The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Pumbaa]

Fantastic wild dog and lion sightings!

Must say that the S25 paid of this year - Same can also be extreme quiet

[Pumbaa]

Nice, Pumbaa!

Ja, the males are not big hunters, as a rule, they occupy the pride kills, hence them looking up for vultures?

That Vurhami bridge is a lovely spot, Dwarf and I sat there for hours this year!

At that bridge there is always something to be seen - Always a good evening drive when staying in Croc bridge

[Pumbaa]

Lots of wildebeestas, impalas as well as zebras could seen at that first stretch of the S28



and as always we turned into one smaller loop leading closer to the Gesamftombi river but that loop was extreme washed out and could only be driven extreme carefully. At least we soon spotted a wooly necked stork there



and as here also still a bit water was left a couple of hippos were inside same but suddenly one of them decided to climb out of the water





only to quench its thirst from a small puddle.



We stayed at this spot quite a while as the view was simply beautiful.



As already experienced often during summer months our beloved S28 was extreme quiet at least we stopped for a lilac breasted roller,



a longclaw



as well as for an impressive elephant bull with a floppy ear nevertheless we loved to be back on that road and as always we drove the small detour to the formerly Nhlanganzwani dam





before we already stood in front of Duke’s waterhole, well if one can still speak from a waterhole as only a small puddle with water was left it was more or less a mud puddle. Nevertheless hamerkops were around as well as a saddle-billed stork

[Pumbaa]

and after a while even a couple of impalas came to drink.





As the birds were successful in even catching some extreme small fish it looks as if still a bit life was inside that puddle.



For sure we stayed at the so called “waterhole” a bit longer and whilst we stood there a couple of cars arrived only to carry on without stopping therefore we again had Duke’s all to ourselves



and after another while a family of warthogs also arrived.



First they quenched their thirst as well but then the mud puddle was the best place to stay for them



the piglets enjoyed to wallow in the mud



and so did Mom



and we enjoyed to watch all the warthogs





as well as the yellow billed stork and a black smith plover who were still around



and finally also a woodland kingfisher arrived and once again we thought that the lack of rain in that area also had some advantage especially compared to last year where there was water everywhere so we can simply wait at a waterhole and let the animals come and that strategy paid off more than ones during that trip.



to be continued.......................

[Bushcraft]

Fantastic pics once again Pumbaa

I also battle to sleep the night before entering KNP

An awesome midday leopard sighting before even booking in

Lions on route to Biyamiti

Sjoe, great wild dog sighting

[Flutterby]

Lots of activity at Dukes! Love the warthogs in the mud!

[Lisbeth]

Lovely hippo pics

The warthogs look blissfully happy in the mud: “ploup, ploup!”

The S28 is one of my favourite roads. Unfortunately, the Nhlanganzwani hide is no more if I don't error

[Richprins]

Ah, sitting at a waterhole is my favourite pastime, Pumbaa!

Normally they are a waste in summer...shows you how dry it was!

Great warthog shots and the hippo spot is a nightmare to drive into, as you say!

[Pumbaa]

Fantastic pics once again Pumbaa

I also battle to sleep the night before entering KNP

An awesome midday leopard sighting before even booking in

Lions on route to Biyamiti

Sjoe, great wild dog sighting

The South was good to us this year and somehow we obviously always drove the right roads

[Pumbaa]

Lots of activity at Dukes! Love the warthogs in the mud!

We were so happy about the wallowing warties