi so off
we went. Well the smell was a sure give away :roll: The den was in a culvert with
a bush next to the culvert so it was quite difficult to get pics without branches in the way.





We couldn't work out if there was only the one small pup as he kept ducking back under
road.




This was a slightlly bigger pup.



The boys really enjoyed this sighting although they weren't very impressed with the smell -O -O

To round the day off these giraffe were having a bit of an altercation - on the S100

[pooky]

Day 5 30th March 2012

Today we decided to go down the H-7 towards Orpen - what a good decision that proved
to be.

First up near Nsemani dam was the herd of buffalo crossing the road agian.

Things were quite for a long while until suddenly ahead there was a tawny creature
crossing the road - hurry up and get closer...

What a beautiful sight and for a while all to ourselves. This pride of lions consisted
of 5 females, 9 cubs and two males. The males must have been brothers because
they were very alike. The cubs appeared to be two or three different sizes.
They weren't in a hurry and lay in the road waiting for the others to come across.
The crossing must have taken nearly 30 minutes. Wonderful

























We called in at Maroela and this little squirrel was trying to persuade us to give him some food



We continued on to Orpen with some general game sightings. We took a different route back
and came across these beauties. What a magnificent sight and hopefully these rhino avoid the
poachers.







Back at camp a mourning dove came for water. I love their call. :D



Finally a Satara sunset. The clouds were building up and after dark the lightening and thunder started.
It wasn't that close and no rain yet. We don't get much Lightening in the Cape. Matt was fine
with it but Shane had every question under the sun - what if it strikes us - what if it starts a fire - what if
what if. He has such a vivid imagination and thinks of every eventuality. Was quite testing keeping
up with plausable answers. The lightening and thunder receded and we all went to bed.
We woke at about 1 AM with rain and more thunder but not too loud. Then there was one of those earth shattering,
teeth rattling cracks directly above us. The light was instantly on in their tent. We phoned to see if
all was well. Both kids were in bed with Mum and Dad. When everything quietened down Matt went back to his own bed
but Shane wasn't moving from his mothers side. He had huge stories in the morning -O poor little fellow.

[pooky]

A couple more pics from yesterday. SO with Matt in front and Shane at
Bobbejaanskrans view point.



This was a pan on the H-7. Previously it was just a dried mud puddle but now even
had waterlillies blooming.



Day 6 31st March 2012.

This was a sad day in a way. :( Our daughter, her SO and the boys were leaving. We
took them down to Skukuza where we met up with our son who would take them
back to fly home to the Cape. He was bringing is daughter of 13,Teneille, to
stay with us. She is a well seasoned KNP visitor :D

We came across a group of 7 Ground hornbills still roosting in the trees at Kumana dam.



A hyena on a mission with a leg bone in his mouth :)



A traffic jam. We could tell we were getting nearer to the crowded south :roll: A mating pair
of lions in the road. Check the head sticking out of the window. The lions moved off into
the long grass.





A kudu cow on a bank above the road near Skukuza.



Then a couple of warthog. Mum and youngster.





Tawny eagle



Saddle bill in the N'waswitsontso river. The flooding here must have been an
awesome but scary sight. We would have been under water on the road
No wonder Tshokwane was flooded. No sign of anything being done except a fence to keep
people out.

[pooky]

Day 7 1st April 2012

Our last full day in the Satara area.

Out the gate early and the first thing we saw was the very large snail on the wet tar.



We turned on the S90. There was general game but not very close to the road until we
got to the causeway where there was a big herd of zebra coming and going from the water,
lots of calling and chasing each other. The pool was very muddy and the zebra all had
black long socks on :D




On to the S41 - very quiet. We did see a western marsh harrier but before we could get the
camera focused he flew off. Took us a while to identify him, a lifer for us:D

Just before the S100 a car stopped us - they told us of 3 cheetah a couple of Ks futher on.
They were far off the road.
Not very good pics :oops: - but proof :roll:





The S100 yielded a big herd of giraffe and zebra all mixed up.






Big ellie on the S100




Southern grey shrike



Down the H-6 to the hyaena den. There were only 2 of the bigger pups visible. One was
having a lovely time chewing on a bone




Impala ram a bit hunched up



Little bee eaters



Then a verreaux's eagle owl deep in the shade of a marula tree.





This terrapin was a long way from any water and on mission to find some :roll: :)



Some wildebeest standing quietly




A quick trip down to Nsemani dam where this juv. african harrier hawk was searching for something to
eat.




Back at Satara the little scops owl was low down in the front of the reception building.





At camp a bennett's woodpecker was in a tree then on the ground .







To end the day a pretty sunset.

[pooky]

A few observations on Satara camp.

Our daughter, who hadn't been to Satara for 9 years commented that it looked 'tired'

The ablutions were generally clean but some tiles were chipped and those lovely
black slasto tiles in the showers have now got a layer of white scum from the soap
that has never been cleaned off.

In the communal kitchens the boiling water geysers were non-existant. We
enquired about this and were told that the ones that were there were useless and
new ones must be ordered. But they weren't there in September 2011 - how long
does it take to order new ones?

I don't expect lush green lawns in the camp site but surely something could be done
about the carpet of paper thorns that are everywhere and they get into everything -
the tent, the car etc. For kids it is really terrible.

I must say the shop was better stocked than I have seen it before, especially with
vegetables. Salad veg was great.!!

[pooky]

Day 8 2nd April 2012.

We got going as soon as we had packed up. Today would be a long drive
to Shingwedzi - 183ks. SO didn't want to waste any time on the road so
we weren't given much time at any sightings...

No far down the road were 2 males lions lying in the grass alongside the road
- quick pic and off we went



At Ngotso dam we just missed 12 lions crossing the road - this was the last of them walking
into the veld.



Along the Olifants river there were more lions walking away into the distance ...



Then a buffalo crossing - we crept forward slowly and they made way for us.



Set up camp at Shingwedzi - and horray - no thorns



We decided to take a drive down towards Kanniedood hide but our journey came to an abrupt
end when this big ellie wouldn't get off the road - just kept plodding along. Turned around and there
was another ellie right next to the road which we didn't see until we were next to him. SO said thats
it - not going down this road again - bush is too thick and one can't see where the ellies are. Eish!
Memories from his years of working in and around Gonarezhou came flooding back and of
being chased every time by ellies!!!!!!



At the causeway over the river these two hammerkop were taking it easy.





This big tusker was grazing in the river bed. He looked quite old.

Day 8

The previous times we have been to Shingwedzi there was water flowing in the river and the
bird life was fantastic, but it was very dry now with just a couple of small pools.