Splendour in the Grass*

[Duke]

We were in Kruger for the long weekend . Two nights in Malelane Camp and a night in Lower Sabie. Most of the dirt roads in the south were closed but Kruger is looking as splendid as ever. The vegetation is lush and green and the grass and trees hid some splendour

Banded Mongooses


Warthog


Fish Eagle


Lions




Pearl Spotted Owlet


Martial Eagle


Cheetah




Wild Dog

[Duke]

I love Malelane too RP and don't mind the agricultural fields. The camp was quiet for a long weekend. Advantage of malelane is you get on to H3 before the B&D people and can stay out later on the H3. The Matjulu Bridge area has been very good to us at these times. The doggies were between Afsaal and Jock Camp.

[Duke]

We entered at Phabeni gate at about 10.30am on 20 March. Our first sighting was impala but far for any pix. We stopped to see some Pied Kingfisher



Sharifa spotted a Shikra in a tree



or did the Shikra spot her





The Carmine bee eaters were still around











It was good to be in Kruger.

[Duke]

The Europeans are here

















And another Intra African Visitor

[Duke]

We checked in at Malelane and the camp was rather quiet on the Thursday night (20 March). We were out at 5.30am on the Friday morning. There was only one option as far as drives go and that was the H3. Before the Renoster Pan turn we saw a lion and lioness walking on the road. We approached slowly but they headed for the grass.











The H-2 was closed but these lads were on the entrance to that road

[Duke]

Thanks BB

We found a hyena Mom on the road and these little guys on the side





A Lifer , The Levaillant's Cuckoo was not sitting still but we got some photos.






The Voortrekker Road was open so we decided to take it

Hyenas sniffing the grass


Banded Mongoose






We had a break at Pretoriuskop and then took the H1-1 and H3 back to Malelane. Just south of Afsaal not far from whre we had seen the two lads in the morning there were about 10 cars parked off........

[Duke]

So we approach the cars thinking it will be the two males but are pleasantly surprised

They had made a kil and there was not much left of it when we got there but one or two were still busy with the scraps. Splendour in the Grass



















We returned to Malelane. On the afternoon drive we had another awesome sighting not far from where the dogs were

What a day it was turning out to be. Kruger Magic.

[Duke]

Well there was only one route to take for our afternoon drive, the H3 North

Not far from where the wild dogs were, there were 3 cheetahs, far from the road, in the long grass.





Just as we were about to move on, they got up and crossed the road















Lions, Wild Dogs and Cheetah all within about 3km of each other at different times of the day

[Duke]

We were out at first light again on our second morning. Itwas the H3 again. We were moving to Lower Sabie today so we thought we will just drive north and get to Skukuza, have a break and then work out a route to Lower Sabie to get there by 2.00PM. We did get a wonderful sighting on the H3 that held us up for 90 minutes but it is time for some birds again

Hey, we have our own rollers











Here you go Toks





Woody



Red Backed Shrike





Bateleur

[Duke]

There is an easy way to see over the long grass as you will see after the next episode

More Birds

Barn (European) Swallow


Pied Kingfisher


Martial Eagle


Marabou Storks


White Fronted Bee Eater


Black Shouldered Kite


Burchells Coucal


Magpie Shrike


Brown headed parrot


Double Banded Sandgrouse