Grietjie Private Reserve

[Alf]

Cute little piggies

I just love the sound of the woodlands kingfisher

Oh wow you saw the frogs making foam

Amazing sightings Sprocky

[Lisbeth]

Quite a bite that the hamerkop has fished

Great to see the frogs actually creating the foam nest

Better rain than snow

[Pumbaa]

Also love the piggies and the impalas

What a huge frog the hamerkop caught

Thanks Sprocky

[Klipspringer]

Love the frogs A mother will have many fathers for her offspring

The mating pair spawns into a foam nest constructed by the female and simultaneous unpaired males gather around the mating pair and release sperm This creates a unique situation whereby multiple males fertilize the clutch of a single female.
When females mate with more males they experience higher fertilization success, in terms of both the proportion of a clutch fertilized and the
total number of eggs fertilized.

Note: The amplexus (male on the back of a female) is not copulation, fertilization of eggs is external. The male frog grabs the female's back and fertilizes the eggs as the female frog releases them into the foam nest. The males either go in amplexus and/or ejaculate sperm in the foam and over the eggs.

[Richprins]

Great sightings, Sparky!

The warthog went into a burrow it thought was empty, I think!
Nice piglets and foam frogs!

[RogerFraser]

Lovely pics Sprocky .Interesting the Warthog with the Quill .Probably like RP says went down the wrong burrow .

[Sprocky]

Damnit, it's been real hot here, cooking in fact and still no sign of rain.

The bush is also very alive and busy.

You can't not photograph Woodies in the summer...

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On Friday afternoon I went to Phils house and sat on the deck waiting for some life. It was touching 40C and I made good use of the outside shower. Finally something to photograph, a Giraffe across the river in the shade of the Fig trees...

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A bit later, the local Warthog family made their way to their burrow...

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On Saturday morning we were load shedded, forcing me out with the camera. Quite glad, as I got one of my best Dragonfly shots...

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Lots more on the way...

[Sprocky]

While outside, this Lizard was sunning himself close to my braai, I don't know why he needed sun, it was already boiling outside...

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A female Bearded Woodpecker was also very busy...

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I was asked to take photos of a new Robinson R66 helicopter, that now works in the Greater Kruger area. I waited outside on the lawn for them to do a fly past, piloted by a young lady. An amazing turbine powered, five seater chopper...

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The next images were taken on drive this morning. The weather was overcast and windy, a bit of respite from the heat. First up, a female Red-backed Shrike...

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More from the drive next...

[Sprocky]

And the rest of the morning drive.

On the plains area, a couple of Impala rams were testing each other, while others watched from a distance...

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Jackal and pup, not sure if it was serious or not...

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I encountered three different breeding herds on this mornings drive, here is a cow and her not so young calf...

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A lot of Giraffe were resting and ruminating...

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That's it for now, from Hotashell...

[Lisbeth]

The photo of the shrike is great