1 July 2014
When we arrived at the Kruger Park today, the zebras were
just leaving the waterhole close to Numbi Gate. We continued our drive to
Nkambeni where we checked in and had a bit of lunch before we went out for our
first game drive.
On Albassini road we found our first but certainly not last impalas. A nice herd of females was standing in the shade. The redbilled oxpeckers flew up twittering loud about the possible danger we could be to the impalas. The impalas were unperturbed and only wiggled their ears at us.
Down at Mestel Dam it seemed to be busy hour. An elephant was grazing in the reeds on one side, while about 9 hippos were making themselves comfortable on the shore on the other side. And while sitting there we also spotted two giraffes and a fish eagle in a tree that was calling to its mate that was flying overhead. We continued towards Mestel overflow where waterbucks were grazing in the riverbed, two white-backed ducks swam past (a first for me!), and both a malachite and a pied kingfisher were looking for fish from a reed stalk.
Then we saw a swarm of white-backed vultures being blown past the Mestel overflow. We followed the road and came to a couple of trees full with more white-backed vultures that just had their fill of meat. Their crops bulging they sat in the trees preening. We also heard a lot more screeching noises going on down below them, which was just in a ditch out of sight for us, but we assumed more vultures were there consuming the leftovers. As we had recently seen fresh lion tracks we also deduced this was probably their abandoned kill. They had eaten their fill and then made their way to the water to drink. Unfortunately they had then long disappeared into the bush.
We turned onto Shabeni where we saw two warthogs, one on each side of the road for us, vervet monkeys and kudus. We continued on the tar road towards Napi where we saw more vervet monkeys and two young elephant bulls feeding. A family of dwarf mongoose was sunning themselves on a dirt road loop. They all jumped up and scurried away, when another car drove quickly past. A little further on an even larger family of banded mongoose was running back and forth over the road in front. However, less brave than their dwarf relative, not hanging around close to our vehicle.
A visit to Shithave Dam added waterbucks, a crocodile, terrapins, hippo heads bobbing in the water to our sightings checklist. Then we started making our way back to camp with a lovely sighting of a white rhino and a quickly running away duiker. We spotted another elephant but as soon as he spotted us having cameras he wanted none of that and showed us his butt. On the last stretch of camp road we also saw buffalos hiding in the high grass and another elephant, this one a bit more compliant for picture taking!
It was a very good start for our first day, bring on tomorrow!
On Albassini road we found our first but certainly not last impalas. A nice herd of females was standing in the shade. The redbilled oxpeckers flew up twittering loud about the possible danger we could be to the impalas. The impalas were unperturbed and only wiggled their ears at us.
Down at Mestel Dam it seemed to be busy hour. An elephant was grazing in the reeds on one side, while about 9 hippos were making themselves comfortable on the shore on the other side. And while sitting there we also spotted two giraffes and a fish eagle in a tree that was calling to its mate that was flying overhead. We continued towards Mestel overflow where waterbucks were grazing in the riverbed, two white-backed ducks swam past (a first for me!), and both a malachite and a pied kingfisher were looking for fish from a reed stalk.
Then we saw a swarm of white-backed vultures being blown past the Mestel overflow. We followed the road and came to a couple of trees full with more white-backed vultures that just had their fill of meat. Their crops bulging they sat in the trees preening. We also heard a lot more screeching noises going on down below them, which was just in a ditch out of sight for us, but we assumed more vultures were there consuming the leftovers. As we had recently seen fresh lion tracks we also deduced this was probably their abandoned kill. They had eaten their fill and then made their way to the water to drink. Unfortunately they had then long disappeared into the bush.
We turned onto Shabeni where we saw two warthogs, one on each side of the road for us, vervet monkeys and kudus. We continued on the tar road towards Napi where we saw more vervet monkeys and two young elephant bulls feeding. A family of dwarf mongoose was sunning themselves on a dirt road loop. They all jumped up and scurried away, when another car drove quickly past. A little further on an even larger family of banded mongoose was running back and forth over the road in front. However, less brave than their dwarf relative, not hanging around close to our vehicle.
A visit to Shithave Dam added waterbucks, a crocodile, terrapins, hippo heads bobbing in the water to our sightings checklist. Then we started making our way back to camp with a lovely sighting of a white rhino and a quickly running away duiker. We spotted another elephant but as soon as he spotted us having cameras he wanted none of that and showed us his butt. On the last stretch of camp road we also saw buffalos hiding in the high grass and another elephant, this one a bit more compliant for picture taking!
It was a very good start for our first day, bring on tomorrow!
2 July 2014
Early this morning we started first with a loop around
Circle Road. Here we saw a glimpse of a reedbuck, zebras, three buffalo bulls
and a little further on we came across a small herd of buffalos that was just
waking up. We then took a loop around the Shabeni Koppies where we spotted a
large family of baboons on the rock. The older ones were sunning themselves,
while the youngsters were playing "tag" and running around like crazy.
Around the corner a klipspringer couple was feeding while one was the look-out.
Then a herd of buffalo was crossing the road. They had started crossing a while
before as we just caught the end of the herd, but we got some nice pictures of
bulls and mothers with their calves.
We bounced up Albassini road coming across an elephant feeding, more zebras, impalas and two giraffes. Those giraffes were very curious and kept on coming closer and in the end walked away from us on the road behind us. We saw four more giraffes feeding on Doispane on our way to Nyamundwa Dam. At the dam it was not that busy this early morning, but a couple of fish eagles was sitting in a tree and an African darter was drying his wings after a swim.
We then had to stop at Phabeni Gate as we had to say goodbye to Gina and Elena, who were going back to Johannesburg to continue the rest of their holiday. Thanks for joining us!
We bounced up Albassini road coming across an elephant feeding, more zebras, impalas and two giraffes. Those giraffes were very curious and kept on coming closer and in the end walked away from us on the road behind us. We saw four more giraffes feeding on Doispane on our way to Nyamundwa Dam. At the dam it was not that busy this early morning, but a couple of fish eagles was sitting in a tree and an African darter was drying his wings after a swim.
We then had to stop at Phabeni Gate as we had to say goodbye to Gina and Elena, who were going back to Johannesburg to continue the rest of their holiday. Thanks for joining us!
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