Camping with Petronella ; KTP May 2016

[nan]

good idea the wind break

for me my prefered is the Falcon

the Lions are nice too

[GavinW]

After our lunch time braai, our afternoon drive was fairly productive with the following sightings

This Pale Chanting Goshawk posing regally in a tree



As well as our only sighting of a Cape cobra raiding a sociable weavers nest.



The lions at Melkvlei were still under the bush
On our way back, somehow Debbie spotted this very far off cheetah on top of a dune.
(Please note that this pic is drastically cropped as the cat was about a gazillion miles away)



Our last sighting of the drive was of this Lanner falcon. We saw loads of them this year, especially in the lower Nossob area




And a windy sunset to end off the day, just before the rain came down.

[nan]

love these sunset
as well Cobra and Falcon

[Lisbeth]

Beautiful pic of the goshawk

[Flutterby]

Just catching up...some great sightings and pics!

[GavinW]

10 May: Our holiday starts properly

After a night of lots of wind and rain, we woke to a perfectly still Rooiputs morning.

A hyena lurking in the darkness greeted us as we got out our tent to make our way to the toilet, but fortunately disappeared as soon as it saw us.

As this was our last full day in the south before heading north to Polentswa and the Nossob River tomorrow, we had already decided our route for the morning, which would include a bit of the Auob River.

It consisted of driving north as far as Melkvlei (how unusual ), then back to Kij Kij, over the Dune Road where after we would head up to Kamqua before turning around and going back to Rooiputs via Twee Riveren.

We saw all the usual suspects as we travelled along past Kij Kij, when about a kilometre after the waterhole we came upon this couple ambling down the road.



They eventually got closer and we were able to get some nice close up pics of them as they approached us









They then moved off to the west, before settling down away in the distance





Chuffed with our sighting, we carried on to Melkvlei where we heard about another lion which we had missed about 2 kilometres before the picnic area.
We retraced our steps back towards Kij Kij, and very soon came upon three lions lying next to a big bush which everyone had missed





We never did find the other lion
But it did appear as if all the animals were coming out to play now that the wind had stopped

[Lisbeth]

Nice couple out for a walk

[Mel]

You did bring me cheetah... But that one is definitely too far off to even consider an ID

Lions again... what a surpised But a beautiful pair they are.

[GavinW]

You did bring me cheetah... But that one is definitely too far off to even consider an ID

Lions again... what a surpised But a beautiful pair they are.

More spots coming up soon

[GavinW]

Thanks everyone for following my report and for your comments. I really do appreciate them.

In between all the wind, some kind Park official had graded the Lower Dune Road

What a difference, and what a pleasure.

We had noticed that there were an unusual amount of baby antelope around for this time of the year, and we came upon this steenbok with her lamb just near Tierkop






They eventually moved off the road and into the grass as we got closer



Not much further on this Agama was out and about



After the Dune Road, we popped in to Auchterlonie for a break, and to check if the Barn Owl was in the well. (It wasn’t)



And I had to take a photo of the old farm cottage before we continued