From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Richprins]

Interesting sightings, Pumbaa, especially the mongoose-monkey interaction. Those monkeys are terrible!

The lions love that dam wall!

Ah, Crocobridge! Did you hear the river the whole time?

[Flutterby]

Nice lion sighting! I've never seen lions there!

Lovely pics of the mongooses!

[PJL]

Big time catch-up for me here Pumbaa - you had some really nice sightings, and your bird photos really are fantastic

Looking forward to the next instalment

[Lisbeth]

It must have been rather hot for the lions I don0t know if they are just lazy or simply does not realize that there is shade somewhere else

Lovely banded mongooses, which I still have to see and their interaction with the monkeys looks rather funny

Nice shot of the snake-eagle

Strange that it was so much drier there than elsewhere

[Richprins]

Sometimes a couple of lions lie out in the open on purpose to distract game...

[Alf]

So many cute little mongoose. What a treat

[Pumbaa]

Thanks so much Mel, Richprins, Flutterby, PJL, Lisbeth and Alf for all your amazing comments

I did not realize the river flowing whilst staying in Croc Bridge, Richprins

[Pumbaa]

One of the vervets got a bit intrusive and jumped up and down in front of the mongoose





and the mongoose were spitting against the vervets





but we had the feeling that both species had great fun in pranking each other that way





and moreover we got the best shots from the banded mongoose we ever got



and on top were extreme entertained.



After finally everything was packed away and the mongoose went their way we started our afternoon drive but now it was in fact extreme hot with only few clouds so we expected not to see that much during our drive because of the heat. As already said the area along the first few kilometres on the tar road looked extreme dry with no grass left and only covered by the known red sand there



but luckily this wasteland only occurred there as with the beginning of the S28 the area changed dramatically and the grass was again that high as known from the Berg en Dal area. The lions were still lying on the dam wall but we did not stop as they were sleeping deep and so we turned into the S28.

We stopped for a banana bird



and the obligatory magpie shrikes who we do see along that road extreme often



but then it got quieter and quieter but we were finally happy in finding a group of ostriches

[Pumbaa]

who are indeed a rarer sighting that South for us





and because it was that quiet we stood in front of the Ntandanyathi hide already and as we had still enough time we decided to pay a visit there as on top only one car parked at the parking area and we already discovered from the parking lot a juvenile fish eagle



and an open-billed stork on top of a tree.



Then we looked around and soon spotted European swallows who were flying around in masses – luckily these two rested a bit so we could capture them.



We also found a green backed heron extreme close to where we sat,



a couple of sparrows a bit farer away hiding in the trees



and to our delight also a malachite kingfisher appeared on the scene and posed like mad so Timon fired once again away. On top we were also happy that compared to Gesanftombi that waterhole was filled up nicely and I cannot remember having seen it that full.



After half an hour it was now also time for us to leave as it was still a long way back to camp but we again stopped at the parking lot as now a yellow billed stork landed on top of the tree where we spotted earlier the open-billed stork.



Due to the heat we only stopped during our drive back to camp for a European roller with kill



and also our lions on the dam wall had gone their way so we arrived still in time in camp where we were rewarded with the sighting of a just born bushbuck baby.



According to our neighbours same was born only two hours ago in camp and they had the honour in observing the birth. Same was so cute and small but looked already like a copy of her mother even with the spots and stripes on the fur.



After another lovely braai and evening we spent on our veranda we fell into our beds and were so thankful about such a wonderful day we were allowed to spent in the park.

to be continued......

[Lisbeth]

Your banded mongooses are still a great sighting

The hide is always worth visiting and you had the luck to find a Malachite Kingfisher, with its striking colours, a Gree-backed Heron and an Open-billed Stork and more

Such a cute newly born bushbuck