The Travel Tale that is exactly that...

[Mel]

So, it's about ten in the morning and we're still far off Satara. At this rate we'd never gonna make in time for the meet there. But the youngsters basically wanted to stop for each and every impala. And in the beginning we just didn't have the heart to drive on. That would change over the next few days though.

I'm not entirely sure which dam we stopped at - I'm too lazy these days to take meticulous notes of our trips - but there were hippos around and a grey heron actually used them as a perch. The photos came out blurry, so no shots of that sighting. Only from parts of the hippos.

Unfortunately, I never managed to see a hippo in its full glory. Something I had looked forward to but obviously wasn't meant to happen.

While the boys are watching something else opposite the dam I entertain myself with this green backed heron, which is another lifer for me anyways. Also, rather far off photos, but due to the fact that I usually don't get to watch things like these, I am quite happy with them anyway.

[Mel]

Having newbies on board does have its credits though because you get all the time in the world to watch birds that are around at wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, etc. sightings.
Or you can even stop for them because the kids enjoyed them just as much as anything else

Tawny that got a bit nervous and dropped its nesting material.

And me getting a bit nervous of a possible great shot... cutting off the wing

Lesser grey shrike sitting still.

Then what I suspect and hope is a Wahlberg's since it would mean yet another lifer.

And also hoping I got the ID right on this vulture - white headed. Also never seen before.

[Mel]

By the time we arrived at Satara it was almost 1 pm. Definitely late I had sent a message or two, but the boys had decided to ignore it
- or claimed they never got a message. Worse than being late, however, was the fact that I had no idea where we had to head for the meeting.
The SO & I checked the camp up and down backwards and forwards without seeing anything indicating that there could be a few people getting together...
After the umpteenth round through the camp and having got lost in between, I was about to give up when I spotted a strangely parked Golf While
concentrating on the other cars in the vicinity, there was also a green shirt darting from one unit to the next. Aha! There we go

We already covered the actual meet here onwards: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 63#p365263

And also some notes in Bushcraft's travel tale (including that cute little leopard that only he and his family saw that morning ): https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... 15#p367615

I definitely enjoyed meeting everyone in person after so many years of having known each other on the forums, and particularly Richprins and Bushcraft.
Richprins even almost got me in tears when he gave me my first own Africa Wild t-shirt. Thanks for that again big time!

[Richprins]

Very interesting bird studies , Mello...is that a frog dying there?

The eagle is a great shot still, very difficult!

Oh ja, you don't get hippo in the Kalahari!

Yes, Mello grabbed that shirt like Indiana Jones grabs a relic!

[Mel]

Very interesting bird studies , Mello...is that a frog dying there?

It looked like it

Yes, Mello grabbed that shirt like Indiana Jones grabs a relic!

At least you knew by that how happy I really was

[Pumbaa]

Love the hippo shot, Mel,

and the ones from the green backed heron fishing - Amazingly well captured

[nan]

love the Heron fishing
Eagle, your Vulture's liffer

[Lisbeth]

Your green heron is making a great show. I love that upside down pic

Nice bird shots, especially the shrike

[Flutterby]

Nice pics of the heron.

I would agree on Wahlbergs and White-headed vulture.

[Ratel]

Superb Green-backed Heron sequence!