Red Socks and a Bird Book - CENTRAL KNP*

[nan]

wow nice, the Scops Owl (I searched and searched... never found it )
and also nice Woody it's really a beautiful bird
I love the X'mas tree
nice episode


and are you sure with the Bateleur... seems to me a Brown Snake-Eagle... or I am completly wrong
very big eye, no feather in the leg and a tail

[Amoli]

We set out to have breakfast at Tsokwane. On our way we had lovely sightings..

Burchells Coucal




there is about no difference in size to this European Roller and the Dove. Wow


Magpie Shrike


Zebra


We turned into the Sweni road and turned around at the first waterhole.
Down the road a Hyena was coming towards us, so I stopped.
The animal just ignored us, when it got near, it stepped out of the road, and back on the road when it had passed !






I wanted to compare the length of our ponytails with this warthog, and all I got was a snork!


At the bridge near the Boabab tree we scanned the area for Leopard, but we only saw this Woolly necked Stork.


And Red backed shrike


Pale Wahlberg


And one for the ID’s thread (not taking a chance again) - Dewi confirmed Wahlberg...


At Kumana Dam we saw this beautiful Ellie and African Openbill Stork






By this time I was desperate for a leopard – so desperate that I logged into LATEST SIGHTINGS. Mems had posted a sighting of a leopard on a log some kilometers from Tshokwane going North. I had to keep a close watch on my speed….
Nothing – no cars – no cats. We had a pie for breakfast and returned to camp in silence.
On our afternoon drive we choose the S100. We found the spoor, scanned the bushes. Waited, looked……




I loved the way the ellies touch their offspring – guiding and teaching and loving





A purple roller



This hyena was hot. He was making noises – I think we disturbed him.





Another great specimen of kudu


Quizzie time : African Pipit -O -O


And this guy had super tusks…



On our night drive – of which I have said enough elsewhere…
AWC



An no pic of the genet.

Oh tomorrow – will my wish be fulfilled …..

[Dewi]

Missed a couple of postings here Amoli.

Does the Leopard sighting mean that I got your quiz right after all.

Both Eagles are Wahlberg's - the first one is the pale phase - smaller than Martial with a much finer looking bill and not as fierce looking as Martial.

Nan got the Openbill for you already.

The LBJ is a Pipit. My best guess from the photo is African Pipit, but cannot be 100% certain on this one without more info.

Great sightings & pics. Love the Shrike and Kudu pose.

[Amoli]

I was doing my bit around camp preparing an early breakfast as today we doing the H7-S36-S125-H1-3 with no Picnic sites.

I heard this knock-knock – and breakfast was forgotton.
Out came the camera and I just loved taking pictures of this beautiful bearded woodpecker.




The Natal Francolin also asked for a pic.




On the way to Nsemani some Boons were getting organized for the day –




Nsemani was a load of activity with ellies, hippos and Fish Eagles.




This hippo was having a whale of a time - see him laughing.... -O -O






and with a kill....



There were few sightings on the S36 –
( a few cars came speeding past us up to the North - we decided not to follow.)

Plover at Shimangwaneni Dam


This Tortoise which is so beautiful! It takes them all of 3min to do a road crossing. Fast hey.



A kill ! A kill ! – we allowed ourselves this excitement – as there was nothing else…





Comb duck which was or has become Knob billed duck… This was the best pic I could get before it gave me a bummer.


On the tar road, we had a wonderful experience of a Yellow Billed Kite swooping down and picking up something from the tar road next to us.
I am sure his wings must have cleared us only just. I don’t always realize just how big these birds are.


Aha!


Gotcha!


One passenger ½ way out of his car.
This picture will go on our Wall of Shame. (0) (0)


The guy pulled up to me and I was not up to an argument other than telling him he should not lean out of his car for any reason.

Yes, I will tell just that.

Hello Lady….
About a kilometer or so… no,
it is exactly 1.7km –
there is a leopard in a tree to your left hand side….


Needless to say – the angels protected him….

This is, my full picture, from head to toe, from tummy to tail

He was scanning the bush to the east, then west, then south, then north,

And then all over again.

We stayed with him until he left.















We went and parked at Nkaya pan - hoping that this is where the leopard was heading.
This became a stop over – or a quick trip for the rest of our stay.


I had to take these pictures, to calm the excitement

More shrikes..


African Hornbill


Southern Carmine bee-eater.



Did this complete my trip…… no……not yet…

[Amoli]

Day 8 -

Our last full day in the park.


A sighting we had during our detour through Timbaktoo…


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Our morning trip was s100 (again), S41 and S90.

It rained during the early hours of the morning and this Bateleur wasn’t a happy chappy.


Fish Eagle with breakfast – seems the rain didn’t bother him.


Some raindrops….


We found fresh spoor in the road and followed it until it went into the bushes. We scanned the area, but couldn’t find our cat.




On the S41 we found Hyena and waterbuck and raptors.

They always look so guilty









The S90 was alive with sightings…
Snail


More waterbuck


Quelea (this time I got it right)


Juv Martial Eagle


Guineafowl with babies


Namaqua dove – my, but these are busy, busy birds… wow


Amur Falcon


Lesser Grey Shrike


Bokkie


Korhaan

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I found that this round trip took me all of 6 hours….. I was travelling slower and slower and my stop-overs were more lengthy. I needed to condition myself that it was nearing the end.
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In the afternoon we did a trip up to Ngotso as a last goodbye.

A lovely tortoise – I am wondering why was his tail so very visible ?


Eagle


And….

And….

A Kori-Bustard. A Kleenex moment. How special. Not a good pic because of bad settings, but I did see it.



On our way back we stopped watching two male Lions feast on a kill.


The one lion left after a while. I couldn't make out what the prey was bar that is was dark like a little buff or warthog




We watched them until the lion waved goodbye. I knew it was time to go.



Our last sunset was much more spectacular than this picture. Awesome.


To follow - Exit from the park

[Amoli]

Day 9

This was our day out of the park.
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I prepared my grandson for a full day of sightings –
Telling him that if he thought we saw a lot of animals and birds,
Then today will be a wonderful experience. The south is packed – he will love it.
We cleared the memory cards… ready to take 3000 pics,
The batteries were charged and we were packed.



H1-3 Satara to Tshokwane –
Waterbuck


and Impala


H1-2 Tshokwane to Skukuza
Giant Kingfisher


Hamerkop


While filling our petrol at Skukuza, we saw James (Cheetah) and wished each other a good trip home.

I was in panic mode because the sightings were…. Non.

At Renosterkoppies we saw…. Koppies


and lots of Flutterby's


On the S21 there was this Juv Afr Hawk eagle


A beautiful chameleon


And some quarrelsome white faced ducks.. -O -O




We did see this little steenbokkie


There was a guy who had landrover problems and was waiting for help.
We made sure he had enough water and went on our way reluctantly.

On the H4-1 we were caught inbetween a herd of ellies crossing the road – but I didn’t know it until it happened, and before realization set in, I was through….!!! Some Ellies had crossed and in the time span before others started crossing, I was there!.

We sat at Lubyeluby… just in case – but no leopard.
I was under cross-examination of irresponsible statements of mega animals in the south.

Sunset Dam delivered …


Little Stint


and Elsie was on her own..



I drove down to the low level bridge…. Oi ….
Kingfisher


Goliath Heron


We drove in silence.

I took this photo - just to stop - and do something... -O -O


Then something drew our attention… It was a Martial Eagle
… hiding a kill.









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The bird sensed another predator in the air.



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He grasped his prey and shuffled deeper into the bush, even hiding his head for a while.



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I think he could ‘hear’ all was safe, and then lifted his head.




We spent more than a hour watching this bird. We couldn’t see what the prey was, and we had an appointment at Spur in Nelspruit, so we pushed on.
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Watching the bridge made me realize the tug of war going on inside myself.
If I cross, I am out of the park, if I stay….. I will be in the park. Ahhhhh…..
Slowly I started to cross…



Said goodbye to the Cattle Egret and to the Weaver




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This was a great birding holiday.
No Civet,
Roan, Blackie,
Sable or Secretary Bird.

I did see the BIG 5 (first time) in one trip
Male lions
Kori bustard
2 Rock monitors
and a mighty lot of raptors – and from nearby