Unlocking Mountain Zebra

[PJL]

Huge ..long horns on that one Steenbok!!!!

Very much so Peter - well spotted

Was the kudu bull brown or is it the tricky early morning light?

Lovely bokkies and of course the squirrels Even gymnogene x 2

It seems that you really saw all the inhabitants of Mountain Zebra

The kudu are perhaps a bit darker in MZ, but also it was very dark at the time.
Glad you enjoyed the squirrels - that spot on Sonnenrust has always been our best place for photographing them

Very picturesome again, Peej...a morning better on the nerves!

How nice the gymnogenes on the rocks there, and it is a very big shaggy kudu!

I would love to see a camera at that waterhole!

Yeah a camera would be good, but it's not a consistent waterhole. In December there was nothing in it at all

[RogerFraser]

Some stunning shots there PJL .The gymnogenes Interesting that the Baboons are shy .Usually they don't give a damn when we see them in KNP . Lovely pics of the Cheetahs .

[PJL]

Some stunning shots there PJL .The gymnogenes Interesting that the Baboons are shy .Usually they don't give a damn when we see them in KNP . Lovely pics of the Cheetahs .

Thanks Roger - yes the baboons in MZ are very wary... even the ones that move through the camp aren't too much trouble!

[PJL]

It was our last 'full day' in the park so we planned for both morning and afternoon drives with an extremely nice break in between to distantly meet friends of ours at a restaurant in Cradock over lunch

Our morning plan was to check out Ubejane, then a brief way up the valley past the main camp before trying Umgeni 4x4 trail with the hope that we might catch the lions somewhere as they seemed to have been moving down the valley from when we first saw them.

Umgeni had a gemsbok willing to pose for a moment



As we were the first vehicle on the loop we startled some eland... they never stay close to the roads in MZ



Some movement in the long grass caught our attention. We had seen a few black-backed jackal, but this was the first to actually turn around and show us its face. It looked rather coyote-like to be honest



There was no sign of the lion or anything else much along the valley so we took our chances up Umgeni. A loud crash in some bushes gave away the location of a buffalo, but this was the best we could see of him



We found fresh buffalo spoor along the valley but no sign of the main herd so this was the best buffalo view that we got during our visit.

Further up the climb there were some four-eared kudu (a very specific MZ sub-species) as well as some mountain zebra





At the end of the trail we found this bird - perhaps someone can help with the ID? I'm guessing perhaps some kind of cisticola



As we had arrived onto Rooiplaat with plenty of time, we decided to do the full loop. There was the typical game, but half way round we spotted a martial eagle



I don't think it's a particularly common MZ sighting at all so it was great to see! D also spotted another bat-eared fox near the junction with the Link Road



The rest of the link road was surprisingly quiet, and our last sightings of the morning were on Ubejane where we came across a yellow mongoose, double-banded courser with its youngster as well as some kind of korhaan







The mornings sightings felt a bit on the quiet side after all the excitement from the previous days, but after a fantastic lunch with our friends there would be plenty more action for the afternoon segment

[Klipspringer]

Some good birding

You found an Eastern Clapper Lark and a Blue Korhaan.

[Flutterby]

Wow, just caught up. Amazing sighting, pics and video of the cheetah!!

[Lisbeth]

What you did not see the other days, turned up today

[Richprins]

A nice spread again, Peej!

Gemsbok there...didn't know that. (I wonder how many places have buffalo and gemsbok in them!)

Nice courser with child.

And another mutant aminal!

[Pumbaa]

Caught up again, PJL,

and what to say Aardwolf overloaded plus cheetahs, lions, blackies and not to forget about the fantastic rest as well

Simply incredible

[PJL]

Some good birding

You found an Eastern Clapper Lark and a Blue Korhaan.

Thanks for the ID's Klippie

Wow, just caught up. Amazing sighting, pics and video of the cheetah!!

Was really an amazing sighting Flutts... we were very thankful that the young springbokkies finally pushed her into action

What you did not see the other days, turned up today

We are yet to see meerkat

A nice spread again, Peej!

Gemsbok there...didn't know that. (I wonder how many places have buffalo and gemsbok in them!)

Nice courser with child.

And another mutant aminal!

Gemsbok have featured already... wake up man
Buffalo & Gemsbok.... hmmm that's a good question - maybe Karoo NP
Mutant animals everywhere... I blame

Caught up again, PJL,

and what to say Aardwolf overloaded plus cheetahs, lions, blackies and not to forget about the fantastic rest as well

Simply incredible

Glad you caught up Pumbaa... yip plenty aardwolf and the cheetah were a huge plus