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

[Pumbaa]

The kingfisher was joined by a beautiful carmine bee eater



and Timon started to change from kingfisher to bee eater and back and took shot after shot but our feathered friend was not in a hurry and sat there quite a while and let Timon press the button and also the carmine stayed where it was. That is why I love the far North same is always good for some bird surprises and you can stop for nearly each fluff ball which comes across and will not be disturbed by other cars in asking what you look at which normally ends that the bird will fly away.



Believe me I still had problems in choosing my favourite shots as nearly all of them where brilliant especially when the feathers started to blow over by the wind.



Once again we stayed as long as the kingfisher was around and only carried on after same flew away together with the carmine. Then a large group of zebras came across





and only a bit further Timon stopped again as an amazing bateleur was sitting on a close by branch



and started to pose like mad.





Also this raptor was not in a hurry and was spending some time with us until we carried on to pay the Tshange look out a short visit. The view from there is always breathtaking and also the baobab along the road shortly before you turn into the private road leading to Bateleur camp simply had to be photographed as I love these trees.



Another advantage of this bushveld camp is that the close by dams Silvervis as well as Rooibosrand are only allowed to be visited by camp residents and so we decided to visit both now and skip our afternoon drive and to stay instead for the rest of the afternoon in camp to enjoy the quietness there. At Silvervies we saw the obligatory hippos but nearly no birds so we did not stay long there and



drove further to Rooibosrand which still had a lot of water and the view over the dam is always stunning



to be continued....

[Pumbaa]

A pity is that the birds especially the water birds are far too far away for decent shots and I can imagine a bird hide here closer to the water edge must be a brilliant place to stay. We spotted Egyptian goose, a giant kingfisher and a little grebe which was another lifer for us as already said a bit far away.



The white faced ducks came a bit closer and lots of water lilies had covered the dam which is always lovely to watch.



Meanwhile the sun had nearly chased also the rain clouds away and it got sunnier and consequently hotter and hotter and the air started once again to flicker and so to photograph the far away birds such as the giant kingfisher was nearly impossible. When we were about to leave the dam a namaqua dove landed in a close by bush and so we could also tick this bird off as same was still missing during this trip.



As it was still a couple of kilometres back to camp we came across a group of impalas,



a waterbuck



and a beautiful Wahlberg’s eagle.



Back at camp it was meanwhile late afternoon and as we had enough from driving we decided to do an early braai to enjoy our last evening in the park the most possible. We gladly noticed that the electricity was back and same was working now without any interruptions so finally I could brew me my already desperately missed morning coffee. Timon walked to the hide and I enjoyed the silence on our verandah until I got disturbed by some rustling which came from the close by riverbed whilst Timon joined me as this male bushbuck made his way from the hide along the riverbed.



Unfortunately due to the thunderstorm from last night and the rain showers during that day no birds had any interest in our bird bath but nevertheless we had a wonderful time during our very last braai in the park for this year.



Sunday, 01. March 2015 – Bateleur – Punda Maria Gate

Final roads we drove that day: S52 – H1-6 – S101 - S135 – S55 – S56 – H-1-7 – H13-1 – H13-2 – S99

Finally our last couple of hours in the park dawned and needless to say that we packed everything with heavy hearts together at least the electricity was still working properly and with my first morning coffee in hand the world looked at least a bit brighter.

We met again our double banded sandgrouse and today he also



proudly presented his wife to us.



Not much else was around until we reached the tar road where we were greeted by our last sunrise in the park



and could admire some riverbed views. I guess Timon is simply capturing everything when the end of the trip is coming closer at least then we do have an excuse to extend our stay in the park as long as possible.



We came across a brown fluff ball

[Pumbaa]

and in a large remaining puddle in the riverbed a yellow billed stork was busy in catching fishes and same developed a special fishing tactic as same permanently spread its wing against the sun to have a better view onto the ground of the puddle, put the bill into the water and started to move in a circle – Never saw that ever before!



Also cannot remember having seen that many green shanks as during this trip as same was also hunting in the puddle.



The fishing tactic of the yellow billed stork obviously worked as same caught one small fish after the other



and we stayed at this sighting quite a while but I finally lost count because one poor fish



and more poor fishes landed in the stomach of the stork.



Ex and Hop!

Along the tar road we came across a still very sleepy hyaena





and same only stood up unwillingly, sniffed a bit around



and was totally not in a hurry and after we could get a couple of close ups



same lay down again on the road and we also carried on.



We were already on the tar road to Shingwedzi camp for a short break and realized whilst stopping for looks into the riverbed a goliath heron on a nest.



From time to time even the small chick was visibile but finally the heron positioned itself again on the nest and we carried on.



to be continued...

[Pumbaa]

We left the camp again via the back exit, paid a visit at the causeway but today same was deserted and carried on further North along the tar road with views into the riverbed of the Mphongolo which I must say carried compared to all the other smaller rivers an immense amount of water and same even was flowing! Along the shore we realized another saddle billed stork, a grey heron



and a yellow-billed stork



and in a bush we had to capture another one of our beloved Zorro birds.



A must drive when in that area is always the S56 – the Mphongolo loop – with an impressive riverine vegetation, stunning views into the Mphongolo and normally good bird sightings, for me one of my top 10 drives in Kruger.



Not to forget all the other animals which come across such as large elephant bulls,



or a large family of nyalas



with two cute youngsters between them and in the background there is always the view into the riverbed.



We saw impalas and a handsome waterbuck



and the remains of a poor buffalo.



A large group of zebras went down to the riverbed and started to gallop to a drinking spot where already another group or the rest of the group was already hanging around out of which some of them still were extreme sleepy.

[Pumbaa]

Some of them even started a fight and some biting attacks had to be survived.



It was such an idyllic place there with the wide sandy riverbed especially with the large amount of water still flowing strongly which made me wanted to do a river rafting tour.



For sure buffaloes were also around and blocked the road



then we met a group of impalas which also wanted to quench their thirst in the river.



It was a group of three bachelors and in between a female must have gotten lost.





This year the birdlife was a bit poor along that road but another goliath heron could be seen but I still had to admire those huge trees which made this road famous for – Gladly most of them survived the two floods only a couple of years earlier.



We do always stop at this hidden gem filled with lots of water.



to be continued...for a very last time...

[Pumbaa]

More impalas in the sun could be admired







as well as another buffalo bull but due to the road work which was also in full swing along the last stretch of this road it was quiet animalwise and we therefore



reached Babalala picnic spot relatively early for a short break. The tar road leading us further North was quiet that day besides a lone elephant bull.

Then we had one of the rarest sightings during that trip – a flooded causeway across the Shisha and we nearly were not sure whether daring to cross same or not as the water was also relatively loudly whooshing but we in the end dared and gladly we did as a saddle billed stork was busy in foraging in the high grass also such high grass was in fact a rare sighting already.



It looked as if it only recently in some higher regions or at least in that area had rained a lot but we in fact did not complain as such



large lakes somewhere in the bush did not came across often this year.



Also along all the other roads we drove until we turned into the Mahonie loop we could see large puddles and consequently less animals. The Mahonie loop is normally our last highlight before we finally had to leave the park and so this drive will be extended as long as possible and so it was today. The Mahonie loop was as always a wonderful drive and such another mystic place in Kruger feeding kudus came along



A lazy buffalo herd came across out of which most were taking a rest but also here a small stream was crossing the road and it was muddy everywhere so no surprise that the buffalo had chosen that spot

[Pumbaa]

Lots of cute calves could be seen as well



and this one had to be caught in the drinking act!



A picture of this famous and huge baobab is also always a must.





More zebras as always were hanging around in this loop



and even more kudus which also do occur plentiful there



not to forget the nyalas.





It was such a melancholic drive when you know the end is near but no time for sadness as we knew already there the next trip will start one day again. For sure our last woodland kingfisher had to be captured obviously saying; "See you again next year, same time, same place!"



and the obligatory ice cream break in Punda Maria is also always a wonderful end of our yearly trip always wishing that it was the first day in the park instead. With the sighting of a woodland kingfisher another amazing trip to magical Kruger ended with lots of awesome sightings and still even lots of lifers.

The End – Finally!