A leisurely 13 day train trip behind steam to Kruger Park*

[steamtrainfan]

Thanks nan for your suggestion.

I must admit that at one stage I thought that the tawny was going to attack the jackal.

[PRWIN]

how close to the road was this, could it not have been a yellow billed kite that was hit by a car and then scavenged

[steamtrainfan]

how close to the road was this, could it not have been a yellow billed kite that was hit by a car and then scavenged

Hi PRWIN. It must have been about 3 metres off the road so you could be right.

Thanks for your suggestion.

[steamtrainfan]

MONDAY 19 AUGUST 2013 - PART 4/4 - 13:40 TO 16:50 - H7 TO BRIDGE AND BACK.

While waiting to go out on our afternoon drive I walked down to the fence and saw these two grooming each other,


Mongoose playing on an abandoned ant hill.


Daddy nyala.


Mommy nyala.


Baby nyala.


On our way back to camp at 17:00 we came across our first leopard sighting. Although not a very good sighting a sighting none the less. A gentleman coming in the opposite direction to us told us about the leopard. There were two other cars at the site and the lady in the one car very kindly pointed the leopard out to us. He was about 2 metres from the road but lying down in thick grass. All we could see was a tail flicking every now and again so we switched off the engine and settled down to wait. Very tantalising being so close but unable to get a shot. At last he sat up for a few seconds and then settled down again. We had seen the Big 5 in one day. We had also seen rhino and ellie along the H7.







Last night at camp we had had two families, not sure what nationality, one on each side of us and each with a bunch of kids who made a racket deep into the night.

We were hoping that for tonight that they would have moved on but no luck but at least the kids went to bed earlier than last night.

NEXT: We move on to Satara via H7 - S106 - H7.

[steamtrainfan]

TUESDAY 20 AUGUST 2013 - PART 1/2 - 07:00 to 07:45

Up early today but no hurry as we were only going to Satara and could only check in at 14:00. We decided to do the H7 to the bridge again and spend a bit of time around Orpen and Tambotie and then take the S106 ( Read terrible road) to Satara.

Not much going on today until we got to a little waterhole near the Nwamatsatsa River where we saw another unusual bird/bird interaction. We were driving slowly past the waterhole when we saw a juvenile fish eagle sitting near the pond. At the same time we saw a huge bird come gliding in toward the waterhole. It turned out to be a saddle-bill stork.


Then a second one.


Coming in to land at the small pond.


Exactly where the juvenile fish eagle was sitting and giving the little fellow quite a scare.


Fortunately we were parked in exactly the right spot. A metre either way and Joan would not have got these shots.
However, the saddle-bills did not show the slightest interest in the fish eagle.


The SB's must have disturbed the FE's fishing with their snuffling around in his pond. He decided to take off and watch proceedings from the top of a tree.




Not long after this we saw one nyala ram come down to drink.


Then there were two.


Then there were three.


Then there were four.


We were now getting a bit peckish and moved off to try and find a place to have some breakfast.

NEXT: ORPEN TO SATARA.

[steamtrainfan]

TUESDAY 20 AUGUST 2013 - PART 2/2 - 08:30 TO 18:00

Oh boy, we were really looking forward to today and booking in to Satara for three nights in our favourite hut on the fence.

As it was still early we motored on down to the breached bridge construction area. As there was no one around we parked in the laybye which had a lovely view up the river and ate a relaxed breakfast. We headed back up the H7 not seeing much except the locals.

When we reached the small waterhole at Nwamatsatsa river we saw that the SB's were still snuffeling around.........


........and the juvenile fish eagle was back at his little pond.


We sat and watched them for a while and the JFE again flew up into a tree.




On the S106 at Rabelais pan we saw an Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove and some blue waxbills sharing a drinking hole.


About 5kms before we rejoined the H7 we came across a grader busy grading the S106. Yahoo, smooth road again.

The H7 produced nothing all the way to Nsemani Dam where we saw this ellie family coming down for a midday drink.


The ellies were a bit wary of the huge crocodile at the waters edge. Also a hippo family with a baby and a warthog family.


As it was too early to check in we took a short ride along the H6.

Our first photo is Joans best attempt at getting a LBR in flight.


A few impala, warthog and that was it.

Near the reception area at Satara there were two Scops Owls roosting in trees.




Strange how these owls seem to be totally relaxed even with the paparatzi pointing all sorts of lenses at them, some even with humungus flashes.

We were welcomed to our hut by this red-eyed dove.


For our afternoon drive we took the H7 - S12 - S40 and H7 back to camp. The H7 this side of the breached bridge was not as nearly sighting friendly as on the Orpen side.

Terrible, terrible sand roads yet again.

All we could get was this kudu near Girivana Dam.


We sat at Girivana Dam, our first visit to this dam. It certainly hold a lot of promise but it is not worth the drive to get there.

Finally, back at camp and a lovely braai with a lovely full moon to go with it.


NEXT: A very quiet but very windy day as we go to Timabavati Picnic spot for breakfast.

[steamtrainfan]

TUESDAY 21 AUGUST 2013 - ALL DAY.

Our route today was to be:

Morning: H7 - S39 - S127 and H1-4 to camp for lunch.
Afternoon: S100 and return.

It started off as a beautiful morning - still and sunny.

Our first sighting was this vulture sunning himself on the Timbavati road.


As there were very few animals to be seen we took photos of birds.

This little unidentified fellow also sitting in the early morning sun.


Crested francolin.


That was all for the Timbavati road.

We arrived at Timbavati picnic spot to find that there was a gale blowing. It was so hard that we could not even get the lighter to get the braai going. Eventually the guide came and helped us by holding his jacket in front of the skottel. We put our bacon and eggs into the skottel and wondered why there was no sizzling sound. The flames had been blown out. We struggled again to start and eventually the guide brought us another skottel with higher sides. This worked so we could start cooking. We really had to work hard at stopping the bacon and eggs being blown away. Now along comes a family with a couple of kids and their bicycles. The one little boy, wearing what looked like red gumboots, took great delight in pushing his bike up the pathway to the toilets and then come at great speed down the pathway into the picnic area. This was not so bad. The real pain in the proverbial was the fact that the bike had no brakes or pedals so to stop himself he would merely plant both feet firmly on the ground and skid to a stop. Now the wind was blowing directly from his side so all his dust and dirt from his skidding would blow directly in our direction. Sorry to say this but these folk were from Natal. Both fathers were much bigger than me and had humungus Fortuners so I just kept my mouth shut. We eventually managed to eat some nice bacon and egg saamies.

We did not hang around for long and went up to see what was going on at Ratel Pan. N O T H I N G.

The S127 was totally devoid of any forms of life except for hundreds of these little fellows. Not only was there no life on this road??????? it was also in shocking condition. So Joan set herself a challenge to help pass the time. To get a good photo of one of them as they never sat still for a second.

Eventually, after taking about 76 other photos, this fellow stood long enough for a good photo.


At last back on the H1-4 we could put all our personal goodies back where they belonged. Wearing glasses on the S127 was a definite no no.

A few kms down this road we saw this ellie with one tusk on the left hand side but a bit into the sun.


Then these three on the right hand side - better light.




Next up was a flock of vultures all spread out along the ground. We could not ascertain if this was a kill or not - too spread out??????




The midday sun combined with our brains being in a tumble dryer all morning must have eventually got to us because we were now photographing trees.

This lonely but colourful tree caught our attention.




At last back at camp we relaxed and refreshed.

For our afternoon drive we decided to do the S100.

A few impala all the way down to the S41 - that is all we saw. We did a U-turn to try our luck from the other direction.

This sentry watching over his troops and some impala taken into the sun.


Grey duiker.


Nothing else. As it was still pretty early we tootled north along the H1-4 for a while and then came back.

This rather dull shot of an ellie near Satara.


Finally a lovely sunset with an eagle in a tree. Can anyone ID the eagle???


NEXT: Another very quiet but windy day around Satara.

[steamtrainfan]

THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2013 - PART 1/2 06:00 TO 09:30

Our route for this episode was S100 - S41 - Nwanetsi picnic spot - H6.

On leaving camp Joan saw these two sunrise opportunities.




Along the S100 this elephant came trundling towards us so we drove forward so he could cross the road behind us. I always feel a lot safer if I have my exhaust pointed at an elephant.


Closer to us we could see just how big he was.


On the S41 we saw this little bee-eater.


A little further along we saw what we think is a juvenile martial eagle. Please correct if wrong.




Once again it was a very windy and up at Nwanetsi picnic spot we had to hold our cereal bowls about a metre away from the box so the cereal could be blown in. OK it wasn't that bad but it was still very unpleasant.

The H6 was very quiet except for this impala that thought he was a unicorn.


NEXT: We return to Nkaya pan.

[steamtrainfan]

As you wish B.B.

THURSDAY 22 AUGUST 2013 - PART 2/2 - 10:00 TO 18:00

Our route for this episode was: H6 - H1-3 - S126 to Sweni Waterhole and bck to camp.

The rest of the H6 and H1-3 was very quiet.

At Nkaya Pan we saw the two crocodile basking in the sun.


The hippo was not to be seen but we did a buffalo having a drink - surely not the same one we saw on 18 August???????


On the way back we decided to explore a bit of the S126 up to the Sweni waterhole and then turn around.

Near the waterhole a very kind person told us that there were two cheetah lying under a tree a little further along the S126.
There was another car parked there and these folk kindly pointed the two of them out to us. While lying flat one could hardly see them but luckily the both looked up for a while to allow Joan to take a few shots. Not easy as it was near midday with bright sun and they were lying in the shade. A few shots to check the quality of the pics and here are three heavily cropped.






After watching them on our own for about twenty minutes another car arrived. We pointed out the cheetah to them and took our leave of them.

Back at camp we met up with Joe and Yvonne who mentioned that they had seen a leopard in a tree right next to the road just north of Ngotso Dam. I will post their pics of him later.

After a brief lunch he headed up the H1-4 to look for the leopard. Nothing to be seen except two lion lying in a clearing way back in the bush. Even with a 500mm lens they did not come out clearly. On the way back we came across these two ellies who had just had their afternoon drink.




Another ellie closer to Satara.


As it was still pretty early we popped in at Nsemani Dam. You will pick up from the number of times I have said " As it was still early" that there was a distinct lack of animals around Satara.

Our last photo of the day - Nsemani Dam at sunset.


NEXT: We head up the H1-4 to Letaba.

[Mel]

The S127 was totally devoid of any forms of life except for hundreds of these little fellows. Not only was there no life on this road??????? it was also in shocking condition. So Joan set herself a challenge to help pass the time. To get a good photo of one of them as they never sat still for a second.

Eventually, after taking about 76 other photos, this fellow stood long enough for a good photo.

The 76+ fellow might be an African Pipit. But I'm known to have erred in the past
so maybe you wanna post here to know for sure what bird it is.