Browns in Kruger September 2019

[Bushcraft]

Suddenly the 2 dogs stopped, back tracked slightly and then much to our surprise ducked off into the bush and out of sight. We jabbered about the sighting for a few seconds and then continued on around the corner, but hit the brakes seconds later because another pack of dogs was in the road.

5.jpg (124.94 KiB) Viewed 381 times

6.jpg (129.05 KiB) Viewed 381 times

We were still the only car around, so I pulled over, switched off and slowly the dogs settled down around us, which wasn’t good for the nose because they smell big time. The pups or teenage dogs couldn’t sit still for long though and the Rats were having a good laugh at their antics, especially the 1 that had scored himself a snail and wasn’t going to let it go.

7.jpg (93.3 KiB) Viewed 381 times

[Bushcraft]

8.jpg (151.09 KiB) Viewed 380 times

9.jpg (134.67 KiB) Viewed 380 times

10 minutes later cars started to arrive from behind and the dogs slowly started to move off the road, so we decided to continue on before it got too crowded.

Just before the S130 south entrance we spotted a gang of cars in the road, so we knew the reason why no cars from the Croc Bridge side had shown up at the dog sighting yet.

We could see by the ton of vultures in the trees that there must be a kill of some sort and as we slowly made our way through the traffic jam the 1st lions of the trip made an appearance.

The 1 youngish lion was sleeping in the open, but the adults and the kill were deep in the bush, so after a few proof pics we continued to the S130.

10.jpg (126.97 KiB) Viewed 380 times

11.jpg (127.08 KiB) Viewed 380 times

To be continued

[Bushcraft]

21st Lower Sabie continued

The S130 can be a massive hit and miss road but it can produce brilliant leopard sightings at times, so we always drive it at least once or twice a trip.

The initial section produced some ellies including a mom with a junior copying her, some hyena lazing around and a tiny nervous Pearl Spotted.

12.jpg (122.22 KiB) Viewed 379 times

13.jpg (159.41 KiB) Viewed 379 times

14.jpg (70.71 KiB) Viewed 379 times

There’s a no name “waterhole” around 1.5km before the end of the S130 that we always stop at but it was dry so I lost interest in seconds and started looking around the bush on the opposite side of the road while waiting for the signal from the rest of the clan to move on.

Something in a tree on the opposite side didn’t look correct to me, but I was looking straight into the morning sun, so I got irritated and started to move forward, but a nagging feeling said “check”, so I stopped again and squinted into the sun. Suddenly there was a movement and the penny dropped, but for some reason I was in a slowed up mood this morning and casually said

“There’s a leopard in the tree”

This got everybody going

“Where, what, you joking, rubbish”

“No, look carefully in that tree, the leopard is standing still looking at us”

The clan spotted it at the same time and chaos started “It’s got a kill, move, reverse, the sun is a problem”

15.jpg (147.88 KiB) Viewed 379 times

[Bushcraft]

The leopard stood dead still staring at us for a further few minutes and seemed very nervous with our presence, so I slowly tried to position ourselves in a spot where we could at least get a picture as we were just getting “white” images into the sun.

Suddenly further chaos erupted in the back seat as Bushpig lost her cool

“Albert has fiddled with my camera settings, now I’m just getting white images! Albert you have stuffed my camera up!”

Albert is semi interested in photography so has been doing some reading “Your ISO is too high, I have done nothing!”

“You messed it up!”

“I did nothing; you don’t know how to use your camera!”

I was still in the “slowed up mood”, so switched off to it, but fortunately the Cow intervened before Bushpig started swinging and suggested “Auto mode”, which must have worked because peace returned.

Another car had arrived during this scrap and must have thought we had completely lost the plot because they just drove off again before we could point out the leopard that was still standing still checking us out.

Suddenly a hyena run across the road in front of us and that got the leopard moving around the tree in circles with its kill, however the leopard didn’t seem to find anywhere comfortable or suitable and eventually to our horror it bailed out the tree with the kill.

16.jpg (116.42 KiB) Viewed 378 times

17.jpg (96.12 KiB) Viewed 378 times

We fiddled around going backwards and forwards for a few minutes, but the grass was so long and we couldn’t pick up the leopard again.

We arrived back at Lower Sabie at around 8am, so it was still rather early; therefore we decided to duck up to the H12 Bridge before returning to Lower Sabie via the S30.

The Lubyelubye pride were out in the morning sun and the odd cub was visible which caused more interest, but it seemed like they were going to park off for some time so after a few pics we moved on.

18.jpg (168.69 KiB) Viewed 378 times

We stopped again for some ellies but I was rapidly told to move on as a mother ellie got faulty with us and then just onto the S30 we stopped again for a “sable’s” butt” and eventually gave up on trying to get a better pic as it moved off deeper into the bush.

19.jpg (145.28 KiB) Viewed 378 times

[Bushcraft]

20.jpg (119.36 KiB) Viewed 376 times

One of the small inlets off the S30 produced plenty general game including some boons drinking and a Jacana cruising around.

21.jpg (121.62 KiB) Viewed 376 times

22.jpg (178.04 KiB) Viewed 376 times

The rest of the S30/S29/H10 didn’t produce much besides the normal general game, but it was now around 10:30am and pushing 36 degrees already, so we decided to head back to camp for a chow, the rugby and the Rats wanted to hit the pool.


To be continued

[Alf]

Wow wow wow wow

Dogs, and more dogs....

Then lion, leopard.......

Then more lion

What a morning

[Lisbeth]

Welcome back to the Browns

Five beds in the same room might not be the best solution, but apart from that Josini looks fine as an overnight stop

Mel is right, Albert does not look 13 years old You too look great with your hair dyed all platinum blonde

Already two leopards the first day and another one early the day after

Luckly the Cow love birds, because the pearly is such a lovely one

Great doggie sighting

[Klipspringer]

I like the bird sightings

[Flutterby]

We saw those 3 wild dogs on the S130 in June. And then you saw a whole other pack - amazing!

Fantastic leopard sighting!!

[harrys]

Wow doggies, Leopard and Lions in one morning.......awesome