Kruger Jan 2018: Birding and braaiing in the park

[Tdgraves]

Day 4, Morning drive Skukuza, 31/1/18 (these are all in Jan not Feb - typos above)

 

I had the 7D today and was driving as we left camp. Less than 1km onto the tar road, we were greeted by this sight and only one other vehicle...

 

 

 

 

A small pack of wild dogs! They were on and off the road, so as I was trying my best to position the car, these are from the OH with the 5D...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They disappeared off into the  dense bush and we waited to see if they would come back, as they had a couple of times already, but they were off. A good start to the drive.

 

Onwards to the low level river bridges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another couple from the OH who was on the right side of the vehilce

 

 

 

 

Despite all of these sightings, we had managed to travel quite a distance and arrived at the Nkulu picnic site before it had even opened! This however turned out to be a genius move, as the place was teeming with birds....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we had already covered a lot of tar road, we decided to head back towards camp on the S21. It was very quiet for both game and people, we only met a few vehicles at the far end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was quite late when we got back to camp and the temperature was climbing.

[offshorebirder]

Great photos in this TR @Tdgraves!     The Giant Kingfisher is very nice - I know how hard it is to get close o them for a good photo.   And lucky you - Wild Dogs right out of camp without a crowd.

 

And that is a super Magpie-Shrike photo in post #14!

Edited June 21, 2018 by offshorebirder

[Peter Connan]

Great day, and great photos!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @offshorebirder and @Peter Connan

[Tdgraves]

Day 4, Birding around camp, Skukuza, 31/1/18

 

When we got back from our drive and had breakfast, we were joined by this pair of carmine bee-eaters

 

 

who were then replaced with yellow-billed kites

 

 

 

 

 

Instead of a nap, I thought I'd go off in search of birds. It was very overcast and humid. I had done almost an entire loop of the camp and all I had got to show for it was a sweat and a monkey.

 

 

However, as I neared our room, the birds began to appear....

 

 

 

There was a side road leading to a private guest house and it was teeming with bird life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I ended up much happier than anticipated!

[Tdgraves]

Day 4, Evening drive, Skukuza, 31/1/18

 

It had been very hot all afternoon and the humidity carried on building.  We could already hear thunder as we left camp for a triangular drive around the river. We hadn't got far before the heavens opened.The result was not much game and virtually no vehicles around. As we approached the high level bridge, we were greeted by this sight however...

 

 

A hungry lioness who appeared to have cubs nearby. I was driving again and didn't bother trying high ISO with the 7D, so these photos are all courtesy of the OH.

 

This nyala chose the wrong time to cross the road....

 

 

It skidded on the wet tarmac, but was far enough away from her to escape. Very exciting for us though. There was one other vehicle present (hence the headlight reflection in her eyes).

 

 

 

 

We had a quick glimpse of a hyeana, but otherwise, that was it.

 

Braaiing was off the menu as the rain persisted. It was the first time trying to use a KNP oven. I think there was some kind of fault with it, as although there were flames, it refused to cook my wors, which ended up in the frying pan!

[Tdgraves]

Day 5, Morning drive, Skukuza, 1/2/18

 

We thought we'd do the same route as last night, given that the lioness appeared to have cubs. It was very overcast and quite warm. I had the 5D today. First sightings were of birds...

 

 

 

And a giraffe having a rest

 

 

 

Then, as we approached the high level bridge, as predicted, mama lion...

 

 

still looking hungry

 

 

There were only two other vehicles there, one an OSV from a nearby lodge. She was moving at pace towards the bridge and I was worried we would have a bad view, but the car in front pulled too far forward and we ended up with the best vantage point 

 

 

 

 

 

She then decided it was time for a bath....

 

 

right on the T-junction!

 

 

A couple from the OH on the 7D from the other side of the vehicle

 

 

 

 

 

One of the vehicles left and it appeared that she was going to cross the bridge, so we went over first to wait for her

 

 

I wasn't sure which direction she would go, so we sat in the middle facing left and hoping for the best...

 

 

It looks like she's going left

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By this time, many other vehicles had arrived and this is the sight that they were greeted with (if they were lucky)

 

 

We had a great sighting, having spent an hour and 15 minutes with her and decided to leave the rest of them to it. So back to camp to check out and have breakfast....

[Peter Connan]

Wow, what a great sighting!

[Tdgraves]

Day 5, Transfer Skukuza to Lower Sabie, 1/2/18

 

After refuelling at Cattle Baron, we were off, not before a couple of birds though

 

 

 

Including a new one

 

 

And we were back on the road. The cloud started to lift and the temperature soared. We stopped again at the Nkulu picnic site for a comfort break and in contrast to our previous visit, there were virtually no birds at all. this monitor lizard was patrolling though..

 

 

Back on the road and this tawny was harvesting alaetes

 

 

 

 

It seemed that in no time at all, we were in reception at Lower Sabie, checking in

[Ritsgaai]

The amount and variety of your bird photos are impressive and really wonderful.

We spend a few days in the Kruger 2 weeks ago... a place that always delivers surprises and treats for nature lovers. 

I'm looking forward to the rest of your report.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Ritsgaai

[Hads]

Very enjoyable TR thanks @Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

thanks @Hads plenty more to come...

[Tdgraves]

Day 5, Evening drive, Lower Sabie, 1/2/18

 

We had not been to Lower Sabie for a while and decided to cross the low level bridge and do a loop from there. What an excellent decision that turned out to be...

 

 

We had barely got over the hill from the bridge when we found lions!

 

 

I was the passenger, so I quickly jumped into the back seat

 

 

 

The one vehicle ahead of us made a move, we thought to turn around, but they left, leaving us at the front of the chasing pack! we quickly moved ahead of them to get some approach shots

 

 

 

She got so close that I couldn't focus. I could have touched her out of the window (if I was insane )

 

 

 

 

 

It was very hot and they looked to be wanting to seek out shade, so we thought we'd give the other vehicles a chance and we carried on.  A bit further up the road, we were stopped by a couple of very excited young girls to tell us about some rhino at a waterhole far from the road. Imagine how excited they were when I told them what was down the road?!

 

These were from the main road....

 

 

 

 

But we turned off to do a loop, which was bird heaven

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A quick comfort break and I am driving back towards camp. We still have a few minutes, so we paid a visit to sunset dam (where the sunset was less than spectacular). Some from the OH with the 7D, as I am on the wrong side of the car

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we have changed camp, we have dinner at the "Not Mugg & Bean". We are worried that they are closed when we arrive as we find that they have "romantic" lighting, due to a plague of flying insects. We have an adequate meal and retire to bed, wondering what the next day will bring....

[lmSA84]

SOme lovely photos in that last post - particularly liked the Grey Hornbill, Swallows and Dikkop 

[Tdgraves]

Day 6, Morning drive, Lower Sabie, 2/2/18

 

We awoke to very overcast conditions and set off south. I had the 7D today.

 

 

Lots of raptors today...

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was very little game around, so we thought we'd try our luck at the Nthandanyathi hide

 

 

 

Some eles appeared for a drink (courtesy of the OH with the 5D)

 

 

 

They did a circle to leave, going via the parking area, so we were trapped for a bit. While we were waiting, a car appeared and its' driver leapt out without looking. When he got to the hide I asked if he had seen the elephant (that was about 12 metres behind him)? "No". Idiot.

 

A quick trip to the dam before returning for breakfast yielded a few birds....

 

 

 

 

 

tbc.

[Tdgraves]

Day 6, Birding around camp, Lower Sabie, 2/2/18

 

 

I interrupted breakfast for this one...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and one from when we checked in

 

 

[xelas]

Birding in Kruger in summer is fantastic! And your photos (both of you) also!

[Hads]

Great Stuff @Tdgraves.Did you do a full drive on the S28?

[Tdgraves]

8 hours ago, Hads said:

Great Stuff @Tdgraves.Did you do a full drive on the S28?

 

I believe so, but I don’t document every road we drive. But we usually have a comfort break at crocodile bridge...

[xelas]

@Tdgraves, how many months in advance have you booked your accommodations? Directly with Sanparks?

[Tdgraves]

16 minutes ago, xelas said:

@Tdgraves, how many months in advance have you booked your accommodations? Directly with Sanparks?

 

@xelas is this your plan for January?!?

 

i booked on 15/10. In general as long as it is not for school holidays or September, we have never found an issue for KNP, compared with KTP. I would usually book in about octobber time. Last year we couldn’t get skukuza due to a conference and lower Sabie is always popular, but I arranged my itinerary around it. I guess if you wanted wilderness camps or other must do camps, then booking earlier would be advisable.

[xelas]

One of my January plans, @Tdgraves! And good to hear about October being OK for booking Kruger as that will be about the time we will know how our other plan will develop.

[Tdgraves]

Day 6, Evening drive, Lower Sabie, 2/2/18

 

It was really hot (up to 38 degrees) and we thought we'd do the same bird loop as the previous night, but via a dirt road, rather than the main tar road. No lions tonight!

 

The first sighting was also a Kruger first, a distant white-headed vulture

 

 

But as we crossed the tar road to get onto the birding square, things were much closer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were parked in the middle of a T junction to get these amur falcons in flight (the beauty of quiet gravel roads) when a car approached from the opposite direction with no regard for what we were doing and scared them off 

 

 

 

We did see some mammals (the rest of these photos are from the 5D of the OH who was not driving and hence was on the correct side of the vehicle)

 

 

And the OH did the unthinkable - he spotted a new bird!

 

 

A Levaillant's cuckoo!

 

 

 

There was no time to visit the dam as we had used it all up with the falcons. Back to camp to light the braai....

 

[Peter Connan]

Lovely Amur falcon sequence and Cuckoo too!