Richprins' Short Business Trips to The Park

[Richprins]

And we spotted a malachite kingfisher, which is a common thing there!

Lis was excited!


The thing game gloser and gloser, as I told Lis it would!

These birds are astoundingly amazing at hiding behind twigs and reeds!

The camera totally gives up on focussing.

[Lisbeth]

I love the first pic of the kingfisher. I forgot to take one like that But I have saved yours among my own

You cannot expect the camera to do the whole work

[Richprins]

Fortunately I could take a pic of the year!

We drove relaxedly back to camp and it was time for Lis to say goodbye...what can one do? She cried a lot at the farewell...


I went for a bit of a lie-down as I was also emotional. Then off to Shitlhave in the forlorn hope of seeing leopards, pangolin and black rhino..all spotted by leachy on his impromptu drive while we had been away!

Leachy was obviously more interested in relaxing at camp!

Here is Shitlhave parking lot...animals for photos were still scarce!

And the dam surprisingly empty with all the rain around!

[Richprins]

It was quite nice indeed to sit there and have a bit of tea and listen to radio and mull over our meet....


The Saddle-billed Stork!

It became time to go back to camp and I was in a FINE mood, driving along singing a bit having long forgotten about leopard, when WRAGTIG one ran across the road in front of me!

I was in shock a bit, so somewhat of a waste of tea, but it was intriguing trying to follow the very orange spots in the long grass as the leopard was extremely skittish and nervous and behaving abnormally, to be honest...

An auslander eventually pitched up behind me and submitted to my superior knowledge as I told him to wait a bit.

Lo and behold the leopard eventually reappeared in my rear view mirror!

The one and only photo before she ran away again..

I showed the auslander and he had a tremendous smile indeed and great respect for me, to be sure!

A gloseup:

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[Richprins]

You cannot expect the camera to do the whole work

It was very overcast, Lis!

[Lisbeth]

The leopard looks very funny On the other hand, what else could it be Must be the camera not doing its work properly

Maybe a pregnant female or an old fat male

[Alf]

Maybe an oversized dassie

[Pumbaa]

Indeed that leopard is looking extreme well fed

but a leopard is a leopard

Also well done on the malachite - Always one of our favourites

[Flutterby]

It's amazing how often leopards will cross back over the road....patience is key.

Lis really had bad luck, missing both sightings!

[Lisbeth]

She had!