Looking back *

[flying cheetah]

Thank you folks for all your kind feedback, it really was an incredible sighting

If you are interested in birds you can have brilliant sightings when you don't expected it at all. When I was cooling down in the swimming pool at Punda Maria another fellow spotted a Trumpeter Hornbill in one of the big trees For more than 10 minutes I was wondering if I should go for my camera but I was sure that the bird would be gone when I return. Finally I gave it a try and the handsome bird was still there. It was the first time that I managed to get a pic of this amazing bird

[Lisbeth]

Nice one FC!

It was the first "strange" bird that I saw in SA. It was sitting in the middle of the road in the iSimangaliso wetland park....and I did get a pic -O

[Lisbeth]

@Lisbeth: but did you realize at that time how very special this sighting of the Trumpeter was

No I did not, not at all -O -O

[flying cheetah]

Thank you all for your fantastic feedback
@Lisbeth: What a great sighting and pic Africa had a wonderful welcome present for you!!
@lowveldboy: you are nor the first one to ask me that question but I doubt that I will the same luck as last year again


The sighting I want to talk about today was very short but very special. Only a few minutes after I left the Sables on the S36 I took a turn into the S125 and it didn't take long before a snake crossed the road in front of me. All I noticed was that the snake was long, grey and fast.. I think you know what my guess (and my wish) was!! A black mamba I was very lucky that the mamba moved through sandy ground and not through the higher grass so I even could get some pics Not the best ones but I only had a few seconds and at least the piccs proof that I really saw this very special animal

[flying cheetah]

Thanks for all your great replies

As I have already mentioned Klopperfontain was very dry and unfortunetely a Buff calf got stuck in the mud and couldn't get out again. The surprising thing was that only the Jackals showed interest in the carcass the following day while the resident lions (they were there every day) were at the other side of the dam. There were 3 Jackals but only one (obviously the dominant one) was at the carcass while the others strolled around. The following pics also show how many different animals came to the muddy water to release their thirst...

[flying cheetah]

Thanks for all for support on this thread here

Today I have another bird that I saw for the first time last year, the strange but beautiful looking Comb Duck I had the pleasure spend some time with this couple that was swimming in a little pool beside the S39!

[flying cheetah]

Thank you all for your feedback here
@Lisbeth: I have heard that the male ducks have the comb to attract females but then again..how can the other duck species do without
@Bushcraft: Interesting to hear that you had a similar sighting What was the outcome of your wild dog/leopard interaction?

Today I have some pics of another great Roan sighting for you, taken at Tihanganyeni (S143):











Only 2 more weeks to go

[flying cheetah]

Thank you Lisbeth, Toko and Flutterby for your ongoing support here Maybe I post some more Roan pics during the next 2 weeks but I also have several cat pics in store

But today I want to show you some pics of a special bird kill..a Starling who had caught a Scorpion It took the bird nearly 10 minutes of hopping around and shaking the Scorpion before he finally could swallow it. I took plenty of pics but most of them were blurred because the bird never stood still Here are the best ones:

[flying cheetah]

Thank you for all your kind comments
@dup: Yeah! IUt'S getting closer and closer

Only a litte while after the Starling/Scorpion interaction and after entering the S114 I had my probably best leopard sighting in Kruger so far. This beauty was lying on a dead tree just a few meters beside the road and as so often during that trip there were no others cars around. This wonderful encounter lasted for arouind 5 minutes, then the elusive cat had enough, slowly climbed down the tree and vanished in the bush

[flying cheetah]

Thank you Toko, Lisbeth and Flutterby for your nevereneding support

Today I have some more impressions of Lake Panic for you. It's never getting boring while sitting there and in exactly 2 weeks I will be back