In Search of Some Good "Spots"

[Ratel]

That's a sausage tree, (Kigelia) they bloom abundantly in the dry season, so really get attention from all insects and birds...some birds are there for the insects, some for nectar! Sometimes male and female trees, with only the one flowering...complicated! They are evergreen and make those lethal sausages...

Thanks RP! You taught me something new.

[Mel]

I'm not good at explaining, but please look at the links below and compare with your raptor.

The tawny eagle

https://www.flickr.com/photos/cirdan-tr ... 2293650680 (scroll down)

https://alchetron.com/Tawny-eagle

The booted eagle

http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-booted ... 86650.html

http://www.arkive.org/booted-eagle/hier ... 37758.html

[Richprins]

I think it's an Apple Leaf tree (Philenoptera) !

[Mel]

I think it's an Apple Leaf tree (Philenoptera) !

Well done on IDing the tree, RP

But we're looking at the raptor

[Ratel]

I see what you mean Mel. If those are legitimate Tawnies in those pictures then it's probable that the bird we saw was a Tawny also. I have two field guides and neither shows that colour combination though...

Thanks so much for sharing your local knowledge.

[Ratel]

Friday 25th August - Lower Sabie continued

We propped by Delaporte Waterhole for a little bit to see if the Leopard would show again. Pretty soon hunger got the better of us so we headed back to Skukuza to knock up a bit of breakfast before returning to Delaporte. We stopped on the bridge to again check the tree with the Impala kill and as I focused my binoculars I was amazed to see the Leopard in the tree, about to descend. In a flash she was out of the tree and gone. The briefest of sightings was all we would get, as we parked off at Delaporte hoping for a return that never came.

As always however there were plenty of cameos to keep us entertained. I positioned the car in a prime location for Lyca to capture the comings and goings.

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[Flutterby]

At least you saw the leopard if only for a brief moment.

Love the wartie pic!

[Richprins]

so we headed back to Skukuza to knock up a bit of breakfast

How about some food pics so we can see what Aussies eat?

This is a very mysterious leopard...

Ah, how lovely to sit at a windmill, Ratel, even better than a dam, IMO, as the animals are much closer!

[Ratel]

so we headed back to Skukuza to knock up a bit of breakfast

How about some food pics so we can see what Aussies eat?

Not as much meat as you guys it would seem...

I am sure our set up would interest you more than the menu of peanut butter on toast and orange juice.

We carry a little hiking gas stove and a collapsible toasting grill to go on it, then just purchase a gas bottle to power it for the duration of our trip.

[Pumbaa]

Great warthog shot, Ratel

Delaporte is always worth to spend time at