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Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Sun Jun 19, 2016 5:35 pm
by Richprins
That really seems to be a prime cheetah area, Pumbaa!
Ja...no aircons at Mbyamiti...

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Mon Jun 20, 2016 2:18 pm
by Flutterby
Wow, you saw a lot of ellies!
Great cheetah sighting!

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2016 6:01 pm
by Alf
Would love to go back but I find the accommodation very expensive and always fully booked
Nice cheetah sighting
Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:18 pm
by Pumbaa
Not at all but as same is so long some parts are in fact quiet although must say we had already some awesome sightings on that road
I loved to watch that ellie

and the cheetah sequence is not yet over

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:22 pm
by Pumbaa
He made a lot of noise and the drive on the S28 is not yet over
Richprins wrote:That really seems to be a prime cheetah area, Pumbaa!
Ja...no aircons at Mbyamiti...

For us the best road for spotting cheetah in Kruger so far - It worked also without aircon

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:24 pm
by Pumbaa
Flutterby wrote:Wow, you saw a lot of ellies!
Great cheetah sighting!

It was an ellie day and the next day was a cat day
Alf wrote:Would love to go back but I find the accommodation very expensive and always fully booked
Nice cheetah sighting
Compared to other bushcamps I think Biyamiti is still one of the cheepest but you are right often fully booked

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:26 pm
by Pumbaa
A couple of years ago we saw at exactly the same spot a cheetah mom with her two youngsters and so we supposed that this one might be one of her offspring
and needless to say that on the other side of the road two days ago we spotted the black backed jackal at the impala kill and so we obviously found one of the culprits and same was today totally relaxed and simply enjoyed life.
I was so happy to found again my favourite animal and it even came better as another one appeared on the scene as well
and joined the other one. Gladly in total there were not many cars parking at the roadside and from time to time a Safari vehicle as well arrived but did not stay that long.
After watching into each direction the second one finally also laid down and whilst we also looked a bit around we noticed a third cheetah a bit further away from these two behind a bush and this one nearly stayed out of sight for us during the whole sighting.
For sure we did not move a single meter and made already our mind to stay there as long as they were visible and so whilst not much was happening we for sure looked for birdies and one of the red-backed shrikes which could be found on that road landed close by so Timon could not resist in photographing same as well.
The cheetahs got a bit uneasy around and got a bit nervous
and they had good reason to do so as we already heard from far the barking of baboons which came steadily closer and suddenly the hell broke loose as from the back a large group of baboons chased the cheetahs up and away from their beloved spot.
Gladly for us the cheetahs came closer and in between them lots of baboons were also running around.

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2016 10:27 pm
by Pumbaa
Both species were eying each other suspiciously and now also the cheetahs started to chase a single baboon away when they felt their presence too close.
All of them came as well steadily closer and meanwhile had crossed the street behind our car and even allowed some close ups.
We stayed over one hour at that sighting and our day was already made although the day started that quiet
Although we could have stayed far longer at that spectacle we stayed as long as either the baboons or the cheetahs were visible but far too soon for our liking it got quiet again and nothing could be seen any longer and that was also our signal to carry on as nobody knows which might come up next.
We saw lots of general game and had to stop for a couple of brilliantly posing zebras
and then believe it or not we spotted again cheetahs....
They were only visible from a couple of spots as at that part of the road bushes were blocking the view and they had chosen themselves a wonderful spot under a large tree a bit far away and these two must have been the two we already spotted two days ago. Needless to say that I was meanwhile giddy with excitement to find another cheetah sighting that day and so I was not that
sorry that both were mostly looking into the other direction but we stayed also at that spot quite a while and the obligatory yawning could also be seen here you simply had to wait a bit.
Both settled again and nothing more happened and as we stood at nearly the best spot to look for them we let also the other cars which meanwhile had piled up
their share and carried on.
to be continued....
Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 6:02 am
by harrys
Wonderful Cheetah sighting

Re: The Big Cat Diary and a Couple of Lifers
Posted: Fri Jun 24, 2016 7:47 am
by nan