Heartstring Moments - Springtime in the Kalahari 2018

[ExFmem]

Our drives out of Grootkolk produced the common species most often seen, but also a Martial Eagle with her youngster. They were quite far away, but still fun to watch through binoculars.















Some of the various reptiles seen on the trip -







Our 2 day stay came to an end and due to the waterhole problems and limited routes (we couldn't even make a quick evening trip to Kannaguass for a sundowner, as it too was dry as a bone), we were happy to be moving on.










The drive back was predictably quiet, but there was a jackal trying to catch breakfast, which is always interesting to watch.

[ExFmem]

At Nossob we stayed in the new RiverFront units for the first time. We LOVED the layout and the large patio area, but, again, there simply wasn't much game around.


Sightings from our patio were few and far between, but included a lioness who appeared to have nursing cubs nearby that came for a drink,






a raptor of some type that suddenly swooped down "out of nowhere" and grabbed a dove,







and a Speckled/Rock Pigeon that sat in the tree adjacent to our outdoor area.





After 3 days we were more than ready to head back to the Auob side where the activity level improved dramatically. Enroute we saw our only Brown Hyena of the trip.






Urikaruus, here we come….

[nan]

ready for more

love.. love your TT… all the places I love, big and small critters, magnificent collages, pictures, actions and narration

[Richprins]

Looks like a not too bad day if you see lion from your patio, Ex?

Nice zoom on the camera!

Silly-looking animals, those hyena...

[Flutterby]

A nice variety of sightings.

[Lisbeth]

KTP without sightings is seriously boring

Nice sighting of the martial + chick Luckily there were the small things like Jackal v/ doves which are always entertaining

Nossob - If you stay in one of the first two riverfront units, it's fine but further down the line, there is nil to be seen
( is the outside furniture still consisting of an old yellowish plastic table with chairs that make your chin arrive at table level?)

Great catch of the dove grabber (Easier than for the jackal )

Lovely pic of the pigeon

[Pumbaa]

Fantastic raptor shots, ExFmem,

and even so many different - Love the martial with ist Youngster and the jackal catching birds

Great to spot as well a brownie

[Mel]

Your first booted eagle? And here I am pitying myself that others seemingly always get to see more than I ever do

And what happened to the brownies at Grootkolk? They were like clockwork for us. At least twice in the evening and if that
didn't happen one of them of show up in the morning

[ExFmem]

Rp, yes, seeing the lioness from the patio was lovely, but we were further down the riverbed, and as Sis says, you can't really see the waterhole, so you just get to view animals briefly walk by. However, later in the trip Mata Mata provided us another opportunity to enjoy a lion family

Sis, as far as the Nossob outdoor furniture, I don't recall it being yellow or plastic - but don't remember exactly what it was Think they upgraded it.

Mel, yep, my first Booted Eagle. I always post my "unknowns" in the ID thread but they turn out to be Jackal Buzzard, Lizard Buzzard, etc etc, so was happy to get a "new" one Was also surprised at the paucity of B. Hyenas - maybe we just didn't sit out early enough, or late at night enough ...or maybe I was too busy looking for buglets

I was interested to read your TT as I had wondered if ya'll were bored staying at Grootkolk for so many days, but so glad it turned out to be the opposite

Thanks for popping in nan (get better soon ), and Flutts and Pumbaa for your continued support

[ExFmem]

Our trip back to the Auob side for the remaining 2 1/2 weeks of our trip was a relief, as the activity level increased immediately.

We quickly caught up with some familiar faces -











The number and different species of snakes seen this trip was also an uptick to past trips - here are a few seen to date -







Naturally, with an increase in prey numbers, we also witnessed Tawny Eagles eating snakes, more so than before.











Sightings of "families-in-the-making" also continued -













(line from the movie "The Graduate")