From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Pumbaa]

Very different pictures from the normal ones

Amazing

We were happy to found them that close

Naughty monitor

But, yep, something different to watch; something that you don't get to see every day

And all those birds again Totally awesome!

Nevertheless an interesting sighting and even inside the camp

Summer is certainly the time for birds, Pumbaa!

Exquisite photos, I must say!

Ja, that S50 is an incredibly long drive.

Those monitors seem to be common in Shingwedzi...since I was a boy!

But very less traffic on that road and that is very nice

Shingwedzi and Letaba are the favourite places of the storks of all kinds I still haven't seen a stork yet, nor a big heron There are also more birds in the north it seems to me or maybe it is just not my year

As always spectacular photos

We only saw our first pair of saddle billed storks during that trip in the Letaba so sometimes one had to try again and again

I like the Hammerkop on the "waterfall", the Impala w/ Oxpecker, and the monitor raiding the nest

Also love that small waterfall but obviously a good fishing spot

Even when the big game isn't around there's always something to see in Kruger!

We definitely cannot complain about the sightings we had during that trip and as you know we are not only big game hunters

[Pumbaa]

The evening light was simply perfect and so we had to photograph the goliath heron we discovered whilst standing on the causeway

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and luckily a bit further down the road we came across a group of impalas out of which one

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had been visited by a yellow-billed oxpecker.

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We came across a very muddy elephant,

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[Pumbaa]

more impalas with oxpeckers,

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waterbucks as well as grey headed bush shrikes.

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Meanwhile we already turned around and stopped for grey louries,

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a breathtaking view,

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[Pumbaa]

yellow billed hornbills,

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vultures, bee eaters all a bit far away and more ground hornbills.

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Finally it was time to return to camp and we lit our braai knowing that this will already be the very last one during this trip as we wanted to pay tomorrow a visit to the restaurant which we normally always do on our last full day in the park.

Saturday, 23. February 2019 – Shingwedzi

Explored roads: H1-6 – S52 – H1-6 – S101 – H1-6 – S50 – S135 – H1-6

Our last full day dawned and as always we were looking forward to same and first stop is normally on the high water bridge were the sun was about to come up

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[Pumbaa]

and not far the first woodland kingfisher already caught its critter breakfast.

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On the causeway which is leading to the S52 we noticed still very well camouflaged in the waves a foraging sandpiper

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but nearly the whole S52 was extreme quiet that early morning but we stopped for another sunbird also with a mini breakfast

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and whilst watching same Mrs. Zorro joined as well

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[Pumbaa]

and also suddenly a movement in the riverbed turned out to be a group of female waterbucks.

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We already were about to leave that spot when an African hoopoe landed in the bush we were parking in front

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and when same disappeared a group of white fronted bee eaters appeared on the scene

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[Pumbaa]

and posed nicely for us and even closer.

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Finally all birds were gone and we carried on and also captured a Wahlberg in a tree

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and then nearly at the end of the S52 we had been flagged down by a couple in car out of which the woman formed the letter “L” with her fingers followed by a magical whisper of “leopard with cub” will now become finally one of our dream sightings came true to spot a leopard cub?

to be continued…..

[Alf]

You must be the bird whispers

Amazing pictures

[Richprins]

Lovely birdies again!

[Lisbeth]

Beautiful birds, Pumbaa

You are almost on your doorstep ready to leave I wish you a great trip....and be careful