From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Pumbaa]

and a group of waterbucks out of which this cute youngster

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was extreme curious.

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Meanwhile it heated up again and in the sun it got unbearable so we were happy when we reached the shady hide and after we made ourselves comfortable we looked around and discovered lot of hippos,

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a crocodile swam by

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[Pumbaa]

and a red dragon fly paid a visit as well.

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An arrow-marked babbler landed on the prominent rock

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and whilst meanwhile the hide got fuller and fuller with people we decided to leave but before we noticed an African spoonbill who looked as if someone in the hide told a joke.

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We were back in Letaba in no minute without any noteworthy sightings and now we had time for the shop and consequently for another ice cream and after we were satisfied we drove slowly back to Olifants via the same way we came earlier that morning. For sure we checked the riverbed behind the camp for the leopard but as already expected same moved on so we had to be satisfied with a brown hooded kingfisher

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[Pumbaa]

and with the beautiful view we had whilst crossing one of the many causeways along the way

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and only stopped for another kori bustard before we returned to Olifants camp for a longer break.

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Our afternoon drive led us first again to the high water bridge across the Olifants were we enjoyed the view and a grey heron in the riverbed

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and later we drove back via the S89 to the Balule causeway and along the way we met a group of wildebeests

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[Pumbaa]

and a steenbokkie.

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For sure we stopped a bit longer on the Balule causeway and noticed that the water meanwhile dropped and also was no longer that muddy as the day before and also more water birds arrived and we spotted a nicely posing hammerkop,

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another grey heron

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and a pied kingfisher and after it was time we left

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[Pumbaa]

but we luckily still had enough time for all the loops along the S92 and we met another kori bustard,

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white froned bee eaters and a yellow billed hornbill with its kill

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who same presented extensively to us

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and after same had been swallowed the next one followed.

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[Pumbaa]

This bird was the last animal we saw - Maybe someone can help with the id?

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before we returned to camp and enjoyed our braai on our verandah which and even stayed there a bit longer with the cooler wind blowing.

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to be continued……

[Peter Betts]

Lovely pics ..bird is a Sabota Lark ..NICE

[Richprins]

Very relaxing, Pumbaa!


The water looks quite brown, so freshly-flooded?

Love the laughing spoonbill...

And good to see the hut, there is indeed a nice wind there most times!

Where is the wine bottle?

[Flutterby]

Cute waterbuck and great bird sightings.

[Lisbeth]

Finally a photo of both of you

The spoon-bill is having a good laugh

Great pics of the yellow-billed hornbill