The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Richprins]

It certainly is a lion and heat trip, Pumbaa!

A busy session!

Love Transport Dam, never seen ellies swimming there.

Do you drive with the aircon on?

[Pumbaa]

The latter snake eagle looks strange, maybe it has put gel on the head feathers

Or the wind was not blowing from the back

[Pumbaa]

That impala is definitely impressive ! Also love the kingfisher duo.

He was such an impressive beauty

[Pumbaa]

It certainly is a lion and heat trip, Pumbaa!

A busy session!

Love Transport Dam, never seen ellies swimming there.

Do you drive with the aircon on?

and it was extreme dry already No when in the park we never close the windows whilst driving only when it is raining hard We cannot hear, smell or feel the bush when everything is closed

[Pumbaa]

noted more white backed vultured,



unfortunately the birds let us a bit down today but we stopped for a couple of kudus



out of which this male was simply the most beautiful.





As it was already late we returned back to camp where we enjoyed a bit the view from our verandah with a cold one until it was time for the bed.

Thursday, 15. February 2024 - Skukuza

Explored road: H11 – S1 – S 65 – H1-1 – S66 – H1-1 – H4-1 – H12 – S83 – H1-2 – H1-1 – H11 – S42 – H11

After the first morning coffee on our verandah whilst the day started and it got brighter and brighter so we packed everything together and left with gate opening time the camp. Although we saw nearly nothing on the S65 we wanted to give that road another try but it started again quiet only on the crossing H11 / S1 we stopped for the obligatory hyena clan we often see here and instead of lying near the road or on same itself today they preferred to stay on the grass.





Quite a lot of hyenas were around and luckily the younger ones were always curious to pay a closer look



and we could take a couple of close ups



definitely a nice start into the new day.



The sun rose already and today we simply had to capture this tree on which the sun was shining with a couple of grey clouds – the light was once again perfect.



The vegetation was again thick along the first stretch of the S1, however, the giraffes once again were large enough



as well as the zebras we met.

[Pumbaa]

The elephant bull we met next was completely relaxed



and as already expected the drive on the S65 was again a disappointment as we only came along a tawny eagle and a couple of white backed vultures but too far away for decent shots. Normally we had skipped the S65 but as we wanted to pay Transport dam another visit we drove it again.

At Transport dam we arrived right in time as we noted masses of elephants arriving and the first one was already busy with quenching its thirst





before more arrived. Luckily that dam was one of the few which still had enough water so that the next elephants who arrived





could also easily take a bath



and we had again great joy in watching all the elephants around either single bulls bathing



or larger breeding herds with a couple of little ones between them busy in taking a drink from Mom’s milkbar.





It was again great fun in watching the masses of elephants whilst sipping the rest of the coffee indeed a perfect Kruger morning.



After most of the elephants had their morning drink quite a great number of them decided to do a morning bath as well





and it was a splashing here and a trumpeting there simply a perfect bush sound.



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

[Lisbeth]

Great pics of the elephants drinking and having fun^Q^

[Richprins]

Gorgeous sunshine pic, Pumbaa!

And plenty of ellie fun!

The kudu sure has a lot of flies!

[Flutterby]

Just catching up again Pumbaa. Wow, what fantastic hyena and wild dog sightings!! And some lovely ellie encounters too.

[ExFmem]

Exquisite ellie shots Love the variety of your TT sightings