The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Pumbaa]

A lion paradise that morning, Pumbaa!

Lovely pics!

The grass sure was brown already for summer there...

Nice all-round sightings.

Compared to other years in parts of the park the grass looked already very brown

[Pumbaa]

Finally we even discovered two kori bustards who were surrounded by meanwhile five carmine bee eaters because they chased up a lot of insects



I simply love that shot as the carmine bee eater who cruised above the head of the kori looked like a helicopter



and finally we also could capture one of the many bee eaters nicely posing extreme close.



Then it was already time for a short body break at N’wanetsi picnic spot before we carried on along the S41.

As always we stopped on the many causeways along that road and spotted there a pair of saddlebilled storks



unfortunately the rest of our drive along that road was extreme quiet so we had plenty of time for a break at Gudzani dam again where we discovered a pair of giant kingfishers a bit farer away in a tree and a bit closer on the edge of the dam a black smith plover and an African jacana



and in a dead tree the resident fish eagle could also be admired.



Today we turned into the 100 and in the same loop where we found yesterday the drinking lioness and her two buddies today we noticed a lone not very good looking male lion



nevertheless we stayed a little while with him as in the beginning he mostly was sleeping but finally stood up, took a drink from the river and laid back but we could not detect any other lions. We felt extreme sorry for him.



Obviously the drivers of the OSV’s heard something about a lion sighting on the S100 so we today were a bit shocked about the number of fast driving OSV’s on that road which is totally uncommon whenever we are there contrary that road is more or less extreme quiet carwise. Anyway we stopped for more Carmine bee eaters who are always plentiful there in February especially during the day



we found a lone wildebeest together with a large herd of impalas



as well as elephants who already were enjoying the shade of a tree.

[Pumbaa]

It was far too early for us to return back to camp so we decided to give the S126 a try that road is also a must drive when in that area provided same is not closed which is happening often during our stays but before we turned into that road we stopped on the bridge across the Sweni because there a lot of cars stood and must say there were a lot of animals close to a remaining pond. A family of waterbucks were around



feeding on the still fresh looking grass



also a large herd of impalas could be seen who quenched their thirst



and a pair of saddlebilled storks could be noticed as well



who fed on the many dead fishes who still could be discovered in the water, however, the smell which finally reached us was more than a bit awkward.



Here is an overview of the whole sighting obviously this was the one and only water source far and wide, however, due to the prevailing heat the water must have been cooking already which manifested the many dead fishes in that pond.



The impala males still drank from the water



and the saddle billed storks were still feeding on the dead fishes also here we stayed quite a while as there was so much around.



Finally we could drag ourselves away and turned into the S126 which was quiet but we never mind as it was meanwhile once again extreme sunny and hot already. In a dead tree a couple of vervets monkeys were enjoying the shade of same.





Besides a couple of birds





and far away kudus we in fact did not see much but the main reason for driving that road was to pay a visit at Ximangwaneni dam which is also a must stop for us when in that area.

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