Kgalagadi January 2023: Clouds and cats and everything in between

[Tdgraves]

I'm now two trips behind and considered not bothering with this and going straight onto the Kruger trip, but have decided to try and get it done fast. We'll see whether that happens or not, especially as I have just noticed that not all photos have uploaded to Flickr properly....Our last trip to the KTP was just before the world closed due to COVID-19, so it was time for a return. It also meant that we could visit our friends in the Cape.

 

 

We booked a flight with miles and it was the first time back on the A380 with BA as business was increasing to pre-pandemic levels. We were delayed leaving, due to a customer taking ill on the plane just after boarding and needing to be offloaded. There was quite a lot of turbulence, but I managed some decent sleep. They had not made up much time overnight though. We had almost landed (you could see the airport buildings and the ground) when the engines increased and we went around. We had flown into wake turbulence from the Emirates flight in front and we had to do another circle around Joburg, before successfully landing about 20 minutes later. The captain was the epitome of calm when he announced that he couldn't land as the instruments were transiently not functioning!!  This put us into the immigration queue behind another large flight and with the delay in leaving Heathrow, was seriously eating into our first day plan. In the end, we abandoned having lunch and doing some shopping in town before leaving and just got straight onto the road. We had a very passable late lunch in a service station and made it to our B&B well before sundown.

 

Itinerary

 

13/1       Arrive Joburg, stay at Wildebeespan B&B, Delareyville

14/1       Birding in Barberspan then drive to Browns Manor B&B, Upington

15/1       Drive to KTP, Twee Rivieren, 2 nights  

17/1       Nossob (riverfront unit) 4 nights

21/1       Kalahari tented camp (honeymoon desert tent) 3 nights

23/1      Mata Mata (riverfront unit) 2 nights (less than ideal being so close together, but was unsuccessful chasing cancellations in wilderness camps)

25/1      African Vineyard B&B, Kanoneiland, Orange River

26/1      Drive to Cape Town, stay with friends

27/1      Wine tasting and lunch in Franschhoek

28/1      Lunch in Stellenbosch. Fly home

 

Seeing our friends meant one less night in the park than we would usually get, but it had been nearly five years since we had seen them and their new house. My plans for at least a half day of birding in the Cape were all extinguished though, as they really wanted to show off the area and wine tasting and food took preference!

 

7T4A4837 by tdgraves, on Flickr

Edited October 14, 2023 by Tdgraves
typo

[Tom Kellie]

~ @Tdgraves:

 

Your cheetah image above.

 

W O W !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's about as remarkable of an image as I've seen.

 

Thank you so much for posting it.

 

      Tom K.

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @Tom Kellie , I just picked it at random from the thumbnails of a very long list of similar shots!! I actually think the OHs were better...

[Tdgraves]

Day 1: Johannesburg to Delareyville, 13/1/23

 

We usually stock up on wine in Joburg and then get lunch to refuel before driving to our first stop, but this had to be abandoned. I have nothing really to add about the drive, apart from it was plain sailing. We had a very late lunch in Spur at a service station and I was pleasantly surprised. This had the added bonus of meaning we did not need dinner later on. The B&B is on a farm with a small garden, so I had a wander around with the camera.

 

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Edited October 14, 2023 by Tdgraves
extra photo

[janzin]

That really is a wonderful cheetah image! Looking forward to more!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @janzinvariation on the theme is now on our lounge wall...

[Tdgraves]

Day 2: Barberspan to Upington, 14/1/23

 

After setting the alarm to get up ridiculously early, it was unnecessary as the farm cockerel seemed to be crowing right outside our bathroom window for about half an hour before the alarm went off. We drove the 15km to Barberspan as the sun came up and the light was looking perfect. Unfortunately no one came to unlock the gates . Some fishermen were also waiting in vain at the leisure section. After going up and down the road a few times, the OH got frustrated and we went back to the B&B. The proprietors could only guess that the staff employed to lock and unlock the entrance gates had got lazy with COVID. I have since tried to contact the parks board to ascertain the opening hours or to see if it has been temporarily/permanently closed, but with no success. We managed one bird on the entrance road...

 

7T4A1513 by tdgraves, on Flickr

 

Really frustrating, given that our first visit was very overcast. After another coffee, I wandered around the garden whilst awaiting breakfast that we had purposefully made later for our birding trip!

 

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The drive to Upington was again hassle free, although it was interesting to see what petrol stations and facilities have been upgraded and we checked in to the B&B the earliest that we ever had. Given the Joburg wine shop was bypassed, we had to go to the mall, as the Northern Cape still has quite draconian licencing laws and we wouldn't be able to buy any alcohol when we picked up our groceries the following day, as it was a Sunday. We managed to find a passable selection in Woolworths and retired back to the B&B for a bit of birding and a swim. The birding was less pleasant than usual, as there were several varieties of ants and as soon as I stopped, they would attack. DEET did nothing to repel them. Is there such a thing as ant repellent??

 

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We had a lovely dinner, as usual at Cafe Zest. Slightly confused when following the satnav to get there though, as they have relocated and are now in the ground floor of a new hotel!

[Tdgraves]

Day 3: Upington to Twee Rivieren, 15/9/23

 

We collected our groceries with no issues and it was already very hot. By the time we got to the park, it was 44 degrees. Not ideal for unpacking a very full car . Park check in was easy, as usual. After unpacking and cooling off, we went on a short drive up the Nossob river bed. I had the 1D.

 

This goshawk was very confiding...

 

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We then came across three cheetah resting in the shade of a fairly distant bush. This was as much action that happened while we waited. Cheetah on the first drive though, result!

 

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A couple from the OH who was driving...

 

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And some tenants back in camp...

 

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Time for an early night.

[Tdgraves]

Day 4: Twee Rivieren morning drive, 16/1/23

 

It was a cooler 25 degrees as we left, rising to 35 at brunch time. We went up the Nossob as far as Melkvlei before returning to camp. I had the 5D.

 

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This jackal was very playful

 

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and dug up what the other one had buried....

 

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which we think was a bit of tyre.  We then found a lioness with three cubs sleeping on the road, something that we have not seen here before (cubs, not lions asleep on the road!!).

 

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Then it was time to move on, to let others have a view and to get to the picnic site.

 

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The lions were very inactive on our way back past

 

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A successful morning drive!

[TonyQ]

Some great sightings already!

It sounds like it was very hot

[offshorebirder]

Well done @Tdgraves - Cheetah and Lion right out of the gate.   You and the OH both got some very nice Jackal shots.   And the opening Cheetah shot was magnifique!

[Tdgraves]

Yes @TonyQit was, but I don’t think it got any hotter!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @offshorebirderit is a very good place for jackal.

[JayRon]

@Tdgraves   Seems like a very good start with both lion and cheetahs, the Kgalagadi never really lets you down with big cats sightings. And I guess/hope you saw a lot of cheetahs in the Mata Mata area, we did anyway when we visited in january 2022  Looking forward to the next chapter. The Kgalagadi is just an amazing magical place  

[Hads]

What a fantastic start to your trip, the opening photo is sensational @Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @JayRonand @Hadsdefinitely more cheetah to come

[Toxic]

Enjoying following along @Tdgravesand as everyone else has said some great shots already and we're only on day 4!! Looking forward to reading the rest of your TR. 

[Tdgraves]

25 minutes ago, Toxic said:

Enjoying following along @Tdgravesand as everyone else has said some great shots already and we're only on day 4!! Looking forward to reading the rest of your TR. 

or day 2 if you just count the safari days…

[Tdgraves]

Day 4: Twee Rivieren evening drive

 

It was 40 degrees as we set off and this time we went up the Auob. Our first sighting was a pale chanting goshawk taking refuge in the shade of a small bush at the side of the dune road.

 

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It then hopped up onto the bush and we thought that we may see a kill, but not to be

 

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It then decided that the shade offered by our car was better than the bush and walked straight towards us!

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This lark was also hot

 

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Then we got into the river bed, where we found this spotted thick-knee

 

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and finally a mammal!

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and then some Kalahari specials

 

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and it was time to turn around and head for camp. There was a man setting up what we assume was a research hide. It was a raised container with windows (and a fridge) looking out over a waterhole. We have seen them several times in the park and assume that someone sits in them all night and records what happens and a few days later they move to a different site. Anyway, on our way back South, we saw a big cat slinking away from the waterhole and as we went past the building, the man was still pottering about, presumably he had scared the cat. Our first (and only) leopard sighting of the trip and no photographic proof 

 

Some more wildlife on the dunes

 

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and from the OH (as I was driving)

 

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[Tdgraves]

Day 5: Twee Rivieren morning drive, 17/1/23

 

Warm and clear as we left camp. 26 degrees up to 36 when we returned to pack up and check out. I had the 1D again. As we were transferring to Nossob, we went up the Auob. The first sighting was on the way to collect our permit and so it was still very dark

 

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In the dunes

 

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from the OH

 

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and then onto the river bed

 

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this jackal had us do a double take wondering if it was a Cape fox

 

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Time to check out

[Tdgraves]

Day 5: Transfer to Nossob

 

By the time we had packed up for the long drive, it was 38 degrees.

 

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The highlight of the trip was a mother cheetah and a few minutes away, her two subadult cubs.

 

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One cub soon sought deeper shade, but the other one posed for us

 

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the light was very harsh, so I did some experimentation

 

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We checked in and by our room - the first new bird of the trip - an Abdim's stork

 

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Time to unpack again.

[Tdgraves]

Day 5: Nossob evening drive, 17/1/23

 

As we had already had a long day, we just did a short drive, up North to Kwang and back, it was pretty quiet, so we watched a jackal and a Lanner hunting doves.

 

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[janzin]

Really wonderful photos in that last set! Love the silhouetted doves and the hunting jackal and falcon peeking out--oh all of them are great!

[Tdgraves]

Thanks @janzin

[Tdgraves]

Day 6: Nossob morning drive, 18/1/23

 

It was a cool 24 degrees when we set off  rising to a mere 34 on our return. We went North as far as Bedinkt and it was pretty quiet in terms of general game. I had the 5D again today.

 

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This jackal was more active, hunting whatever was at the waterhole

 

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this was as close as he got whilst we were there

 

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his mate, less so!

 

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These birds were all at the same hole as the jackal (Cubitjie Quap)

 

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