Chicks and a new SO on the catwalk (Oct 2013)*

[Mel]

Just before the turn off to the southern dune road towards Nossob riverbed, we definitely believed Jannie's words and in the catwalk thing.



Around Gemsbokplein there was a real chick again - a juvenile martial eagle that must have been glued to the nest because for the following two weeks we would see him there whenever we drove past.



Batulama delivered another tawny eagle chick, but it was not available for comments and took of before I had even thought the word 'camera'.

The bateleur chick at Montrose was more obliging:

[Mel]

The raffies were out and about on the Dalkeith loop:



As we were approaching Craig Lockhardt the old SO noticed something in the sun. The binocs revealed jackal. Nope, two jackals. Nope, three. Nope, four. Nope, ... oh well, you get my drift. The jackals were intently looking at something underneath a dead tree. I told the old SO that I was seeing a lion through the binocs and he said 'No way!' The Mister was very far off, it was a hot day and the air was glimmering, so it was really hard to be 100% sure. But there was definitely a kill underneath that tree and if there hadn't been any lion with it, the jackals wouldn't have stood there looking but would have attacked the kill and wolfed down whatever scraps they could have get hold off.

So we sat for a while to find out what was going on and patience paid off as after a while the gentleman lifted his head.



We eventually left the whole gang to it and moved on. It was 5 pm by now and we were eager to unpack the car and settle down for a first braai on African soil.

[Mel]

We did not get very far when we had the first bad offenders to the KTP rules: A car park on top of the verge of the road to get a better view into the riverbed. I was starting to fume and was about to give them a piece of my mind when I noticed a movement in the road ahead. I quickly realized what I was looking at and aimed the camera at it for a proof shot as I was afraid the critter might have vanished by the time we had closed the gap between him and us.





Forgotten were the offenders Off we went to get a better look and a better shot of my new SO:



By now all of the title will make lots of sense. And before you ask: I used the SO for a new something outstanding. I have never ever been so lucky to see a rock monitor in KTP. I know a few people were. But I also know many weren't either! The KTP has given me something special again and just the first drive had been more than successful. I told the SO (the old one ) that we would leave again tomorrow as it couldn't get any better than this.

And to round it all off, I even got a first Toko chick ( ) in the camp.



What a start!!!

[Mel]

05/10/2013 Kalahari Tented Camp

It was a cold morning and I needed a blanket to sit outside to sip my coffee. The old SO and I had agreed that we would take it easy this time around and not rushing to the gate at 6 am. In fact, we never once made gate opening time. We always got up with sunrise and took our time to get ready for the day. After all, we were on holiday... Plus, the old SO had been fighting with his aching back for some time again and couldn't spend too much time in the car anyway ('old' gets another meaning here ).

This white-browed sparrow-weaver kept us entertained with his antics trying to get into our bedroom:



We finally left the camp at 8.15 am and soon bumped into more chicks:



Quite happy to have made it through the night:



And hoping we wouldn't be any threat either:

[Mel]

A critter that doesn't fit the job description as of my title:



And another giant owl chick in a branch just above the road:





We checked on the lion just past Craig Lockhardt - and yep, he was still there. Never bothered to take another photo as he was still far off and well hidden in the dead tree.

Dalkeith produced some Namaqua sandgrouse chicks:



Other than that the waterholes in the vicinity were quiet.

[Mel]

On our way back, I couldn't resist another photo of a chick:



And we checked if the giant eagle owl chick was also still there. It was but had moved a little, probably because it got annoyed with all the cars stopping right underneath her bed:





The lion was also still there with his wildebeest breakfast-lunch-dinner. Still no photo.

[Mel]

Back in the camp we spent some quality time - having breakfast and taking a nap.
As we wanted to go out again for a short evening drive, Gert (spelling?) the camp manager at KTC said there were lions just 3 km up the road.
Right, let's go and check them out.

Well, they were still at their best and we only stayed with them until they had shifted slightly, so I could get a least a bit of a head of them.





Also, they were in a spot where not a lot of cars were able to see them and as the crowds moved in, we moved out and went back to the lion near
Craig Lockhardt to see if he had got thirsty over his meal. He was not. Still at his tree, still munching away on the wildebeest. At least he got up
for a moment to get rid of excess wildebeest meat.



That's definitely a beast, I'd roll up my window if he was coming at my car.

[Mel]

The day ended with some atmospheric scenery:







We also had some spotted hyenas visiting the waterhole at 9.30 pm but camera gear had already gone as we were getting ready for bed.

[Mel]

06/10/2013 Kalahari Tented Camp

Another cold day started and it was blanket time again. Not much going on at the waterhole in the camp so we had a head start and left at 8 am to drive down to Auchterlonie.

The whole stretch up to the loop of the 14th was riddled with nesting white-backed vultures but all of them too far off for good photos.

It was so cold that even this squirrel didn’t dare to venture from its abode:



Photo-wise it was a rather quiet morning as most critters kept their distance. At Dertiende we found a few sandgrouses:



And the odd yellow canary:



Further down the road my attention was drawn to the commotion caused by some Tokos that were foraging on the ground and chasing each other forwards and backwards.

[Mel]

Some drongos were around as well, hoping to snatch the odd scrap:





Same goes for the glossy starling:



But the crimson-breasted shrike did his own thing:



Next up was a well-camouflaged dikkop:



Then we came across a pale chanting goshawk that caught himself a bird of some sort.



Also, the springbok with the funny coloration that we had already seen in March: