And then the Fish Eagle started to call.....*

[Pumbaa]

When we entered the hide we were already nearly caught in a large spider web which this culprit had spun right at the entrance of the hide.



After a lovely break with another family in the hide we carried on and were pleased that this little steenbokkie allowed us a couple of shots



before he decided to jump away.



On one of the last look out spots into the Mlambane these buffaloes enjoyed a lovely noon in peace at their obviously favourite spot.





Lots of repair work was in full swing and the first larger construction site came across on the causeway on the S119/S25 as only half of the causeway was so far finished they built a short detour via the dry riverbed in order not to disturb the workers with finishing the rest of the causeway and in order not to close the road from that point onwards but before crossing same we noticed a bit farer away three different kind of raptors on a kill so we parked the car and observed that get-together a bit more in detail.



We observed a white faced vulture, a juvenile bateleur and a fish eagle close together and obviously the fish eagle caught a fish and attracted the other two but after quite a while



under the eyes of the food enemies the fish eagle decided to flew away with part of its prey and then the white faced vulture started to feed on the remains which the fish eagle had left and after the vulture had finished and took off it was the turn of the



juvenile bateleur who even put one of its feet on the kill to declare: “All is mine”. After a more than fantastic time we had also the bateleur finally had enough and flew away



so we still had a bit time in admiring a great white egret who just landed on the other side of the provisional causeway whilst we were about to cross same now finally.



A bit further down that road is leading via some loops / look out points nearly into the riverbed and that is once again one of these spots to simply sigh but we were not alone there as a herd of impalas had also the same impressions as we and could be found nearly everywhere

[Pumbaa]

feeding, drinking, playing with others and suckling from mom -



in short words there were enjoying life as we just did.



Some white spots could be located between the legs of the impalas which turned out to be a quite enormous number of cattle egrets



and so we had a lot to watch and photograph and gladly all were willing to pose so we had once again a lovely time.



If pitching a tent in the park itself would have been allowed this would have been the place where I would have pitched mine that night and so it took us extreme long





to drag ourselves away from that amazing spot.



Somehow it took us today quite longer as normally on that road as nearly around the next corner we had to stop again on the Lwakahle crossing as we had the honour in standing in front of a very well flooded causeway with still lots of water flowing down as this was in fact this year a seldom sighting.



Needless to say that lots of birds could be located and in order not to chase same them out of the water we parked in a reasonable distance and fired away. A beautiful black stork was around



and even got wet legs whilst looking for something to feed in the strong flowing water.



to be continued.....

[Pumbaa]

Two hamerkops were also hanging around as well as the ever present



sand piper and then for sure the pied kingfishers were also not far away.





Gladly for us it was already early afternoon with not much cars around and so we again as so often that day could simply watch and press the buttons especially these black stork close ups made the stop more than worth.





Also the pied kingfisher were extreme active and kept Timon busy to capture them from nearly each possible angle.



It was already obvious for us that we will skip our afternoon/evening drive that day as it was still a long way to go and so much to see and instead to stay longer at sightings as we already did that day and so we again came not that far as another favourite spot of us had to be crossed – the Biyamiti causeway – but also here construction work was in full swing gladly the repair was already at the final stage and nearly finished and as on today’s late Sunday afternoon no workers were around so we allowed ourselves again an extensive stop on that bridge.

The ever present giant kingfisher allowed an audience and appeared as always.



There was still a couple on puddles in the riverbed left but for sure cannot compared with the remaining waters there the previous years so consequently the normally water birds at this spot could not be located



but therefore we spotted this ancient reptile.

[Pumbaa]

Due to the lack of birds and also in view that this was not our last visit at this bridge during this holiday we continued our journey to Crocodile Bridge. Obviously it was snack time as we came across a couple of birds with their kills – first a European roller with a nearly swallowed kill



and then a yellow-billed hornbill with a fat green caterpillar.



After that Biyamiti bridge until the turnoff to the Hippo pools this is one of my favourite parts of that road as same always reminds me of a fairy tale wood, an overgrown jungle, mysterious and mystic and I still had to look forward to a couple of drives here. A small elephant stopped right in the road to play with a branch – this little fellow in fact looked familiar to us as this was not the first time on several trips when we saw him



together with his Mom and another herd member. “Come on, Mom”



Furthermore there are a couple of ponds a bit hidden and most of them still had water left. I was busy in observing a beautiful heron a bit hidden in a bush I nearly overlooked this fellow resting in full length on a branch above the said pond



and after finally having found out that the beautiful heron was in fact a dwarf bittern I was over the moon



a pity was only that same nearly kept hidden the whole time we stayed there in the thick vegetation but at least there is always a lifer to be seen!



One of the many burchall’s coucals could be captured – never remember having seen that much of them this year as ever before.



Now the area started to get wider and opener and so more and more “general” game all over could be spotted to start with a lot of crowned plovers to be found between their legs and a warthog family with nearly grown piglets



munched happily away on the roadside.



to be continued.....

[Pumbaa]

Wildebeest and zebra herds were resting, white backed vultures sitting on the dead trees are usual sightings here as well but we stopped also for this lovely resting grey heron



and for the many white storks foraging on the high grass.



We only paid Gesanftombi a short visit as it was already late but the many hippos in the water was worth a stop.



After a fantastic day on the road we finally could check in – and whilst entering the reception I was already wondering why the air condition was not on and not a single fan running in high speed as normally when entering receptions in Kruger in summer as I then do always have the feeling as if I was ended somewhere in the arctic but due to the fact that compared to the previous day it was quite bearable I forgot but when entering our bungalow No. 10 (our favourite!) I discovered the reason it was again power failure!

After we had packed everything away I went to the shop to buy some candles just to be on the safe side and there I learnt that the power went off one hour ago and that Eskom is working on it. Nevertheless we enjoyed the view on our verandah and already started the braai when nearly at gate closing time the power returned and stayed!

Monday, 16. February 2015 – Crocodile Bridge

Roads we paid a visit: H4-2 – S28 – S107 – S137 – S130 – H4-2 – S29 – S122 – S129 – S128 – H4-2 – S28

After a wonderful brewing hot coffee on our verandah whilst watching the dawn we started with gate opening time and headed straight forward to drive on one of our favourites roads in that area, the S28. Still a bit in low light we watched a beautiful tawny eagle doing its morning grooming.



Right on the beginning of the S28 after you had to cross the Makambeni river we spotted a lovely black backed jackal feeding on something



which must have been extreme yummy.





If the grass in that area would have been high as during the past years we never had noticed same as then we only had seen a bit the grass waving in the wind.



Gladly for us the jackal was one of the not so shy ones and we even had the honour in taking a picture from it drinking from a puddle – as the sand looks red on that road we had at least a bit of KTP feeling whilst watching the jackal.

[Pumbaa]

It was great to see that only recently it must have rained heavily in that area due to the amount of puddles and muddy and slippery parts we had to cross although as already said the grass was not as high as normally. The ever present herds of wildebeests came across as well as lots of European rollers with kill – It was breakfast time



and quite an amount of white backed vultures in the dead trees welcomes us as well.



This road is as well famous for its numbers of yellow billed hornbills and magpie shrikes and today we decided to let the magpies pose for us



which they obviously understood as Timon clicked happily away. On top it was again very windy that morning and so the magpies had problems in sitting still



but we had great fun in watching them especially with the upcoming sun.



A bird we do not see that often when in Kruger – a purple roller – with some comical poses – had to be captured as well



and then I had to take a picture of the view you have when travelling on that road as same is always making me sigh – When in the park and for sure the year of drought for me waiting here counting the days until we will hit that road again....



A couple of kilometres further on that road whilst enjoying still that view we got stuck in a road block and first could see only a bush which branches were moving and only from time to time we were allowed to see a decent pair of tusks.



As we had cars in front of us and also the first ones coming from the other direction waiting for the elephant to clear the road we simply had to wait – Gladly all the passengers in the cars were reasonable in waiting and let the elephant enough space instead of making him furious – Although afterwards after more than half an hour after he had found the right bush to feed on far enough away from the road we noticed that he was one of the calmer ones as he did not pay any attention to the cars stopping and taking pictures of him. Furthermore we noticed afterwards that he is a tusker named after the road on which we were travelling – Nhlowa!



Pity was that either all the cars were blocking our views onto him or he even kept hidden behind bushes for some more decent shots as compensation we got a free song performed by this cute fluff ball



to be continued....

[Pumbaa]

For sure it was another wonderful day for birding and soon the next one stepped in as well



A friend of Nhlowa came also across and wished us a good morning – Gladly he also was in a good mood.



The usual suspects as always plentiful in that area had in fact not much time as all were busy in feeding either on acacia bushes and we had also time to watch them and simply enjoy their presence.





Duke’s waterhole itself was deserted besides this sandpiper eagerly searching for some breakfast.



Then it was again birding time and we had some amazing sightings of a saddle-billed stork





a brown snake eagle, a blue waxbill who was not willing to turn around and a red-backed shrike which once again could be admired on nearly each branch.



Suddenly Timon stopped, drove a bit backwards and then forward again and we could admire only from one small single spot two sleepy rhinos cuddled together -



hopefully they can do this still now after hearing all these horrible stories.....



The swallows were again plentiful occurring in flocks and finally we were able to get a shot of a cute European swallow.



Also the European bee eaters could be seen often

[Pumbaa]

and one pond which came across was occupied by a family of Egyptian goose with lots of gorgeous goslings



Mom and Dad were also around and had an eye on their offspring





Lot of terrapins were meanwhile sunbathing on the branches sticking out of the pond and also the foam frog nests could not be overlooked.



Shortly before we reached the Lower Sabie causeway the trees were full of resting white headed vultures.



Before we then entered Lower Sabie camp for a short break a stop on the causeway is always a must and as always lots of hippos were hanging around,



two buffaloes entered and declared this island as their private one.



A good laugh we had on a pair of saddle billed storks as they were resting also on a sandbank on their knees which always looked so fun – Obviously they were a bit exhausted.



Needless to say that once again crocodiles could be seen everywhere sunbathing as well



some with an enormous overbite



and also a water monitor was swimming from one sandbank to another until it reached the safe shore.



to be continued...

[Pumbaa]

A pair of hamerkops and even a couple of elephants were around as well and the longer one stay at one spot the more became visible.



We could stayed on that causeway endlessly, however, needed meanwhile a body break and so we finally paid a visit to Lower Sabie.



We postponed our daily ice cream dose to the afternoon and so we were inside the car again in no minute to pay a short visit to Sunset dam and also here all the existing crocodiles obviously decided to take a sunbath at the same time as we have never seen that many of them outside the water. Between them there could be seen some real monsters according to their size. One of these monsters was feeding on something close to where we parked and first we only heard always some “klonk, klonk” every time the crocodile was moving its jaws



and only later whilst enlarging the pictures we found out that same was in fact feeding on a large terrapin.



Never saw that before and we found it extreme scary and fascinating at the same time. Besides this feeding creature others were relaxing in the sun



and even another water monitor was sleepy and abused a small rock as pillow.



Obviously this crocodile was in a good mood according to its “big” smile



a large group of yellow-billed storks was resting on their knees and obviously today was stork resting day as the saddle billed storks just earlier did the same.



There was a lot of noise going on caused by the buffalo weavers who were busy in building nests in the dead tree inside the dam and we had a great time in watching the birds collecting nesting material



and transport the heavy freight up into the tree as some branches they had chosen were far larger than the birds.




A group of impalas came to drink and they were eying the crocodiles lying lazily on the shore suspiciously whilst quenching their thirst. For sure the hippos were also plentiful.



Today we had decided to give the Muntshe loop another try but also the S29 and S128 we drove were extreme quiet and even the birds only occurred sporadically although the Carmine bee eaters could be seen nearly everywhere.

[Pumbaa]

As much as I do love to drive on these roads due to the landscape you see especially the Muntshe mountain from each side as few animals you see – We in fact did not have much luck when driving on these roads in February although we always give same a try also having in mind what sightings might be possible on these roads but in fact not today. At least the birdies did not let us down.



Meanwhile it also got again extreme hot and also the Carmine bee eaters were drooling over some shade.



At least we were allowed to take some shots of a beautiful butterfly





and each branch and bush whilst heading back to the Lower Sabie causeway were occupied either by European rollers, glossy starling or Carmine bee eaters.



Finally on the Lower Sabie causeway nearly the same suspects as earlier in the morning could be seen but also a lovely giant kingfisher meanwhile had arrived



and was looking out for some fish.



For the second time that day we parked again at Sunset dam and had another great look around at least you can rely on a hot summer's day on dams on water holes as there is always something to be seen – We loved especially that silver surfer on the hippos back



and for sure the meanwhile foraging yellow billed stork in the meanwhile very wavy Sunset dam as compared to the morning the wind was blowing extreme strong.



Same did not look either left nor right and even did not see the crocodile in front of it



and whilst watching everybody eating we became hungry as well and found it was now the right time for our daily ice cream base which could finally be satisfied at Lower Sabie camp and we had again new energy in heading finally back to Crocodile Bridge via the S28 but we had to pay attention as a chameleon was crossing the road.



to be continued.....