I've got a feeling of a hot summer in Kruger

[Lisbeth]

Wonderful birds incl. white storks

Colourful dragonflies

The Baby baboon uses mom's tail as a sun protetion

[nan]

still love your TT Pumbaa and Timon
what a diversity of species, sightings, pictures
a big , I especially love the "mustaches" ... and not only

[Richprins]

All sorts again, Pumbaa!

The buffalo has a yellow-billed oxpecker, not that common there!

Elephant bulls are the ones that irritate and scare breeding groups.

I love all the action along the Timbavati!

Also the Olifants and carmine shots!

[Pumbaa]

Wonderful birds incl. white storks

Colourful dragonflies

The Baby baboon uses mom's tail as a sun protetion

We had also a nice laugh about that baboon shot

[Pumbaa]

still love your TT Pumbaa and Timon
what a diversity of species, sightings, pictures
a big , I especially love the "mustaches" ... and not only

Thanks so much nan - That is why we never can get enough of Kruger that variety of everything

[Pumbaa]

All sorts again, Pumbaa!

The buffalo has a yellow-billed oxpecker, not that common there!

Elephant bulls are the ones that irritate and scare breeding groups.

I love all the action along the Timbavati!

Also the Olifants and carmine shots!

We luckily had so far always luck with the yellow-billed oxpeckers during our trips

[Pumbaa]

Meanwhile it got again extreme hot so the troop of baboons we then came across had chosen a nice place to rest in the shade of treetops where at least a warm wind was blowing





and we enjoyed the view from one of the many causeways we had to cross.



Along the S89 we again detected more zebras who were willing to pose



before we reached the Balule causeway were unfortunately compared to previous visits not much birds were around – The Olifants was still flowing obviously a bit too strong for the birdies at least in a bit more sheltered area we noticed a three banded plover and a greenshank



and a couple of waterbucks.



Meanwhile it was luckily time to check into camp already and this year we got the keys to bungalow No. 3 which had a breath taking view. We only decided extreme late to do a short afternoon drive, however, it was so quiet so we normally could have skipped that drive at least a couple of zebras



showed up and posed with a couple of warthogs as well.



Back in camp we lit the braai and enjoyed the nice breeze which was blowing so it was a bit more bearable now.

Wednesday, 23. February Olifants

Explored roads: H8 – S44 – S93 – S46 – H9 – S95 – S47 – S131 – S96 – H9 – S69 – H1-5 – S91 – S92 – H8

To start the day whilst the same dawned with a hot coffee in hand on our verandah with the permanent rustling of the mighty Olifants river is indeed not that bad and it was still extreme dark when we left the camp gate and in the beginning as so often it was still dead quiet.

At least we had the Olifants lookout point all to ourselves and so left the car and simply enjoyed the view whilst the sun came up from behind the mountains - Sigh





This is always such incredible place and we can stand there normally the whole day but today we allowed ourselves indeed half an hour here.

[Pumbaa]

Meanwhile it got brighter but was still quiet at least a couple of giraffes showed up



and were more than willing to pose.



A lone waterbuck ram enjoyed the lovely morning in the high grass



and in the many longer or shorter loops you could drive we were happy about the birds who came across such as this Levaillant’s cuckoo,



a couple of noisy hadedahs,



a redbellied firefinch indeed a bird who is extreme tricky to capture.



Then it got a bit too quiet again and only in one of the many Engelhard loops we discovered another very lazy waterbuck male



so a short break from driving was needed at Letaba camp but we did not stay long and left soon camp again and strolled along the tar road along the Letaba river same is always fantastic for birding and so it was today a dead branch was shared by a Namaqua dove and a white fronted bee eater



and a large sand island in the middle of the Letaba was shared by a great number of waterbuck rams as well as Egyptian goose.



We noticed a juvenile saddle billed stork



and discovered lots of lazy crocodiles resting on a large sand hill in the river



to be continued……………..

[Lisbeth]

A baby zebra will soon arrive

I am sure that you meant a red-billed firefinch

Lovely views on the Olifants River

Lots of waterbucks

[Richprins]

Welcome back, Pumbaa!

Olifants is a nice area, quite open even in summer!

Lovely views at the lookout indeed!

I like the giraffe shot too, it reminds me of a pic I took on one of my earliest Kruger visits as a kid!