Kruger 2016: new park, new birds, new friends

[xelas]

There were no other cars at the gate when we arrived. I showed them my Sanparks confirmation for Punda Maria Rest Camp, and those from Debbie for other camps. They entered my name in the system, and gave me the print out. In the car Zvezda went over the print-out noticing that only the first 2 nights were on it. I fiercely declined her advice to ask the official why it was so, saying that they had to know their job and knew what they were doing. It was my minor mistake ( )which lead to a non-vital and only glitch of a problem later in the trip. At Punda Maria Rest Camp reception we got the keys of our room, a small one but equipped with A/C and (small) fridge.

Punda Maria gate to Kruger NP

Inside of our room

Outside of our room

Learned from previous mistakes ... no rice here

[xelas]

After relocating the food from the car to the fridge we drove out for our first game drive in Kruger. It was a very different experience than anything we have seen either in Etosha or Kgalagadi. The severe drought took its toll on local vegetation, it looked like scorched land we had seen on Corsica after a bush fire in the past. Not the most scenic sight. On the positive note, lack of leaves makes for better birding.

Animals, on the contrary, looked very healthy, and well fed?! There must have still been enough water, from natural sources or those man made waterholes. Elephants were numerous on our first drive, and also later we had seen plenty of them, some at very uncomfortable distances!

Not having a map of the park I have grossly miscalculated the time for returning back to the lodge. Closing time was at 6 pm (18:00), and soon enough I have realised that driving within speed limit (50 km/h on tarred road) I would miss it. I do not admit anything, on record, but suffice to say we were only 8 minutes late! A lesson learned, the first thing we did was to buy a Kruger park map (same outlay as that for Kgalagadi).

For dinner, just across the road there was a communal kitchen, and area with several braai. We had meat, we had wood, … but we did not have any utensils! There is a tiny restaurant next to the lodge office and a store, yet Zvezda was OK with light dinner consisting of yogurt and fruits.

First bird ... and already a lifer! - Southern Ground-Hornbill

One of many similar roadblocks we have encountered

Elephants were always nearby ... only not always visible

Similar can be said for Burchell's Zebras

Maybe this European Bee-eater came from Slovenia?

Klopperfontain ... the site of our best sighting!

Not this one ... just a thirsty elephant in a golden light

Also in golden light ... but not in a great mood!

And at last, a subject in golden light that was calm and tranquil

Edited December 15, 2016 by xelas

[Tdgraves]

@@xelas were there no utensils in your room/communal kitchen? I thought all of these were fully equipped?

[xelas]

@@Tdgraves

 

It was my mistake. I have obviously booked the most affordable (read cheapest) room, and have never read fully the description on Sanparks confirmation letter:

"BG2 (Bungalow) 1 bedroom with 2 single beds, Air-conditioned, Communal kitchen, Fridge, No smoking, No utensils, Wc and shower"

 

We have had all our meat half-frozen already so plan A was to have Zvezda's specialty: thick vegetable soup. Upon realising that we cannot cook in the room, I did not bother investigating what kind of utensils I might find in the communal kitchen.

BTW yogurt and fruit ... we should have them more often !

Edited December 15, 2016 by xelas

[xelas]

Punda Maria Rest Camp / 25. – 26. 10. 2016 (continued)

 

 

We started the full day game drive early, following the same route as the day before. With frequent stops for taking photos of any animal that crosses our path, we arrived at Klopperfontein.

 

Mrs.Impala ...

 

... and Mr.Impala

 

 

A Tree Squirrel couple taking care of the future generation

 

Fork-tailed Drongo

 

Greater Blue-eared Starling has a piercing look

 

Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill having a good scratch

 

Klipspringer - a mammal lifer!

 

A big tusker close-up ... without any cropping!

 

The tree on the other side of the road is greener

 

Grey-go-away bird has an imposing crest

 

Nyala female ... another mammal lifer!!

 

Not a lifer but another great find .... Swainson's Spurfowl

Edited December 16, 2016 by xelas

[xyz99]

You had some amazing sightings. I know it's a fairly common bird there, but I really like your grey-go-away bird with the crest. Well...Zvezda's :-)

I haven't managed any with the crest up.

And I must've missed it in the past...what's the story with the rice? Why no rice?

[xelas]

Klopperfontein is more a dam than a waterhole. It has two parking areas, one to the left and another to the right of a small outcrop that divide them in two different parts. The day before it was almost empty bar the thirsty elephant and the grumpy one. Also today, only animal we have noticed was a not so happy looking Buffalo couple; then Zvezda has noticed one lioness covered in mud that has almost blended into the hillside. After a while she moved uphill and disappeared behind the ridge, and we changed our position to the other side of the waterhole. Nothing here, time to move on. Then the first Kruger moment: lateral to the car, two lionesses approached the road and the car! Quickly moving forward I gave them enough space to cross the road. They were on a mission, we hoped for the first lion hunt. Not happening. Walking directly to the other lioness (she must have come back while we were on the other side) they joined her, and after 15 minutes of browsing the environment they disappeared up the rocky slope and out of our sight.

 

Not looking happy at all ... are they ever?

 

Well blended into the environment

 

She must have had a mud bath

 

Up close and personal ... very Kruger moment

 

Crossing the road behind the car

 

An apex predator in top form

 

Will there be a hunt?

 

What, are we the prey?!

 

Nope, just a ladies gathering ... phew!!

 

 

[xelas]

The Swamp Pride

 

Now this post really deserves its own title! And I do apologise for many photos ... however meeting the very special species of lion (Panthera leo plusius )deserved them, or not?!

The three lionesses were away for only 5 minutes, and then they returned … and not alone! There were 5 lion cubs in tow!! Next 90 minutes we were enjoying watching this group, and it was us and nobody else there. Kruger jam?! A kind of a marmalade maybe??

 

 

Something is going on

 

Here they come!!!

 

Hill full of lions

 

Leading the way to the mud bath

 

Not everyone looks forward with anticipation

 

It is not the mud bath, it is the food burried in the mud (see the carcass on the bottom right?)

 

Delicious!

 

Like any kids around the table

 

Mothers (or aunties??) coming to help

 

This must be a mother/daughter moment

 

More feeding in the mud

 

Let me present to you ... Panthera leo palusius

 

Not similar at all

 

They are so adorable ... even if muddy to their ears

 

Definitively a new lion species

[xelas]

You had some amazing sightings. I know it's a fairly common bird there, but I really like your grey-go-away bird with the crest. Well...Zvezda's :-)

I haven't managed any with the crest up.

And I must've missed it in the past...what's the story with the rice? Why no rice?

 

Refresh your memory here: http://safaritalk.net/topic/14528-road-trip-2015-the-hunt-for-red-dune/page-7

[Davesg]

Great trip report and photos so far @@xelas. I'm looking forward to the rest of it. You have a wonderful way with words!

[michael-ibk]

Great lion sighting - love "palusius".

[xyz99]

 

You had some amazing sightings. I know it's a fairly common bird there, but I really like your grey-go-away bird with the crest. Well...Zvezda's :-)

I haven't managed any with the crest up.

And I must've missed it in the past...what's the story with the rice? Why no rice?

 

Refresh your memory here: http://safaritalk.net/topic/14528-road-trip-2015-the-hunt-for-red-dune/page-7

 

 

Ohhhh yes, I remember now :-)

Glad to see you learned your lesson...and you're having a healthy diet (lots of fruits and vegetables) while on the road.

 

Love the muddy lion cubs.

[xelas]

@@Davesg

 

Thanks, Dave! I surely miss the larger vocabulary, should be more attentive in my school years .

[Pennyanne]

Wow! A new lion species. Loving this report. Especially like the starling's piercing look.

[xelas]

@@michael-ibk

 

Surely not properly used, latin is even stranger to me than english .

[janzin]

ooh those muddy lion babies are adorable!!! What a great sighting.

 

Looks like this is all with the 200-500VR? Isn't it an awesome safari lens!

[xelas]

ooh those muddy lion babies are adorable!!! What a great sighting.

 

Looks like this is all with the 200-500VR? Isn't it an awesome safari lens!

 

 

@@janzin

 

Not all of them. We have used D610 + 70-200f4 and D7200 + 200-500f5.6. This enabled us to cover almost the whole spectrum outside our vehicle. There is a perceivable difference in colour between 70-200f4 and 200-500f5.6 which I attribute to the Nano coating used on the shorter zoom lens. And I would swapped the 200-500f5.6 if next version will have Nano coating.

 

Yet, the 200-500 is the ultimate safari/wildlife lens for any non-pro photographer! More than reasonably priced, just the right weight and size, and with extraordinary IQ, specially at closer distance. If one can fill the frame with the subject, results are short to stellar. I do accept that pro lenses like 500 or 600 versions are capable of producing better results ... and they should be used if those results are sold to the final client. For people like us, whos photography is only a hobby, the 200-500 is anything and everything we have wished for.

[xelas]

Wow! A new lion species. Loving this report. Especially like the starling's piercing look.

 

 

Hi @@Pennyanne , glad to hear you are enjoying this TR. Kruger is most probably the one park most of the Safaritalk members have already visited, and finding anything new and interesting is probably not to happen too often in this report. But we will try hard to supply the audience with at least something fresh and different, like the looks that some birds have given to our camera . The stark orange colour of Starling eyes are in the same category as the ruby red colour of the Black-shouldered Kite. There will be more of the same to come.

Edited December 16, 2016 by xelas

[Peter Connan]

Oh they are just too cute! Wonderful sighting!

[PeterHG]

That is a wonderful follow-up again @@xelas! You do succeed in writing a lively and interesting story; nothing wrong with your vocabulary! Even making up new words on the go , in Latin even. And rightly so; your great series of the lions with the mud-covered cubs deserves no less! Glad to see and to read that the 200-500 does such a good job. Together with the 70-200 you have all the distances covered, indeed. And with very good images to prove it.

[xelas]

Oh they are just too cute! Wonderful sighting!

 

 

It was a wonderful sighting, and having it all to ourselves (not that I mind sharing sights but I do mind when other viewers are not courteous to other fellow viewers or to animals) made it The Sighting of the Trip for me.

[xelas]

That is a wonderful follow-up again @@xelas! You do succeed in writing a lively and interesting story; nothing wrong with your vocabulary! Even making up new words on the go , in Latin even. And rightly so; your great series of the lions with the mud-covered cubs deserves no less! Glad to see and to read that the 200-500 does such a good job. Together with the 70-200 you have all the distances covered, indeed. And with very good images to prove it.

 

I have had problems when and how to use 70-200 on our previous trips, but in Kruger, this lens was so very useful. And there was that second body for the second shooter ...

Edited December 16, 2016 by xelas

[PeterHG]

 

That is a wonderful follow-up again @@xelas! You do succeed in writing a lively and interesting story; nothing wrong with your vocabulary! Even making up new words on the go , in Latin even. And rightly so; your great series of the lions with the mud-covered cubs deserves no less! Glad to see and to read that the 200-500 does such a good job. Together with the 70-200 you have all the distances covered, indeed. And with very good images to prove it.

 

I have had problems when and how to use 70-200 on our previous trips, but in Kruger, this lens was so very useful. And there was that second body for the second shooter ...

I can see how it was useful (especially for a second shooter;)). With elephants and lions close you don't want to be limited to 200mm at the short end. I'm taking the 100-400 II next month, so not quite your coverage, though I do have the 1.4 converter for when I really need the mm's. And I'm the first shooter..

[Ladouce]

@@xelas great tr and I love the lion pictures!

[FlyTraveler]

Fabulous lion sighting and wonderful photos, @@xelas! The images of the birds, the elephant, the female and male impalas and the two male buffalo are very nice, as well. I already feel like going to KNP...