Whistlestop dreams at Tsendze

[Flutterby]

[krugerbru]

Very good and nice pics, bru!

Good to see the boy enjoy a Savanna, train them young!

Absolutely. Although as you can see, I do only allow them a Savanna light

[Flutterby]

As it should be.

[krugerbru]

The morning drive was an early affair. As in past experience, it's scorching by 7ish up north. As the camp was empty, I was easily the first out of the gate. It's was only me and the two boys as per usual on the early morning drives. What was the saying.. only mad dogs and Englishmen and a nature hungry South African in the Kruger will get up at 4AM.

The boys are still small enough for me to pick them up in their sleeping bags and put them in the car while they're still dreaming of the next mind blowing sighting. This means I have the first hour or so in the car by myself, but also sadly means I have to do the gate all on my own

I decided to do the Shongololo Loop this morning. This takes you west off the H1-6 and over the low-water bridge on the Tsendze River. Well were in in for a pleasant surprise when we got there. The road drops steeply just before the river, creating the most magnificent scene as the dense Mopani bush gives way to a green oasis filled with a variety of storks, herons and the ever present hammerkop. When we inched closer to get better pictured of the birds, we realised that the river was still flowing gently over the bridge and various fish that had swum freely over it when in flood, were now trying to make the perilous journey back over to the deep pools in front of the Shipandani hide.





Now Saddle-billed Storks with their sharp beaks don't miss an opportunity to pick a tasty snack from the film of water running gently over the bridge and they were having a feast. The only fish that actually made it successfully upstream were the ones that crossed while the storks were already engaged in a successful kill



Well this was enough entertainment to keep me there for hours, but we had to head off as the loop including the trip back on the tar road is easily 50km.

My boys, awake by now, spotted this Water Monitor Lizard in the long grass just below the bridge.

[krugerbru]

Nice to see Joshua is doing well..we always stay in 14 in Sept visits and we ofen found him in our Bush Camper ..once on our bed after we arrived back from a walk

Sounds amazing. My boys would have loved that. On our last visit, they would follow him around with Rodgerh on his rounds, fee him and stroke him whenever he would allow for it.

[krugerbru]

My apologies, I forgot to share the first animals we saw on the trip. These beautiful Ellies on the H9, shortly after we came in.

[Alf]

Enjoying the trip with you guys. Oh i love Mooiplaas picnic area so late in the afternoon

[Lisbeth]

Lovely stork pics

[Klipspringer]

I love this river crossing, too! Better birding there than from the hide.

[Richprins]

Very good pics, bru!

Yes, one has to get up at 4 in summer to survive!