In Search of Some Good "Spots"

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Bushcraft
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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Bushcraft »

Fantastic Martial pic ^Q^ ^Q^

I would have just left the breakfast if I got that leopard info =O:

2 leopard :-0 I think it may have been the same cub we found 2km west from the picnic site in April, but there was no mother around. :-?

5 cheetah directly afterwards :shock: :-0

A banger day so far ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


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Mel
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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Mel »

Same leopard as Bushcraft's cub in April... just compared the spots in its face \O

What a day indeed with all those spotted creatures :-0

Hope you saw more leopards then to compensate the further lack of cheetahs O**


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Richprins »

Shoe, good thing that AWOL cub is ok! ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Ratel »

Lisbeth wrote:You have got lots of spots now ;-)
Indeed Lisbeth! We were so excited. Especially since we were just detouring for breakfast. :-0
Richprins wrote:Ja, looks like the faces have blood on! :-0
RIght you are RP. \O I hadn't looked that closely I must admit.
Flutterby wrote:At least you can say you saw cheetah! \O
nan wrote:5 Cheetahs... five :-0
For sure FB and nan. When we planned the trip Cheetah was one species we acknowledged would be hard to see. So special to see such a good mum at work. X#X
Bushcraft wrote:I would have just left the breakfast if I got that leopard info =O:
It was so hard to keep my cool BC since my brain was exploding! Breakfast was eaten with great haste!
Bushcraft wrote:2 leopard :-0 I think it may have been the same cub we found 2km west from the picnic site in April, but there was no mother around. :-?
Mel wrote:Same leopard as Bushcraft's cub in April... just compared the spots in its face \O
Thanks for the confirmation Mel, I was thinking the same thing but couldn't remember exactly where BC saw the little cutie. Our sighting was 2.2km west in the prominent tree by the river.
Mel wrote:Hope you saw more leopards then to compensate the further lack of cheetahs O**
Hmmm... Better not answer that since RP seems a bit touchy about spoilers. O**


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Ratel »

Wednesday 23rd August (continued)

Heading out on the S127 Lyca found this gruesome scene...
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There are also wasps in Central Australia that kill large spiders. Terrifying. :shock:

Also on the S127 some stationary cars informed us that we just missed a Cheetah crossing, but we continued on since it seemed like it was just travelling and so not likely to reappear.

Back on the H1-4 much later than expected we pressed north, seeing very little of note. Again I couldn't find a LIT in the Nyamarhi area despite trying hard. I had wanted to try the new S147 one-way road but decided we did not have the time so we stayed on the tar. The Ngotso North area was pretty busy with general game such as Impala, Wildebeest and Zebra but the light was harsh so we didn't stop for pics.

Soon we arrived at the little piece of paradise that is the Olifants River and stopped to take in the stunning vista. What a mighty river!
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Today was meant to be a birding day, so Lyca took the opportunity to try and add a few species to the list. There were certainly some notable birds around such as SBS, Maribou Stork, Pied Wagtail, Common Greenshank, Common Sandpiper, and many Little Swifts overhead.
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Mammal-wise there were Elephants (of course!), Impala, and a restful Waterbuck.
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The resident African Rock Python was nowhere to be seen, but its pile of driftwood was by now in full sun so we reasoned it had probably retreated to a cooler location. We decided to check for it tomorrow on our way back south.

On the bridge we got chatting to a nice SA couple who were heading south. We shared some info with them and they in turn informed us they had seen both resting Wild Dogs and LIT not far from Letaba that morning. Our faces lit up. :-0 We were heading to Letaba for the elephant museum and some campground birding after lunch. Lyca was desperate to see the doggies and the LIT sighting sounded too good to be true. Surely one of those sightings awaited us? X#X

When no further new birds could be found we piled back into the car and drove up to the H8 and into Olifants for lunch.
Last edited by Ratel on Wed Sep 27, 2017 10:41 am, edited 1 time in total.


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Lisbeth
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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Lisbeth »

I presume that the black "thing" is a wasp? Do they really eat the spiders or do they "only" kill them? As you say: terrifying :shock:

The view on the Olifants River is breathtaking \O
0()


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Flutterby »

Lovely views from the bridge! \O

I hope you saw at least one of the sightings you were told about! 0()

Lis, we watched one of those wasps catch and kill a rain spider. Apparently they lay their eggs on/in the body and when they hatch the young eat it! O-/


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by PJL »

Ratel some great sightings you had on your trip so far ^Q^ ^Q^

We saw a cheetah with four youngsters on the way up from Satara towards Olifants in April, so perhaps it was the same family you came across -O-

Plenty of leopard is good going in lion country X#X


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Lisbeth »

Flutterby wrote:
Lis, we watched one of those wasps catch and kill a rain spider. Apparently they lay their eggs on/in the body and when they hatch the young eat it! O-/
Now that you mention it, I have or seen a pic or heard about it somewhere. Lots of insects do that kind of thing, I think :yes:


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Re: In Search of Some Good "Spots"

Post by Mel »

If we had a faint-smiley that would describe my thoughts exactly about that wasp-spider photo O-/

Better not let nan see it O**


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