Story - Hello - Goodbye (Oct 18 2015)*

[aat]

Thanks for all comments and I think it is time for a new story.
To keep you busy ...again it is a story split into 3 parts... hope you have fun and like it....


13 – Look out at a Lookout (part I)

Hi all. After the last story with the lion kills it’s time for something completely different.
This story is about an amazing day in Kruger NP starting and ending with different kind of special sightings.

First story about this amazing day got the title “Look out at a Lookout”

Where ? – It all happpened at and along the H10 (from Lower Sabie towards Tshokwane)
Time: 07:30 am


We left Lower Sabie early in the morning, turned left and left again to the H10, then the S29 and back to the H10 and followed this road for some time.
Then we arrived at the Nkumbe hill and spent a few minutes at the Lookout. Nothing to hear, nothing to see so we moved on and it went downhill towards Tshokwane.
Just after saying something like “it’s quiet this morning” fast moving “objects” at the lefthand side.

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Painted dogs (AWD) ?
Yessss painted dogs… here ? Yes…. here they are.
We were really surprized to see them here. It’s just the fact we have never seen them here before….but it’s Kruger and Kruger has lots of surprizes.
Time: exactly 07:30 am
There were running fast so we had to turn the car to follow them and hoping they were not moving away into the bush

They did not and even better, they came to the road one by one. This one even close to our car so easy to capture this painted dog.

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Instead of showing just close-ups of the dogs I will try to take you with us as we have experienced this whole sighting.
So I will not crop too many pics to show you what we saw

It was running up the hill (sounds like Kate Bush ….smile), going from left to right…. Off road, coming back to the road , wowww… felt like hunting with the painted dogs, being part of their activities…. Don’t know how to express it but it was amazing

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Few seconds later another one joined the pack in front of us. In total we counted 8 dogs

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So we were almost at Tshokwane and now we were going back
This pack was moving around a lot but they also gave us the opportunity to have a closer look at them.

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and this one

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6 minutes with them and just following them. Sometimes they stopped , looking around and also checking of the members of the pack were following the leader..

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And… good educated painted dogs do follow…

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Stops… all the time. Sniffing for signs of possible prey

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This “blond” painted dog was posing nicely.

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11 minutes together with this pack and before I end Part I this view on them… running up that “Nkumbe” hill

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End of Part I and hope to see you back with Part II


Aat & Elly

[aat]

13 – Look out at a Lookout (part II)


Story continued …..

Believe us…it was funny. Driving back where we just came from….

To have a better look we tried several times to get in front of them , always a better view then looking at just tailes.

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Oopssss….did I produce this ??

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And a few other painted dogs felt like checking this too

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One of these moments one is almost standing still and not looking away

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Kate Bush… still singing “and we are running up that hill”. Taking this photo was a moment of realizing that we were together with a pack of painted dogs, no one else around and a beautiful background / view of kruger. How wonderful can it be.

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from time to time we let them pass for a better look at the individual dogs.
20 minutes with them…

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Sanitary stop… sorry… (smile)

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Next dog stops and thinks…. Buhhhhh…what did he had for breakfast????

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Most members of the pack did not really like it and started a “painted dog discussion”

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They tried to convince the culprit “don’t do this again !”

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Just a few seconds before I made this photo 4 Kudu’s crossed the road (at high speed) and disappeared at the side these dogs are looking at. 3 of them were in the bush and these 5 were waiting for a sign (I guess)

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End of Part II and hope to see you back with Part III (they will meet …. , well ? read it)

Aat & Elly

[aat]

13 – Look out at a Lookout (part III)

Story continued …..

Almost an half hour with them and still going up-hill

Paradise it is… pack of painted dogs and beautiful view on kruger…

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This scene is what happened several times… a number of them was visible and on the road and some went into the bush and minutes later they came back…kind of organized hunt, checking out the area

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Like this one…coming back after some minutes

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And these two in the bush
This way I was never able to capture all 8 together…but being part of this hunt with them was soooooooo great. We hope you still like it too

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5 on the road… what is around the corner….?

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Buffalo…. We were also a bit surprized to see them almost on top of this Nkumbe hills

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Buffalo and painted dogs… never seen them together so curious about what to come

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No much happened …the Buffalo made some noise and the dogs were slowly walking around the Buffalo

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After this special meeting the painted dogs continued their way.
We were just thinking they were going to Lower Sabie …smile….

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But….. the Painted Dogs were just on a tour and went to the Nkumbe Lookout….

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When you are looking at this scene…some thoughts were going through our minds… “suppose you are sitting there looking at kruger and no idea what is behind you” or you are just out of your car walking around at this Lookout….

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Finally the other 3 arrived so pack complete ….

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This was the last photo of the Painted Dogs before we continued our drive towards Tshokwane… and just “recovered” from this surprise we came to our next surprise …but that will be next story

It’s 08:28 so 1 hour together with these Painted Dogs, life can be beautiful


End of Part III and end of story , hope to see you back with next story of this same day



Aat & Elly

We were not really planning a trip to Kruger this year….but…… last weekend we decided to go…. tickets booked…. Skukuza, Satara and Mopani booked so if you like it or not…we will be there from October 22nd till November 11th

[aat]

Tnx Pumbaa,
This trip we have had 3 painted dogs sightings but most funny thing is to see them at unexpected places.

You always do have such a luck with painted dogs, Aat

and even you saw that many

Great that you will be back soon - Good decision

[Alf]

Lucky luke

[nan]

3 sightings...

[aat]

*** Travel Tales ***
New series of Travel Tales

14 – Super 7 Day (Part I)

Still same day. After the amazing sighting with the Painted Dogs it was not all over yet

So far: Rhino very early in the morning

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Next we saw the Painted Dogs and as a surprise Buffalo too. After they went into the bush we “followed” our way towards Tshokwane

We were just close to the spot where we found the Painted Dogs (or they found us) when we saw a Leopard crossing the road. Because we were still exited about the painted dogs sighting we did not pay too much attention so before we realized it the leopard was almost gone and so I only could take one photo of him.

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Pffffffffffff It was around 8:40 in the morning when we stopped at Tshokwane for a coffee & toilet break.

We asked other people, coming from Satara, if they had nice sightings. They told us there was a Lion pride not far from Satara with a kill. We decided to go to Satara for lunch later on so after this short break we started the engine and continued our drive.

With Rhino, Buffalo and Leopard and may be Lions near Satara we could have a nice Big-5 day since we assumed to see at least one Elephant this day

But……….. smileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it’s never what you think in kruger.

Just 5 minutes from Tshokwane…. Two beautiful animals caused a “road block”

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Since the people we spoke to did not say anything about Cheetah we assumed they just arrived and also were taking a break by laying down on the road..
On of the two boys got up and walked away and just checked if the other one was following.

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The other Cheetah and the dead tree in the background….

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Before this one followed his “brother” he showed himself a bit better

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After a few seconds he also walked away

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Cheetah in Tree show….
Just coming from a sighting with Painted Dogs at a Lookout…. These Cheetah used the old tree as a Lookout

What followed was one of the best Cheetah sightings we ever had (from a photographic point of view). The beautiful Cheetah with a green background and using a dead tree for posing.
Take a drink and join us with the their show

First one arrived

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and climbed the tree…

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and a bit more zoommmm

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**** This is end of Part I
I promised not to post more then about 10 photos per story or part… but feel free to join me to part II




Aat & Elly

[aat]

*** Travel Tales ***
New series of Travel Tales

14 – Super –7 Day (Part II)

Story continued …..

I think I felt a bit like the guys from Big Cats Diary. Standing there with this amazing view on two beautiful Cheetah
(Nan… I am sure you love this… your favorite animals)

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Mmmmmm even a lovely look at us… thx !

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and

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Even sitting in the tree

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To be sure he is my brother just a quick sniff…. Yess it’s him

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Just before they left the tree

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Back on earth…. And I heard Elly with some wowwwwwww’s ….Ohhhhhhhh’s and I think I made similar sounds. Animal Planet or NG with our own eyes

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Now it was more clear that it was an older male and a younger one together

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What a day…. What a luck…. What a privilige.. On the road… both in a tree and coming back again to the road to cross it just in front of us

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and after the younger one the older Cheetah gave a a last chance for a photo.

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Rhino, Painted Dogs, Buffalo, Leopard, Cheetah
After all these impressions and sightings it was not really quiet in our car. I remember some high-fives…lots of smiles…and other sounds

We moved on towards Satara for (we hoped ) the Lions and may be an Elephant to complete a Super 7 day….

15 minutes later nr 6 appeared and I can’t resist to show you this youngster
Elephants we wanted to see and we got them… I love to show you this funny one

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And after looking at us for a few seconds he started to walk fast…. Mommy…Mommy…. Where are youuuuu ? “something is looking at me….. “ helppppp

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End of Part II and hope to see you back with last parts of this amazing day

Hope you like it so far…

Aat & Elly

[aat]

*** Travel Tales ***
New series of Travel Tales

15 – Super 7 Day (The End)

Still same day. After the amazing sightings with the Painted Dogs, Rhino, Leopard, Elephants and Cheetah it was not over yet

About 5 Km away from Satara we saw some cars on and just near the road. Probably the Lions some people were talking about when we were in Tshokwane.
Getting closer we could see the lions beneath us next to one of these small bridges

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Next we saw the Painted Dogs and as a surprise Buffalo too. After they went into the bush we “followed” our way towards Tshokwane

Four Lions drinking.
And another one coming…

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and a few seconds later nr 6 a male was coming to the “bar”

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A bit later these lions came to the road, so again on this special day, we had all the luck they were just in front of us

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Including this beautiful male just after sniffling in the grass the lady just passed…

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So our situation … at the LH side a male in the grass… just to rigth some lions were laying down just on/near the road. And thank you for this posing…

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and

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This was the carcass of their kill earlier this day.

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They were just about 7 meters away so making photos was “taking care” all the time. Window down …quick photo and window up…

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and

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With this lovely and friendly look of this male next to his girlfriend we left this sighting

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I am also ending this story of this amazing super-7 day. After we left the lions we went to Satara and we were looking at eacht other , saying nothing for some minutes and I think the first words were something like “wowwwww” followed by a “pffffffffffffffffffftttt” by Elly. Ordering a drink and something to eat… starting laughing…. And trying to realize what we have seen in one morning. One conclusion… Cheetah and Painted Dog sightings are in our top-10 sightings ever…. ( if is possible to make one) , this day in our top-3 days ever…

Thank you all for joining this day and really it is and was a pleasure to share it.
We hope you liked it

More stories to come so stay tuned……

Aat & Elly
Back in kruger October 22nd till November 11th

[aat]

First of all thanks very much for all comments. Super 7 days was special. We have seen a lot during this trip and driving around we could capture several birds.
So look and read while you are having breakfast, lunch or dinner..... why ? wellllll... you will see why.

16 – Bird-Days

Well, after the super-7 stories there are many other stories to tell.


During out trip we found some nice birds. As you might known I am not a birder so I like to show you the ones we could capture and sometimes in combination with other animals we found

Like this vulture (Hooded Vulture). We found this one just along the road and I think I have never seen them so close to me.

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It was along the S25 and why this vulture was here..?
A Lion kill

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The owner of this kill

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And this vulture was very interested in this part of the buffalo

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So enjoy your breakfast , lunch or dinner….. smileeeeeeeeeeeeee


One of my favorites, the Martial Eagle

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A bit further we saw this (I think) Tawney Eagle in a tree

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On the road….road-runners ? …. Next generation Ostrich.

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A Bateleur, we have seen a number of them but caturing them is another story. Camera ready and …gone… or hidden behind leaves, or another difficult position or too far away. This one was waiting till some camera clicks…. I said “thanks” to this beautiful bird

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Standing still for enjoying a drink…and high , high in the sky a bird flying around. For me 9 out of 10 the result is a blurrrrr….. this time a bit better result and thinking of a song “ fly like an eagle………”

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One of the other birds I am always struggeling with… is the Ground Hornbill. Always walking, running, flying away, showing the backside, but lucky this time

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I think I can say same thing about this beauty. Always on the run but just 40 minutes after the Ground Hornbill this Secretary Bird showed up near Mooiplaas waterhole area.

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Thanks for joining and next time….I don’t know…. Probably some Antelopes ?


Aat & Elly
Back in kruger October 22nd till November 11th 2015