Great sightings and pics so far, and so much info...thank you!!
Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
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Flutterby
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- Country: South Africa
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Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Whew...you're moving fast...running to keep up with you!
Great sightings and pics so far, and so much info...thank you!!
Great sightings and pics so far, and so much info...thank you!!
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
really an enjoyable report 
We will definitely try the lower tyre pressure, if we will stay at Gharagab again.
I like the whistling rat
We will definitely try the lower tyre pressure, if we will stay at Gharagab again.
I like the whistling rat
10.03. - 24.03.2015 From Berg to bush
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
19.11. - 01.12.2015 KTP
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Gharagab is just cool and I am enjoing your photos and the comprehensive info Nice mouse photo
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Day 5 - 7th October (Continued)
It was now 10am so we decided to head south. We drove up slowly up to Lijersdraai waterhole. As we approached we saw no animals which meant predator nearby. We saw these spotted hyena in the shade.
Before showing the photo's there are sightings on a trip that really tug at the emotions and for us this was one of them. Even as I processed the photo's the emotions came flooding back. It reminded us that nature can be cruel and not everything is a picnic.
I will let the photo's do the talking!
Spotted Hyena
Hyenas usually bear litters of two to four cubs, which, unlike the other two species, are born with their eyes open. Cubs begin to eat meat from kills near the den at about 5 months, but they are suckled for as long as 12 to 18 months, an unusually long time for carnivores. This is probably a necessity, as most kills are made far from the den, and hyenas, unlike jackals and hunting dogs, do not bring back food and regurgitate it for their young. At about 1 year, cubs begin to follow their mothers on their hunting and scavenging forays. Until then, they are left behind at the den with a babysitting adult.
This is not the end of the story but I need to keep my trip report in some kind of order so can only finish the story later.
It was now 10am so we decided to head south. We drove up slowly up to Lijersdraai waterhole. As we approached we saw no animals which meant predator nearby. We saw these spotted hyena in the shade.
Before showing the photo's there are sightings on a trip that really tug at the emotions and for us this was one of them. Even as I processed the photo's the emotions came flooding back. It reminded us that nature can be cruel and not everything is a picnic.
I will let the photo's do the talking!
Spotted Hyena
Hyenas usually bear litters of two to four cubs, which, unlike the other two species, are born with their eyes open. Cubs begin to eat meat from kills near the den at about 5 months, but they are suckled for as long as 12 to 18 months, an unusually long time for carnivores. This is probably a necessity, as most kills are made far from the den, and hyenas, unlike jackals and hunting dogs, do not bring back food and regurgitate it for their young. At about 1 year, cubs begin to follow their mothers on their hunting and scavenging forays. Until then, they are left behind at the den with a babysitting adult.
This is not the end of the story but I need to keep my trip report in some kind of order so can only finish the story later.
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Day 5 - 7th October (Continued)
Yes I am still on the same day and yes still on the morning drive which has produced some nice sightings. We were now heading south and checking each waterhole which were quiet except for normal animals and sun was not great for photo's till we came across this:
ID help please Martial Eagle or Black Chested Snake Eagle or neither?
We opened the gate at Nossob at 12.50pm and went to check in for our one nights camping. The reason behind the Nossob stay was to basically recharge items that could not be charged in the car and were better suited to charging at 240volts. We again stocked up with water 6 x 5l water and 8 x wood plus. We found a nice came site and set up camp for the day as our plan was not to drive but rearrange and charge what we could and I wanted to go for a swim. It was now around 2pm and we started to suspect we had a problem the number of bees was hectic. At first we thought it might just be our camp site but after some investigation realised that the entire Nossob camp had a bee issue.
Yes I am still on the same day and yes still on the morning drive which has produced some nice sightings. We were now heading south and checking each waterhole which were quiet except for normal animals and sun was not great for photo's till we came across this:
ID help please Martial Eagle or Black Chested Snake Eagle or neither?
We opened the gate at Nossob at 12.50pm and went to check in for our one nights camping. The reason behind the Nossob stay was to basically recharge items that could not be charged in the car and were better suited to charging at 240volts. We again stocked up with water 6 x 5l water and 8 x wood plus. We found a nice came site and set up camp for the day as our plan was not to drive but rearrange and charge what we could and I wanted to go for a swim. It was now around 2pm and we started to suspect we had a problem the number of bees was hectic. At first we thought it might just be our camp site but after some investigation realised that the entire Nossob camp had a bee issue.
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Day 5 - 7th October (Continued)
After selecting the camp site we setup and rearranged a few things.
I proceed to go for a swim which was nice to cool down in the midday heat but unfortunately I got stung by a bee. This was a first time I can remember being stung and actually it was quite sore.
SO just looked at me and point to the ground with a smile on her face.
When I went for my swim she went to the shop and bought the gin. She saw it when we were buying wood earlier but wanted to surprise me. She certainly did that and I think the entire camp looked at me strangely as I danced around my bottle.
We proceeded to do the best we could for the rest of the afternoon to avoid getting any more stings but still continuing with what we needed to achieve this proved quite difficult as the bees were very active. I decided to take some photo's of the doves to keep my mind of the bees.
We were both grateful when sunset appeared as this seemed to solve the issue with the bees. Tonight was to be our first real traditional braai on the trip we had chops, baked potatoes and onion which we consumed with a fair amount of alcohol. We ended up in our rooftop tent at 9.30pm and had a very good nights sleep.
After selecting the camp site we setup and rearranged a few things.
I proceed to go for a swim which was nice to cool down in the midday heat but unfortunately I got stung by a bee. This was a first time I can remember being stung and actually it was quite sore.
SO just looked at me and point to the ground with a smile on her face.
When I went for my swim she went to the shop and bought the gin. She saw it when we were buying wood earlier but wanted to surprise me. She certainly did that and I think the entire camp looked at me strangely as I danced around my bottle.
We proceeded to do the best we could for the rest of the afternoon to avoid getting any more stings but still continuing with what we needed to achieve this proved quite difficult as the bees were very active. I decided to take some photo's of the doves to keep my mind of the bees.
We were both grateful when sunset appeared as this seemed to solve the issue with the bees. Tonight was to be our first real traditional braai on the trip we had chops, baked potatoes and onion which we consumed with a fair amount of alcohol. We ended up in our rooftop tent at 9.30pm and had a very good nights sleep.
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Day 6 - 8th October
As we had a bee issue we elected to get up early at 4h45am and pack up well before the bees awoke. We boiled water for the road on our gas bottle and had our camped packed up in good time. It was nice relaxing watching the general activities as the camp started to wake to prepare for there day ahead.
We checked out the camp waterhole and them collected our permit. We stopped at Cubitje Quap for coffee / rusks and watch the doves start to go for there morning drink.
We also spotted PCG and jackals at the waterhole looking for breakfast.
We stopped at all the waterholes going north as per usual.
As we had a bee issue we elected to get up early at 4h45am and pack up well before the bees awoke. We boiled water for the road on our gas bottle and had our camped packed up in good time. It was nice relaxing watching the general activities as the camp started to wake to prepare for there day ahead.
We checked out the camp waterhole and them collected our permit. We stopped at Cubitje Quap for coffee / rusks and watch the doves start to go for there morning drink.
We also spotted PCG and jackals at the waterhole looking for breakfast.
We stopped at all the waterholes going north as per usual.
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nan
- Posts: 26445
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- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Central Europe
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Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
ID help please Martial Eagle or Black Chested Snake Eagle or neither? Black-chested Snake-Eagle
nice episode, nice pictures
nice episode, nice pictures
Kgalagadi lover… for ever
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
https://safrounet.piwigo.com/
Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
Great dove photos, beautifully captured.
Agree with nan on the Black-chested Snake Eagle
Agree with nan on the Black-chested Snake Eagle
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Flutterby
- Posts: 44029
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:28 pm
- Country: South Africa
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Re: Extended KTP Trip oct 2013
I love hyenas...great pics! And lovely snake-eagle! 
Pity there isn't a pic of you dancing around the gin bottle!
And lovely snake-eagle! Pity there isn't a pic of you dancing around the gin bottle!