From Floods and Surprises in River beds

[Flutterby]

Ellies in water are always a treat!

[Richprins]

An elephant extravaganza, Pumbaa!

Yes, there are tens of thousands of elephant between Mopane and Shingwedzi!

[Lisbeth]

The elephants simply love to play in the water....and what a lot

[Pumbaa]

So much water in grootvlei

Yes, but we even saw it much fuller and completely empty on other trips

Ellies in water are always a treat!

We could have stayed there for the rest of the day

An elephant extravaganza, Pumbaa!

Yes, there are tens of thousands of elephant between Mopane and Shingwedzi!

So far they kept hidden when we were there

The elephants simply love to play in the water....and what a lot

Luckily there was enough water around for all of them

Sorry for hurrying a bit but at least I will reach the first post of my second dream sighting during that trip otherwise I guess you would kill me

[Pumbaa]

Also it got meanwhile fuller and a couple of other cars joined us and for sure the spectacle and we also noticed a Kittlitz plover as well three banded plovers.

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We still had a great time in watching the come and got and the prevailing hurly-burly

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and for sure could have spent the rest of the day at that vlei and once again we had to drag ourselves away as it was still a long way to drive and so much to hopefully see and so after a good hour we left.

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[Pumbaa]

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We then came across impalas as well as zebras

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and also here it was pure joy in watching them running around and still enjoying the day.

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Next stop was then at Nyawutsi hide also a hidden gem and favourite spot for us as normally only few people became lost here so you normally do have the hide all to yourselves – The only negative thing there is that you have to clean the benches were you can sit on with provided brooms due to the bat droppings but I guess there are far severe things in life than that.

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[Pumbaa]

We had luck with two green backed herons hanging around there one had been joined by a red dragon fly

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and the other one was posing on a rock.

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We then met again the two women who explained us in length where the cheetahs were hiding on our last day at Satara so we chatted a bit and then carried on and it got quiet until we finally reached Dipeni outpost and consequently the Shingwedzi river where again the water birds could be seen en masse. We noticed an open billed stork,

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a large group of hippos were resting

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[Pumbaa]

and the other members could be found in the close by pool.

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For sure more elephants were also around

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and lots of buddies.

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[Pumbaa]

The goliath storks as well as yellow billed storks all over that place where in hunting mode

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and so was the great white egret as well.

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The drive along the river with all the views into same is always stunning but for sure we did not forget to take notice of a group of giraffes on the other side of the road in the dense vegetation

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[Pumbaa]

time for some close ups was enough

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and we were again extreme happy to discover another pair of saddle billed storks.

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to be continued……