When small Streams turn into Rivers

[Pumbaa]

The tiny impala with the big ears is adorable!

Pretty waxbills and also the coucal with chick isn't bad

But of course the leopard is the icing on the cake

That impala was indeed extreme cute

[Pumbaa]

Lovely bird photos, Pumbaa!

Great waxbill bathing shot.

The leopard was gored by its prey, I think?

It is a real beauty!

Me too - He is in fact a beauty and was so relaxed so close to the road

[Pumbaa]

Anyhow fortune smiled on us and he decided to climb up a tree right next to the roadside so we had now the best position one only can dream from at such a sighting.





On top he even sat down suitably and after we rolled slightly a bit forward we had no longer any leaves hiding our spotted beauty



so as we were still all alone at that sighting we fired away like mad.





Luckily he did not went straight into sleeping mode he was extreme attentive and looked into each direction as on top now finally another car arrived.



As a cat also this one started to clean himself





and for sure a couple of yawners were a must as well.

[Pumbaa]

Soon another car arrived and also here it was needless to point to the leopard as same was easily to be seen





and soon a lot of happy people with smiling faces were enjoying this more than wonderful sighting





and with only three cars at that sighting the leopard stayed quite relaxed





but after now the first OSV arrived and soon radioed the situation of that sighting to other OSV’s same got a bit restless.





To be continued……………….

[Lisbeth]

A great poser and very beautiful

[Richprins]

Some of the best leppie pics we've had, Pumbaa!

So nice when they are relaxed and there is not a crowd.

[Pumbaa]

A great poser and very beautiful

We were so happy about that sighting

[Pumbaa]

Some of the best leppie pics we've had, Pumbaa!

So nice when they are relaxed and there is not a crowd.

Yes, it felt most of the time as if he posed only for us

[Pumbaa]

We meanwhile changed the position we had with another car as we got our shots but for sure we still waited what might happen



and after a more than wonderful half an hour Mr. leopard decided to climb down the tree



and although we still waited a while same stayed invisible. WoW what a fantastic start into the day and soon all cars at that sighting began to move whereas we let all of them pass so that we could even stop at the bridge across the N’wantindlofu where we discovered a more than nicely posing black stork in the riverbed.



Meanwhile also the water level in such small streams dropped drastically so that luckily from time to time there was something to be seen compared to the first days where only water masses were flowing.



We slowly continued and came across another tawny eagle



before we were held up again and met all the cars again we shared the leopard sighting with as a couple of giraffes were standing on the road.



As typical all of them eyed us extensively and now also a troop of baboons came



running and were soon running between the legs of the giraffes so it took a while until all of them cleared the road so that we could continue our drive.





A final stop at Leeupan was then also a must but compared to the last two days today it was a bit quiet there, however, a couple of waterbirds were around such as this little grebe,



a bathing black smith plover,

[Pumbaa]

a dragonfly could also be captured



and also the green shank we already spotted the previous two days was still there.



We could also detect an African jacana, weavers, water dikkops,



a three banded plover, a pied kingfisher and another Wahlberg but as we spent already on the previous two days a couple of hours there today it was only a very short visit.

After that thrilling morning drive with the extreme close leopard we needed a longer break and so Tshokwane picnic spot came in handy and with a brewing hot coffee from the coffee shop in hand we walked a bit around and watched the vervet monkeys



out of whom this little rascal had stolen a cookie from someone



and not far also a birdie showed interest in the crumbs.



The road led now for a longer while along the W’waswitsontso and one could already see how high the water flowed which meanwhile luckily dropped drastically.



To our delight we spotted a lone saddle billed stork in the river and stopped



for an extensive observation of same who walked in the water looking out for something to eat.



A couple of loops led then closer to the river and we simply absorbed the beauty of the view as on top now the sun was shining steadily from above.





A couple of grey louries could be seen but as still all the gravel roads were closed we still had no alternative than to use the tar road



To be continued……………….