Africa Wild

Do you see he has no tail?


I posted this pic of the ellie that overturned a car in Pilanesberg a while back on the Pilanesberg FB page and it has generated some excitement. His name is Amarula, and apparently he hasn't been seen for a while leading people to think that he had died, but he is obviously alive and well!!! :P

July 2012

Yesterday we went up to Pilanesberg again, and I got to try out my new lens!! We entered at Manyane and took the Dithabaneng road. We saw lots of birdies and quite a few lifers for me!! The first sighting was these two Black-chested Snake-eagles (I think)...excuse the terrible pic but they were very far away. My first new tick. :D



The Brat spotted this handsome fella who was very busy sniffing all over the place. As usual with jackals, he didn't keep still for a second!



We carried on and came across this...



Everytime we see a rhino the Brat always says it's a Black Rhino and we always tell him to stop dreaming. However, when he said it this time, my dad and I both kept quiet and looked harder...was that a hooked lip? YES!!!! Was it eating the leaves on that bush? YES!! And, hold on what's that....another one!!! Two BLACKIES!!



You'll understand the lack of further pics when you see how thick the bush was....



We were suitably excited considering how our one and only blackie sighting in Kruger had lasted all of 2 seconds!

When they disappeared we moved off and stopped for lots of birdies...Groundscraper Thrush, Brownhooded Kingfisher (I've never seen so many...they were everywhere), and this LBJ...help please!



Black-collared Barbet



Purple Roller



Forktailed Drongo



Then a Southern Black Flycatcher (I think)



So many birds, so little time! -O

Of course the Brat was moaning about the birds, which only increased after someone stopped to tell us we had just missed a leopard .... AND a caracal!!! We stayed around and searched the bush but there were no spots or pointy ears to be seen anywhere!!

Flutts,

Great photos. And amazing BR sighting.

The bush looks so different to the summer when I am there.

Nice birdies, Flutty Black rhino is a treat............but a caracal and a leopard as I see it, would have been even better

Great shots Flutters!! Looks like you are really enjoying your lens.

I think your LBJ is a Sabota Lark.

Tx guys!!!


I think my Forktailed Drongo is also a Flycatcher! -O

Beautiful pictures with your new lens, FB....

wishing you lots and lots of great

Great pics Fluts.

Good to see the black rhino.

Nice one on the BCSE lifer.

Agree with Sprocks - Sabota.

Agree with Flycatcher - dark eye - Drongo's are bright red and have a thicker bill.

More please.

Stop moaning about the caracal and the leopard //\0--
You got to see a blackie, no two actually. I've yet to see them - even for two seconds.

Great variety of birds!

Tx Amoli...can't wait to get to Kruger...my lens will be on fire with the number of pics I'm going to take!! -O

Dewi...lots more birdies coming up!!

Mel wrote:Stop moaning about the caracal and the leopard //\0--
You got to see a blackie, no two actually. I've yet to see them - even for two seconds.

That's what we told the Brat, but it didn't seem to appease him!!