The Heat is on and the Lions as well

[Lisbeth]

A beautiful black-shouldered kite and I love the pics of the little baboon

Don't you leave the aircon on in the car?

[ExFmem]

Warthogs always make me , the saddlebill storks are so photogenic, and of course the lizard strikes my fancy. Don't think I've seen one like that before - will have to pull out my Reptile book. The carmine bee-eater tree is quite impressive as well, but the 'lil monkey wins the prize for the day

[Lisbeth]

I think that the lizard is a blue-headed tree agama

[Richprins]

All sorts again, Pumbaa!

Love Nkaya Pan, also amazed it still had water!

Ja, it is an agama!

Lovely light on the baboons there!

Bad when you have to have your in the hut, but I can understand you were gatvol of the heat!

[Pumbaa]

A beautiful black-shouldered kite and I love the pics of the little baboon

Don't you leave the aircon on in the car?

I think that the lizard is a blue-headed tree agama

We always do travel with windows open In camp the people only mentioned "dragon" when spotting that agama but I am sure it was a blue headed tree agama

[Pumbaa]

Warthogs always make me , the saddlebill storks are so photogenic, and of course the lizard strikes my fancy. Don't think I've seen one like that before - will have to pull out my Reptile book. The carmine bee-eater tree is quite impressive as well, but the 'lil monkey wins the prize for the day

Overall it was such an incredible day

[Pumbaa]

All sorts again, Pumbaa!

Love Nkaya Pan, also amazed it still had water!

Ja, it is an agama!

Lovely light on the baboons there!

Bad when you have to have your in the hut, but I can understand you were gatvol of the heat!

During the day I can handle the heat but when night falls I am always prepared that it will cool down rapidly when the sun setted but it was still like an oven outside

[Pumbaa]

Saturday, 17. February 2024 – Satara

Explored roads: H1-4 – S100 – S41 – S90 – H1-4 – H7 – S12 – S40 – H7 – H1-4

As always we greeted the new day with the obligatory brewing hot coffee on our verandah and also noted that today is halfway party and normally from that part on the days will pass much faster at least it is always feeling like that. As it was a Saturday we queued with our car in front of the gate and the queue got longer and longer with every minute but suddenly the gate opened and we were on our way and as obligatory we turned into the S100 but before this amazing sunrise had to be captured.



As always in summer the grass along that road was again high but we simply love the silence on that road as only few cars do turn into that road in the early morning so we could stop for our beloved birdies as this is always a great road for birding in summer and soon we found the first feathered friend, a crested barbet



nicely posing on a branch



followed by a lone hyena which looked a bit comical





but simply wanted to get rid of some flies around its head.



We came along some very impressive kudu bulls



and besides these magnificent beauties the golden morning light was perfect.



As always we did not leave any single loop behind and in nearly one of the last ones with a wonderful view into the N’wanetsi Timon stopped abruptly as he noted a lioness on the edge of the other side of the river



but another one was still sleeping in the sandy riverbed.



The one on the edge carried on and disappeared out of side and we already thought that the one in the riverbed might follow her soon



but luckily she for the time being stayed there

[Pumbaa]

looked a bit around



and after a while she stood up



came closer to the river at least from what was left from same



and started to drink.



After another while she even laid down and the drinking procedure took a bit longer





and when she was not quenching her thirst she stayed where she was and obviously simply enjoyed her morning in the still best morning light and we did the same with the rest of our morning coffee and once again we had that sighting all to ourselves.



It took quite a while when she left that lovely spot and after she also decided to cool her feet as well a bit down she followed



the other lioness, climbed the edge of the riverbed, looked a bit around there



and carried on disappearing on the other side of the river as her buddy did a bit earlier.



We were happy about that start into the day as it was on top long time ago when we last spotted lions on the S100 as that road can also be dead quiet. Soon we already reached Gudzani dam which was compared to nearly all the other dams and waterholes we so far visited brimful which was such a fantastic sighting and also here we simply enjoyed the view and bush sounds quite a while before we turned around into the direction of N’wanetsi picnic spot on the S41.



So far we saw not many birdies but then we discovered a couple of noisy grey louries



but unfortunately also the S41 until we reached the picnic spot for a short body break was extreme quiet on that early morning.

to be continued..................................

[Lisbeth]

The Hyena was caught looking ridiculous

Great pics of the two birds

I am sure you know that lions are not my favourite animals