We woke to an overcast morning and sat bleary eyed on the stoep with coffee in hand. Jan asked about our route for the morning drive and I simply said "The bridge." So off we went and arrived on the bridge at first light. Coffee and rusks were in order as we took in the sights, sounds and smell of the early morning bushveld rush hour.
Other cars came and went, but one Oom on his own in a little hatchback stopped and chatted. We had met him on the bridge the night before and chatted a while before he drove off to the nearby waterhole for a look.
Jan asked if I wanted to move on, but I declined. There was something telling me to stay put. I could not put my finger on what or why I knew we had to stay there, but it was such a strong feeling, that I insisted we stay when Jan asked again a little later. "One more coffee." I said.
The light improved and the view was spectacular as usual.
I still had this feeling that there was something about to happen. It felt like static going through me, an intense feeling that I cannot explain. I watched as three Waterbuck started across the riverbed. They were moving very slowly and stopped when halfway across where they stood motionless. As I watched them, I noticed that they were all staring in the same direction. I followed their gaze, but could not see anything along the riverbank.
"Shall we move on?" Asked Jan. "Just a moment." I replied...... And there it was. A cheetah making it's way down the bank into the riverbed. We watched as it crossed towards the Waterbuck, but they just moved to one side to let the Cheetah amble by as it crossed to the other side. Another car arrived, followed by another, but I don't think anyone else apart from Jan and I saw the animal? I'm not really sure that anyone believed us, as despite giving directions such as "It's in front of the fallen tree." They all looked puzzled and frustrated. Still, it was nice to know that my instinct had been correct.
Just after this, the Oom returned, then went off to look for the Cheetah in the direction it had gone. We poured another coffee and munched on rusks. A Saddle-billed Stork flew downriver and directly over our heads, giving us a cursory glance as it went.
A Great-white Egret was below the bridge, strolling from pool to pool looking for breakfast.
And a pair of Openbilled Storks headed for good fishing grounds further downriver.
"Shall we move on?" Asked Jan. "Just one more smoke." I said as the Oom returned after a fruitless search for the Cheetah. Jan was chatting with the Oom as I enjoyed a smoke. The feeling I'd had earlier was back and I scanned around. The Waterbuck had long gone and only the Egret was nearby along with a Blacksmith Plover. I noticed something in the distance at the edge of a pool. It was cat-like in shape and was about to say "Cheetah" as I lifted my binoculars to my eyes, but stopped as I realised that this one was stocky. "Leopard!" I said as Jan and the Oom jumped and searched for it with their binoculars. Just as soon as I'd focused on the cat, it was off and slinked back up the bank. Neither Jan nor the Oom had seen it. The Oom went off to the loop that runs above the riverbank here, but I declined when Jan asked if we should go as well. "No, that cat wants to cross the river." I said. "We will get a better view if we stay here."
Not two minutes later, I noticed a movement in the bush and found the Leopard making it's way down the bank. Jan got onto it and we both watched as she crossed over casually to the other side.
I still don't know how I knew that something was going to happen that morning, or how I picked up on when things would hot up. Maybe I was picking up on behaviour or calls of the other animals or birds nearby, but if that was so, it was sub-conciously and just a feeling rather than anything definitive.
As we enjoyed the last of the coffee and rusks, the Great-white Egret was still fishing below the bridge.
And even the clouds gave way to clear blue skies.
And a little one on top of it. 
Sucking for the cute factor again. 
And another cute baby! 
