From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Flutterby]

Great sightings at the causeway.

[Pumbaa]

You are lucky that you seem to regularly get the feeding frenzy over the years, Pumbaa!

It is really amazing!

You must scrutinise whether you can see that they are waiting for fish coming upstream or downstream!

At least when there is enough water flowing when it is too dry there is indeed not much around When it is too wet then there is also Nothing around so you have to wait until you reached the right water level - We had luck that year

[Pumbaa]

The Shingwedzi causeway is a wealth when it comes to waterbird sightings. I think I saw 6 different ones, when I was there but no crocs

Yes, normally a lot of water birds are around when the water reached the right level

[Pumbaa]

Great sightings at the causeway.

As already said we can stand Hours on such causeways as there is normally Always something to be seen

[Pumbaa]

We came along a lone buffalo

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and under a shady spot lots of vervet monkeys were around

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from lots of adults as well as curious youngsters

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[Pumbaa]

and even smaller ones.

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It was also quiet carwise but we noticed loud hadedahs and more buffaloes,

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a goliath heron in the hunt mode in the best evening light as well as another yellow billed stork.

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[Pumbaa]

After we reached Kaniedood we turned around and also paid a short visit to the hide but we never had so far luck there and so we stayed not that long but on our way back we noticed a group of waterbuck ladies

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out of which one was extreme cheeky.

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The men were also around

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[Pumbaa]

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taking a drink at the river

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and more could be seen even closer.

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More crocodiles could be seen taking a sunbath in the evening sun

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[Pumbaa]

as well as more giraffes

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and relatively early we returned to camp and walked also quite early to the restaurant after a short visit at the shop. The food was as always fantastic there and as it was still bright enough we noticed the many animals which were on their way down to the river such as impalas or waterbucks and even a fish eagle was hunting. It was more than a perfect day today for us.

Sunday, 24. February 2019 – Shingwedzi – Punda Maria Gate

Travelled roads: H1-7 – S55 – S53 – S56 – H1-7 – H1-8 – S61 – S60 – H13-2 – S99 – H13-1

Our very last morning dawned and with heavy hearts we packed everything together and left the good thing was that it was another sunny day and leaving on a sunny day feels a bit easier than leaving on a dark and cloudy day. We stopped for a brighter raptor,

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for another group of ground hornbills

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and for a view from the H1-7.

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[Pumbaa]

The S56 was unfortunately closed so we had no choice than to continue on the tar road Northwards but luckily the second entrance into the direction of the S56 was open so we could at least drive a bit along one of our favourite roads in the park along the Mphongolo and there we came across a juvenile bateleur,

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saw baboons in a row in the riverbed a bit farer away, noticed lots of hadedahs

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and enjoyed watching more saddle billed storks in the river itself.

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to be continued……