The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Lisbeth]

There are some great photos of the dogs One has had "the ears in the machine" as they say in Denmark

[Richprins]

A lovely morning, Pumbaa!

The dog that is muddy does look a bit ugly!

Those S21 pans are also nice and quiet tourist-wise, and must be busy now that all the windpumps have been closed in that area!

Love the first ellie shot at the pan...made it my desktop pic for this week!

[Flutterby]

Great pics of the dogs.

[Pumbaa]

There are some great photos of the dogs One has had "the ears in the machine" as they say in Denmark

We definitely had such a great time with them

[Pumbaa]

A lovely morning, Pumbaa!

The dog that is muddy does look a bit ugly!

Those S21 pans are also nice and quiet tourist-wise, and must be busy now that all the windpumps have been closed in that area!

Love the first ellie shot at the pan...made it my desktop pic for this week!

Have fun with the picture We normally do drive this road whenever same is open. It can be quiet but always worth to drive same

[Pumbaa]

Great pics of the dogs.

It was such a magical dog morning

[Pumbaa]

As the elephant was now gone we again changed our position a bit at that little pond as it was a bit tricky in doing so as the loops leading closer to the pond were a bit washed out and now we got a bit closer to the birding action as we already noticed from far a woodland kingfisher in a bush whilst we still were concentrated on the elephant. Lots of water dikkops were around but extreme well camouflaged.



A couple of black smith plovers were around as well



and even a couple of terrapins were swimming in the pond



before also at that water source suddenly a group of blue waxbills fell in. First they landed on a branch in a tree



before they decided to take a bath. A couple of glossy starlings arrived as well and the more we looked even more carefully onto the water dikkops the more we counted.



We definitely spent quite a while at that little waterhole before we carried on but the further we got away from any water source the more quieter it got. At least we were happy in detecting a striped cuckoo



before we were held up nearly at the end of the S21 already by an OSV who pointed out to us two lions who were really not easy to spot luckily they left their spot so that we could watch them a bit better and from time to time one of them even lifted a head



and after another while he even stood up only to turn around and lay down again





at least after he looked a bit more carefully into each direction



before also he again got more and more sleepy.



Once again we were happy in finding again lions but as they most of the time were lying flat on the ground we did not stay that long with them.

[Pumbaa]

A bit further from the lions there was even a larger pond which had still a bit more water left and we saw quite a few white faced ducks



and also a grey heron but same was a bit too hidden.



Now finally we turned into the H4-1 and stopped shortly at the N’watimhiri waterhole but as same looked extreme sad with only few water and nothing else left we carried on and wanted to drive the S79 which is leading closer to the Sabie river but we stood in front of the one and only road closure sign we noticed this year in the entire park. Obviously that little loop did not survive the flood last year.

So we had to drive the H4-1 which is in fact not our favourite road in that area at least in February as the vegetation along that road is far too dense in spotting something at least most of the time. At least we now could make ourselves a better view about the road which had caused last year that much trouble as same was washed away at two parts.

Along that road we today only spotted a couple of giraffes feeding on the many acacia bushes along that road



and then we finally stood again in front of sunset dam where again but a bit too far away for our liking we noted yellow billed storks but quite close to were we stood but we were happy about another three banded plover,



and a white crowned lapwing although must say that the dam looked more like a green soup than a water source.



Timon was more focussed onto the dam when I made him aware that right now a diderick cuckoo landed on a bush close to where we stood so we were extreme happy in finally getting a couple of extreme close shots



from a bird which is normally not willing to pose that clear and close for us.



After the diderick flew finally away we changed our position and detected nearly on the other side of the dam a spoonbill and black winged stilts as well as many hippos



but also today we again discovered even more crocodiles in the entire dam



than hippos



and finally also one of the yellow billed storks came a bit closer.



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

[Lisbeth]

I love the white-faced ducks and the cuckoos

Great pic of the white-crowned lapwing in the pea soup. It's a pity they are so small because they are very pretty.

[Richprins]

All sorts again, Pumbaa!

I like the dikkop shot...nice cammo as you say!

That lion looks very old...

And a yucky green dam!