Africa Wild

Well - as the saying goes better late than never

We left Centurian very early on the 22nd March bound for Satara - a favourite
camp of ours. Through Orpen gate and suddenly all the sounds and smells
of the bush hit one - absolute bliss - slow down and relax

The through road was still closed so we headed on to the Rabelais loop.
Some general game - lots of birds and along the way somewhere this fellow.
So nice to see and in fact we saw rhino every day bar one.



Then some carmine bee-eaters. a youngest with breakfast.







Booking in was quick and we were soon set up and ready to go out for our first drive.
The first of many tortoises for this trip came for a drink near us.





We went down the S100 for our first drive. The N'wenetsi river had a lot of water and game was plentiful
Big family herds of ellies were coming up from the river and we were very careful not to get inbetween
the mothers and their many many calves.
Some ellies enjoying themselves in the river






A buff relaxing in the water



Then on the way to Gudzani dam we found some Senegal lapwings - not often seen by us




It was great to see so much water in Gudzani dam and a fish eagle was waiting for supper.



Last for the first day was this beautiful bateleur

Day 2 23rd March

We got an early start and headed down the S100 again then along to Guzani dam
along the S41, turning on to the S90 and back along the H1-4 to Satara for lunch.

It was, game wise, a fairly quite day but we did see some nice birds - so hope
you don't get bored with all the birdie pics -O

First up a pair of good looking impala - always a mission to get my son to stop for
them - he is always looking for something else



Another rhino somewhere along he way.



Some general game was next. There were plenty of babies including this cute waterbuck



and a very cute baby zebra








Wattled starlings



A hippo family at Gudzani dam. The water already a green scum on it and didn't have a good smell


A european roller followed by a purple roller




Peeping through the grass a steenbok


Some more zebra - this one with some stripes missing on his chest and one having a good scratch




Village indigobird


Not very good pics - but it is not often that we have seen didericks cuckoo out in the open




A very scruffy burchells coucal. He really got up on the wrong side of the nest


Dusky lark


On the way back this majestic kudu was next to the road.


The last thing this morning was an unfortunate european roller caught up in a thorn tree. he was still alive.
In a nearby tree was a bateleur - was he the culprit or was he waiting for a chance to get to the poor bird.

Day 2 continued.

We went for a short drive down to Nsemani dam which was
very quite so we decided to check out the big fig tree at
Girivana dam. We parked under tree and opened the sun
roof so we could look straight up into the tree. Some nice
photos but also some $@&! came down into the car

First up this brown headed parrot enjoying the figs






Mocking cliff-chat


Higher up were a pair of green wood-hoopoe also eating figs and next to their nest.




A croc enjoying a bit of sun next to the dam


and on the way back to camp we came across this big ellie coming out from behind a bush.





and further on a pair of kori bustards and one of my favourites - a european bee-eater





Then it was back to camp to get supper going for the little fellow (grandson of 2 and half). The communal
kitchen near where we were parked was also a trick. One basin was blocked for the whole time we were there
inspite of reporting it several times. It would be 'fixed' and after half an hour of use be blocked again. The
instant boiling water geyser never worked either and only one electric plug worked so it was a toss up between the
stove being plugged in or tenters charging their laptops/cell phones etc!!!

When we were back in Centurian we happened to spend a day with SO's niece and family and we were talking
about this - forgetting that her older daughters father is Glen Phillips The younger girl promised to report
this to her Dad. Well, I hoped she would but couldn't help wondering if it would make any difference

Day 3 24th March

We were out early again and again the S100 magnet drew us down that
road but it was very quiet. We then took the S41 to N'wenetsi picnic spot
for a pit stop. The river has a lot of water in it but very few birds.
Even the N'wenetsi causeway was quiet.
Just a young croc sunning himself.



We went on to Sweni hide - always a favourite spot but again not many birds but plenty of water
and hippo





a croc cruised past.



This juvenile malachite kingfisher keep us amused for a while


We went back up the H6 where we found this giraffe peering down at us.


The were some vultures in the trees so we stopped to see if there was anything there. A Singita ranger told
us that a leopard had taken down an impala during the night. There was blood all over the road but nothing else.

Further on we came across a big family herd of ellies.









there were alot of babies around including these zebra, with what looked like a bit of mange on their faces.




Lastly for this episode an introdution to the family.
SO, Mike, son Graham, yours truly and in front Grand kids Tenielle and Cameron. Daughter-in-law took the pic!

Day 4 25th March

DAY FOUR and still no cats - we certainly didn't have Bushcrafts luck.

Today we decided to go down the Sweni road S126 First up was this
beautiful sunrise followed by some early morning babies.



Mother goose and her goslings


Guineafowl and babies.




White-backed vultures - they had obviously had a good feed - their crops looked very full.




A lappet faced vulture cruising the skies.


and a white-headed vulture doing the same!


We carried on down to Orpen where we found this white tree frog on a gate hinge



Not far from Orpen this impala was lodged in a small tree. Some vultures were near by but no sign of
any leopard. By the smell of it the impala had been there for a couple of days. Something must have spooked
the leopard badly for it not to come back for its meal



to be continued

Lovely sunrise, and such cute babies!! Pity you missed the leopard!

all these little ones... nices chicks of all sorts
and the Frog

the Leopard was not to far away.... it seems

Day 4 continued

I missed that piece of road on the H7 where one is very close to the Timbavati
river and the bush is always very thick with huge trees. There is always a distinctive
vegetation smell there as well.

Somewhere along the way we saw two lots of rhino. A single very muddy fellow
and then a group of eight. We have never before seen so many rhino around Satara
area.






Our martial eagle sightings were few and far between this time, but here is one in the top of a tree.


Giraffe having a snack



A levaillants cuckoo sat still long enough for us to get a half decent photo. With 4 cameras in the car we were
fairly sure of getting at least one pic. Just to keep Cameron from bumping one at the critical moment, he ,after
all wanted to see as well.



Back at Nsemeni dam these cheeky little guys kept us entertained for ages. Cameron loved them









Then a first for us in KNP. A squacco heron near the dam wall





and the always beautiful malachite kingfisher.


and a fairly large herd of buffalo enjoying the water.





Back at Satara a big ellie had been making use of the waterhole.



The infamous Satara scops owl giving us the beady eye. There were actually 3 in the trees around reception.



and a baby barbet in a hollow tree stump in the parking lot.



Although still no cats it was a very fruitful day.

Day 5 26th March

We decided to do a long ride today, down to Lower Sabie, across to Skukuza
and then back home - there are always cats along the Sabie river - or not

It had rained a little during the night but not enough to cause any problems.

First up down the H1-3 was an ellie road block. There were a few cars waiting but none
of us felt like disturbing the peace until a little car arrived from the other side and pushed his
way through. We had sat for 25 minutes.






It was fairly quiet from there. We took the S86 loop where we found this dwarf mongoose family playing
in the early morning sun.



and the sentry.


A loo stop at Tshokwane and we, by chance, saw a nightjar high in a tree. Not sure which one it is.


A pair of squirrels were also enjoying the early morning sunshine



We took the H10 towards Lower Sabie. Sightings were few and far between and it had started to drizzle a bit
again. We did see this klipspringer resting on a rock



The Lower Sabie causeway was also very quiet except for some crocs trying to get some warmth out of the
day.



Then a pied wagtail was hunting for breakfast in the shallows.



The floods had washed away alot of the reeds and vegetation near the water.



We did see four cheetah in the river bed but they were far off



We had heard about the lion on the Marula loop so off we went to find them. There was one big male in the
river but far away and with his back to us. A bit further on we came across a car parked on a causeway across
a small river. He told us a leopard had been walking down the river towards the road but now had gone into the grass.
A couple of minutes later the leopard crossed in front of us then came back into the river next to us. There was no
time or space to move and the poor guy next to us lost out as he couldn't see over our big car It was an awesome
sighting although brief - he gave us the 'look'





then off he went


On the way the only things we stopped for was a nyala which briefly showed himself



A big ellie



and finally a bush buck ram.



Even the birds were a bit scarce today. The rain had gone so it wasn't too muddy around the camp thank gooness.

Day 6 27th March

We had an early start again and this time we decided to do the H6 first then come back up the S100.
This would prove to be the right decision

First up on the H6 was the hyena den with some youngsters in the early morning wet grass.







The rest of the drive was fairly quiet with just a few plains game around.
This tranquil pool was beautiful in the early morning light - N'wanetsi river.



Green-backed heron looking for something to eat



and a pretty wild hibiscus (I think)



We turned onto the S100 and a little way down this is the sight we were greeted with. There were 3 young lion walking towards us followed by a string of cars. 2 of the lions ducked into the grass, but a young male kept coming. He
didn't look very happy and also looked a bit hungry. We heard later that there was a pair of mating lions across the
river so maybe they had been kicked out while the mating was going on. They certainly looked too young to be totally
on their own.









When they passed us we turned into a little road along the river to see if we could see the mating lions.
Next thing the 3 lions had ducked back behind the cars and came down to the river





We went on up the H1-4 towards Olifants and near Ngotso waterhole we found this juvenile martial playing
with a pile of elephant dung. Pics are a little bit far off









Further on a Levaillants cuckoo posed nicely for us.


We continued on to Olifants and a leopard did show itself for 2 seconds. Too quick for a photo before it ducked down
into the long grass. We waited around and drove slowly up and down the road but to no avail

The rest of the day was very quiet. But we did see alot of these beautiful carmine bee-eaters