Balule Rest Camp

[Richprins]

There's a thread here a bit further down Harry!

https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... f=35&t=364

[Peter Betts]

You should actually take your own National Luna Freezer and Solar Panels and Deep Cycle battery pack as those 'Freezers' are actually warm fridges and are always full , stuff gets stolen and your brought in frozen stuff gets soft quickly = health hazard .. We have just stayed at a similar camp (Tsendze) for 3 weeks and our stuff stayed rock hard at minus 18C in our own freezer and folk who only stayed 3-4 nights and used the camp communal fridges (NOT Freezers) lost a lot of vrot food ..You must be self sufficient apart from ablutions

[harrys]

Thank you, we will plan for that then

[Richprins]

Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
Oct 10

06:05
Wild dogs caught an impala
"We heard an animal hit the fence. A pack of wild dogs caught an impala, hyenas took the carcass. Then the wild dogs caught another impala. While all this is happening you could hear a lion roar. "
Balule camp
Tinged by CdB

[Alf]

Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
Oct 10

06:05
Wild dogs caught an impala
"We heard an animal hit the fence. A pack of wild dogs caught an impala, hyenas took the carcass. Then the wild dogs caught another impala. While all this is happening you could hear a lion roar. "
Balule camp
Tinged by CdB

That's a year worth of luck in one day

[Richprins]

Some BluTuna fun, also 2014:

https://www.africawild-forum.com/viewto ... 3&start=80

time to try out my new secret weapon.

Introducing The Scorpion Torch


I'd bought this from Take-a-lot a few weeks before and this was the first time I'd tried it out. It only cost R100 so I thought it would be rubbish. I was wrong; Scorpions shine like they have a light bulb in them.

This is what they look like when the fluoresce. The light isn't very bright - this pic was hand held at 1/13 @ F3.5 ISO 6400 using my Tamron 90mm Macro lens.


This is what they look like without the torch.

[Richprins]

Back at Balule, the next item on our menu of culinary delights was a Toko trying to ingest a dead bat. It gave up eventually because the bat was too big.


A couple of Grey Louries were having fun in the sprinkler spray.



I spotted this colourful beetle crawling on our fridge.



There was a tree near the boma that was attracting wasps for some reason. There were many Giant Black Spider-Hunting and False Mud-Dauber Wasps.

[Richprins]

The sun made an appearance in the afternoon.

In camp, an immature Natal Spurfowl.




At Balule, the scorpion torch proved its value when it lit up this Transvaal Thick-tailed Scorpion before I trod on it!



And an Olive Toad.

Baboon Spider.



Another spider that I haven't ID'd yet but might be a Hairy Field Spider.


Here it is RP, you have mentioned previously that you are particularly fond of this lovely creature.

I've been wanting to see one of these ever since I started the bug photography.

A Whip Scorpion! My UV torch didn't make this fluoresce so it's not really a scorpion.



Then there was a large beetle.


And another Tree Creeping Scorpion.

[Richprins]

Back at Balule, a Robber Fly and a White-fronted Bee-eater.



The afternoon drive was a bust, I didn't get a single picture that was worth posting.

I found this beautiful spider in the entrance to the ablution block. I think it's a Trapdoor Spider of some kind.


It was a bit skittish and was jumping and assuming this aggressive posture every time I moved.


It even jumped and landed upside-down.

[Richprins]

Peter is also doing latestsightings now!







Kruger Sightings
‏Verified account @LatestKruger
17h17 hours ago

15:40
1 Red-Billed hornbill on the window wipers
“Check oil and water please”
Balule camp
Vis 5/5
Tinged by Peter