The red-billed queleas had been unleashed

[Lisbeth]

The European Roller and the squirrel..... but also the other birds

[Richprins]

Great again, Pumbaa!

Glad some things are eating those horrible crickets!

That first bateleur is having a case of terrible adolescence!

[Flutterby]

Catching up here...great sightings and pics!

[ExFmem]

The cuddly ducklings are too cute for words

I like the idea of carrying Koring Crickets around with you and tossing them to the birds for great action shots Seriously, another great bird shot.

The Bateleur looks like it's having an identity crisis - can't figure out what it wants to be when it grows up

[Bushcraft]

You guys have had amazing luck in the Satara area

The porcupine sighting is a bonus

[Mel]

That mottled bateleur is top-notch! I love them when the are at that stage

[Pumbaa]

Thanks so much Sprocky, Lisbeth, Richprins, Flutterby, ExFmem, Bushcraft and Mel for all your awesome comments and for sure for your patient

[Pumbaa]

Some of them were extreme curious



whereas others were only interested in following the leader



or in feeding.



Whether small or large each size of elephants could be seen and gladly all of them were really relaxed so we stayed with them until all of them were gone.



Next come across quite a great number of impalas



and we furthermore had a great time in photographing them.



Most of them were resting



or feeding or caring about the others but some of them were simply enjoying life



and started another high and long jump contest



at least we had a great time in observing them.



Before we then returned to camp we stopped for more Carmine bee eaters as they occurred in nearly each area of the park and are always that beautiful.

[Pumbaa]

After the long drives we enjoyed simply sitting and relaxing on our veranda but as it was already our last day at Satara we for sure could not skip our afternoon drive and left camp quite early to make the best of it on our last evening there. First we came across for more Carmine bee eaters



and some even presented us their just caught bee – We always see lots of them during the time we are visiting the park and even last year during the drought but we never saw that much of them as during our this year’s stay and we for sure will never getting tired in photographing them.



On top we never saw that much armoured crickets in the park as this year – some years they even could not be traced, during others only sporadically but this year they could be seen everywhere.



Whilst crossing one of the causeways we noticed another brown hooded kingfisher



and after a closer inspection we even realized that it were two of them.



One is already a bit rare for us but two even rarer so we were happy that we had met them. We enjoyed the last views in that area before it got too dark



and stopped for one of the obligatory elephant bulls in that area.



Then a more then nice surprise awaited us already in form of a rhino mom and her youngster.



We were so happy to having met them here as well



but as already said the grass in that area was extreme high that the youngster nearly kept hidden in the grass



and only mom was willing to pose for us.



We snapped happily away with our cameras and that sighting was more than a crowning completion to our stay in that area.

to be continued.....

[Flutterby]

Lovely bee-eaters and nice rhino sighting.